Whether you are a business owner, a social media influencer, a budding entrepreneur, or someone simply trying to get their first copywriting job, knowing how to write clear and compelling copy is critical to your success. Copywriting is another marketing tool to add to your advertising strategy; correctly written copy can make or break your marketing campaign. Continue reading for everything you need to know about copywriting and how to improve your copywriting skills to write excellent copy.
What is copywriting?
Copywriting is the fundamental process of writing a copy. Now, you’re probably wondering what copy is, right? Copy is written work mainly to help sell a product or service or promote a company’s brand. Copywriting encompasses many different avenues. It can include:
How is copywriting different from other types of writing?
The main difference between copywriting and other writing professions, such as content writing, is that it always includes a call to action (CTA). A call to action is essential in writing sales copy, as its primary purpose is to help generate sales and brand awareness. This is why the copy needs to be informative and tell the reader how to proceed in purchasing a product or service from the company.
What are the different types of copywriting?
With a form of copywriting being just about everywhere you look these days, it isn’t surprising that most businesses are taking advantage of this form of advertising. Continue reading for nine examples of copywriting and what copywriting strategies you can implement into your writing.
- Marketing copywriting
- Marketing copywriting is typically the form of copywriting that most people are aware of.
- Some types of marketing copywriting include:
- Online digital marketing ads.
- YouTube videos and podcasts.
- Radio and TV commercials.
- Flyers.
- Billboards.
- Branded stickers.
- Direct mail.
- This type of copy can be done through paid ads or traditional marketing strategies.
- Social media copywriting
- With numerous social media sites available, it is essential when planning your social media copy to use your research skills to figure out where your target audience tends to spend most of their time when planning your social media copy.
- Social media copywriting differs from other copy in a few ways.
- Below are a few of the ways it is different than other copywriting types:
- Emojis are regularly used in the copy.
- It is written in a more informal tone.
- The copy almost always accompanies a visual aspect.
- The ad might be a paid ad stretching across numerous platforms.
- The copy then redirects the reader to a website’s landing page.
- The copy should be clear and short.
- Brand copywriting
- Writing effective copy that communicates the brand’s message is of the utmost importance in brand copywriting.
- When writing this type of copy, it can help to keep the brand’s main image and brand voice in mind. This can come from a logo, their theme song, a common phrase they use, or even one of their company traits. For brand copywriting to do its job, the customer must be the first thing you think about.
- It is essential to know who your target audience is, and you can gain insight into this by utilizing the following:
- Audience surveys.
- Targeted focus groups.
- Blind testing.
- A/B testing.
- Direct response copywriting
- With direct response copywriting, the primary purpose is to entice the reader to take action immediately.
- This type of copywriting can be used in numerous different ways, including:
- Landing pages after the customer clicks on an ad.
- Open-ended emails.
- Pop-ups.
- Special limited-time offers.
- When a customer is on a webpage, and a pop-up appears on the screen before they change or leave the page, this is another form of direct response copywriting. This method is effective as it helps entice them to stay on the page by compelling them to sign up for something the company offers.
- Technical copywriting
- Technical copywriting is precisely what it sounds like.
- This involves writing copy where the primary purpose is to explain the technology and provide a detailed product description to the reader to help sell a specific product.
- To sell a technical product, the copy has to explain to the reader what it is, how it works, and why they should buy it.
- Once the customer fully understands the product and its benefits, they can decide whether to purchase it or not.
- As the technology industry continuously evolves, technical copywriters are essential to help the tech industry advance.
- Public relations copywriting
- Public relations copywriting is used to help inform media outlets and the public regarding a business, product, or service.
- Often written by a publicist, this type of copy usually details an event the business hosts and is shared with different media outlets.
- Public relations copy primarily aims to form a more personal relationship with the public and other organizations instead of just getting the business’s message across using radio and TV advertising.
- Thought leadership copywriting
- This type of copywriting is slightly different.
- Thought leadership copywriting is a type of copy written by a content writer who is a prominent and well-respected member of that industry. For example, if a prominent attorney wrote an article recommending that everyone add a specific clause to their Will to help ensure it is legal and binding, that article would be considered to be thought leadership copywriting.
- The main difference between this type of copywriting and others is that it isn’t selling or promoting a product but instead tries to compel the reader to believe a specific idea.
- SEO copywriting
- With SEO copywriting, the main goal is to utilize specific keywords and phrases that search engines can find to help bring that particular copy to the top of the search results.
- A sales page can be advanced in the search engine results (SERP) if done correctly.
- Email copywriting
- One of the primary sources of copywriting work is email copywriting.
- When you utilize email marketing, ensuring that the copy you send out to potential customers is well-written and practical is critical.
- Some components of email copywriting include:
- A catchy subject line.
- A well-thought-out preview sentence.
- A well-written introductory sentence for the body of the email.
- A riveting call to action.
- Email copywriting can be educational, such as a newsletter or informational brochure, or more sales focused, such as a free trial promotion.
- With email copywriting, B2B copy differs from B2C copy in the following ways:
- You write for a logical buyer instead of an emotional one.
- You build a personal relationship with the reader.
- You encourage the reader to start a conversation with you.
- You utilize more industry-related terminology.
How do you become a successful copywriter?
Once you have decided to add copywriting to your business’s marketing campaign or branch out into a new and exciting copywriting career, you will want to ensure success. Continue reading for seven copywriting tips on how to become a successful copywriter.
1. In-depth knowledge of your client
If you are writing for a client rather than your own business, in-depth knowledge of their company is vital in helping them reach their goals. To do this, it is a good idea to research their industry, including their competitors and how your client fits in. The next step to writing good copy is to look at your client’s information to get a feel for their brand and the tone they use. This can include looking at their webpages, reports, documents, brochures and catalogs, press release information, and social media pages. Once you have done that, it never hurts to check out their competitor’s content to see how other copywriters tackle some of the common challenges you might face in that particular industry.
2. Know your prospective customer
This step is crucial in becoming a successful copywriter. You need to know your prospective customer in and out to target that specific demographic best. To do this, talk to prospective customers. If that isn’t an option, you can also check out online conversations on bulletin boards, social media pages, or wherever your target audience tends to spend most of their time online. Things you are going to want to keep an eye out for to get more clicks and subscribers are: [content missing]
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