Every writer’s copywriting portfolio is different, but there are some standards that apply to most of them. The purpose of this post is to discuss what these standards should be, as well as some suggestions on how to achieve them.
The Aim Of The Portfolio
The very first thing to consider when constructing your copywriting portfolio is the aim of the latter. What do you hope to achieve with this publication vehicle?
Broadly speaking, you need to have a clear idea of what you are trying to accomplish with your copywriting. What are you hoping to say with your writing? Who are you trying to reach? Why should they care?
The more you can convey in four words the purpose of your copy, the better. Remember: your reader should be able to understand your message in less than a minute. Longer than that and you’ve lost them.
The Purpose Of The Copy
Whatever the aim of your copywriting, you need to have a clear idea of what you are trying to say. Your reader should be able to understand your message without having to read several paragraphs to get there.
Once you’ve answered these questions, you can begin to think about the type of content you will use to answer them. Are you trying to promote a new product? Are you generating leads for an affiliate program? Are you creating content to defend your brand against a competitor?
The copy should match the aim of your project, otherwise it won’t make sense to the reader. This is why it’s important to keep the four-word objective in mind when writing. It will help you keep the copy concise and to the point.
You can also think about the tone of the copy. Is it funny? Is it serious? Does it match the nature of the product or service you are promoting? These questions will help you determine the tone of the piece.
The Target Audience
Once you’ve determined the aim of your project and the tone of the copy, you can develop a clear picture of who you are targeting with your piece. The key here is to avoid using general language and instead incorporate specific, relevant terms. For example, if you are writing to a corporate audience, you might want to avoid using words like ‘consumer’ and ‘customer’, as these are quite commonplace and could mean different things to a C-Suite member and a sales assistant in a small business.
If you’ve determined that your target audience is women, but you haven’t yet found the right topic for your copy, consider these questions: What do you enjoy most about being a woman? What do you wish you could tell your younger self about being a woman? What would your best friend say about women in today’s society?
These questions will help you find the right topic and the right tone of voice for your copy. Incorporating a women’s point of view into your writing will give you an additional dimension when presenting your work.
The Research
Now that you have your topic and the right tone of voice, you can begin to think about the research necessary to support your claims. What data (if any) do you have to back up your assertions? What are the best practices in your industry? What is the accepted standard of excellence in your field?
If you don’t have the data yet, don’t worry. You can always conduct your own research. But, you should do so with extreme caution, as this is a common pitfall among writers: hoping to make incredible claims without any solid evidence to support them. (Sometimes referred to as ‘fake news’.)
If you do decide to do your own research, be sure to:
- Only conduct research that is necessary to support your claims.
- Conduct your research in a way that is ethical.
- Do your best to find the truth, no matter what.
- Present your findings clearly.
With these tips in mind, you can use your copywriting portfolio to the best of your abilities and begin to answer questions about your field of expertise.