What is copywriting? And why do you need it?

When it comes to digital marketing, copywriting can often get overlooked. It’s the bricks and mortar behind the bright, flashing sign.

While many digital marketing blogs will explain the ‘new basics’ such as social media marketing, many neglect copywriting which can leave many business owners unsure of what it is, or if their business could benefit from it.

So, what is copywriting?

Copywriting is the act of creating ‘copy’ for a brand or business.

‘Copy’ is essentially any written text that is used for promotional or advertorial materials. For example on a simple website, it would be the text in the ‘about’ section or it may the wording used in an advert.

A simple way to think of it is that your business is a book, and copywriting is the blurb on the back.

When people read it, they should be able to understand the key message that your business is communicating – whether that is your unique selling point or limited time offer.

So anyone can do it, right?

Because copywriting is not always the most eye-catching part of digital marketing it is easy to think that anyone you employ can become your copywriter, as long as they have a spell checker on hand. However, this is a dangerous assumption to make.

A lot of people, especially those that do not work within the creative or communication fields are often prescriptive grammar users. They use the rules that were taught to them during school – and because these rules mostly serve them well, they will uphold them until their last breath.

Good copywriters, however, tend to be descriptive grammar users – they know the rules but also how and when to break them.

Whilst it is always important to make sure that the key message is clear, copywriters know that using grammatically incorrect language can often make it more appealing to the target audience and more in line with the brand’s overall tone.

A classic example of this is McDonald’s “I’m lovin’ it”

If we were to be grammatically correct it would read “I am loving it.” Suddenly the brand sounds a lot less relaxed. It sounds older and a bit stuffy.

Everything from the wording, to the punctuation and spacing, can affect how your text communicates with your customers.

Below are just a few examples of how great a role punctuation and spacing can play even when the wording remains the same.

The more reliable car ever.

The most reliable car. Ever.

The most reliable car… ever?

The most reliable car, ever!

The. Most. Reliable. Car. Ever.

So, why does your business need copywriting?

Not to state the obvious, but the copy in terms of the text itself is needed to communicate who you are and what you do. It tells potential leads what is on offer and how to do business with you.

However, it also implicitly tells people what type of business you are and what to expect from you. It showcases your brand’s personality, outlook and core values helping you to attract your target audience.

Copywriting helps customers to understand not just your services, but also you’re brand.