When people learn that a person is a writer, they assume all writers do the same thing. On the contrary, the hundreds of job listings on freelancing sites that contain the word “writer” are proof that there are many kinds of writing. Even among fiction writers, the list of distinct genres is long.
One of the specific writing niches there are is copywriting. If you are not familiar with what a copywriter does and you are a business owner, keep reading to find out.
What Is Copywriting?
Those in the know usually refer to copywriting as writing for advertisements and other publicity materials. Copywriting applies to printed promotional words and even scripts in commercials. In fact, simple statements you see on websites like “read more” or “get a copy” fall within the scope of a copywriters’ work. In short, copywriting is everywhere. While it seems simple and easy, being a copywriter requires skill in persuasion.
A compelling copy is not something that only lists the benefits of buying a product or contains a one-sentence call to action. It requires so much more from the writer. Especially with the shift in marketing trends from brand-centric to consumer-centric, copywriting proves to be tougher to navigate.
You can say that copywriting is the soul of every business marketing scheme. Without the right words, you can’t get customers to know your product, buy from you, or interact with your content. Take Apple as an example. Their copywriters are doing a fantastic job.
Statements like “Make working hard feel like hardly working” sound simple, but they pack a punch. Statements like this don’t magically appear in the minds of copywriters. There are many literary techniques in their arsenal to develop these concepts.
The Art of Persuasion and an Understanding of Psychology
As mentioned above, one of the main features of a good copy is persuasion. The main goal of copywriting is to get people to buy, make them curious, and facilitate interaction. And to get them to do this, copywriters must know what is going on in people’s minds.
Understanding How Words Work
People buy a product when they resonate with the message. And a big deal of why this happens is when a copy is appropriately written and conveyed well. This requires a copywriter to use language strategy and human psychology.
To write at a level that people will understand, a copywriter must use the exact words. They have to structure a statement that will best captivate the audience. To take the Apple copy mentioned above, it uses repetition of words that sound appealing and at the same time delivers the message that needs to be delivered.
Understanding the Target Customers
They also have to know who they are selling to. With that specific copy from Apple, the copywriters tried to target people who needed a device to help them accomplish work more efficiently. And that gadget is a MacBook. It addresses the customer’s pain point: having to deal with a lot of difficult work they can barely accomplish. If they buy a MacBook, they address that particular pain point. The message: buy a MacBook, and your problem will be solved.
A copywriter also knows better than just listing out all the product specifications. They focus more on the benefits and not on the features. Instead of saying that this computer uses a retina display or a back-lit keyboard, it focuses on the positive change it can bring to a customer’s life.
Suppose you’re in the service provider industry and you own a carpet cleaning company. Your copywriter must tell customers that they don’t need to stress out about cleaning heavy and dirty carpets because you can handle all the heavy lifting. Your copywriters must emphasize the benefit of going to a professional cleaner than doing the work with their own hands—all this without even focusing on the kinds of cleaning solutions you use or the features of your machines. All your writers need to emphasize is that it’s hassle-free on the part of the customer.
Of course, being excellent at copywriting comes with experience. When hiring one, ask for examples of their work and be the judge. Put yourself in the shoes of the customer. Are you persuaded? Are you interested?
This article is only a peek at what copywriting is in a nutshell. This should also be a reminder for you always to pay talent and expertise so you can convey your message well. After all, no business succeeded without swaying their customers with words.