What is copywriting? Why you need to learn it, plus some tips.

Note: We're talking about copyWRITING not copyrighting. Two very different things.

To many, “copywriting” is a scary word. There’s a misconception that copywriting takes some sort of magic formula and that only certain people can do it.

In fact, you’ve been employing copywriting your whole life without even trying.

What is copywriting?

Copywriting is persuasion, in the form of words.

Whether speaking or writing, if you’ve ever tried to persuade someone to do something, buy something, hire you, change their point of view, or anything else, you’ve used copywriting.

Copywriting is spoken about most in marketing because the main goal of marketing is to persuade the reader or listener to buy a product, sign up for a subscription, or take some sort of action. Therefore, copywriters are brought in to write the advertising copy — words — to be used in those marketing materials.

Where can copywriting be used?

Once you recognize that copywriting is writing or speaking with the intent to persuade someone, you realize a lot of what you do is copywriting.

If you’re writing a cover letter for a resume, you’re trying to persuade the HR person that you’re a good fit for that job and that company.

If you’re a non-profit or an artist and you’re writing a grant application, you’re trying to persuade those funders that your project is worth funding.

If you’re trying to sell anything, hire a new employee, get funding/backers, sell/rent a house, argue a point of view, or in any way get something you want, you’ve used copywriting.

Copywriting vs. Good Copywriting

So, you've used copywriting, but are you any good at it?

Many of us try to persuade people to our point of view, to buy something we’re selling, or to hire us for a position. Those who have the best argument – and therefore the best copy – win.

That might not always be you.

If you struggle to get people to buy your products, take you seriously, or follow up with you at all, it may mean you need to rethink your copywriting approach. Do some research and learn what you can to optimize your writing and speaking skills when it comes to persuasion.

But don’t be manipulative. There’s a difference between trying to persuade someone of something and trying to manipulate them into doing something. One is in good form. You think what you’re talking about is great and could benefit that person, so you’re telling them about it and explaining why it’s worth their investment or time. The other is just bad form. Manipulating someone is when you don’t really have a good product or thing you’re talking about, but you’re trying to sell it to someone anyway, even when you know they’ll be disappointed. Manipulating someone typically involves a lot of false promises.

Don’t be that person.

Marketing is copywriting.

The whole purpose of marketing is to persuade you to do something, whether it be to buy a product, subscribe, vote, etc. You can’t have marketing without copywriting.

Every word in an ad, every sentence in a brochure, every tagline, title, headline, and email newsletter is copy and its aim is to persuade you to do something.

So next time you’re watching commercials (especially infomercials!), reading an ad on Facebook, or reading a newsletter from a company you like, think about it critically. What are they trying to persuade you to do? What tactics are they using? If it’s something you have the urge to do after reading it, what prompted that positive reaction? If it turns you off instead, what do you think they did wrong?

How can you improve your copywriting?

Here’s a few tips for improving your copywriting skills:

• Try to write in an active voice, not passive. This means writing the subject in the sentence first. This tightens up your writing and makes it more definitive. For example: ACTIVE: The cat scratched the girl. PASSIVE: The girl was scratched by the cat.

  
  

• Pay attention to how you respond to the copywriting of others. Like I wrote above, if you’re watching a commercial and you are compelled to buy what they’re selling, what made you feel that way? How did they persuade you? Or if not, what about their tactics didn’t work on you? Then use those insights to inform your own copy.

  
  

• Focus on your audience’s emotions. People respond to things that move them emotionally. This may mean they’ll buy a gym membership because they’re feeling ashamed of their weight. It may mean they’ll buy a piece of artwork because it is of their favorite animal and makes them happy when they look at it. Whatever you’re trying to persuade people to do, use their emotions to help make your point. If a company is really struggling with their website development and you could do it better for them and save them a lot of hassle, use their frustration with their current situation to help explain how much better it would be if they switched to you.

  
  

• Copywriting is based on a problem. People are only going to be persuaded to do something if it helps solve some sort of problem they have, even if they didn’t realize they had it. Someone might not feel hungry, but once an ad for a restaurant comes on the television showing all that delicious food, they’re realizing they haven’t eaten in a while and that food looks good. When it comes to writing a cover letter for a resume, you’re trying to help them solve the problem of filling that open position, and being the right candidate to do so. Whatever problem you’re solving for your target audience, focus on that problem, their emotions around that problem, and how you can fix it.

  
  

• Make them trust you. People are being thrown eight million things a day in email and advertising, so make sure your audience trusts you, or they won’t give you the time of day. Be legitimate, give guarantees, don’t make promises you can’t keep, show testimonials to prove the worth of your product or service, etc.

  
  

• Be real. Even if you talk with a master copywriter and they give you some magical formula (there are some good ones out there), don’t lose yourself to the formula. Be you. Let people in and be open and honest. People buy from those they know and trust, so let your audience get to know you. It’s great if you find a formula that works for what you’re doing, just make sure to personalize it.

  
  

• Keep it about the person you’re trying to persuade. Copywriting isn’t about you. It’s barely even about the product you’re selling or whatever it is you’re trying to get your audience to do. It’s about your audience. It’s about what’s in it for them! How will this help them? What emotions are they feeling? What problem of theirs are you solving? How will this make their lives better? Keep it focused on them.