You’re Getting Ripped Off If You Don’t Know This Word.

Imagine this: You’ve spent 3 weeks perfecting your offer. Paid a designer £2,500 for your website. But after a full month, you’ve got… ZERO sales. No leads. Just empty promises.

This used to be how I thought. Like, you hire a designer, slap in a few dopamine-high images, maybe throw in a pretty headline - and BOOM, sales, right?

WRONG.

That was when I started to learn about copywriting. Not to be confused with “copyright”. Copywriting is a digital marketing technique where copy (content) is written to promote, sell or start a conversation about a product or service. Let’s put it this way: copywriting is what actually SELLS your offer when you’re not physically present.

The more I got into learning how to write copy, the more I realised…

Most businesses don’t have an issue with their sales.

They have an issue with the copy they are using to sell what they are offering.

Sounds confusing, right?

Let’s break it down.

What Is Copywriting?

Copywriting is the art of writing words that get people to act, whether that be purchasing, signing up to a newsletter or simply clicking a button. The words used by copywriters are deliberate and strategic to gain the most attention and influence. In the business of persuasion, copywriters’ words are their tools, with which they use to write to sell ideas. Unlike a journalist, who uses writing to inform or educate, copywriters have an ultimate goal of moving people closer to that prized “YES”.

All you’re doing as a copywriter is guiding the reader to what they already wanted.

That’s the magic. And that’s why it works.

A (Very) Brief History of Copywriting

Before we get into where you find copywriting and how it differs from other forms of writing, let’s look at a little history, because I guarantee it’s older than you think.

Despite copywriting feeling like a modern-day digital marketing invention, believe it or not, it actually stems right back to the early 1800s. ‘Copy’ was first defined by lexicographer Noah Webster as ‘something original that must be imitated in writing or printing’. From this, John Emory Powers, the first professional freelance copywriter (the father of copywriting), began to write ads for department stores, which were straightforward and easy to understand. A controversial move for his time! What was incredible is that these worked! People responded amazingly to the easy-to-understand and truthful ads!

Powers laid the groundwork for the copywriting we know today: clear, accessible, effective.

Copywriting vs Content Writing: What’s the Difference?

Now that I’ve made you read the history of copywriting, let’s look at how it differs from content writing, which is where it can be confusing.

You might be wondering: Isn’t this post a form of copywriting? Technically, no, it’s a form of content writing.

Let’s look at examples of each:

Content writing is used to inform, educate or entertain. It’s used to share knowledge, provoke thoughts and is often longer-form writing. Content writing can be found in:

• Blog posts

• Newsletters

• Articles

The goal is to engage, not to sell. Think of it as more like making friends.

Copywriting is written with a specific goal in mind: action. It’ll have the aim of persuading you to buy a product, sign up for a service or even book a call. It is shorter, targeted to a specific topic and focused on persuasion and conversation. You’ll often find copywriting in:

• Sales emails

• Landing pages

• Product descriptions

• Pop-ups and banners

The goal is to persuade and sell. Copywriting is like closing deals.

Still not sure? Here’s a real-life example:

This blog post? It’s content writing. I’m sharing knowledge, informing you about copywriting, and (hopefully) entertaining you. There is no pressure and no selling techniques.

If you were to head over to copybyxavier, however, you will find real copywriting, a website built to sell a service (copywriting). It’s persuasive, direct, sharp, and ready to use words as a tool to help sell your services or products.

So, do you need a copywriter?

YES! If you’ve made it this far, you already know you need better words. Book a call with me today and let me show you what sharp copy does to weak conversions. If you have a business and an online presence for that service or product, or want people to sign up to your email list, you need a copywriter. For copy that not only sounds good but does something!

You don’t need more traffic. You need the right words in front of the right people. That’s what I do. If you know your business deserves better, let’s talk.

Big shout-out to Eden Racionzer for writing this blog post and hopefully, the first of many to come!