…ok, but, what is copywriting?

Let me guess, you’ve found yourself here because of myriad reasons and, while you’ve probably heard the word “copywriting” before, if someone asked you to define it you may suddenly realize that you’re not exactly sure what it is. 

“It’s, you know, copywriting…” 

If that sounds like you, don’t worry – you’re in good company! 

Copywriting often gets folded in with other forms of writing, such as content writing, SEO (search-engine optimization), and blogs. While it can certainly include elements of all of the above, copywriting is – rather specifically – something else entirely.

In short, copywriting is writing that sells. Over 40 years ago, Judith Charles, a leading expert in marketing, put it best: “A copywriter is a salesperson behind a typewriter.” 

Copy is Everywhere!

The eye opening discovery for me was when I realized that virtually everything that I engage with on a daily (hourly, even) basis had some form of compelling copy attached to it that prompted me to action. That action was a purchase in some way, by spending my time or money on it. 

Copy is in your email, social media, webpages, direct mail, billboards, commercials, newspapers, and magazines. Where there’s an advertisement for a brand, product, or service, there is copywriting.

Let’s Try A Little Experiment…

After you woke up this morning, you probably grabbed your phone or headed into the bathroom to perform any number of tasks (or maybe you’re a multitasker and did both; in which case, I stand with you and will defend against any shame that comes your way!). What kind of phone do you have? What brand of toothpaste do you use? Who makes the lightbulbs that are in your bathroom? 

Then, you may head into your kitchen to prepare coffee, pack your kids’ lunches, feed your dog, turn on a podcast or morning show for background noise. What brands are present in that routine? 

Now, once you’ve made a mental note of all of those brands, think about those brands’ competitors. How many of those voices did you say “no thanks” to because you were ultimately called to the brands that take up residence in your home? 

Each one of those products has a brand voice behind it. There is an entire mechanism that is engineered to target an audience, speak to that audience, and craft a specific action so that the audience will engage with their brand over the others. Copywriters chose each word with purpose, and that purpose is to compel consumers to engage with the product or service they’re writing about. 

The Human-to-Business Continuum

Where it gets quite interesting is when we begin to examine the human condition and why a person would choose one brand over another. Now more than ever, consumers are showing a real interest in aligning with more than just the products that a company sells. Customers want to know a company’s carbon footprint, or if they give to charitable causes, or if they support fair wages, or engage with any litany of social issues. It’s now up to businesses to showcase that they are a bit more beyond their inventory and communicate it effectively. 

The Deep Benefit

Another rather important factor is how a business markets its products using the following question as a guide: “What is the benefit to my customer by purchasing this product?” It’s not as simple as saying, in the case of a smartphone, “My customer will have a device that connects them to the world.” Because, how many smartphones do that? Yep. All of them. We’re looking for the benefit beyond that: “My customer will have a device that connects them to the world, so that they are always able to access the information and people that are most important to them and can easily connect with other devices in our brand’s ecosystem.” 

When we use the phrase “...so that,” it helps us get to the deep benefit. What follows “...so that” is how a consumer’s life is positively impacted by purchasing that product. Copywriters (good ones!) inspire people to act. That inspiration is rooted in an emotional place, so understanding it is integral to the copywriting process.

A Business Owner’s Call-To-Action (a little homework for you!)

To consider how some copy can be more effective than others, think about the brands, products, and services that you encounter or use on a regular basis. 

  • Ask yourself: “What inspired me to engage with that brand or business? What is in the copy that spoke to me?” 

  • Finish the statement: “I use this brand because X, so that…”

  • Consider: If you see an advertisement for a brand, product, or service, is the copy communicating the deep benefit to a consumer? 

These questions are critical ones to answer for your own business and will be of tremendous help to any copywriter who you hire to work with you! 



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