The line between advertising and content marketing has blurred.
While content marketing refers to the overall content generated by a business, adverting includes everything from digital marketing and social media ads to billboards, radio spots, and print ads.
And the lines are blurring.
With more and more companies advertising on digital channels like social media, it’s becoming increasingly important to have a strategy in place to capture those eyeballs and have advertising that’s both effective and ethical.
We looked into the growing trend of’strategic copywriting’ and how it can help develop an effective advertising strategy.
What Is Strategic Copywriting?
If you’re not familiar, copywriting is the practice of crafting words that will attract potential customers and encourage them to take action – like buying your product or service.
Strategic copywriting is making sure that the words you’re using at every stage of the buyer’s journey – from top of the funnel to bottom – fall into place to build a robust and repeatable marketing strategy.
More and more companies are taking a holistic approach to marketing, which means putting equal emphasis on content generation as well as creating compelling advertisements.
A 2015 Forrester report found that 47% of marketers put content marketing first, and only 27% of marketers put ads and marketing emails first.
If you’re not yet convinced that SEO, content marketing, and ads can work together, consider this: HubSpot found that 59% of businesses saw an increase in sales after implementing content marketing, while 24% saw an increase in sales after implementing SEO.
The trend is clear: Content marketing is effective as heck when paired with SEO and adverts.
But creating quality content that will engage and delight your target audience takes time, effort, and resources. And it’s not just about writing a bunch of copy for the sake of having some words on a page.
Strategic copywriting puts a special emphasis on the value the copy provides in relation to the primary objective of the campaign. For example, consider a PPC (pay per click) ad campaign in which you’re paying to have your ads displayed when someone searches for your product. The more effective your ads are, the more you’ll gain from the ad campaign. As a copywriter, your job is to make sure that your ads are both compelling and easy to understand.
So instead of just coming up with a bunch of slogans and heading copy for your ads, you’ll want to consider the following questions when writing your copy.
How Does My Product or Service Fit Into The Marketspace?
Before you begin writing, it’s essential to understand the marketspace of your product or service – what is currently available to your target audience, and what is missing or broken for them.
Start by defining your product or service’s market – what are you trying to sell and to whom? Bear in mind that the answers to these questions will guide your entire approach to marketing.
Let’s say your product is designed for entrepreneurs who need inspiration and guidance to grow their business. You’ll want to consider what advice they’re seeking and whether your product provides that value.
When crafting the marketing copy for your website, blog, or social media channels – whether that’s your advertorials or articles designed to attract potential customers – you’ll want to consider the language and style of your target audience.
Do you already have a brand voice and language that you want to bring to the project?
If so, great! Remember that your product or service is only as good as your weakest link and that you’re judged by the company you keep. When choosing agency partners, ensure that you work with people you can trust.
This point is worth a reiteration: Before you begin your marketing strategy, it’s essential to define your product or service’s market. What are you trying to sell and to whom? Your product or service’s marketing objectives should become clearer as you answer these fundamental questions.
If you’re looking for a one-stop-shop for market research, try this. You can learn a lot from simply entering a few keywords into a search engine.
What Research About My Product Or Service Can I Use To Build Marketing Charts And Sales Funnels?
When developing a marketing strategy, the first thing you’ll want to do is build marketing charts and sales funnels to track your progress and determine your ideal audience.
As a copywriter, you’re not only tasked with coming up with compelling and effective messaging, but you’ll also need to consider how to capture that message and get the reader to act.
To that end, you’ll want to look into the following:
- Product research, including reviews, pricing, features, and functionality;
- Market research into the demographics, psychographics, and digital behavior of your target audience;
- Pricing strategies;
- Feature comparisons;
- Functionality comparisons;
- Style and tone – is this a straight-forward, conversational tone or a more formal one?
- Copy for ads and other publications – any literature you’ve already created, such as case studies, will be a great starting point for this stage of the project; and
- Goals and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) – A clear idea of what to measure and how to track your success.
By answering these questions, you’ll be able to choose the right words to use and the right order in which to present these words. You’ll also be able to choose the right timing for the delivery of these words, whether you’re speaking to a new or existing audience.
Your product or service may already exist in some form. You may not have defined the exact demographics or psychographics of your target audience, but you’ve likely defined them as a group of people with certain needs and desires.
With this knowledge, you can craft product descriptions that match the language and style of your target audience. Plus, you can begin to develop a clear message for your ads.
As you consider the above questions, you may find that some are more important to you than others. Which ones? That’s up to you. What’s most important is that you consider them all.