Copywriting: What is it, Why do You Need it for Your Business?

Copywriting is the advertising industry's official term for writing whose sole purpose is to market products, services and ideas. This type of writing is different from news writing or book writing because it is subjective and persuasive in nature. When you write advertising copy, you do it with the intention of capturing interest, appealing to human emotion, and evoking a specific and intended action or reaction.

Nearly every advertising agency or in-house marketing department has a full-time copywriter or entire department of copywriters on staff. Copywriters work together with graphic artists and marketing strategists to develop what's known as the creative (also known as the creative platform). This refers to the combination of images and words that work to build brand recognition, establish trust and credibility with consumers, and sell products and services.

Target Audience Development: the Prerequisite to Copy that Sells

The first thing any copywriter will ask you before beginning work for your company is "describe your target audience." This is advertising 101 and you need it to know who you're talking and pitching to. During the target audience profile, you establish your ideal customer. Cover demographics such as age, gender, economic status and location. Then move on to psychographics such as habits, attitudes, values and emotional needs. Once these are in place you'll understand the best persuasive approach to use in your copywriting. This will help you reach out and make an emotional connection with your readers so that you can sell to them over the long term.

Copywriting and the USP

The USP, or Unique Selling Proposition, is another preclude to writing great ad copy. It's just a couple of short sentences that define what makes your company different from, and better than, others in your category. Some call this the elevator pitch. Basically, it's just a simple way to clarify what you do and how it benefits the customer.

The AIDA Method of Writing Copy

There is a well-known acronym in the world of copywriting known as AIDA or the "AIDA method." This represents the goal of every ad or piece of written material you develop and the series of emotions or actions you want to pull the reader through with your copy. AIDA stands for Attention, Interest, Desire, Action.

Some famous copywriters who paved the way for the rest of us:

David Ogilvy
John Caples
Robert Bly
Leo Burnett

Meet the copywriter - Dina Giolitto, career highlights and expertise