With content creation being more important than ever to attract and retain customers, it’s time to adapt your approach to writing. More and more often, businesses are turning to content marketing, which is defined as “the marketing and creation of content, in some form, to attract customers and drive business.” In other words, marketing content to attract potential customers and inspire them to buy your product or service.
Whether you’re a B2C or B2B business, you’re aware that content is valuable and needed. The problem is, not everyone has what it takes to be a proficient content marketer or copywriter. For those who do, however, the ability to create compelling content and pitch it to businesses can be highly beneficial. In this article, we’ll explore what copywriting is, the different types of copy you’ll encounter, and how to prepare for and implement a copywriting strategy for your business.
What is Copywriting?
Simply put, copywriting is the “art of writing for an audience”. It’s the craft of marketing and pitching your product or service to different kinds of people to inspire them to action. When you’re writing copy for advertising or marketing purposes, you’re in essence, writing commercial advertising.
However, there’s a distinction. With commercial advertising, you’re focused solely on attracting customers. With copywriting, your goal is to generate interest and engagement from your target audience, and inspire them to take an action that will benefit you, your product, or your service.
In essence, copywriting is the “language of business”. It helps businesses engage with potential customers, gain credibility, and establish relationships.
Types of Copy
Every business is various and has different communication needs. For that reason, you’ll encounter different types of copy, depending on how you intend to use it. At a high level, you have:
- Product Description
- Product Review
- Product Compare
- Product Compare (with video)
- Press Release
- Blog article
- White paper
- Web Content
Depending on your product, you might need something a little differently. If you’re looking to attract potential customers, you might want to consider reviewing products or creating a comparison chart among similar products. Once you’ve established a relationship with the person reading your copy, you can engage with them on a more personal level and help them understand your unique offering.
As you’ll see, the above examples are mostly text-based. While you can certainly include images where it makes sense, a good rule of thumb is “less is more”. If someone is scanning a page looking for information, you don’t want to overwhelm them with bells and whistles, especially if they’re not interested in your product.
Why Should You Pursue Copywriting?
If you’re reading this, I assume you’re already aware that content is vital to the success of your business. That’s why you’re here reading this article in the first place. If that’s the case, why not consider pursuing copywriting?
In one word, content marketing can be considered a “jack of all trades”, when compared to copywriting. It can take various forms, including SEO copywriting, social media posts, and content creation for web pages and blogs. As you’d imagine, being proficient in multiple forms of content marketing can significantly increase your revenue and brand awareness.
On the other hand, copywriting can be considered a “master of one”. Basically, you’re going to be writing everything by yourself. You might also be the only person responsible for creating content for your business. From a marketing perspective, this can be extremely valuable. Being able to communicate with a wide range of people, understand their needs, and be able to craft a unique message that will resonate is highly beneficial.
If you’re looking to gain experience and build a portfolio, consider getting a gig as a copywriter. Not only will you be able to take on projects and build your portfolio, but you’ll also be able to network with other writers and editors, who can give you tips on how to improve your craft. In addition, you can also consider pursuing online courses or certificate programs to further develop your skills.
What is the Difference Between SEO and Content Marketing?
If you’re looking to attract customers using SEO, or search engine optimization, you’ll need to consider pursuing a content marketing strategy. While SEO is all about visibility and driving traffic to your website using various strategies, content marketing is about marketing and generating interest through various forms of content, including blog articles, case studies, and white papers. This is important to keep in mind, as some SEO strategies, such as link building, can dramatically increase your content’s discoverability and improve its ranking in the search engines.
How to Get Ready For Your First Client
Before you begin your career as a copywriter, you’ll need to get ready to work in an office. With the exception of freelancing, you’ll be working for a company or agency. While this won’t necessarily be negative, it’s important to understand the business and marketing process. In particular, you’ll need to understand what is required of you as a new hire.
This includes understanding what is your daily schedule, what are the important details about your first project, and how to properly approach writing for marketing purposes. For instance, you’ll need to determine how you want to structure your pitch, and what type of language you’re going to use. Once you’ve answered these questions, it’s time to move on to the next stage of getting ready to become a copywriter.
Where do I start?
With your daily schedule determined, it’s time to move on to the next stage of getting ready to become a copywriter. This involves collecting your materials and getting to work. To start, you’ll need a computer and an internet connection. From there, you can begin researching and gathering the necessary materials to begin your career.
Include the following in your research:
- Keywords
- Article Ideas
- Trends
- Tricky Points
- Top competitors
- Industry Expertise
- The Technology Stack (Backend)
- The Technology Stack (Frontend)
- Digital Marketing
- Content Marketing Strategy
- Marketing Analysis
- SEO Analysis
- Content Management System
By doing this, you’ll be able to start building a foundation of knowledge and a portfolio of work. From there, you can begin pitching projects and building your network of contacts.
What is important to keep in mind, is that this is all about building your skills so that you can become an effective copywriter. For that reason, while it’s imperative to be thorough and research a variety of keywords and phrases, don’t be afraid to throw out a few trial and error pitches, to see what works and what doesn’t.
What is My METHOD to Becoming a Copywriter?
If you’re looking to follow a step-by-step guide to becoming a copywriter, consider pursuing an online course or certificate program. These courses and programs will not only teach you the in’s and out’s of the trade, but will also provide you with a well-rounded education, that will set you apart from other candidates. In addition, many courses offer online study options, which allow you to work your own hours and listen to audio content, as needed.
Getting a degree in copywriting is a good option, as you’ll have the opportunity to network with other students, who are also pursuing their degrees in copywriting. This is a great way to gain experience and to start building a reputation as a professional, who can take on projects and handle them to the best of his/her ability. In addition, you’ll be able to use various publications, such as graduate school newspapers and magazines, to build your portfolio and to gain experience.
If you’re looking for a more traditional route to getting into copywriting, consider looking into internships at marketing agencies. Many of these firms, especially those focused on search engine optimization, have open positions for entry level interns. After you’re done with your internship, consider applying for a marketing or communications job at a firm or agency, where you can continue building your experience and portfolio.