(Written by a completely unbiased copywriter)
Copywriting is absolutely everywhere, though you might not have noticed it before. Every ad you’ve seen, every website you’ve visited, every newsletter you’ve read, you can guarantee that a copywriter has been there, crafting the right words to convince you to take action. In its essence, copywriting is simply that: taking your reader from point a to your desired point b.
In the years before the invention of the printing press in the fifteenth century, a dedicated reader could have read every book in existence within their lifetime. Why is this relevant, you might ask. Well, then think, could you imagine hopping online and reading every page on google suggesting you should buy this or that item? No. It would take forever.
The fact is that we have far more choice in today’s information age, from the books we read to the brands we buy from. On the one hand, you can market yourself to people all over the world (something that a merchant in the middle ages likely would have killed for) but on the other hand, that power comes with an inevitable trade off — overabundance. The chances are that there are thousands of others out there that are selling the exact same thing that you are, so why should people choose your brand over theirs?
This is where copywriting is essential. The right copy will differentiate your business from the crowd and create trust with your audience. It tells a story about who you are. It makes your customers feel seen. It’s the jedi mind trick of marketing and advertising.
An experienced copywriter will have experience in producing a range of material for various brands. There are also a multitude of niches within copywriting — whether it’s B2B copywriting, technical copywriting, SEO copywriting — so no matter what it is that you need, there’ll be specialists out there that have been there and done it.
You might have a truly great product on your hands that you can’t wait to tell the world about, yet the results won’t be what you hoped without a real connection with your customers. And that’s exactly what a copywriter can provide. You know better than anyone why your business would be beneficial for your target audience, a copywriter simply takes that knowledge and creates a message that will reach them.
Now, you might ask yourself why you’d need to hire someone to do this for you. After all, couldn’t you write this yourself, or get an AI tool to do it for free?
It’s true that AI bots are smarter these days, and if you feed them the right input then you should get legible copy in return. But believe it or not, a copywriter’s first asset is not their writing skill, it’s an ability that AI doesn’t have.
Copywriters can think.
This is the true bulk of a copywriter’s work. Before a first draft is written, a copywriter will spend time researching your competitors and target audience, as well as familiarising themselves with your brand guidelines and tone of voice. These steps help to determine the content and style of the copy, as well as the medium it’s shared through as part of the overall messaging strategy.
Bringing copywriters onboard means more than just a refresh to your sales material, they can provide the direction that your marketing needs. They can assess the challenges that your business is facing and give you a fresh perspective. In this sense, the work of a copywriter is more proactive than reactive, arming you with expert guidance and a path to build a better relationship with your customers.
Ultimately, the first impression that someone gets when they visit your website, read your blog, or see an ad will be formed by the words that you use. The difference between engaging content and the all-too-familiar is one that your business will undoubtedly feel.
If you’re thinking of hiring a copywriting agency, or have already done so, take the time to share your views on what you think your business’s strengths are, who you’re trying to reach, and anything that differentiates you from the competition. This usually happens during the onboarding phase, but a successful partnership will be built through continued communication and collaboration.
With the right team in place, your business will break through the barrier of stale webpages and newsletters that never see the light of day. On the other side, the upturn in sales and brand awareness will have you questioning how you ever did it without copywriters.
