What is copywriting?

20 minutes reading time

An introduction to copywriting, why it exists, key differences and who it is for.

We read a lot of text every day, wherever we look, online or offline, there is always something written. But not all text is what we in the marketing world call copy. So let's take a look at what copywriting means.

Copywriting is the process of writing marketing and promotional copy that persuades people to take action, think about a purchase, clicking on a link, scheduling a meeting, signing up for a mailing list or visiting a place.

These texts can be used both online and offline (yes, I know, rather old-fashioned. But print still exists). They can also include spoken text, such as scripts for a radio commercial or a TV commercial.

The actual text in these materials is called ‘copy’, hence the name ‘copywriting’.

But in my own words, we can define copywriting as the art of informing, entertaining, persuading and capturing the attention of potential customers through the power of the written word.

Think about building brand awareness with fun copy about the people working in your company. Some informative copy to promote an event you're organising. Or maybe product copy to explain what your particular product does better than your competitor's.

Remember that some copywriters make a distinction between copywriting and content writing. A subject that will be discussed further in the memo. But let's move on for now.

Copywriting examples

As I said, copywriting is everywhere you look.

Just look on your smartphone, you'll soon find examples in that mailbox full of irritating promotional emails (in my case from Amazon, Domino's Pizza and far too many travel destinations, trying to persuade me to plan a new trip).

Weekly offers from your favourite clothing brands, annual reminder emails to take your annual car inspection, Christmas offers from every possible brand you've ever left your mail address with because you thought they'd be interesting to follow or save those dots anyway.

But copy goes beyond just your mailbox, which you've probably cleared out by now.

You find copywriting on websites, on blog posts, on social posts, in ads and so on.

Take a look at this webpage from Ikea below, a furniture website that sells online but also helps people find an interior style that suits their needs and personality.

The page is written to inspire people who want to design their living room in a modern style with rattan, with prompts to take action in different ways.

You are prompted to ‘discover cabinets’, to ‘create your favourite combination’, to ‘view all sofa beds’. You can also ‘discover more living room inspiration’.

These are examples of simple and compelling copywriting that you will see on many websites if done right.

Other calls to action can be ‘Read More’, ‘Follow Us Behind The Scenes’, ‘Start Now’, ‘Don't Miss It’. These are more often used on download pages, such as free guides, emails and newsletters.

When did copywriting begin? A brief history lesson for context.

Welcome to the 19th century, when there was an American ink slinger called John Emory Powers, who is considered by some sources to be the world's first full-time copywriter. Through his work, Powers was considered an indispensable link in the advertising world and laid the foundation for modern copywriting techniques we know today.

Powers stood up for truth in advertising at a time when honesty was not seen as an industry virtue, often telling the literal truth. Along with his powerful writing style that omitted any emotional words or vague notions, his writing style became known as the ‘Powers Style’. Focusing on simple and direct language aimed at the average person. His copy used narrative and his headlines were often limited to one to three words.

His influence on advertising was huge. After his passing, Claude C. Hopkins (one of his students) emerged as a renowned copywriter in the 20th century.

Hopkins' efforts included his recruitment by Pepsodent (not to be confused with Pepsi) in early 20th century America. This was at a time when dental health was not common (imagine not doing it now), with less than 10% of people brushing teeth.

Hopkins used a scientific approach to promote this practice, researched dental and oral hygiene, and offered users a 10-day free trial promising a way to quickly restore shine to teeth.

His copy was grounded in evidence, rather than branding. This practice remains common in marketing today and is still used to advertise many dental products, both in text and images.

Eventually, Pepsodent became the best-selling toothpaste in the US market, while the number of people brushing their teeth in the US rose to 65%. It probably also created a big bright smile on the faces of Pepsodent shareholders.

So to put it mildly, Hopkins revolutionised both advertising and personal hygiene. You can thank him for oral hygiene.

What is een copywriter?

So what is a copywriter anyway? In a nutshell, a copywriter is a professional writer responsible for writing copy or text for marketing and promotional materials on various online and offline channels.

Let's make two things clear right now. Yes, you can learn copywriting. And yes, there is a lot of skill involved in copywriting. Not everyone who writes knows how to write compelling copy.

As copywriters, we have learned and practised our craft. We are not born with the knowledge to write the perfect copy, it is a skill that almost anyone can learn with some persistence.

But what specifically does a copywriter do?

You probably have an image in your mind of us sitting at our desks, drinking endless cups of coffee or some hard liquor, and writing all day, looking like we haven't shaved for days. You can douse that image in fuel and set it ablaze, because that's not what our job looks like (in most cases, anyway).

A copywriting project usually requires additional preparation, such as keyword research, industry research, ad campaign structures, content strategy, knowledge of ad platforms, regular meetings with clients or other people involved, creating images or graphics to match the copy, managing project milestones and following up on any tweaks or revisions your picky group of creative misfits might need.

Not to mention the day-to-day tasks of running a business, especially for freelance copywriters.

So the actual copywriting job description may look very different for many cases.

Who uses copywriters?

Copywriting is used by almost every business. Think of websites, blogs, advertisements, branding guidelines, landing pages, about us pages, SEO copy, social content and so on.

As copywriters, we help companies share their messages with potential customers to help grow their business and keep current customers engaged with the brand. And more importantly, to stay top of mind.

We can distinguish 2 types of companies, Business-to-consumer (B2C) companies that sell their products or services directly to consumers (like you and me), and Business-to-Business (B2B) companies that sell to other companies. Note that these companies have very different requirements when it comes to copywriting.

Let's take a little dip into the two?

What is a B2C copywriter?

Think Apple, Microsoft, Nike, Adidas, Ikea, Coca Cola. These are brands you probably interact with every day of your life. These are companies that sell directly to consumers.

They are available in most parts of the world and need an awful lot of copywriting to keep generating sales in each individual country, since regulations, product specifications, promotions, and so on can differ.

Take Volvo (my favourite car brand in the world), for example. As you browse through their website, you will find numerous descriptions of their products, like the one below for the Black and Limited Edition cars.

These descriptions are written by copywriters who know what the selling points of these vehicles are and know how to convince people to help them discover them on their journey to buy a new Volvo car.

Further down the website, the copywriters tap into the feeling that this brand really cares about its users. In this case, ‘making your life easier’, ‘our future is electric’ and ‘protect what matters’. These are things that seem so obvious, but which the Volvo brand continually pushes in front of you. While at the same time, they add a call to action that goes to a landing page with videos and more detailed descriptions.

As you can see, Volvo uses videos, detailed product descriptions, informative landing pages, call to actions and other materials that show how heavily copywriters are really used.

Like Volvo, many other companies, from Fortune 500 to small online businesses, use copywriters. Think about:

• E-commerce companies

• Financial institutions

• Local service providers

• Fitness chains and coaches

• Medical service providers

• Airlines

• Furniture companies

• Real estate companies

This is just a superficial overview of the types of B2C companies that would need a copywriter who can write effectively and knows the market.

What is a B2B copywriter?

Just as there are companies that sell to consumers, there are also companies that sell directly to other companies. Think technology, agriculture, manufacturing, pharmaceutical companies that provide supplies and services so that other companies can deliver them to you.

Although these companies tend to stay in the background, these companies need copywriting because they may need more and especially very specific marketing materials. Even more so than their B2C counterparts.

This is because the customer journey for B2B products is longer than that of B2C products.

For example, Savic, a large Belgian pet solutions company, sells to Polypet, a Singaporean B2C pet company. Polypet has an engaging and informative website combined with creative social media, ads and regular emails to help users buy their products.

Now, if we compare Savic's customer journey to find specialised production machinery, it is a completely different story. Savic manufactures many of its pet friendly cages and pet solutions in-house using automated and customised machines to produce precise parts. And imagine that a single custom-made machine can cost more than €100,000.

These machines are complex pieces of engineering aimed at very specific customers. This means that B2B companies like a manufacturer of those machines have to put a lot more effort into selling these complex products, such as custom-made production machines, compared to pet-friendly cages.

On many custom-made machinery websites, there is an extensive navigation menu with more specific pages. Think product pages with full in-depth descriptions and guides on custom-made machines, along with supporting videos, brochures, references, support pages and a contact form.

Remember that B2B customers need much more information to make an informed buying decision. Especially for large purchases, such as custom-made machines, potential customers will compare different options, have many sales calls, meetings and so on before making their final choice.

This in turn creates a huge opportunity for copywriters, as B2B companies need copywriters who know their industry and products to create the marketing materials they need to convince potential buyers.

What is the difference between copywriting and content writing?

Some of you may have heard the terms copywriting and content writing. Well, there may be some slight differences between these terms.

Copywriting is the activity or profession of writing the text for advertising or publicity material. Referring to short marketing and promotional copy to motivate a specific action, such as making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.

Content writing is the process of creating and publishing written long-form content for various purposes, including marketing, education and entertainment. Think blog posts, articles, product descriptions.

So is there a difference, yes, essentially the difference is about short-form and long-form copywriting. Personally, I would call content writing just another form of copywriting.

And as with any good copywriting, we strive to engage our readers to help them take action. Even if that means reading another blog on your website.

What is the difference between copywriting and SEO copywriting

We know that copywriting is the art of writing persuasive text to trigger a specific action. Like making a purchase or signing up for a newsletter.

But what is SEO copywriting then?

With SEO, or search engine optimisation, you make sure your website is better found in search engines like Google. This way, you attract more visitors to your website when they search for something. SEO copywriting is a specific form of copywriting in which you use certain keywords and phrases to optimise your texts for search engines.

By making smart choices in your texts, you improve your website's visibility in search results. This means more people can find and visit your website.

Is copywriting a good career?

Let's get this straight. Yes, copywriting is a good career with lots of opportunities and good money to be made.

According to Coherent Market Insights the global market for copywriting marketing services is expected to rise to $42.22 billion by 2030, compared with $25.29 billion in 2023. That's a market growth of 67% in seven years. Not a bad prediction if you ask me.

Coherent Market Insights explains that the copywriting industry will continue to grow for several reasons, including:

• Growing demand for online content

• Growing popularity of social media

• Rising need for effective marketing strategies that appeal to target audiences and drive business growth

This means that companies will invest more in copywriting to differentiate themselves from their competition.

The above forecast can be reinforced by the following statistics from Demand Metric and Review 42:

• Online content marketing is used by 90% of all organisations

• 56% of companies plans to spend more on content creation

• 92% of all marketers en companies reports that content is a valuable asset

So we can see that copywriting is a valuable skill that companies need to survive. That's why the copywriting industry offers a lot of work and pays pretty well. The added benefit is that you can get your own freelance, ink slinging, copywriting business off the ground with little investment. All you have to do is put in the effort to learn the trade.

How is AI changing the copywriting industry?

AI, also known as artificial intelligence. The buzzword that people these days like to slap around everyones ears like it's going to take your job and life away in the blink of an eye.

Let's be clear: this has definitely changed the copywriting landscape. But not in the way you think.

AI will not replace copywriters because it cannot replicate the human ability to create a compelling narrative that evokes emotion and makes potential customers feel understood.

Remember, people buy with their emotions and then justify their decisions with logic. It's like being happy with that McDonald's Happy Meal in front of you, only to complain about it afterwards because you need to watch your calories. Provided that emotional connection gives potential customers a crucial reason to do business with you.

So how is AI used in copywriting? Think of AI as a handy tool. It can help you brainstorm ideas, conduct research, and even write first drafts of your copy. This allows you to focus on the truly creative aspects of your work. By leveraging AI, you can become an even more effective copywriter. You can take on more projects and, as a result, earn more.

But what does the research say about AI in marketing?

HubSpot conducted a survey with over 1,400 marketing professionals in 2024 called The State of Marketing Report, that mentions some interesting things

• 84% reported that AI improved the quality of their content

• 84% said AI tools increased their time efficiency, saving an average of 3 hours per content piece and 2.5 hours per day

• 82% produce "significantly more content"

• 77% felt AI helped them create more personalised content

This demonstrates that AI, once again, is unlikely to replace copywriters anytime soon. Instead, it helps us produce higher quality content in less time. So a win-win situation.

Remember, AI is a machine. It's great at analysing, summarising data, and providing objective results. That's how it attempts to mimic human writing, but it will never sound truly human or be genuinely original.

Therefore, the unique skills and knowledge of copywriters will remain essential to provide businesses with a human touch in the foreseeable future.

What are some copywriting tips?

Well, want to try your hand at copywriting? I love your adventurous spirit! Here are a few copywriting tips to keep in mind while writing.

Understand your target audience.

Research your industry and target audience to understand who you're writing for, what their needs are, and what pain points you can solve. Try to see things from their perspective so you can write the perfect solution for them.

Keep it simple and clear.

Don't assume people understand technical terms. Try to use simple language as much as possible and add some strong verbs to make your text clearer.

Capture your audience with a strong hook.

Think of a catchy question like: "Have you ever felt like copywriting is a hassle? Not with these 5 tips." Facts and anecdotes from inspiring people also often work well to grab people's attention.

Use emotion.

Unless you're sharing specific product information or stating facts, try to add some emotion. This helps you connect with your audience on a deeper level and makes them feel like you genuinely care. Additionally, you can use persuasive techniques like social proof, scarcity, or establishing yourself as an authority on the subject.

Add call to actions, also known as CTAs.

Be straightforward. Tell your audience exactly what you want them to do. For example: "Order your free sample now."

Finally, please take the time to proofread your text.

I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to see typos or grammatical errors undermine all the hard work you’ve put into writing your copy. Once you’ve finished writing, take a short break, get a cup of your favourite drink, and then proofread your work. It will help you produce an even better piece, I promise.

So to write, or not to write, that is the question.

Feeling like your inner Shakespeare is struggling a bit to pen compelling copy? Hit me up! I'm your copywriting partner in crime.