Copywriting services

What is copy Writing? 

Copy writing, now also commonly referred to as content creation, is an art-form.

In the strictest traditional sense copywriting is writing promotional content. This can be in various formats including for example sales materials, brochures, blogs, case studies, white papers, newsletters, letters, video scripts and websites. 

Crucially, a successful copy writer has mastered the craft of promoting a product or service, via the written word. They can construct copy that can persuade the readers to take a desired action. Essentially a skilled copy writer understands business objectives and sales. Copy writing should be utilised to support a company strategy, rather than acting in isolation. 

The purpose of copy writing in many cases should be to persuade the reader to take action that could help the company, often the sales team. So, for example the action could be to sign up for a newsletter, or a business development event, or share an article via social media. Any such actions take the reader a step along the sales journey. But equally a good copy writer can also write to demonstrate an expertise, or to educate an audience. 

Effective copy writing requires a combination of skills beyond writing and communications. A first-class copy writer needs to be able to understand what they are writing about. This requires research skills. They also need to understand the mind-set of the target audience and the sector involved. This can require a grasp of the current market, current affairs, business and an ability to understand human behaviour. 

Why is Content King? 

‘Content is King’ has become a common and widely accepted term. But why is Content King? And with so much content published online daily what sort of content deserves to be crowned? 

Content is King because it informs, educates, engages, connects and ultimately helps drive brand awareness, enhance reputation, visits to websites, and sales. But how do you stand out in a crowded marketplace? With the average web user leaving a web page after less than 20 seconds and reading a fraction of the content available, first impressions are key. Therefore, first class copy writing, and journalism needs to be adopted. You need to communicate what you want to say quickly. Grabbing the readers’ attention and keeping it is vital. A good copy writer will write articles that are attention grabbing, communicates your key messages and connects with your audience. Equally a striking photograph is crucial to support your copy and forms part of the content mix. The image here for example draws you in and grabs your attention due to its unusual colours and clever composition. 

Content is also King because it helps you rank on Google. To rank on Google, you must inform and educate. You must provide something of value to the reader. Many businesses fall into the trap of re-purposing content that is already online and tweaking it. This will not help you stand out and you will not rank on Google. High quality, authentic, informative articles will overtime help you rank better on Google and should form a key part of your marketing strategy. Only articles that are well researched, highly informative and well written achieve royalty status on Google. 

Plugging a copy writer into the work of a good SEO or marketing agency will also help. This will provide your copy writer with data driven insights which will help shape how to approach content to achieve results on Google. By examining key word searches, copy length, tone of voice, and the like it will ensure the production of targeted, well structured content that supports your business objectives. 

Seven top copywriting tips for B2B companies to improve your online content: 

1. Prioritise your key messages

Make sure you communicate your key point straight away at the beginning of your article. Many people have a short attention span and so it is important you communicate your key points first, to cover the risk that not everyone will read the entire article, even if it is brilliantly written. Also make sure your key messages are part of a wider communications strategy and an accompanying SEO strategy. 

2. Use sub-headings

Using sub-headings and creating some white space helps makes your copy easier to digest and helps highlight important pieces of information within the article. It also helps the reader scan and read the areas of the article most appealing to them. Additionally, Google likes it and so it will support your efforts to rank more highly on online searches. 

3. Be clear and concise

Don’t waffle or use jargon. Stick to the point and use your space wisely. If you go off on a tangent, you will lose your reader. 

4. Deliver quality 

Avoid the temptation to re-purpose old articles, or similar online pieces, thinking no one will know. Google will and therefore your article will not perform well. If you offer something new, interesting and informative it will be well received by your readership. Value your readers and customers. 

5. Use good photographs

Using good, relevant images helps catch attention and further communicate your story. Remember to caption and label your photos correctly, as this helps with SEO. 

6. Use honest headlines

Make sure your title is relevant and matches the article. Writing a clickbait style headline will annoy your customers and potentially put them off. 

7. Edit stringently

Do not rely on a spell check alone to review your copy. Make sure you step away from your article and return to it fresh to review it and ensure it is accurate before you share it with your boss, or client, or publish it.