What Is Copywriting? Read and Take Notes, Suga.
So, you’re scrolling on IG, minding your (and everyone else’s) business.
A post catches your eye and you stop scrolling to read the caption. It’s an inspiring story from a woman sharing how she paid off over $100K in student loans on a $30K salary while living off Ramen noodles and Skittles in a $1800/month studio apartment in Brooklyn. Um…HOW, SWAY? You keep reading in hopes that she’ll spill the tea.
Her formula? A five-step debt elimination plan that she now offers as a course on her website. For a limited time, she’s offering 25% off her course to the first 50 people who sign up. All you have to do is click the link in her bio to enroll. You’re so inspired by this woman’s story that you hardly realize what you’ve just read is actually an ad for her course. Before you know it, you’re hitting the link in her bio, enrolling in her course on her website, and boom! You’ve officially opted into her sales funnel.
Kori, what’s a sales fun—
Aht, aht! Another subject for another day. Stay focused lol.
Anyway, that captivating IG ad that had you clicking on the link in homegirl’s bio… That trail of mesmerizing words that ushered you right to that “Enroll Now” button on her website… That, my friend, is called copy — written language created with the sole intention of persuading your followers and browsers to take a specific action that typically leads them to purchasing your product or service. Basically, it’s a written version of an elevator speech or sales pitch. And the creative process behind writing copy is called — wait for it! — copywriting. Any time you’re writing text to promote your business/brand, product or service — whether it’s on your website, social media platforms, an ad or email campaign — that’s copywriting.
Ohhh, OK! But wait, I thought copywriting was legally protecting your content?
No, friend. That’s copyRIGHTing, and many folks tend to confuse the two. Same sound, different spelling, meaning and function. In grammar, we call this a homophone (again, another subject for another day lol). My business attorney can give you the full rundown on the copyrighting process (her name is LaConya and she’s amazing) but for now, we’re here to talk about copyWRITING.
Gotcha. So, what exactly does copywriting entail?
Okay, now we’re getting somewhere. As I briefly mentioned, copywriting is the process of developing written messaging — called copy — for marketing purposes that include increasing brand awareness and engagement, generating and nurturing leads (prospective customers), and converting leads into customers of your business. When writing copy, the goal should always be for the reader to take the next action or step in your sales process. Copy generally consists of two key elements:
A compelling message
This can be written in the form of a personal story (like the example above), a punchy slogan or tagline, and/or a brief paragraph highlighting your brand’s value proposition (why your product or service is more valuable/beneficial than offerings from your competitors). Ultimately, the underlying purpose of your message is to tap into your audience’s pain points — while positioning your offering as the solution — in a relatable way that compels them to take action. Which brings us to my second point.
A call to action (CTA)
This part of your message is crucial because it prompts your audience to take the next or final step in your sales process. Typically, this will come in the form of a brief message, button or link prompting you to buy a product, book a service, download a freebie, subscribe to an email list, etc. In our scenario earlier, our friend with the financial course had two CTAs:
The message to click the link in her IG bio (leading you to her course page)
The “Enroll Now” button on her website
While there’s a lot of strategy and technique involved in the copywriting process (which I’ll dive into later) this post should give you a general understanding of what — and why — copywriting is. If you’re an entrepreneur who needs help with your copywriting and would like to keep this conversation going, check out my services!
Any current hang-ups you have about copywriting? Let’s chat in the comments below.
Xoxo,
#TheWritingStylist