What is Copywriting? A Comprehensive Guide

Are you looking for more leads, more traffic, more sales, and more money?

Then you’ll love this comprehensive guide to copywriting.

Let’s get the ball rolling.

What is Copywriting?

Copywriting involves writing words (aka copy) that convince people to take an action, whether it’s clicking on a link, scheduling a consultation, making a purchase, or donating to a cause.

Have trouble understanding? Let’s explain with the help of an example.

Imagine you have a lemonade stand.

Instead of hanging a sign that says ‘I have lemonade’, you have a poster with the phrase, “Sip into the coolest adventure with the tastiest lemonade in town.”

That phrase is what copywriting is all about.

In addition to attracting the audience’s attention (‘tastiest lemonade in town’), it’s convincing them to take an action (‘sip into the coolest adventure’).

Where is Copywriting?

Most people don’t realize it, but copywriting is everywhere.

It’s the ad that is on your Facebook feed, the newsletter that has just landed in your inbox, and the free report you have just received from your favorite marketer after you signed up for their promotional emails.

But the world of copywriting isn’t confined to printed materials.

Television commercials (provided you haven’t cut the cord already), video ads on social media, and even product review videos on YouTube are shining examples of copywriting in action.

What’s more, copywriting doesn’t have a specific word length.

Phrases that force you to stop scrolling for a few seconds are also examples of good copywriting (yes, the internet also offers plenty of bad copy).

Examples of such lines include “Want to lose weight” if you’re on a dietician’s website, ‘Ask a Stylist’ if you’re visiting a fashion blog, or ‘Get Perfect Teeth’ if you’re visiting a dentist’s social media.

Types of Copywriting

Much like its intended audience, copywriting comes in various forms and sizes.

1) Direct Response

• Examples: Pay-per-click (PPC) ads, sales emails, online landing pages,

Have you recently visited a website that bombarded you with messages like “Buy Now”, “Subscribe Today” or “Sign Up for the Newsletter”?

Congratulations! You already know what direct-response copywriting is.

As the name (and the above examples) imply, direct-response copywriting ams to prompt an immediate response from the reader.

Another thing that distinguish direct response copywriting from other forms is that it’s impact is immediate and easy to track.

2) Business-to-Consumer (B2C)

• Examples: Online reviews, product descriptions, brochures, special promotions

Industries which directly sell to end users, from giants such as Amazon to your local brick and mortar stores, engage in B2C copywriting.

These companies don’t rely on one specific type of copywriting to get their message across to their target customers.

Instead, they try everything under the sun, including content marketing and direct response copywriting, both online and in print forms.

3) Business-to-Business (B2B)

• Examples: Website copy, white papers, case studies, press releases

B2B businesses sell directly to other businesses, not to customers.

For example, General Electric (GE) provides provides and services ranging from aircraft engines and renweable energy solutions to power generation and healthcare.

Instead of targeting customers, GE focuses on leading companies in various fields it offers its products and services in, which then cater to the end user.

4. Content Marketing

• Examples: Articles and blog posts, lead magnets, social media posts, e-books

Content marketing is a form of copywriting in which businesses use informational content to build rapport with prospects.

Although it tries to sell the product or service to the end user, but the main purpose is educating or informing the reader.

If you want to be a copywriter and want to earn the big bucks while plying this trade, content marketing deserves your attention.

Why is that the case? Per an annual survey conducted by The Content Marketing Institute, every company in North American has, on average, an annual content marketing budget of over $200,000.

5. Social Media Copywrting

• Examples: Social media posts

Copywriters that ply their trade on social media do pretty much everything under the sun to sell the product or service they’re hired to promote.

Besides creating posts for Twitter and Instagram, they product content for Tiktok, write scripts for videos, and articles for sites like LinkedIn and Medium.

Just like content marketing, social media copywriting can also be pretty lucrative, especially if you’re experienced in this niche.

6. Ad Copywriting

• Examples: “Just Do It” (Nike), “I’m Lovin’ It” (McDonald’s), “Impossible Is Nothing” (Adidas)

Ad copywriters have a specific goal in minid: they want you to subscribe to an email list, purchase a product or service, or download a white paper.

To achieve their objective, ad copywriters have to know their target audience, their needs, pain points, and the problem the product/service they’re marketing is going to solve.

They can only achieve this with the help of copy that is clear, concise, and to the point. Also, the copy should be written in the end user’s language, with zero fluff and no hint of salesy stuff.

7. Digital Copywriting

• Examples: Short form copywriting, social media posts, blogging for brands, video and chatbot scripts

Digital copywriters use the power of internet to sell products or services.

They may write content for a website, create social media posts for Twitter, Instagram or Facebook, blog for brands to raise awareness, and create chatbot scripts for the user experience.

While their end goal is generating sales, the primary focus of digital copywriters is improving the experience of users visiting the website.

8. Public Relations Copywriting

• Examples: Press releases, speeches, brochures and flyers, email campaigns, podcasts, video scripts

Public relations (PR) copywriters help companies put out good messages about thesmelves. Think of like telling a story to target customers that present the company/business behind the message in a positive manner.

Various channels are employed in PR copywriting to communicate with the target audience, including press releases, speeches, social media, media kits, email campaigns, and brochures and flyers.

9. SEO Copywriting

• Examples: Articles, blog posts

SEO copywriters have a very simple goal in mind: attract organic search traffic to the website they are writing content for.

In the majority of cases, they will write content around specific keywords, which are researched by the clients. However, in a few cases (especially those involving high-budget clients), they will have to conduct keyword research on their own.

10. Technical Copywriting

• Examples: How-to manuals, reference guides, white books

Technical copywriting isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, since it requires the copywriter to have expertise in science and technology fields.

Such expertise is necessary for the copywriter to break down difficult concepts into ones a layperson can easily understand.

You can thus think of technical copywriters as ones who educate their readers while at the same time trying to convince them to buy goods and services.

Conclusion

This comprehensive guide on copywriting covers the basics about this field to help our readers decide whether copywriting is the right career for them.

Bear in in mind that you don’t have to have a specific background or marketing experience to make it as a copywriter. But you do need to learnt the basics to distinguish you from the crowd.

That is where this guide will help you out.