If you’re new to freelancing or are just looking to redefine your role, the term Copywriting may seem like Greek to you.
What is Copywriting? Copywriting is the process of taking an idea, a concept, or a marketing concept and converting it into written content — often in the form of a business email or online marketing piece — that will effectively communicate that idea, concept, or marketing message to a specific audience.
In today’s world, written and electronic marketing content is everywhere. From emails to online stores, blogs to social media, content (no matter the form) is used to engage with customers, establish credibility, and build a brand. As a copywriter, it’s your job to take an idea or concept and communicate it to a group of people through written content — whether that’s a blog post, a sales email, or a landing page. You may also write press releases or pamphlets for the print media. In all cases, your written content will be used to engage with or convert prospective customers into regular or new customers.
The Basics
Before we dive into the details, it’s important to establish some fundamental concepts. First off, Copywriting is more than just words on a page. Second, words alone rarely cut it these days. To be heard, your words must be accompanied by action — examples include signing up for a service, making a purchase, or showing up at an event.
Somebody, somewhere along the line has to engage with the reader. That somebody is you as the copywriter. As a copywriter, it’s your job to convert an idea, a concept, or a marketing message into some form of written content that will make the person reading it interested enough to take action.
The Research
From the very beginning, your job as a copywriter is to research. You’ll need to get to know your client and understand their business goals, challenges, and audience. Only then can you develop ideas that will help them achieve those goals.
One of the first things you’ll want to consider is the value you’ll add to the conversation. Value is a critical piece of any business communication, and it goes beyond just the information you provide. You may want to develop a competitive analysis to determine the value each of your ideas will bring to the table. You should also research how other businesses compete in the marketplace and what tactics they’re using to gain an advantage.
The next step is to develop a plan. It’s essential to have a plan before you begin. You can’t just turn up and start writing. You need to have a clear understanding of what you’ll write — and when you’ll write it — based on your research and planning. When you have a plan, you have a clearer picture of how much content you need to produce and when you’ll have it ready.
The Creative Process
As a copywriter, you’ll be using your creative mind to come up with ideas. You’ll want to develop innovative ideas that are specific to your client’s business and can’t be found elsewhere. For this reason, you may want to take a few days to brainstorm with coworkers or friends — people who can provide input and challenge your thinking. Once you have a few ideas, narrow it down to two or three and develop a simple prototype to test their value.
Ideally, you’ll want to develop a test market — a small group of people, typically chosen at random, to test your ideas and see how well they perform. This type of research is critical to whether or not an idea will succeed. You can’t just write for the sake of writing or to satisfy your creative muscles.
Ideally, you’ll want to develop a test market — a small group of people, typically chosen at random, to test your ideas and see how well they perform. This type of research is critical to whether or not an idea will succeed. You can’t just write for the sake of writing or to satisfy your creative muscles.
The Product
An important thing to consider as a copywriter is the product you’ll be creating. It’s critical to have a strong understanding of what your product will look like — both in terms of design and copy — before you begin. You won’t want to rush the process and have something that was poorly designed or written about that hasn’t been tested in the market.
What’s more is, the product you create will have an effect on your sales, whether it’s direct or indirect. The better the product, the more effective it will be. This is why it’s so important to take the time to plan and develop a good idea before you begin writing. Once you have a good idea, you’ll be able to develop an outline — a roadmap, if you will — for the project. This will help you stay on track and ensure that you meet the deadline.
The next step is to write. You’ll want to engage the reader and establish a connection. To do this, you need to write concisely and in a way that is interesting and holds the reader’s attention. A key to effective writing is active voice. However, you must keep your readers engaged by using the right words and phrases. To ensure that your readers remain interested, you’ll want to add more than just informative content. You’ll want to develop an editorial calendar, a plan of what you’ll publish — either in written or electronic form — and when you’ll have it published.
To be heard, your words must engage the reader. To do this, you need to write concisely and in a way that is interesting and holds the reader’s attention. A key to effective writing is active voice. However, you must keep your readers engaged by using the right words and phrases. To ensure that your readers remain interested, you’ll want to add more than just informative content. You’ll want to develop an editorial calendar, a plan of what you’ll publish — either in written or electronic form — and when you’ll have it published.
The Promotion
Once you have content published, it’s time to promote. You’ll want to consider all of the different ways your content can be promoted, from email campaigns to social media marketing, to in-person marketing events. The choice is up to you. You can also use your own channels to promote your work (ie: Blogging, social media, etc).
The main thing to keep in mind is that in today’s world, content (no matter the form) will live in some digital space. This space can be accessed by your client — or your potential client — and it’s your job to ensure that they come back for more. To be effective, you’ll need to develop a content strategy, identifying key messages, and creating content that is both informative and engaging. To create content that is both informative and engaging, you’ll want to consider using a combination of the following techniques:
- Personal branding
- Branding
- Video content
- Audio content
- Compelling text content
- Case studies
- HubSpot blog posts
- E-books
- Infographics
- Product explainers
- Graphic design
The Management
Finally, we come to the most critical part of any freelancing or copywriting project: management. You’ll need to plan for issues that may arise. This includes creating a budget, looking for new work, and being consistent with your output. The key to effective management is organization. You can’t be disorganized and expect to be effective. To be able to plan and be organized, you may want to consider using a project management tool like Basecamp or Asana. With these tools, you can create to-do lists, set deadlines, and track the progress of your project.
In the world of marketing and advertising, copywriters are frequently known as writers, publicists, or advocates — a catchall term some publishers use to describe all writers. However, that doesn’t mean you simply write and call it a day. To succeed as a copywriter, you need to take the time to study the craft and develop the required talents. The world of marketing and advertising is frequently changing, and to be able to adapt, you must continually study and develop new skills.