You might be familiar with the term ‘copywriting’ in the world of advertising copy – the written press releases and other company literature that often accompany TV commercials. Now, though, it’s popping up in other places, too.
Whether you’re marketing a new product, service, or idea, you’ll need copy to bring it to life. But what does copywriting really mean? Is it just making things short and snappy? Is it more complicated than that?
Here, we’ll explore the origins of copywriting and its meanings: from Gutenberg to Zukerberg.
The Origins Of Copywriting
The roots of copywriting can be found in the printing press and – particularly – in the form of the newspaper. Backed by huge investments and determined to make a profit, the founders of The New York Times decided to cut out the middleman and put themselves in direct contact with their audience – by setting up a direct sales force to welcome and then convert subscribers into paying customers.
This method proved so successful that the newspaper eventually became the biggest seller of the day, with over three million daily copies distributed all over the country. And it wasn’t just about sales – this newspaper approach led the way to the Golden Age of Journalism, during which the general public had unprecedented access to authoritative and trusted information.
What’s more, a number of pioneering journalists developed their craft while working for The New York Times. The most notable of these is – you guessed it – William Randolph Hearst, whose descendants own and control the paper company to this day.
The Rise Of Ad Agencies
With the success of the New York Times, other publications started to look for ways to cut out the middleman and attract advertisers directly. Naturally, the same direct sales approach was applied, with the result that we now see a rise in the number of ad agencies and the specialisation of copywriters.
These days, advertising agencies are mostly known for taking on big brand campaigns for well-known companies. But that wasn’t always the case. At the start of the 20th century, J. Walter Thompson, an American ad agency, created a department specifically to focus on small-business advertising, led by someone aptly named Claude Lane. The agency grew quickly, particularly after the First World War, and now has offices around the world, including London.
Since then, other agencies have followed suit and now we have the phenomenon of ‘digital agencyship’. Digital agencies, also known as ‘full service creative agencys’, put together a variety of marketing services, from designing and implementing digital campaigns to copywriting, editing, and design. And the role of the copywriter is simply to help the agency’s clients communicate effectively across all platforms and channels.
Copy As In ‘Quick Hits’
So, what exactly does copywriting mean today? Is it just about making things short and snappy? Is it more complicated than that?
One of the main inspirations for today’s copywriters is the ‘quick hit’ or PSA – public service announcement. Frequently, these are placed in magazine and newspaper articles with the aim of encouraging readers to make certain purchases or engage with certain products. The catch is that, as each PSA is supposed to encourage a certain behaviour – like voting or sending holiday gifts – the writers are limited in the number of times they can use the same language and phrases. This often leads to hilarious mishaps, such as this plea from Procter & Gamble, written in 1907: “Remember – less is more. Use a few good words and you’ll get the idea.”
The Purpose Of Copywriting
With all the misinformation and clickbait out there, it’s important that people know what they’re getting into when they engage with content creators. Although there are no set rules, a simple test to see if an author is acting in good faith is to ask yourself if what you’re reading makes sense in the context of your own experience. You wouldn’t believe some of the stories that get passed around online, even today. But as long as you’re not paying for content, you have no right to complain.
Is it any wonder that people are looking for ways to avoid being scammed? Since the dawn of civilization, there have been attempts to create systems and guidelines to stop this type of thing from happening. Now, with the explosion of the digital nomad population and the rise of the sharing economy, it’s never been more important to educate yourself about the dangers of being fooled.