People often take copywriting for granted, since it’s become part of our everyday lives.

You read that right. Copywriting is everywhere. Ads? Videos? Books? Emails? That description you were reading about that product you wanted to buy? Copywriting.

And when we deem something as too common, we eventually overlook its value. There is irony in that: if it’s too common, doesn’t that make it highly?

Copywriting is the backbone of marketing. Knowing that, imagine what quality copywriting services can do for businesses.

And not to mention, it’s the most cost-effective form of content.

Your copy speaks for your brand. And killer copy generates leads, grows your brand, and helps with your SEO.

Still not convinced? Read on.

Why Copywriting is important

That there is a difference in the impact between good and bad copy already proves that copywriting in itself is important.

Copywriting can make or break your brand’s reputation.

Good copywriting

Good copywriting will take your brand places.

First, it will turn heads; second, it will gain trust; and last, it will convert readers into customers.

Good copywriting speaks directly to your audience: Well written copy will feel like a conversation to the reader. There is direction in it, and it’s written in a casual yet interesting tone that hooks readers.

Great copywriting doesn’t state facts and ideas plainly, nor does it sound boastful and arrogant. Rather, it’s written in a way that makes the reader feel like the copy is written for them. You’re not monologing about your brand’s successes to an empty hall.

Good copywriting is targeted to your market: According to legendary copywriter Joe Sugarman, “If it is your assignment to write copy for a product or service that you really don’t have a feel for, then you have a great deal of studying to do to make sure you understand who your customer is and what motivates him or her.”

Knowing your customers and target market will make your copy seem more personal. You can’t provide people with what they want if you don’t even know it.

Copywriting is not just about writing nicely. Its ultimate purpose is to sell products and services. While having a lot of views and reads of your copy is a victory on its own, if your readers simply end up entertained but felt no compulsion to buy your offers, it’s likely irrelevant to their needs. 

Good copy is copy that doesn’t have to impress everyone. It impresses the right people.

Good copywriting is compelling and engages the reader: Great copy tells a story. Powerful storytelling is a tool in copywriting. People easily get bored when they just see stats and data.

More than that, readers will forget all the information too, because they weren’t invested in the copy, to begin with.

Copy that is compelling and engaging is unforgettable.

Good copywriting makes the reader react: If your copywriting speaks directly to your audience and engages them, it will also make them react. Effective copy evokes emotions in the reader- amusement, anticipation, curiosity, shock, disbelief etc.

Emotions are what makes a reader invested. Good copy will make people feel emotions and hence leave an impact. It asks questions for the reader to think about. 

Most of all, it builds a desire within the reader to respond to your call-to-action (CTA).

Bad copywriting

While good copywriting will take you places, bad copy will slow down your business, and for obvious reasons. Poorly presenting your brand will repel potential customers rather than invite them.

Bad copywriting is generic: Bad copywriting has no ‘flavour’ in it. To put it simply, it’s bland. It isn’t creative, and you’ll find that it’s nothing new, and therefore, ignorable.

You want your brand to be unique. You want it to stand out. The last thing you want is a generic copy that sinks you deeper in the pool with your competitors, where you’ll drown.

Bad copywriting doesn’t have a message: Ever finished reading a piece of copy and wondered, “Now what?”

Bad copywriting is incoherent and directionless. You know when a piece doesn’t have a message (or a story) when you have to wonder what the point of it was. In other words, it’s a waste of time and the reader will gain nothing from it.

If the reader doesn’t remember anything from a piece, then your brand is as good as forgettable to them, too.

No message, no impact.

Bad copywriting is written for the business, not the reader: Egotistical copy is bad copy.

Yes, it is great for your business to share its achievements and capabilities. In fact, that should be done.

But, when it comes to this, delivery is everything. Write copy for your target audience. And as mentioned, for you to reach this audience, your copy should be directed to them. It should make them feel and react.

Copy that’s written for the business and not for the reader will drive away potential customers because no one really wants to deal with entrepreneurs who are full of themselves and care more about what they gain than how they can help.

Bad copywriting is written without purpose: Having a strategy for creating content is important because rolling out content regularly requires a lot of planning to achieve the brand’s goal.

Some simply upload content for the sake of having content, but the copy doesn’t add any value to the brand’s growth and identity. Having filler copy will reduce the interest in your brand because in some cases, all it takes for a potential customer to judge whether they should stop exploring your website is a single piece of content.

Imagine if they ended up reading one that had no purpose or intention behind it. Your reader will exit your page unsatisfied, carrying nothing memorable with them.

Copywriting boosts user experience (UX)

“No product is an island. A product is more than a product. It is a cohesive, integrated set of experiences. Think through all of the stages of a product or service – from initial intentions through final reflections, from the first usage to help, service, and maintenance. Make them all work together seamlessly.” — Don Norman, inventor of the term “User Experience”

According to Interaction Design Foundation, UX is the process design of the acquisition and integration of the product, which includes branding, design, usability, and function. It describes how, when, why and how people feel about their experience while interacting with a product.

The iPhone is an example of a product that provides a great user experience. Acquiring, owning, troubleshooting, and of course, consuming the product were all parts of the design process of the iPhone.

UX is user-centred, meaning that the users and their context are the starting point of the designing and development of the product.

In copywriting, you always have a purpose in mind, and that is to persuade your readers to buy your product or service. Copywriting provides people with decision-making clarity when they interact with that product.

According to Georgina Laidlaw, a Melbourne-based writer, UX copy “works to identify context the user is in and define the next act they must make in order to reach their consciously chosen goal.”

UX copy is the text in your ‘buy’ button that compels the user to click it. It’s the product description that you check while browsing through Amazon. It’s what bridges the gap between a website’s design and its content.

Like UX itself, copywriting is focused on the customer and what they want and need. With good copywriting comes the user’s better understanding of the product – about what it does, what it’s for, and what the customer will experience once they get to use it.

SEO benefits from good copywriting

SEO is only as good as the copy that it can work with. 

Reusing keywords over and over while the actual content doesn’t make sense won’t really get you on the first page of Google. In our blog, A Complete Guide to Copywriting, we explained the four areas that Google takes into consideration as it selects which searches go into its first page:

• Relevance
• Authority
• Trust
• Usability

Even with your URL edited to include your SEO keywords, and even if you mentioned these keywords about five or even ten times in your copy of the content is substandard, don’t expect your article to be among the top searches.

Knowing that there are many factors that come into play, SEO specialists need a quality copy in order to help rank your business on page one of Google.

SEO is so much easier with great copywriting. According to Optinmonster, 72% of online marketers describe content creation as their most effective SEO tactic.

For instance, if your copy is well-written, it should be able to include everything that will make search engines detect it as relevant. Good copy also has reliable sources in it that will increase the page’s points for both trust and authority.

With good copy, you don’t have to go through too many other measures just to boost your SEO. The copywriting will do a lot for you.

Copywriting converts 

Many people assume that it’s SEO that converts readers on a page into customers. We’re here to correct that and tell you: it isn’t.

SEO will make your page more visible, as it will get you on the first page of Google searches. This visibility of course increases the chances that users will click on your page and read your content.

But, it is the quality of your content that will convert your reader.

Here are some statistics that prove this:

• Websites that also have a blog are shown to have 434% more indexed pages. (Optinmonster)
• Content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing tactics 62% less than traditional marketing tactics while still generating 3x more leads. (Demand Metric)
• SEO leads have a 14.6% close rate, while outbound leads (such as direct mail or print advertising i.e. copy) have a 17% close rate. (Optinmonster)

It’s how gripping your headline is that will get people to click on your page. It’s how engaging your story is that will keep them reading and eager to learn more about what you have to say. And it’s how strong and compelling your CTA is that will convert your readers as they take the next step you’re offering them.

Copywriting is important for many reasons. Consider it as your digital spokesperson for your brand. Your copy does a lot of the selling that verbal sales can’t do.

It gives your brand identity. It tells a story that compels your audiences to take interest in your products or services. It is through your words that you give readers reasons to trust you and your brand, whether it’s through educating them or proving through testimonials that your brand is reliable.

It also boosts UX and SEO, making you more visible and more attractive to your target market.

And most importantly, good copywriting converts readers into loyal customers.

Writing copy is more than putting pen to paper (or tapping on a keyboard). Good copy requires research, a strategy, distribution, measuring and conversion. 

“Every product has a unique personality and it is your job to find it.” – Joe Sugarman