What Is Copywriting and Why Do You Need It? 

September 18, 2020 Emily Dilworth

Copywriting. What is it? How does it work? If you’ve just started or you're growing your business, you’ve heard this word a lot.

And you’re totally overwhelmed.

You’re a wedding pro, not a business major or a professional writer.

I’m here to tell you to breathe, my friend. Everything will be okay because you don’t have to be either of those to understand the world of marketing. You can just be you.

I’m about to break it all down. I’ll answer some of the questions I’m asked most often by family members and clients alike. And if you're still overwhelmed, I have an awesome resource to share with you. Look for it at the end of this post!

Let’s dig in!

What is copywriting?

To put it simply, copywriting is text that drives your audience to a specific action.

Of course, copywriting is a lot more complicated than that once you get into the details. But it's important to understand the basics before we get into those. So let’s take a second and talk about action.

When most people think copywriting they think sales. And its true, a lot of copywriting is for sales. But not all of it. At the end of the day, what makes copywriting useful is a Call to Action (CTA).

A Call to Action is an invitation for the audience to take some kind of action after engaging with a piece of copy.

CTAs are necessary in every piece of copy. But not all CTAs need to sell something.

Non-sales CTAs can be community and relationship building, likes or comments, and social shares. And it doesn’t stop there. You can give a recommendation for your favorite book or restaurant. You can ask for emails for your newsletter. Any sort of “hey look at this/share this/do this” action is acceptable.

And the more personable it is, the better! HubSpot found that personalized CTAs convert 202% better than general ones [1]. Take some time to study your audience and figure out exactly what they need.

What is a copywriter?

The answer to this question is truly as simple as it sounds. A copywriter is someone who writes copy (like moi!). Most copywriters select a niche that they write in and one or a few types of copy that they specialize in.

I would recommend hiring a copywriter who’s niche aligns with your industry. This is because general copywriters usually take on a variety of projects. While general copywriters may be wonderful with words, hiring a copywriter in your niche is a good move. It will ensure you’re hiring someone with plenty of knowledge and experience in your field.

You wouldn't go to your general doctor if you were having cardiovascular issues, right? You'd go to a specialist.

What isn’t copywriting?

Let’s go over some common misconceptions about copywriting.

First, copywriting is not the same as copyright.

Copyright, according to the United States Copyright Office, is a form of intellectual property law that gives one or more parties ownership of “original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression” [2].

That's a lot of jargon, huh? Luckily, (for both of us!) copywriting has nothing to do with law.

Second, copywriting is not the same as content writing.

It’s kind of like the rectangle-square argument. Ever heard the saying “a square is a rectangle but a rectangle isn’t a square?” Content and copy work the same way.

Both content and copy are forms of text that use storytelling aspects. But content has fewer rules and isn't best for sales or action-driven writing.

Copy is more valuable for conversion than content is. Content is great to introduce yourself and connect with your audience. Copy is important if you want your audience to do something after interacting with it.

Some people believe that blog posts, social media posts, and educational materials aren’t considered copy. I would disagree. It’s super easy (and super valuable) to use copywriting techniques to create these. But you have to do it correctly for it to work. Often, content like this doesn't qualify as copy because it doesn't use the techniques necessary to drive action and results.

Copy is strategic and laser-focused. It uses your brand voice to give necessary information that leads to your CTA. It's persuasive and methodological. Write your copy with the CTA in mind and use strategies like Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to get the highest conversion rates.

This doesn’t mean that copy is difficult to read. You actually want to make your copy as easy to read as possible. Emails written at a 3rd-grade reading level fared 36% better than those written at a college level [3].

The reading level of your copy will vary depending on the industry you're in. Luckily for wedding pros, it's pretty easy to stay within that 6th-8th grade reading level.

Let's come back to the rectangle-square thing. Copy is always content but content is not always copy. Alright, that's enough math.

Even if you didn’t know what copywriting was until now, you’ve definitely interacted with it. Copywriting takes many forms and as a business owner you’re familiar with most of them.

Where can I find examples of copywriting?

Copywriting is a form of marketing. Many companies use copy to bring in more traffic and sales.

CopywriterToday found that 73% of companies hire someone outside of their organization to handle their content marketing [4].

As a business owner, hiring outside of your circle can seem scary at first. Copywriters are often considered independent contractors or freelancers, so they aren’t hired as employees.

Hiring a copywriter is also an investment. Copywriting services aren’t cheap. This is because copywriting services yield results. Big ones.

According to The Content Marketing Institute, companies that hired a copywriter saw 6x higher conversion rates for their content than those who had in-house copywriting [5].

Considering the average clickthrough rate on most advertisements is less than 2%, this is a big deal. Quality copy means more sales.

Copy is everywhere, and it's easy to spot if you know what to look for. It’s on your cereal box. On the side of the trucks you pass on the highway. On the back of your shampoo bottle.

Copywriting can take many forms, including:

Websites
Advertising
Blogs
Social media captions
Landing or sales pages
Opt-ins
Brochures
Lead magnets
White papers
Case studies

Bottom line, copy is in high demand. Let’s explore some of the places you’ll see quality copy (and not so quality copy) most often.

Copywriting for Website

43% of e-commerce traffic comes from searches on Google [6]. That means showing up in Google's search results is essential for businesses that find their clients primarily online. How else are potential clients going to find you?

Every well-written website utilizes copywriting techniques. Have you ever been on a website that had very little information, was hard to navigate, or made you unsure about what the website was actually about?

That website is most likely full of content, not copy.

A website full of content might list all the logistics and call it a day (and some particularly bad websites don't even do that).

Copy would list all necessary information and explain to the potential client why that professional or business is the one for them. It would address the client’s pain points, quell their fears, and answer any potential questions that could be holding them back.

Most websites consist of generally the same parts: a home page, an about page, and a services page. Depending on the industry, websites may be more complex.

For wedding professionals, websites might also have a portfolio, a blog, and a pricing page or contact form for inquiries. These pages are on your website to give potential clients the information they need to hire you. If they like what they see, of course.

But if they're going to determine that, they actually need to be able to find you.

Enter SEO, your not-so-secret weapon. Copywriting and SEO need to go hand-in-hand if you want to see results. If you're interested in learning about SEO, check out this blog post I wrote about why blogs are beneficial. I also discuss SEO in even more detail in the free resource at the end of this post.

Great copy is strategic and intentional, and it’s a necessary component of a successful marketing strategy. That’s why you most often see copywriting as advertisements.

Copywriting in Advertising

Any text that has ever tried to sell you something was copywriting. Whether it's written well depends on who was writing.

Many people produce poor copy because they don’t understand their ideal clients. They’re trying to sell to everyone who comes across their ad instead of focusing on the group that the product or service could most benefit.

Poor copy can also come off as tacky or uncomfortable. Think about the used car salesman stereotype. They don’t build trust with their customers. They cut corners and they’re not very convincing. You get a slimy feeling whenever they're around, and all you can think about while they're trying to sell to you is "how can I get the heck out of here?"

Bad copywriting works the same way. It feels slimy. You can easily spot the "trick" or see the method the copy is using to try to convince you to buy.

Great copywriting in advertising works the same way copywriting does for websites, but there’s usually a different CTA. A website might prompt the reader to learn more about a company or submit an inquiry for services. An advertisement is usually pushing to sell a specific product or service.

Advertisements often create a sense of urgency and exclusivity that might not be present on the main page of a website. Their primary goal is to get the viewer to click the link leading to their offer.

Utilizing copy techniques in advertising is beneficial because you have to get your message across quickly and concisely. You have to:

hook your audience
address their pain points
dismantle any myths they may believe
provide a solution (your offer)
address any apprehensions

And give them all the info they need to best benefit from your services. All in a few sentences. Using copywriting techniques can turn that daunting task into a simple one. To use them effectively, you need to understand why copywriting techniques are so essential in business.

Why is copywriting important?

You’ve already started to answer this question for yourself, I’m sure. I’ll list my top reasons, just in case. There may be something you missed!

Copywriting builds relationships and trust

In order to get people to buy or hire you, they need to trust you. Copywriting eases customers into a sale by first getting them comfortable with their environment (even if it’s virtual!) and the community atmosphere you’ve created with your brand. If they like and trust you, they’re more likely to buy from you.

Copywriting is very strategic. It’s both emotional and logical. This allows you to hook the reader early and keep them long enough to give them the information they need to decide.

2. Copywriting provides free education

Have you ever gotten super excited about receiving something for free? I think we all have. It's like getting an unexpected package in the mail. The excitement overwhelms you and you can't wait to dig in and see what's inside.

When you're given the opportunity to receive information without having to give up anything in return, you automatically have a more positive experience. This is called reciprocity, and it will skyrocket your business.

Obviously you need to make money. But investing time into creating free resources for current and potential clients can make a huge difference.

One super easy way to do this is to provide free information in your copy. You're already writing copy for your website, advertisements, and newsletters, so why not have that copy work twice as hard?

If you can give your audience something that they find helpful in solving their problem, they're more likely to give something in return. This is why long form sales pages have so much information before they even get to the offer or service.

You need to convince your audience you're worth the investment. One easy way to help win them over is to provide them with something that can help solve their problem for free.

3. Copywriting drives your audience to action

Ah, the good ol’ CTA. If you’re doing research about copywriting, you’re going to hear this phrase over and over again.

As I stated earlier, copywriting drives to action. Once your audience has the information they need to make a decision, you want to give them the next steps.

Maybe you're informing your existing audience about a new product, service, or announcement. Or you're trying to get prospective clients to book with you.

It doesn't matter what the purpose is. Every piece of writing should have a CTA. A CTA is important because it helps build up both the authority of your business and the authority of the information you are providing.

Having a CTA in mind before you even begin writing allows you to make sure that every piece of content you produce has purpose. You don't want to spend all your time writing content that doesn't yield results. Using a CTA is a sure way to make certain your copy is meaningful and worth your time and effort.

How much do copywriting services cost?

Copywriting services aren't cheap. This is because writing copy takes a lot of knowledge, practice, and time. And while it is possible to write your own copy, learning how to do so efficiently takes way too much time and effort for most business owners.

You are the CEO of your company. But you're also the marketing department, the design department, the branding department, and a whole slew of other things. Not to mention all the weddings that you work on throughout the year.

As a business owner, you wear a lot of hats. A copywriter can take some of that stress off your plate and give you back some time during the week.

Copywriting is definitely an investment. You're putting up a decent chunk of change at the beginning, but the results that you're going to see make the upfront cost so worth it.

Once you make back your investment (which happens quickly if the copy is written well!), the copy is essentially working for you for free. This means old blog posts, social media captions, and your website are constantly bringing in more traffic and new clients.

Think about it this way. If you hire a copywriter to write your website, it will probably take them a few weeks to finish. But your website is going to be live for the rest of the time you are in business. Copywriters create copy that works far after your last deposit is paid.

It’s super important to invest in a complete marketing strategy for your business. Even unassuming sites like Snapchat and Twitter can bring in the moolah. In fact, 30% of people shopping online are more likely to buy products using a social media network [7].

But let's be honest - most business owners don't have thousands of dollars to drop on a complete, done-for-you marketing strategy.

If you’re trying to determine which type of copy to invest in first, you might want to consider the ROI of that type of copy. For example, email marketing has an average ROI of 3,800%. That means that every dollar you invest sees an average return of $38 [8]. The larger your email list is, the better the investment!

Do some research within your industry. You want to invest in the platforms where your clients are hanging out. For wedding professionals, this is usually social media and Google (your website).

It's difficult to say how much hiring a copywriter will cost. There are a lot of factors to consider, including their niche, their specialties, and what kind of copy you're looking for. Most copywriters list their prices on their website.

But price isn't the only factor to consider when looking to hire a copywriter. You need someone who understands your industry, your business, and your clients.

If you're looking for quality, high-conversion copy as a wedding professional, I encourage you to check out my homepage. There, I have a ton of resources about how copywriting in the wedding industry works, what you can expect, and any other information you might need. You can also learn more about me, read through my portfolio, explore the services I offer, and schedule a free 15-minute consultation with me if you think we may be a good fit.

At the end of the day, finding a copywriter is a lot like finding your favorite brand of coffee. You have to do a little bit of research before you can figure out what will work best for you. What's most important is finding someone that you enjoy working with who can bring you the results that you're looking for.

Do I have to hire a copywriter?

The short answer to this question is no. If hiring a copywriter just isn't in your budget, it's possible to write your own copy. There are tons of resources available online to help you. But why go anywhere else when you can stay here and hang out with me?

I just released a free 26-step guide to copywriting that outlines the exact process I use to write copy for my clients. It’s a start to finish checklist you can use again and again to write copy for your website, your social media, and so much more.

You can sign up for my weekly newsletter and download the free guide here.

Afterward, check out the rest of my blog or head over to my Instagram for even more copywriting and marketing tips.

I love connecting with people, so if you have a quick question or just want to say hi, reach out!

I’ll see you there!

Emily Dilworth Creative