copywriting definition

If you work in online marketing or even set foot near the industry, you’ve likely heard the term “copywriting.” It’s everywhere right now. Copywriting this, copywriting that. There’s no escaping it. As popular as the term is, though, many people still don’t know the answer to the question, “what is copywriting?” When strangers meet someone who introduces herself as a copywriter, they often nod enthusiastically and then say without a hint of comprehension, “And what does that mean?” Or, they think it means you copyright legal songs for pay. Some people still conjure up images of journalists on a typewriter, or a reporter — while others think of tech or IT specialists. Unfortunately, none of these hit the nail on the head. So what is copywriting? And why is it such a big deal today? Read on to learn more. What is Copywriting? Copywriting is the art and science of strategically crafting and publishing targeted, reader-focused words (“copy”) online that get people to take some form of action. We took some inspiration from the classic copywriting resource, CopyBlogger, for this. “Copywriting” is a hard thing to pin down. Obviously – or everyone would understand it right off the bat! Luckily, it doesn’t have to be this obscure forever. Brands that work with copywriters hire these skilled professionals to create everything from blog and article copy to social media content and product descriptions — depending upon what they need at a given moment. Right now, the field of copywriting is exploding as more and more brands migrate to e-commerce and the development of an online presence. Because having a website also creates an immediate and pressing need for quality content, brands around the country and the world are hiring professional copywriters at shocking rates. [bctt tweet=”According to CopyBlogger, ‘Copywriting is the art and science of strategically delivering words (whether written or spoken) that get people to take some form of action.’ Read more on @JuliaEMcCoy’s post about #copywriting ✍️” username=”ExpWriters”] Why Does Copywriting Matter? Now that we’ve answered the question of “what is copywriting?”, let’s focus on why companies are flocking to it in droves. Right now, more than 27 million pieces of content are shared across the web every single day. That’s a big number, and it’s clear that it’s difficult to stand out when so much content is present at all times. Because of this, brands are increasingly turning to professionals to help them rank well in Google, attract more customers, and develop a stronger and unique brand voice. At its core, copywriting is a form of inbound marketing. Instead of going out and pursuing readers (although it’s not unheard of for copywriters to write PPC advertisements and similar outbound content), copywriting generally focuses on creating things like blogs, articles, and infographics, which are designed to pull readers in and provide relevant and valuable content. [bctt tweet=”Why does ‘copywriting’ matter? Today, 61% of internet users around the world head to search engines to research on products they want to buy before buying! ?” username=”ExpWriters”] Why is this important, you ask? Great question. Today, 61% of the internet users around the world head to search engines to research products they want to buy, before they take the financial leap and make a purchasing decision. Internet users currently conduct more than 12 billion searches each month – despite this, though, the click-through rate of paid advertisements is only about 2%. With this in mind, it’s easy to see why brands have been turning to copywriting. In addition to populating a site with quality content, copywriting efforts are also more effective than outbound advertising methods. By creating unique, relevant, and high-quality content on a webpage, blog, or social media account, a company with an on-staff copywriter can easily build an audience and develop a solid reputation quickly and easily. Copywriting Statistics You Need to Know By now, you know that copywriting is important, but do you know just how important? These statistics prove just how relevant copywriting is to brands. These can help you understand the big push for copywriters that have sprung up in recent years. 1. The top 3 results in Google earn 60% of all organic clicks. The top few places on Google’s SERPs are coveted. Ranking here ensures visibility for a brand and can significantly increase the number of leads and the amount of traffic that a brand receives in a given month. Unfortunately, many brands don’t understand how to get here. Luckily, professional copywriting can help. Through high-quality content creation, SEO optimization, unique topics, and a bulletproof content strategy, a professional copywriter can develop a plan for ranking well for a given set of keywords or topics – a skill that many companies need to grow their followings. [bctt tweet=”Do you know? The top 3 results in Google earn 60% of all organic clicks. ?️ Know more about the importance of #copywriting in @JuliaEMcCoy’s blog post.” username=”ExpWriters”] 2. 50% of all mobile searches are local. For brands with a local presence, copywriting may be a life-or-death matter. While the majority of mobile users are searching for local brands, most local brands don’t understand how to reach mobile users. This, in turn, results in a confusing and stressful experience for mobile searchers and lost revenue for local companies. Enter a professional copywriter. Professional copywriters are well-versed in local SEO and can help businesses make the changes they need to ensure that their content ranks well for and meets the needs of local searchers. This, in turn, can result in more traffic for the local business, and a more satisfying search experience for mobile users. [bctt tweet=”Do you know? 50% of all mobile searches are local. ? Know more about the importance of #copywriting in @JuliaEMcCoy’s blog post.” username=”ExpWriters”] 3. Leads gained from SEO have a 14.6% close rate. Leads that come to a company via means of SEO close at a much higher rate than those obtained through outbound methods like direct mail. This is one of the main incentives for businesses to hire copywriters. In … Read more