From wordsmith to brand alchemist – what does a copywriter actually DO?

Why hiring a copywriter might just be the best thing you can do for your brand

Hi, I'm a copywriter. And I'd like to answer one of the most common questions I get asked: what does a copywriter actually do?

​It’s a fair question. Especially in these heady days of generative AI, you might well be wondering what it is that professional copywriters bring to the table, and how we spend our working hours. 

​The answer is not quite as straightforward as it may seem. Yes, essentially, my colleagues and I write words for a living – but the service we provide goes beyond that. Copywriters don’t just put words on a page (or email, or website – you get the idea): we use our professional know-how and passion for language to craft compelling and persuasive content that engages your target audience and motivates them to take action.

​When you hire a copywriter, the copy you receive won’t just be the first few sentences that come to mind. We’ll spent hours getting to know your offering so that we can capture its essence and communicate its unique selling points in a way that resonates with the target audience. Copywriters are masters of words, using our skills to bring brands to life and create a connection between you and your audience.

​Copywriters are masters of words, using our skills to bring brands to life and create a connection between you and your audience.

So… what does a copywriter do?

Bottom line? A copywriter creates the words that you’ll use in advertisements, websites, brochures, social media posts, and more. In order to really make those words shine, we’ll wear many hats as part of our creative processes. 

​When I work with a client, I’m not just writing their copy. I’m also:

• Researching: A huge amount of my time on any project is spent in research. It’s a critical part of what I do. I’ll dedicate hours to making sure I know the target audience, the industry, and the competition inside and out. Simply put, unless I know your brand as well as I know my own, the copy I create won’t be as effective at resonating with your prospective buyers.
• Collaborating: Although I (usually) work as a freelancer, I’m deeply embedded in your organisation’s team and culture. Working with a copywriter is a creative partnership: part of my job is to align myself with your preferred practice and work closely with project owners, designers and stakeholders to make sure my content sits seamlessly alongside the overall marketing strategy.
• Editing and proofreading: Sending content out into the world without thoroughly checking it for common errors can hurt your brand: one recent study found that the single biggest factor in destroying consumer trust online is a website with spelling and grammar mistakes. A copywriter is a spelling and grammar fanatic. You can be sure that any copy we deliver will have been meticulously edited and proofread to ensure the spelling and grammar is on point and that the content flows smoothly.

Sending content out into the world without thoroughly checking it for common errors can hurt your brand

The importance of hiring a professional copywriter

Look, I get it. I do. You’ve been writing words and sentences for most of your life and there’s something kind of insulting about suggesting you need to pay a professional to do it for you. I promise I’m not casting aspersions on your literary ability. It’s just that copywriting is not just about writing words and sentences. 

When I say that we will obsess about crafting the perfect message, I mean that we will literally be able to tell you why a sentence uses the word “robust” rather than “sturdy” and why the past perfect works better than simple past in the final line of your Facebook ad. Plus, we’ll make sure we arrange your key information points in the most persuasive order so that your potential buyer is primed to take the action you want them to take. 

​Copywriters help you build a strong brand identity, increase customer awareness, and ultimately drive more sales and revenue.

A professional copywriter also understands the nuances of different marketing channels and knows how to tailor content for each platform. Brands often repurpose content across multiple platforms, but what works for Facebook is not what works for LinkedIn. Your brochure content has a different job to your web copy. If I’m working with a client, I’m optimizing their content for maximum effect.

​Copywriters help you build a strong brand identity, increase customer awareness, and ultimately drive more sales and revenue. Hiring a professional is an investment in the success of your business.

How a copywriter can help your business grow

So, yeah. Never underestimate the power of words and the impact that well-crafted content can have on your brand. But that’s not all a professional copywriter has to offer.

• We can help you create a strong brand identity: There’s nobody and nothing in the world quite like your brand. But how do you communicate that to your customers? And how do you nudge them towards your product or service and away from your competitors? A copywriter has the ability to capture the essence of your offering and turn that into a message that resonates with your target audience and sets you apart from the competition.
• We can help you increase your visibility and reach a wider audience: A professional copywriter knows how to craft content that captures your audience’s attention and generates buzz around your brand.
• We’ll help you make more sales: Copywriters know how to use persuasive language and compelling stories to motivate your audience to take action. Whether it's making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a contact form, our copy drives conversions and helps you achieve your business goals.
• We can position your brand as an authority in your industry to help build trust and credibility: Trust is a crucial factor in establishing a successful business. A copywriter can help you build that critical connection with your audience by creating content that is informative, valuable, and trustworthy. The more your audience sees you as an authority in your field, the stronger your customer relationships become.
• We save you time and resources: Content is important; regular content production is essential. But if you’re spending two hours of every day creating blog posts and LinkedIn articles and updating product descriptions, those are two hours of every day that you can’t focus on all of the other things your business needs. 

A copywriter has the ability to capture the essence of your offering and turn that into a message that resonates with your target audience and sets you apart from the competition.

Okay but… is a copywriter worth the money?

​Again, hiring a copywriter is an investment. 

​It’s an investment in expertise: we stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in copywriting, to make sure your content is always fresh and relevant. 

​It’s an investment in consistent messaging: we use that expertise to make sure that you’re approaching different marketing channels in a way that makes sense to different audiences, while making sure that the message remains clear and identifiably you throughout. 

​It’s an investment in perspective: your company is the product of long hours of hard work and dedication, which is what makes it successful, but it’s also what encourages a kind of silo effect with regards to how to communicate with your audience. You know why you want an audience to connect with your brand, but that might not be the best way of getting their attention. We provide a fresh pair of eyes and objective insights to help you reframe your perspective and engage all those potential buyers.

It’s an investment in your sanity: if nothing else, bringing in a collaborator who actively loves taking writing tasks off your desk is a great way to avoid burn-out in a busy SME.

​So, yes, a copywriter writes words for a living, but the job we do goes far beyond that. A copywriter is a brand alchemist, using our skills to create compelling and persuasive content that engages the target audience and drives results. And if you’re ready to take your business to the next level, give me a shout. I can’t wait to become your brand’s biggest fan.

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