What is copywriting?

When I tell my friends and family that I’m a copywriter, they imagine that I painstakingly copy information from one place to another. While that’s true in some shape, it’s not exactly copywriting.

First of all, what’s copy? Copy is all around us---an omnipresent being that might have snuck off your radar but it’s with you all the time. Copy can be found on billboards, product packaging, in the mail, and most importantly all over the internet. 

Copy is an integral part of any business. Without it, how would anyone know anything about the products being sold. Copywriters are tasked with creating concise copy that will yield sales. It doesn't take a formal education to conceive a talented copywriter---albeit it might help. What truly creates a great copywriter is the ability to sell usually with the least amount of words but sometimes long form--- like sales letters---can yield a promising ROI (Return on Investment).

When starting a business, it's important to consider whether you'll be writing your own copy or hiring a freelance copywriter. There are plenty of them on the web and in agencies. If you love the written word, looking into writing your own copy could be the path to take; but if you're too busy managing your business looking for a freelance copywriter might be your best decision yet. They say it takes a village to raise a child---the same can be said for a business.