Copywriting is frequently mistaken for copyrighting by the people who are just not that into marketing. It has, to a large degree, changed the world of marketing and become a huge part of indirect sales, so it’s time to stop confusing it with copyrights or (exclusively) writing jingles. Today we are busting some myths about copywriting and hopefully get you familiar with this creative, but demanding job.
Copywriting ≠ copyright
Copywriting, except for the similar pronunciation, has nothing to do with copyrights or author’s right. It is a process of writing copy, a text meant to be used in marketing purposes. That includes blog posts, web page content, social media posts, ads’ copy, press releases and other marketing materials. The copy should be understandable, interesting, relevant to the audience and without grammatical and spelling mistakes. Also, you have to adapt you posts and copy to all social media, so it’s important to find a person (copywriter) who understands that. He or she will then modify the copy for the publishing platform, and simultaneously make sure that your message stays the same. It doesn’t sound so easy anymore, does it, huh? That brings us to the next myth on our list.
Anyone can be a copywriter – you just mash up a few sentences, sprinkle it with adjectives and that’s it
Well, we wouldn’t agree. Copy doesn’t always have to be lengthy, but no matter what, it requires some preparation and time. Besides, if someone can write a book, that doesn’t automatically mean that (s)he would be a good copywriter and vice versa. Cumulating words with no sense is also a big “no-no” and does nothing for your copy. You have to put in the effort and get to know your audience in order to get their attention and create an emotional bond.
The more pretentious words I use, the better the copy!
Wrong. It’s not an essay nor a science paper. Of course it doesn’t mean you should use the vocabulary of an 8-year-old, but using flashy words just to make someone think that you are an expert will not do any good for you. At least not in this business. The truth is that a real expert will explain the most complicated things in a very understandable way. Your copy should be clear, complicated and pretentious words and expression make it, well, not so clear. Because of that, you lose your audience, which means that you lose potential clients as well.
Longer copy = better copy = more keywords = better Google ranking
Nope. Longer text doesn’t necessarily mean better Google ranking. Just follow this very simple and clear rule: “If you don’t have anything smart to say, just don’t say it”. Lengthy text doesn’t imply a better copy. In today’s world, 80% of people will read only the title and most frequently – give up on reading. It goes to show importance of the title. Length of the copy is also quite important. The key is not to over-do it. Depending on the type of copy, you should provide your audience with enough relevant information, and not to bury them with a bunch of unhelpful data. Moreover, Google algorithms have become a lot smarter and they will recognize you slamming on keywords with no purpose and will penalize it. Simply said, if Google discovers that your content is not of high-quality and doesn’t provide users with what they are looking for, you will end up far more poorly ranked than you’ve ever imagined.
The purpose of copywriting is to establish a relationship with your target audience. You want to inform, entertain and educate them, but also make sure that they find out why exactly is your product/service right for them. Do your due diligence before copywriting. Research the topic and your client, use relevant sources and all available data, create a marketing persona and don’t forget that you write for real people, not the Google algorithm. If you do your job right and create a good marketing strategy, your audience will recognize your work and high-quality content and rank you on the top of a search engine.
If you are seeking an opportunity as a copywriter, be prepared for (constructive) criticism because there will be some, for sure. Learn every day, get informed, write and don’t forget to enjoy it.
And for the ones who are in need of this fantastic persona called copywriter, we have the perfect team to help you out! The Sinonim crew will gladly take on creative or professional copywriting of your advertisements, web content, blog posts, or any other releases and promo materials.
Become a part of our successful story and let us tell the world about you!
