What Does Copywriting Actually Mean?

What Does Copywriting Actually Mean?

 

 

It may seem like a silly question.

But copywriting means different things to different people.

So, let’s start with a formal definition first.

Here is a quote from Wikipedia to help us with the meaning of copywriting …

“The act or occupation of writing text for the purpose of advertising or other forms of marketing. The product, called copy or sales copy, is written content that aims to increase brand awareness and ultimately persuade a person or group to take a particular action.”¹

This then sparks the question, what is a copywriter?

Well, dictionary.com states that a “copywriter is a writer of copy, especially for advertisements or publicity releases.”²

Sounds pretty simple right?

But are you ready for the best definition of all?

It’s the Mike Giannulis, no frills, cut to the chase, say it like it is definition …. Ready?

Copywriting is using words to sell stuff.

That’s it!

So that means that copywriters simply use words to sell people stuff.

 

The Evolution of Copywriting Through the Years

Do any of these forms of writing and tools sound familiar? Think middle and high school history …

Hieroglyphics
Papyrus
Printing Presses
Typewriter
Apple II
PC
Laptop

Just like the ways we write have changed over the years so have the mediums we use to display copywriting. The invention of the printing press in the 15^th Century really helped copywriting take off and propelled its popularity forward.

 

 

Newspaper ads helped to spread the copywritten word even further. Over the years, copywriting has morphed into radio spots, tv commercials, billboards, the Internet and now social media.

Recently, copywriting training and education have made copywriting a good career choice and proven that copywriting is essential. What’s next? We may not know exactly what the future has in store, but one thing is for sure, copywriting is here to stay. It’s momentum through the years has proven that copywriting is a vital tool in any marketing strategy. Every company needs marketing to thrive, and every marketing strategy needs copywriting to survive.

 

Copywriting Examples

The copywritten word can take on many forms. Here are just a few examples to help you understand exactly what copywriting actually means and where it can be found.

 

As you can see, copywriting is everywhere and intertwined in our daily lives whether we realize it or not.

The next time you’re on hold sorting through a health insurance issue, pay attention to the message. While you’re TV channel surfing stop and take a moment to actually watch a commercial. Instead of changing the radio station, listen to the radio spot. Somewhere out there a copywriter worked really hard to combine their words to get you to notice and take action. Once you start looking for copywriting, you’ll be surprised at how many examples are out there.

 

 

Copywriting Skills

In order to further understand the meaning of copywriting, let’s take a deeper look into the skills that are needed.

 

 

Getting Started in Copywriting

Now that you know more about the meaning of copywriting, how do you get started? We know much more about copywriting than we ever have before and continue to learn on a daily basis. There is a wealth of information on the Internet, in books and in online copywriting courses. Copywriting mentors and copywriting communities now exist to create a helpful environment that fosters learning and continual growth.

Here are a few tips on how you can get started:

 

Answering the question, what does copywriting mean, can open many doors and lead to even more questions. If you want to continue the conversation, join the Copywriter Brain Community. I created this community for people just like us. If you want answers to your questions, want to learn more and want to find people you can learn and grow with, then let’s get started and start your copywriting journey right now!

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