Copywriting is easy… Right?! Well, yes. And no…
In this month’s blog, we look into some of the different uses for copywriting, the tips and tricks you’ll need to keep it fresh and interesting and, lastly, whether it’s worth doing it yourself, or calling in an expert.
Writing for yourself is easy – you have your own rhythm of speech and it’s fairly simple to translate that to the written word. Writing copy for an organisation is trickier. The first step is work out what tone is correct. For example, a cake shop might want to be be informal and chatty in their social posts or on their website, whereas a law firm would probably prefer a more formal, instructional tone.
Before you ask yourself whether you should write copy for your organisation, consider what tone that copy should take. Once you’re clear on that, you’ll have a better idea of whether or not you’re able to write it yourself.
Copywriting has a whole range of different uses and once you’ve decided on the tone of voice for your organisation, you’ll need to learn how to tweak it for each of those uses.
A social media post, for example, should be shorter and snappier than a full-length essay, regardless of the subject. You’ll need to share content that’s easy to understand and which achieves a goal, e.g. encouraging people to visit your event. Similarly, the copy on posters or leaflets should be carefully considered to ensure it shares all the important info, without bogging readers down with complicated terminology or walls of text.
Your website is where you can talk more at length about who you are and what you do. However, remember that anyone who visits your site will want to access the information they need quickly and easily, so you’ll need to write in a way that prioritises the most important facts and clearly labels where to find them.
There really are too many forms of writing for us to list here, from script-writing to press-releases and branded marketing emails! So, before you sit down to write, ask yourself what the purpose is and keep that in mind, throughout.
It may sound rather obvious, but if you’ve decided to write your own copy, make sure you spell-check it and use correct grammar. You might think it doesn’t matter, as long as people know what you’re trying to say, but posts littered with typos don’t exactly scream “professionalism.”
Using correct spelling and grammar across all of your copywriting helps to keep your communication clear, builds trust in your brand and shows the attention to detail that potential customers expect from you.
It also goes without saying that you should avoid text speak! “We’ve gt a gr8 offer 4 u” is fine as a note in your phone to remind you to post on social media. It’s not so great for the post, itself!
We speak to plenty of people who start out with the best intentions: they’ll post on social media several times a week, they’ll blog at least once a month and they plan to put out press releases several times a year. The trouble is, all of that takes time and when you’re running a business, time is a very precious – and often limited – commodity!
Most social media platforms have in-built scheduling technology, allowing you to plan posts days, weeks or even months ahead. This is important if you’re concerned that you won’t have time to keep updating your socials, as an inactive account can cause potential customers to think you’re no longer in business.
Similarly, a static website isn’t great for your SEO. We encourage all of our web design clients to consider having a blog page that they can regularly update with news, events and additional content. This keeps your site fresh and gives visitors a reason to return! Of course, if you’re thinking “I’ll never find time for that…” don’t panic – we can help.
Copywriting is always better when you know exactly who you’re writing for.
If you run a day nursery, for example, then you know that the people you’re trying to reach through your website, social media posts and leaflets etc are busy parents and carers. That knowledge means that you can tailor your writing to appeal to this specific audience.
Whenever you set out to write something, always consider the audience it’s aimed at. If you know your target audience really well, then you’re starting your copywriting from a great place. If you’re not sure who your copy is aimed at, then it’s time to go back and do some serious research!
You might be a phenomenal wordsmith, but have you thought about how your social posts, blog updates and marketing emails actually look?
Even to a confident reader, a wall of endless text can be massively off-putting. We always recommend breaking up copy with relevant imagery. There are plenty of free image sites out there, giving you the chance to illustrate your point with photographs or graphics. Alternatively, if your copy is dense with important facts and figures, consider presenting these in the form of infographics, to make them easier to digest.
Remember that consistent branding is important – if you’re creating imagery yourself, try to stick to your organisation’s colour palette, font choices and overall look. Consistency builds recognition and trust in your potential customers, so it’s worth striving for.
Whilst we would love to take on your copywriting for you, we do understand that some organisations are happier to keep it in-house. If that’s working for you, then we hope that this blog has given you some ideas as to how to take your writing to the next level! If, on the other hand, we can be of assistance, we’d be very happy to help. Over the years, we’ve done everything from script-writing for adverts and how-to-guides, to regular blog content for heritage groups and small businesses. We get a real kick out of helping organisations to find their voice and we love creating content that they’re excited to share. So, if we might be the “write” fit for you, why not get in touch?
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