If you work in online marketing or even set foot near the industry, you’ve likely heard the term “copywriting.”
It’s everywhere right now. Copywriting this, copywriting that. There’s no escaping it.
As popular as the term is, though, many people still don’t know the answer to the question, “what is copywriting?”
When strangers meet someone who introduces herself as a copywriter, they often nod enthusiastically and then say without a hint of comprehension, “And what does that mean?”
Or, they think it means you copyright legal songs for pay. Some people still conjure up images of journalists on a typewriter, or a reporter — while others think of tech or IT specialists.
Unfortunately, none of these hit the nail on the head.
So what is copywriting? And why is it such a big deal today?
Read on to learn more.
What is Copywriting?
Copywriting is the art and science of strategically crafting and publishing targeted, reader-focused words (“copy”) online that get people to take some form of action.
We took some inspiration from the classic copywriting resource, CopyBlogger, for this.
“Copywriting” is a hard thing to pin down. Obviously – or everyone would understand it right off the bat!
Luckily, it doesn’t have to be this obscure forever.
Brands that work with copywriters hire these skilled professionals to create everything from blog and article copy to social media content and product descriptions — depending upon what they need at a given moment.
Right now, the field of copywriting is exploding as more and more brands migrate to e-commerce and the development of an online presence. Because having a website also creates an immediate and pressing need for quality content, brands around the country and the world are hiring professional copywriters at shocking rates.
According to CopyBlogger, 'Copywriting is the art and science of strategically delivering words (whether written or spoken) that get people to take some form of action.' Read more on @JuliaEMcCoy's post about #copywriting ✍️ Click To TweetWhy Does Copywriting Matter?
Now that we’ve answered the question of “what is copywriting?”, let’s focus on why companies are flocking to it in droves.
Right now, more than 27 million pieces of content are shared across the web every single day.
That’s a big number, and it’s clear that it’s difficult to stand out when so much content is present at all times. Because of this, brands are increasingly turning to professionals to help them rank well in Google, attract more customers, and develop a stronger and unique brand voice.
At its core, copywriting is a form of inbound marketing. Instead of going out and pursuing readers (although it’s not unheard of for copywriters to write PPC advertisements and similar outbound content), copywriting generally focuses on creating things like blogs, articles, and infographics, which are designed to pull readers in and provide relevant and valuable content.
Why does 'copywriting' matter? Today, 61% of internet users around the world head to search engines to research on products they want to buy before buying! ? Click To TweetWhy is this important, you ask?
Great question.
Today, 61% of the internet users around the world head to search engines to research products they want to buy, before they take the financial leap and make a purchasing decision. Internet users currently conduct more than 12 billion searches each month – despite this, though, the click-through rate of paid advertisements is only about 2%.
With this in mind, it’s easy to see why brands have been turning to copywriting. In addition to populating a site with quality content, copywriting efforts are also more effective than outbound advertising methods. By creating unique, relevant, and high-quality content on a webpage, blog, or social media account, a company with an on-staff copywriter can easily build an audience and develop a solid reputation quickly and easily.
Copywriting Statistics You Need to Know
By now, you know that copywriting is important, but do you know just how important? These statistics prove just how relevant copywriting is to brands. These can help you understand the big push for copywriters that have sprung up in recent years.
1. The top 3 results in Google earn 60% of all organic clicks.
The top few places on Google’s SERPs are coveted. Ranking here ensures visibility for a brand and can significantly increase the number of leads and the amount of traffic that a brand receives in a given month. Unfortunately, many brands don’t understand how to get here.
Luckily, professional copywriting can help. Through high-quality content creation, SEO optimization, unique topics, and a bulletproof content strategy, a professional copywriter can develop a plan for ranking well for a given set of keywords or topics – a skill that many companies need to grow their followings.
Do you know? The top 3 results in Google earn 60% of all organic clicks. ?️ Know more about the importance of #copywriting in @JuliaEMcCoy's blog post. Click To Tweet2. 50% of all mobile searches are local.
For brands with a local presence, copywriting may be a life-or-death matter. While the majority of mobile users are searching for local brands, most local brands don’t understand how to reach mobile users. This, in turn, results in a confusing and stressful experience for mobile searchers and lost revenue for local companies.
Enter a professional copywriter.
Professional copywriters are well-versed in local SEO and can help businesses make the changes they need to ensure that their content ranks well for and meets the needs of local searchers.
This, in turn, can result in more traffic for the local business, and a more satisfying search experience for mobile users.
Do you know? 50% of all mobile searches are local. ? Know more about the importance of #copywriting in @JuliaEMcCoy's blog post. Click To Tweet3. Leads gained from SEO have a 14.6% close rate.
Leads that come to a company via means of SEO close at a much higher rate than those obtained through outbound methods like direct mail. This is one of the main incentives for businesses to hire copywriters. In addition to the fact that copywriting efforts are much more affordable than outbound advertising methods, they’re also more effective and result in a bigger bottom line for the company in question.
Do you know? Leads gained from SEO have a 14.6% close rate. ?️ Know more about the importance of #copywriting in @JuliaEMcCoy's blog post. Click To Tweet4. Marketers that prioritize blogging are 13x as likely to earn a positive ROI than non-bloggers.
Blogging is a fantastic way to reach out and connect with would-be customers, and it’s often all a company needs to revolutionize its content strategy. Unfortunately, many businesses are too busy or just lack the skill to create blog content in-house. This is why the skills of professional copywriters are so needed. By developing and populating a blog with reputable, high-quality content, a good copywriter can help a company strengthen its brand voice and provide additional value to customers.
Do you know? Marketers that prioritize blogging are 13x as likely to earn a positive ROI than non-bloggers. ?? Know more about the importance of #copywriting in @JuliaEMcCoy's blog post. Click To Tweet5. When marketers blogged daily, 82% of them earned new customers.
Blogging daily is a smart business strategy, but it’s also difficult to keep up with. Left to their own devices, many companies fall behind their blogging schedule and fail to provide real and dependable content for their readers. By hiring a copywriting professional, a company has a better chance of keeping up with its blogging goals and enjoying the positive returns of doing so offers.
Do you know? When marketers blogged daily, 82% of them earned new customers. ? Know more about the importance of #copywriting in @JuliaEMcCoy's blog post. Click To Tweet
The (Huge) Benefits of Copywriting For Companies
A copywriting professional can offer a LOT to a company. A few of those (not limited to) are:
1. SEO Optimization
SEO stands for search engine optimization, and it’s one of the most common responsibilities of professional copywriting firms. By optimizing posts and pages for long-tail keywords and search engine visibility, copywriting firms can help companies rank well in Google and earn more user attention.
2. Human Content Creation
You can’t automate this process. Content creation is by far the primary responsibility of copywriting companies. Depending on what a company needs, the copywriting firm may write a blog, social media post, article, or even white paper content.
3. Content Distribution
Some copywriting companies distribute content on behalf of their clients. By scheduling and managing posts on social media and blog platforms, a copywriting firm can remove some of the stress from a customer’s shoulders and ensure that the editorial calendar is functioning at all times.
4. Idea Mining
If a company needs help coming up with unique blog ideas, a copywriting company may offer to conduct keyword research or develop an editorial calendar that will help guide the company’s editorial efforts. A valuable service that marries the benefits of SEO and content creation, this idea mining offer is popular among companies looking to build larger followings.
5. Social Media Management
Social media is a time-consuming thing for many companies, and a professional copywriting firm can take some of the pressure off. By managing and posting content to a company’s social media account, a copywriting company can help a business grow a following without stressing over time management.
Some of the benefits of having a copywriter include SEO optimization, better blog ideas, and high-quality human content creation. ? @JuliaEMcCoy shares the rest of the benefits and importance of copywriting in this blog post. Click To TweetWhat is Copywriting? Now You Know!
So what is copywriting? It’s a critical service that many companies turn to to produce traffic, followers, leads, and conversions. It’s becoming increasingly popular with businesses in all industries and all locations, and it’s a great way to enjoy a positive ROI and an effective marketing strategy.
If you’re interested in learning more about copywriting, or finding copywriting professionals to help you boost your brand, contact Express Writers today!
