So you’re a seasoned writer and you want to make the jump to copywriting? Or maybe you’re just exploring the field and want to know what all the fuss is about? What is copywriting and why should you study it? Let’s take a quick dive into these and other questions as we try to answer them all.
What is Copywriting?
Copywriting, as the name would suggest, is the art of writing for others to read. However, that’s a grandiose perspective that makes the role of a copywriter little more complex. While the traditional definition of copywriting is a task that is often (if not always) performed by journalists, novelists, and bloggers, the modern-day practitioner often takes on many other hats.
A copywriter could be found anywhere from a small business trying to grow its online presence to a digital marketing agency that oversees the content for a bank or an insurance company. Essentially, a copywriter is essentially someone who is skilled in crafting words that can persuade or convince the reader to take a certain action. This might include raising revenue, selling a specific product or service, or just encouraging users to interact with your content.
Why Should You Study Copywriting?
Aside from the obvious fact that it’s a great way to make money, what is copywriting if not an excellent training ground for those seeking a career in journalism, blogging, or social media? Let’s examine this further.
In today’s world, digital media is king and the written word is no longer sufficient for those looking to make a name for themselves. With journalists and bloggers taking to the web to promote products, services, and politicians, the need for skilled writers grows each and every day. And as a copywriter, you’ll be working with various departments – marketing, sales, and social media – to ensure that your words are doing exactly what they should be doing to push a product or service.
As a copywriter, you’ll also need to keep up with the changing trends and technologies that can help make your work more effective. Not to mention the fact that web users are much more sophisticated than they were five years ago and your words must keep up with the times or risk sinking your campaign.
Along with the technical skills that you’ll need to learn to be a successful copywriter, such as SEO, SMM, and PPC, you’ll also need to develop the ability to think tactically. In other words, you’ll need to be able to listen to what the person or department you’re writing for wants and needs and then provide them with content that benefits both their individual goals and the overall success of your campaign. This is something that comes naturally to some and requires continuous practice for others.
The Differences Between Copywriting And Blogging
Nowadays, many businesses and organizations use the term “blogging” when referring to the act of creating and posting content to a website that is designed to attract and retain a loyal audience.
While blogging is a great place to build an audience and gain credibility as an industry expert, it’s important to keep in mind the differences between the two.
On one hand, blogging is a type of content that is often (though not always) opinion-based and might include short-form articles, product reviews, or even event coverage. More importantly, the content is often disseminated through social networks like Twitter and Facebook where audiences can engage with the content more easily.
On the other hand, copywriting is a form of content that is typically more formal in tone and is often (though not always) used to advocate for or sell a specific product or service.
This is one of the reasons why the average blog article in 2019 is 4.947 words while the average copywriting project is 12.8 words. That’s a big difference and one that can be attributed to the fact that blogs are essentially “social media for writers” while copywriting is the direct result of a well-executed digital marketing campaign.
If you’re curious about what makes blogs different from copywriting, let’s take a quick dive into the definitions of each term.
Word And Sentence Use
Even though the average blog article in 2019 is 4.947 words, that doesn’t mean that all blogs use that much copy. In actuality, there are four popular blogging platforms (WordPress, Medium, Blogger, and Typepad) that use very little content, if any, in their posts. What this means is that the words and sentences used in each blog post are important because they directly impact the reader. In other words, if you want to write something that will make your readers interested in your content or believe you to be an expert in your chosen field, you must master the art of effective word and sentence use.
Attention To Detail
Just like any other professional who is in the habit of putting in a lot of hours each week, a successful blog writer is often (but not always) someone who is extremely detail-oriented. For instance, when tasked with writing a blog post for a law firm, it’s important that you not only write an accurate and comprehensive summary of the case but that you also choose your words wisely and use the appropriate format for the content.
Not only will this help make your blog post standout, it will also help ensure that the legal team reading your blog post understands what you’re trying to say. Remember: your blog post will be read by a lot of people, some of whom might not be as familiar with your chosen field as you are, so it’s important to use your words correctly.
Creativity
While some might argue that blogging is a highly technical process and doesn’t require a lot of creativity, this couldn’t be further from the truth. After all, just because something is automated doesn’t mean that creativity doesn’t go into the process. Take the example of a keyword analysis tool like Google Keyword Planner. When you’re using this tool to find the right keywords for your content, you’re essentially performing a brainstorming session with the software, which then suggests words and phrases to include in your content.
Depending on your skills and the products you’re trying to promote, you might be called upon to perform an analysis of customer interests and the like and then use that data to craft an interesting article that will keep them coming back for more.
To put it simply, if you want to be a successful blogger, you must have the talent to write good articles and the discipline to put in the time each week to write them. Once you’ve established yourself as an authoritative voice in your chosen field, you can then branch out into other areas.