What is a Copywriter?
When people ask me what I do, and I tell them I’m a copywriter, I get a lot of questions and confusion. I try to describe my work, but they seem even more confused. But it is kind of confusing. Even some copywriters are confused as to what copywriters do. So I’ve learned to tell the curious that they see the work of copywriters everywhere.
Copy is simply the words you see in places such as:
- Websites
- Book covers
- Billboards
- Magazine ads
- Even on boxes of tea or cartons of ice cream
What I don’t explain is what all these examples have in common. But they are all meant to sell something. Because what copywriters do is much more than adding words to fill space. We craft careful word usage, placement, and word count with the purpose of selling something.
All of the effective copy you see was skillfully crafted by someone, not just hastily thrown together. You may not know what bad copywriting is consciously, but you recognize it when you see it. It appears off or unprofessional, or even unclear in its message. Sometimes, it’s just ignored all together.
So, how do you recognize good copywriting then? Usually, you don’t notice that either. But you know it works because you make purchasing decisions based on good copy, along with good branding, though it may not register in the moment.
Why Do You Need a Copywriter?
The number one reason people hire copywriters outside of their writing expertise, is that it saves them precious time. Time really is money, and crafting hundreds of words, doing market research to find your target audience, editing everything to fit the platform and conventions necessary, all while including important keywords, takes a lot of your time. Probably more time than you have or are willing to spend.
Copy is needed for everything, such as your:
- Website
- Emails
- Social media marketing
- All promotional material
Of course you don’t have to use a copywriter or content writer for all of your copy needs, but a copywriter is an all-in-one marketer, writer and editor at your disposal. Most importantly, a copywriter is a time saver for you, so you can keep doing what you do best.
Yes, Even Writers and Authors Need Copywriters
Authors spend a great deal of energy writing their books, as you probably already know. They have to carefully choose a title, and find assistance in creating an eye-catching cover. But when it comes to the back cover of their book, many new authors skimp or are unconcerned with what’s included, and that’s a huge mistake.
Steven Spatz, Book Baby Blog
You’re probably wondering, if you’re already a writer, why would you need someone else to write your website copy, book summary, or your author bio? Because writing a book is much different than writing copy. Most writers struggle with writing their own bios, wrestle with promoting themselves and they don’t often know the conventions, standards and format of things like book cover summaries, bios and website copy. So not only will you end up spending time writing your own copy, you’ll likely need an editor. But the good thing about hiring a copywriter is that they take care of that for you too, so you don’t have to.
Here Are Some Things a Copywriter Can Do For You
- Your bios on all platforms
- Your book cover copy
- Marketing emails like event announcements, newsletters and promotional deals
- Media/Press Kits
- Social Media Promo Campaigns
What to Expect When Working With a Copywriter
When you decide to let a copywriter take care of your copy needs, you can expect to have more free time and a sense of confidence that your brand, your book, or your business is being represented in a professional and engaging way.
But, you’ll be expected to provide some information about yourself too. This is called a client brief. They may ask you about:
- Your goals, and your brand elements
- Existing marketing material
- Links to your websites and social media platforms
- If you’re an author, you can expect to provide a copy of your book as well
- You may also need to provide some details in the form of a questionnaire
We copywriters need this information to form a strategy that will best fit you and your needs. The brief allows your copywriter to get a sense of who you are, what you’re currently presenting to the outside world, etc. so that we can create the best, on-brand and effective copy for your goals and needs.
There may be more or less involved on your part, depending on the project, but it will almost always take very little time or effort. The last thing you’ll likely do is provide feedback on drafts of certain copy and then eventually, approve it.
That’s all there is to it, really. It’s an easy process that saves you time, frustration and a lot of doubt. If you feel a bit lost in writing your marketing copy, you’re not alone. But the good news is that we can help! So get in touch and see what miracles a copywriter can work for you.
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