Business Success: Why Copywriters Are Non-Negotiable
Every day, we encounter thousands of advertisements. On every screen and billboard, there is someone trying to get our attention. We surf through thousands of websites a year. ‘Junk’ mail is dropped off in our mailboxes and our inboxes overflow with promotional emails.
As something that is a regular part of our lives, it can be easy for marketers to deem these efforts essential. Many marketing departments and consulting groups push a hefty amount of resources towards these advertising efforts. Even so, many ads fail. So how does business continue to thrive if this media is constantly being ignored? It all comes down to the words. While the design, imagery, and color schemes are important to marketing efforts, none of that means anything without carefully crafted words conveying an effective message. The collateral may be eye-catching, but forgettable in the long-run. And forgettable advertising means a forgettable product. This fact of marketing is why skilled copywriters are vital to every business and essential to capturing the attention of potential customers.
What exactly is a copywriter?
As Judith K. Charles famously said, “A copywriter is a salesperson behind a typewriter.” We may not use typewriters anymore, but the concept is still that simple: someone who sells with their words. A copywriter’s job is to dig up the hopes, dreams, fears, and desires that already exist in potential customers, and channel them towards a particular product. Every product or service has a purpose. It fills a need or alleviates a pain point in the customer’s life. Copywriters isolate this purpose and find a way to present it in such a way that a consumer feels like their life would improve if they owned your product or recieved your service. A copywriter:
Catches the attention of your reader.
Communicates your brand, values, and the simple merits of your product or service.
Persuades your target audience that this product is for them and that they need it right now. Keeps their copy clean and concise because your audience has a short attention span and little grace for grammatical errors.
Writes copy that is intelligent, informational, and relevant to the target audience.
Why YOU need a copywriter
Writing and publishing engaging copy is vital for crafting a solid online presence, something that is necessary for a business today.
Because consumers trust solid, well-written content, businesses need someone who can quickly create this kind of consistent, engaging copy. When your business frequently publishes informative, high-quality content, you will not only earn your audience’s approval, but that of the search engines as well. Google’s optimized ranking system can make or break a business. The position you hold in the rank is manipulated through Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Enlisting the help of a Digital Marketing Agency can help your business get their SEO on track for success!
Every word that your business publishes should produce an emotional response. Words should sell, persuade, tell a story, educate, or inspire...you only have a few seconds to capture and hold your customer’s attention. Every piece of communication that is essential to a brand -- print material, web copy, promotional emails, social media posts, anything with words -- calls for a copywriter.
What makes an experienced copywriter?
Spend some time finding the right copywriter for your company. An inexperienced or cheap copywriter won’t be able to accomplish all the things we’ve discussed above. Some companies are interested in someone who has experience in their particular consumer niche. Overall, there are five things you should look for in a copywriter:
Makes every word matter
Creates impactful and intriguing headlines
Writes copy that sells strategically
Doesn’t condescend their audience
Keeps it clear and simple
Make sure that your copywriter is also well-versed on basic Google requirements, SEO, content trends, and various forms of content and social media platforms, as well as website content management systems.
An experienced copywriter understands that effective copy is not about the company; it’s about the consumers’ view of that company and satisfying their needs or wants.
Should you hire a copywriter RIGHT NOW?
Many large organizations hire in-house writers. They have so much that needs to be said that they need someone there at all times. Small-to-midsize companies tend to outsource their copywriting, either to an advertising agency that already handles their marketing, or to freelancers. Either way, every business should have access to a copywriter. Think about how much copy your business puts out on a daily or weekly basis. Since they don’t have enough copy to need an in-house expert, smaller companies tend to think that they don’t need a copywriter. However, your size does not change the fact that you still need to say who you are and what you can do for your target audience.
In marketing, copy is king. Words are, as Nick Usborne says, the “last, best way to differentiate yourself online”. If you can’t say who you are and what you do in a simple, concise manner, then everyone will move on and find someone who can.
