Copywriting Meaning & Job Description

You’re going to discover copywriting meaning and why is copywriting so important in marketing and business. What does a copywriter do, their job description and what copywriting skills you need? Let’s read to find out…

Before I move on…

Congratulations!

Since you arrive in this page, this means that you want to find out the mystery of writing words for profit. How to turn words into cash.

Well my friend, you are in the right place.

I will share with you EVERYTHING about COPYWRITING you need to know. From its definition and meaning to how copywriting plays a big role in marketing.

Is this post for you?

This post is for you:

• If you are tired of having a 9 to 5 job. You’re sick of getting up every day, stuck in jam and goes to work without purpose.
  You have lost your interest in your current career. You have no idea why you are there. Basically you are just waiting for the weekend. Now you are looking for some other option.
• If you are looking to earn extra income. The pay you getting from your full-time job is too limited. Once you receive your salary every month end, you have to keep aside money for a car loans, house loans, monthly payments to parents, food and so much more… You squeeze so hard from it but you only manage to save some. Even you plan to travel, you can only travel in Asia due to a limited budget.
• If you are doing your own business. Be it the traditional offline business or online business. You have tried many ways to increase your revenue but doesn’t help much. You tried hard in operating your business but when you count the net profit, you realize that the sales after deducting all the expenses you left with not much. Your condition now is neither here nor there.  Want to make more sales but you lack of capital. Want to quit the business but you have put a lot of effort and capital into it. You can’t move forward yet you can’t move backward. I understand… I’ve been through it.

You’ve probably already heard about rumours benefits of mastering copywriting, such as:

• Working at your own terms
• Working with amazing clients and help them achieve business goals
• Able to earn 6 figure a month
• Able to increase business sales for 10x
• And many more…

Yes. There is no doubt. That is how powerful copywriting can be.

So…

Let’s treat this post as your exposure to copywriting. To know what you don’t know about copywriting.

And find out if copywriting suits you.

What is Copywriting? Copywriting Meaning & Definition

Let’s look at the copywriting meaning and definition from the perspective of dictionary.

Copywriting is defined as “the activity or occupation of writing the text of advertisements or publicity material.”

But to me, copywriting is far beyond that.

Copywriting is an act to “Turn Words into Action You Demand”.

Is a highly persuasion skill in terms of words.

Copywriting is an art and science of using words to persuade people to take some kind of action, such as clicking on an ad or get them to purchase the product.

In business world, copywriting is “Turn Words into Cash”

This is the reason why a professional copywriters are having such a high pay.

Misconception of Copywriting vs Copyright

When I first heard about copywriting, I’ve mistaken it for copyright. So what is copyright? Copyright is an exclusive legal right for an individual or company to reproduce, publish, sell, or distribute someone’s work (music, books, and any writings). The purpose of copyright is to protect the illegal use of the work by unauthorised person.

What is Copywriter? – Copywriter Meaning

In dictionary, copywriter meaning is “a person who writes the text of advertisements or publicity material.”

But how you relates to copywriter work?

Those ads that you see in TV? They are written by copywriter.

Those email newsletter you receive by subscribing. From email subject to content. They are designed and crafted by copywriter.

Those article title in magazine or blog. Those are copywriting.

Those wording in billboards when you drive in highway. Those are copywriting.

Professional copywriter comes in many different form, but the objective is the same.

That is to sell a product or service to a TARGET AUDIENCE.

So you wonder who actually hire copywriter?

The answer is simple…

Anybody want to have high sales will hire copywriter to increase their sales.

Why is Copywriting Important For You?

“I’m not in advertisement industry. This has nothing to do with me.”

YOU’RE WRONG.

COPYWRITING IS EVERYWHERE.

When you WhatsApp a girl or guy to hook them out. When you write your Tinder profile. That is copywriting.

When you WhatsApp your dad or mom to get you something. That is copywriting.

When you having interview, how you talk to interviewer. That is copywriting.

As it all comes down to ONE OBJECTIVE.

TO PERSUADE SOMEONE TO TAKE ACTION ON YOUR INTEREST

Do you want to convince your interviewer to give you the job?

Do you want to convince someone to go out with you?

Do you want to convince someone to buy your things?

Do you want to learn how to scientifically based on psychology to convince somebody to take action for your interest?

So now you tell me…

Is mastering copywriting important?

COPYWRITING IS EVERYWHERE in your daily life.

Importance of Copywriting vs Digital Marketing

Now you have understand what is copywriting and the sole purpose of it. Let’s dig a bit deeper. Why copywriting is important in digital marketing.

Let me ask you a simple question…

What do you want to achieve in business?

Profit. Right?

So how to get a high profit? You either increase your sales or decrease your expenses right?

Yes. A good copywriter can help you increase your sales and also decrease your advertisement cost.

This is why copywriting is NO 1 SKILL YOU MUST MASTER in digital marketing before you learn how to even launch an ad.

If you are new to digital marketing, there is no fix perfect formula in crafting a perfect digital marketing.

Digital marketing is all about: Create Ads + Get Data + Review & Improve

So let me further breakdown how copywriting can help you in digital marketing.

Website:

A good copywriting based on understanding customer needs can ensure a low bounce rate (BR)and high conversion rate (CTR) in a landing page.

This means that there will be more visitor retain in your website and chances of them buying from the website is higher. This also means that the Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) a customer will be lower.

In short, the SALES INCREASE! Cost decrease. Higher Return of Investment (ROI) for any ads you spend.

Thus you need a web design company Malaysia that is good in copywriting!

Facebook Ads:

Now let me ask you. When you scroll Facebook, how do you decide whether you will read the post?

There’s only 2 deciding factors which are image and the headline. The first 2 sentence of the post (around 3 seconds) will determine whether will you read the post or not.

A good copywriting headline can ATTRACT ATTENTION and get you to read the post. If you are not having a good copywriting, people don’t even read your ads.

This results in low Click Through Rate (CTR), low conversion rate (CR) and high CPA. In short, your Facebook ads will be very expensive. You probably losing money for every dollar you spend.

Google Paid Search (PPC):

One of the deciding factor whether your PPC will rank no 1 is the Expected CTR. If you can’t write a powerful headline which attracts the visitor to click your link, your expected CTR will be low. This will affect your ranking.

Do you know that rank 1 gets 38% of the click, rank 2 gets 13% and rank 9 gets 9% of the click? If you get rank no 1, how many visitors you are losing. Also Cost Per Click for rank 1 is far cheaper than rank 2.

Email Marketing:

The most important metric for email is Open rate. A good bench mark of open rate is around 20%. This means that for 100 person you send the email, 20 of them you open up your email. A very good copywriting on email can increase the open rate to 30 and 40%.

Hmm…

Now you tell me. Does copywriting important in digital marketing? What do you think?

What Does a Copywriter Do? –  Copywriter Job Description

Now you know copywriting is important in digital marketing. But copywriting is equally important in offline as well.

Let’s take a look on what exactly is copywriter jobs and what is their job description.

The copywriting can be apply to online and offline.

Online

Email Marketing

These are sets of email wrote to the subscriber who opted in for many reasons such as to get free ebook and get tips on certain things.

Purpose of email marketing is to nurture the relationship with the visitor and make them from cold prospect to warm to hot prospect. And from there we convert them into customer.

Email subscribers is the most important online asset you can have. Because you have the full control over it. It does not depend on Facebook or Google and their algorithm. Even one day Facebook or Google disappear, your contacts will still be there.

Types of email campaign copywriter prepare include welcome campaign, nurture campaign, launch campaign, and cart abandonment campaigns.

Chatbot

Chatbot marketing trends get traction starting from 2017. Those popular chatbot are the one that tap on Facebook users and sync it with the business. Chatbot marketing is similar like email marketing. The purpose is to nurture the relationship and turn the prospect from cold to hot and convert it into customers. The only different in copywriting style is that chatbot is shorter and friendlier as compare to email marketing.

Landing Page

Landing page is the page that you first land on after clicking an ads or any link. The purpose of landing page usually is to capture leads or generate sales. Example of landing page are one time offer page, long sales page or maybe opt in page. Copywriter is to design a page and craft a persuasive copy to lead the visitor to opt in or purchase. This copywriting require more skill as you are required to understand fully about your target audience. What are the pain points or problems they want to solve.

Website Page

Every single pages or website require the copywriting skill during the web design and development stage. For example, home page, about us page, contact page, ecommerce product page and much more. Typically these pages is more to inform and provide information and introduce a brand. It is to create trust for the visitor.

SEO Articles

Writing and SEO articles is consider a content writing where I will further elaborate later. SEO articles are those that you Google search and ranked in the first page.

Front End Ads

These are the ads you see in Facebook, Instagram and Google PPC campaign. The purpose of writing this ads is usually to drive the traffic into website or landing page for conversion. Writing an ads is not easy as you have to fully understand the Facebook and Google advertisement policy. Writing something that against policy for many times risk a permanent ban on your account.

Webinar Writing

Webinar is an online meeting or presentation online in real time or prerecorded. It is one of the very effective strategy to convert sales. People buy people, people don’t buy product. By joining an webinar, visitor easily gain trust by look at the presenter. Advertiser usually create Facebook ads to bring traffic for the free webinar and further convert the visitor from there.

Offline

Sales Letter

These are often long pieces of copy used to sell individual products in the form of direct mail. The length of sales letter usually depending on the value of item. Selling a 5 dollar thing is much easier and require less work compare to 5,000 dollar thing. Selling high value item require more persuasion, testimonials and credibility.

White Paper

A white paper is an authoritative document intended to fully inform the reader on particular topic. It usually combines the expert knowledge and research.

Speech Writing

Unlike other forms of copy, this type of copy is heard instead of read. This copy depends on whether the speech is given in formal or informal environment as well as who is the target audience.

Business Plans

Business plan is a written document describing the nature of business, business direction, sales marketing strategy and financial background which includes the projected profit and loss. Usually the main purpose of business plan is for pitching of investment.

Catalog or Brochures

Is list of products and items that you can buy from a shop. The copy usually is to introduce the products about the feature and benefits and convince the reader to purchase the item.

Press Release

Press release is usually official statement or compelling news story written by public relations professional and release to the targeted media. Usually press release is to introduce new items or sharing of any exciting news regarding the company.

What Copywriting Skills You Need to Master Copy

Now let’s dig deeper to find out what exact skills you need to become a good and well paid copywriter.

To be a good high paid copywriter, you need to master this 4 roles. You must be a psychologist, strategist, researcher and wordsmith.

Psychologist

You need to understand human nature.

As I’ve said, copywriting is writing with and intention to SELL.

The most important fundamentals in business is you must understand why people buy. And believe it or not, there is science for it and you need to know it well.

You need to know “People buy with emotion but justify it with logic”

Hmm… sounds deep? Ponder on that.

People don’t buy their way into something. They buy their way out of something. They buy to something to get out of their problems.

As a copywriter, you need to fully understand their pain.

These are the list of questions you need to ask yourself:

• What are they scared of?
• What are they suffering from?
• What are they mad at?
• What is the painful daily experience they want to relieve?
• What is the vocabulary (based on their pains) they speak?
• What do they secretly desire?

If you can describe prospects problem better than themselves. They will buy. They will automatically assume you have the solution. Because they feel understood.

You need to understand your target audience from demographic,  and psychographic perspective.

Strategist

You must craft your overall marketing strategy before you take out your pen or start typing in your keyboard.

You must craft your sales funnel and understand how you are you using different media such as Facebook, Google, Instagram and Youtube to nurture them from cold prospect to warm and to hot prospect. When they are hot and interested, you convert them.

Many beginner marketer try to convert a cold prospect and they are asking why they spend on ads but there is no conversion.

Just for an example, let’s say you want to ask a girl out with the bad intention. Do you go to the bar and just tell them “Let’s have sex”.

Guess what?

Probably you will get a one big slap from her. Maybe more than a slap.

Then why are you doing it in Facebook? Why are you doing an ads and immediately get them to buy your product? Do you think it will work?

Isn’t it a better way if you buy her a drink and talk about yourself. Get to know each other more. Exchange the phone and hang out again for movie date. What do you think is the success rate?

Same goes to your ads. You need to nurture them with email or more ads by giving free value before trying to convert them.

Researcher

Do you know that a very good detailed research supposed to be at least 50% of your marketing work?

To be a good copywriter or marketer, there are many things to research. You need to have deep research on your target audience and your competitors.

Many businesses failed because they didn’t do enough research. Even before you start a business you need to have your SWOT analysis, create your customer persona and as well as 7P Marketing mix.

Do you do it?

You must also understand what your competitor is doing. How is their ads doing? And to craft a copy that is different and having competitive advantage than them.

These are the list of questions you can ask yourself.

• Who is offering a product or service like yours?
• What are the features or benefits they offer?
• What competitive advantage you have over them?
• Why your prospect buy from your competitors?
• What is your competitor doing right and wrong?

You need to learn how to understand your competitor more than they know themselves.

As quotes by Sun Tzu: “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.”

Wordsmith

Here comes the writing part.

Before I learn copywriting, I always thought that I must be graduate from advance English or journalism to be a copywriter. I thought to be a copywriting you need to have bombastic words and terms.

At the end I was wrong.

A good copywriter is to write a copy that even 3 years old kid can understand. Using simple English to convey the message and make them buy.

You write to make them buy. Not impress them with English jargon.

With the research you have done, you write down what’s your prospect problems or pains are. From there you craft your message based on their problems and pains.

Try imagine of the prospect response when they read. If they are thinking “Damn, how come you know it. And you can describe my feeling totally”. Then you are a good copywriter.

Conclusion

In general, copywriter is to craft a copy to persuade someone to take an action or to sell a product/service.

If you are looking for copywriting services in Malaysia, please click here.