Recently I’ve noticed that what I do for a living is not a commonly known term.
When people ask me what I do, I say: “I’m a copywriter.”
Side Note: I am also a writer, but if I said writer—and not copywriter—people usually think novels, poetry, articles, etc. (which I do write), but those are not how I make money (right now). I’m a freelance copywriter.
The next question is: What’s a copywriter?
After I explain, these are some of the responses I’ve gotten:
- Oh, I thought you made photocopies or were a scribe.
- I figured you copied other people’s writing.
- Ok, so you’re not a ghostwriter?
- I was thinking you wrote copyright laws or some legal thing like that.
I’m glad people ask. The other day I went to a new hairstylist, and her first response was to laugh when I used the term “copywriting” as if I was a phony unfit for actual writing, I needed to copy. Don’t worry, she now knows what a copywriter is.
The purpose of copywriting is to motivate someone to do something.
In my case, I write for non-profits so the call to action (CTA) is more often than not: donate. The CTA is the most important part of the copy. Copy meaning text.
What do copywriters do?
Copywriters write copy that is used for marketing purposes, advertising or brand awareness. You know all that junk mail you get or the fundraising letters you receive (especially at Christmas) asking you to donate? That’s what I write. Along with the electronic versions.
Types of things I write:
- Blog posts
- Emails
- Social media posts
- Case studies
- Website copy
- Brochures
- Catalogs
- Newsletters
- Ads
In my previous position as a Marketing Copywriter, I did other things aside from writing.
- Editing
- Brainstorming
- Planning
- Managing projects
- Curating content
- Interviewing
- Transcribing
- Conducting Meetings
- Working with designers
What does it take to be a copywriter?
Being a writer is helpful for doing copywriting, but the most important thing is actually the ability to learn a client’s voice. This is easier said than done and easier for some clients than others in my experience. Some clients hire other people like me to write because they don’t know their voice quite yet, but when you get their voice not quite right, they will let you know. It can be a learning experience for both parties in that case.
This is where another essential part of copywriting comes in: research. If a client has a guide for writers or something to that effect, I will study that, otherwise, I have to study anything that they have already produced in hopes of figuring out their unique voice. Sometimes I nail it, other times I don’t. It is all part of the process.
To be a copywriter, my writer’s voice doesn’t matter as much as my ability to copy someone else’s voice. In that way, the title makes a different kind of sense…
There are many more subtleties to writing than simply putting words on a page. You have to match the client’s writing style, their tone, what words they do (and don’t) use, how they describe themselves, their values, etc.
So, what is a copywriter?
Someone who writes copy that helps an organization build awareness and motivate its audience to take action. Or as Google defines it “a person who writes the text of advertisements or publicity material.”
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