Copywriters... What exactly do they do and why do we feel their presence more than ever?
You might have heard a lot of chatter around copywriting later but did you know that 50% of all copies on the internet are written by copywriters?
Whether it’s because we’re increasingly more digital and companies need professionals that are able to write texts that pierce through the online buzz, or because competition is brutal and you just can’t leave anything to chance anymore.
Either way, copywriters are in high demand and, in a nutshell, it’s because they're able to communicate effectively through written word and pierce through the online buzz.
All things considered, I haven’t discovered copywriting too early in my life. I had always had a passion for writing and I remember buying Mark Shaw’s book, “Copywriting: Successful Writing for Design, Advertising, Marketing” and reading it but that’s as far as it went initially.
Later on, after I started seeing its impact in ad campaigns, I began taking copywriting more seriously, and decided to bring that book back from the depths of my library… I moved on to reading other books, taking courses, doing personal research before I felt confidente enough to get my hands dirty, and here’s what I found out.
At first I wondered what exactly is copywriting and what exactly does a copywriter do
A copywriter is responsible for writing all kinds of content from websites, blog posts, social media captions, articles, press releases, eBooks, and so much more. Copywriters also create ad copy for advertising campaigns, brochures, flyers, so basically anything a business can need in terms of content. From sales texts to content for brand awareness.
There’s more on the differences between content writing and copywriting in another post you might have come across.
But I digress…
Before you consider becoming one, you should know copywriters are both team players and also lone wolves. They work closely with other departments such as design, production, marketing, but they’ll also be days on end writing without much contact with other people.
Or maybe that’s just me.
What is the main purpose of a copywriter?
It all comes down to one thing: ensure that the message being communicated by the company is clear, concise and that it gets a reaction. It doesn’t have to be a sale, it can be as (seemingly) subtle as triggering something in a reader that will make them remember the brand (remember brand awareness we were talking about earlier? Bingo).
Copywriters have to be creative while maintaining consistency throughout their work.
They must understand the target audience and what they want to hear.
Copywriters should be able to express themselves clearly and succinctly and convey ideas and concepts in an engaging manner.
All in all, a good copywriter is a good researcher, a good editor, and is able to create compelling content that engages readers. A great copywriter will give your audience something delicious to chew on, planting your brand in their minds and make them want to come back for more.
But that’s just me… thinking out loud.