What is Copywriting? Definition, Guide, Tips and 6+ Examples

What do I need to know about copywriting?

Born in advertising, copywriting was originally an American discipline that consisted of writing hard-hitting messages to convince consumers to buy a product or service. Also called conception-editing or copywriting, it is nowadays adapted to the requirements of the digital era and marketers. It also differs from the web writing profession, although the two professions have certain points of convergence.

What is copywriting?

In concrete terms, copywriting is the art of skillfully using words to create convincing and appealing messages. This, in order to promote a brand, a company, a person, an idea, a service or a product. Indeed, words, written or spoken, have an undeniable power. If they are well chosen and used wisely, they can trigger a reaction from readers and motivate them to take action. This act can then manifest itself in different ways:

Reading, commenting and sharing a blog post
Subscribe to a newsletter or an event
Buying a product or service
Request a quote
Open an email
Contact the brand
Leave a positive opinion on a product sheet
Click on a link
Download a free ebook
Etc.

The keystone of digital marketing, copywriting involves the production of content on online media as well as on paper.

A copywriter can write text for your various web pages, advertisements, email campaigns and social network publications. He can also take care of your landing pages, product sheets for your online shop, brochures and magazines... Even better, he can be asked to write the script for a video or podcast. And this, in order to maximise his speech to his audience.

What are the types of copywriting?

Depending on your marketing project, you can choose between several types of copywriting.

SEO copywriting

As its name suggests, this type of content production is intended for search engine optimization. In fact, whether it serves an advertising or informational purpose, SEO copywriting design is based on two essential points:

Persuading the reader to take a certain action...
Position the content well on Google and other search engines

This type of copywriting is therefore most often used to write texts to describe the products on an e-commerce site. The same applies to the setting up of your landing pages and product categories. In all cases, the content created must be attractive to both readers and search engines.

Technical copywriting

Copywriting also has a less commercial, but more technical and informative aspect. This type of content production is then aimed at a more specialised audience, i.e. an audience that has an in-depth understanding and knowledge of a specific sector.

Very different from sales texts, articles written in the context of technical copywriting are more accurate and detailed. Usually using jargon, they focus on well-defined areas:

Gastronomy
Tourism
Health
Fashion and beauty
Finance
Policy
Science
Etc.

Among the content published by technical copywriters are white papers, industry guides, magazine articles, blog posts and user manuals.

Creative copywriting

Widely used for the design of jingles and advertisements, this type of copywriting aims to convince potential customers of the quality of a product or service. Promotional video script, advertising slogan, motto, headlines... No matter what type of content is created, it must be creative and attract the buying attention of the audience.

Note that good creative writing requires humour as well as intelligence. Added to this is a knowledge of pop culture and the latest developments in the field.

Commercial or incentive copywriting

As the name suggests, this type of copywriting involves producing sales content:

Text for advertisements
Publireportages
Description of products or categories of an e-shop
Advertising online or in magazines
Campaigns on social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn...
Etc.

Since the copywriter must write to sell, he or she must adopt a convincing style and be creative. This, in order to make the reader want to buy the products or services presented in the advertisements... It must also clearly state the characteristics and strengths of the proposed offer.

Brand Copywriting

This type of copywriting involves producing content with the power to properly convey a brand's image and identity. Its main idea is to establish an emotional bond as well as a genuine relationship between the entity and its target audience. To do this, he most often uses storytelling. In any case, his purpose is..:

Transmit the brand's mission, vision and values...
Enable the audience to recognize and identify the brand and differentiate it from the competition

Brand copywriting is generally used for the design of the "about" page of company websites: showcase site, online shop, blog... Similarly, he has a vested interest in creating the script for a brand presentation video.

Copywriter and web editor: two jobs with notable differences

Indeed, the copywriter is a job that differs from that of the web editor even if:

His job and that of the web copywriter have one thing in common, namely writing text...
These two professions require a high level of writing skills.
These professionals write for companies and for a well-defined audience on the web.
They both use the power of words in the accomplishment of their mission.

Also known as copywriter or copywriter-designer, the copywriting specialist differs from the web copywriter on several important points:

Written to sell and persuade the reader
Has in-depth knowledge in marketing, communication, SEO or SEO web writing, inbound marketing, branding and storytelling.
Aims for immediate action by the brand's customers by playing with the sense of urgency
Pushes readers into action
Intervenes in both offline and digital marketing

Note that this content production professional may work in a marketing or communication agency.

What is the role of the copywriter?

A true wizard of words, the copywriter is a key player in an effective marketing strategy. Indeed, it is intended to be the vehicle of communication between a brand's ideas and its community. Its role is to trigger an intention to buy on the part of a company's target audience.

In concrete terms, the main tasks of this copywriting specialist are as follows:

Writing texts on behalf of his clients using persuasive writing techniques
Produce different types of texts: press release writing, blog articles, engaging newsletters, company reports, newsletters...
Ensure the revision and proofreading of texts
Bringing its expertise in the implementation of marketing actions for a brand

It should be noted that this profession appears to be a clever blend of editorial quality and human psychology. In fact, in a few words, the copywriter can convince a reader to make an online purchase, to take an interest in a particular offer or event...

Find in a few clicks the copywriting professional in your area on Sortlist.

Why use content production in digital marketing?

Copywriting has many advantages that are sure to appeal to digital marketers and brands. Coupled with the rules of inbound marketing, it also enables better results to be achieved.

Optimising visibility on the web

Design-writing allows you to gain visibility on the internet and to better position your website in Google results and other search engines. Indeed, your pages will have a better indexation if your contents respect the rules of web writing and SEO:

Integration of relevant keywords
Semantic enrichment
Internal mesh
HTML markup
Optimal length of texts and paragraphs
Catchy title and subtitle
Reading time
Etc.

Focused on the user experience, quality content allows you to meet the requirements of the ranking algorithms while attracting the attention of Internet users. In any case, by improving the natural referencing of your page via copywriting, you can reach your audience more easily. The pages of your website will then be able to receive more visitors, customers as well as prospects. In addition to acquiring qualified traffic and a high click rate, your showcase site, e-shop, blog... can also have more reader engagement.

Reinforce your brand image

More than just marketing, copywriting helps you gain the trust of your readers. It gives you the opportunity to strengthen your brand image. Indeed, you can perfectly well use copywriting for your branding actions.

With a great article that reflects your values and fits in with your identity, you can arouse the interest of your target audience. If your prospects share the same vision as you do, you can more easily turn them into potential customers.

Furthermore, as an expert in the art of using words, the copywriter helps you to establish and grow your reputation. And this, through a video, a nice blog post, a sales text, a product page, a category page... that fits with your brand identity, your values, your philosophy and your vision.

Increase your sales

Would you like to strengthen your customer/prospect database and increase your turnover? Then copywriting can definitely help you boost your sales. In fact, this is the ultimate goal of content marketing in general.

Indeed, thanks to the power of words, your readers are led to buy your products or services, subscribe to your newsletter, click on your ads... When used properly, design-writing techniques are particularly effective in increasing your conversion rate.

Get to know Sortlist's most successful copywriting agencies.

Digital strategy: seduce and convince with words thanks to copywriting

As part of your digital strategy, creating attractive content is essential to convince your readers that your offer - products or services - is the solution to their concerns or desires. Nevertheless, to generate qualified leads, benefit from better sales, improve the natural referencing of your site, increase your traffic..., you need to make good use of web marketing copywriting. Certain parameters are then to be taken into consideration.

Identify your target audience

In copywriting as in content marketing, it is of paramount importance to write adapted and quality articles. With this in mind, the content of your site - blog articles, sales texts, newsletters, etc. - must be adapted to your needs. - The content of your site - blog article, sales text, newsletter, etc. - must correspond to the level of expertise of your target audience. The style and content of your texts must differ depending on whether your audience is made up of professionals or individuals.

Define the nature of the content to be written and its objective

The contents each have their own approach and purpose. So you must consider this parameter in your marketing and copywriting actions:

Reminding people of the existence of a product or service with an advertisement.
Announce the launch of an event or the release of a magazine with a press release
Sell a product with a product sheet
Publicize a concept and put it on sale with a landing page
Giving advice with a blog article
Etc.

Moreover, depending on the objectives to be achieved, one type of content may be more relevant than another. Similarly, the writing methodology to be adopted may change depending on whether you want to promote your brand, convert your prospects or build customer loyalty.

Play on readers' emotions

Copywriting is one of the crucial elements in terms of marketing and advertising. It aims to win the heart of an audience in order to convince it to act. In order to do this, it is necessary to create a link between the brand and Internet users. Thus, thanks to the persuasive power of words, you can bring out a range of emotions and feelings in your audience. Your readers will then want to read your article, buy your product or service, follow you on social networks...

Depending on your marketing project, you can choose for example to:

Touching the emotional
Awakening curiosity
Creating fear

The copywriting specialist is a person who shows empathy. This allows him to put himself in the place of your reader and your brand and thus create emotion through his article, sales text, etc...

Find the ideal copywriter quickly and easily on Sortlist.

Copywriting and digital marketing strategy: other points to consider

To ensure the success of your marketing project, you must take into account the other points below.

How can you use content writing to encourage purchases?

As part of a marketing campaign, the copywriter must trigger a number of actions with the content created. For example, to incite readers to buy or to take other specific steps, the copywriter carries out call-to-action or CTAs. In addition to explicit calls to action, he must nevertheless pay special attention to the following points:

The copywriter must actively address the target group defined by the brand.
It must highlight the advantages of the proposed offer and its specific features in relation to the competition.
The realization of an action by the reader should be as simple as possible.

In all cases, the copywriter must make the reader of his article, the consumers targeted by his advertisement... want to act.

How to promote its content?

Promoting content is also essential to your marketing strategy. And copywriting can help you create and promote your various contents. Several options are available to you for your approach:

Social media marketing: sharing content on platforms and encouraging readers to do the same.
Influencer marketing: launch an engaging influence campaign with personalities who share the same values as your brand, who are active in your field of activity and whose audience is your target.
Emailing: send a regular newsletter to subscribers
Recycling of content: republish and/or update old success stories, transform a video or a computer graphics into an article or the opposite ...

Selling through persuasive writing: which techniques to use?

Copywriting is all about conveying the right aspirations and emotions as well as the right arguments to a brand's prospects and clients. In order to create the ideal marketing message, the copywriter can use certain persuasive writing techniques:

Inverted pyramid technique
Narration or storytelling
Interpellation
Responding to objections
Use of facts, data and statistics
Use of the active channel and analogies
Social Evidence
Simple and straightforward language or KISS or Keep It Simple, Stupid method
Impactful titles and subtitles
Highlighting the strengths and differences of the brand or its offer
Calls for Action

In any case, the copywriter must have a perfect knowledge of his target reader. In addition, they must write in accordance with a well-defined objective and favour certain sentence structures. A good article must also include some powerful words.

Your copywriting agency is on our platform.

Finding the right copywriter: how to do it?

A good copywriter can be recognized by certain essential qualities. The easiest way to find the ideal pen will give wings to your digital marketing strategy, so take these criteria into account when making your choice.

A copywriter is a marketing expert and much more.

Indeed, a copywriting professional must have marketing skills, particularly in digital marketing, branding and inbound marketing. Better still, they have expertise in web writing, storytelling and communication. He also has some knowledge of psychology and human behaviour.

A copywriter is an empathetic person

As mentioned above, the copywriter is empathetic in his or her work. He must indeed be able to put himself in the head of his reader and of the brand that requests his services. This enables him to work on his text in such a way that his audience can understand it easily and quickly.

A copywriter is creative and curious by nature.

As an art form, copywriting requires creativity that brings the originality necessary for a text to stand out and arouse the reader's interest. It also leads to the discovery of many fields, some of which may be outside the advertising copywriter's favourite themes. This job therefore requires the ability to carry out research, to sort out information and to use only that which is essential to the subject matter.

Availability and respect of deadlines: other elements to consider in order to find a reliable copywriter

A good copywriter can be reached fairly easily and must be able to respond to your urgent requests. In addition to his availability, he must also be responsive, especially in the event of unforeseen events. Of course, your contact person must be able to meet the deadlines whether you entrust them with a substantive or formal job.

Copywriting: the price

It is important to know that compared to the web editing rate, the design-editing rate is higher. In any case, you must rely on a professional, whose rates are within your budget. In addition, your copywriter must guarantee you quality work. In addition, he or she must present a clear and consistent pricing policy.

How to find a copywriting agency at Sortlist?

To find a copywriting agency at Sortlist, you have to go online and follow a number of essential steps:

Define your needs by completing a briefing.
Discover the specialists in the field and select your favourite agencies
Contact your favourite agencies and compare their services
Start working with the agency that best meets your requirements and expectations.

Please note that you can give feedback on your experience with your chosen content production agency.

How do I get in touch with a Sortlist copywriter?

To get in touch with the Sortlist copywriter of your choice, simply send him/her a message from his/her profile.

What information do I need to provide to find a Sortlist copywriter?

All you need to provide when searching for a Sortlist copywriting agency are the details of your marketing project. In concrete terms, you must answer our briefing which consists of 11 questions.

Complete Guide on Copywriting in 2021