Copywriting some answers: - Advertising copy, Other Print Media and Web-copy



I’m often asked what it is that I do. I generally spout something about being a slave to the system and murmur a slurred ‘copywriter’ – at which point I find myself being ejected from the bar, pint in hand, into the nearest convenient Taxi and/or Police car.

Ok, that’s only half true, but I have found that a lot of my conversations have involved explaining the ins and outs of my job. I am usually blithely unaware of the glazed expressions and the wandering attentions of my companions, so I tell them in detail and don’t stop until the room is empty. I’m not going to try and bore you here, but I will try to give you the most straightforward answer I can.

So, what does a copywriter do, George?

I’m glad you asked.

Copy is the text featured in any form of advertising.

Copy comes in many forms, - from the words on the back of your beer-mat, to the grand promises of the glossy brochure you picked up at the travel agent’s, to this article itself.

A copywriter researches, writes, structures and perfects a piece of advertising. If they are freelance they are not tied to any particular company and are able to work for several customers at once.

Types of copy

Advertising Copy – Posters and Flyers, beer-mats and banners…

You’ve seen the posters stuck on the walls of the underground, the sub-way walls and pub-toilets.

Headlines and structure are important. The copywriter grabs attention and holds it. The potential customer should be captivated; this kind of copy should be highly creative, visual and is ultimately designed to instil desire – the reader should be compelled to buy the product, to visit the circus or buy that MP3-player.

Other Print Media

Copywriters fill brochures, hand-books, guides, they write the newspaper advertising slots, the slogan on the back of your beer-mat and the many and various advertising features you are bombarded with everyday. If a copywriter wants to be successful they should, of course, be imaginative, but they must also be aware of the client’s needs. Herds of Words pride themselves on directed-creativity; creative ideas that drive custom to our customers!

Web-copy

Perhaps the fastest growing area in the copywriting business is Web-copy. Web-copy has to be short, easy to read and Search-engine optimised (SEO). For more information on Web-copy please see the Herds of Words article SEO Your Website.

You may also want to read ‘Who Needs a Copywriter? Or Browse our FAQ section.