What Do Copywriters Do?
What copywriters do is pretty simple.
They take a company’s message and put it into words that compel customers to buy the product, or want to work for the company or sign up for a newsletter.
Copywriters use a writing style that is conversational and engaging – not robotic like you often see from technical writers – to draw readers in.
They take advantage of psychological triggers such as fear, envy, sex and exclusivity to make copy more compelling.
In every case, copywriters strive to produce copy that is clear and concise as well as precisely written.
What Copywriters Do Not Do
Typically, copywriting does not involve creating websites or marketing materials from scratch.
It also doesn’t necessarily include graphic design – though copywriters have to be sure their text will work well with any accompanying visuals.
Copywriters also don’t have to be good at math, but they do need to understand basic copy principles, such as how headlines and typography can affect the overall tone of a piece.
Copywriters typically work with a team that might include a graphic designer, content strategist, web developer and project manager.
They may also occasionally work with an editor, but their main responsibility is writing copy that sells.
Copywriters produce engaging, clear text for different advertising channels such as websites, print ads and catalogs.
Their duties include researching keywords, producing interesting written content and proofreading their work for accuracy and quality.
To create copy that truly resonates with readers, copywriters need a deep understanding of who their customers are.
They connect with customers by tapping into universal human needs or by crafting copy that appeals to specific audiences.
Many copywriters work under the supervision of an account manager or creative director and report directly to the client.
However, copywriting can be a successful career on its own as well.
Promotional writing falls under the copywriter definition since it means writing text meant to sell products or services in advertisements, sales pages, mailers and other promotional materials.
Many copywriters have a degree in advertising, English or journalism, but some enter the copywriting field with experience in copy editing, technical writing or another related field.
Copywriters must be able to write for different mediums, including Web copy, email marketing, social media posts and print ads.
They also must be able to adjust their tone and style to match the client’s brand.
So What Does A Copywriter Do?
In a nutshell, they produce copy that is clear, concise and persuasive.
They research keywords to optimize copy for search engines and they test copy to make sure it resonates with the target audience.
And copywriting can be a successful career on its own as well.
Promotional writing falls under the copywriter’s definition since writing text meant to sell products in advertisements is included in the copywriter duties list.