What The Fuck is Copywriting?

From the responses to last week’s email, it is clear that many of you do not know what copywriting actually is.

Some have zero clue while others vaguely know the term from social media but think it means something like “writing a sales page”.

Writing high converting sales pages is a part of a copywriter’s skillset but only a small part of it. There’s a lot more to copywriting than sales pages.

Copywriting is any form of communication that gets someone to take some kind of action.

For example, if you’re reading this on the blog, then the title of this post is meant to entice you into opening and reading this post, and signing up to our email list.

If you’re reading this in your email, then the title of the email is meant to entice you into opening this email and reading it.

You go to Instagram and see an influencer talk about her weight loss journey. That’s copywriting. The action she wants you to take is to view her clip, engage with it, and follow her account.

You land at the airport in a new country and see ads for a messaging app (like WhatsApp). That’s copywriting. They’re telling you that in this country, people use their app, and the action they want you to take is to download it.

Even your resume is a type of copywriting. The action you want the recruiter to take is to invite you for an interview.

You go to a library. You see a bunch of books. Some stand out to you because they have an interesting title. Copywriting.

Copywriting is selling with words. Back in the day, it was limited to pamphlets and actual “sales letters” but in the modern internet age, it is EVERYWHERE.

Every blog post your company puts out is copywriting (hoping to get clients).

Every social media post is copywriting (trying to get sales and followers).

Every resume is copywriting (trying to get hired).

Copywriting is the art of crafting messages that can sell or persuade the reader or viewer to take a particular action. 

That’s why it’s the most transferable skill. Once you get this skill, you can sell anything.

Affiliate products, your own products, your employer’s products – anything.

Or you can freelance as a copywriter (every business is always looking for a good one) and get a cut. Good copywriters make a lot of money.

For a simple example, think if you can change a company’s sales page and increase their conversion rate from 2% to 3%. You have increased their revenue by 50%.

How much do you think you can charge for this? Well, good copywriters charge A LOT.

Hope that makes it clear.

– Harsh Strongman