According to Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copywriting
“Copywriting is the act, or occupation of writing text for the purpose of advertising or other forms of marketing.[1] The product, called copy, is written content that aims to increase brand awareness and ultimately persuade a person or group to take a particular action.
One misnomer regarding copywriting, it is not the same as copyright. Copywriting is the act of writing copy Copyright is the registration of a product or idea that someone wishes to protect from anyone else copying. Clear? I hope so.
Copywriters do have a form of copyright that protects their creation on the internet and print (see plagiarism https://student.unsw.edu.au/what-plagiarism from the University of NSW) so please, don’t think you can just copy and paste someone else’s creations – you may get slapped with a large bill for the privilege. You can tell if a script etc. is copyright protected as it will show a small circle with the letter “c” inside.
There are no qualifications that copywriters have to have in order to produce a written script. Although a comprehensive knowledge of the English Language is a must and a “Knack” for writing convincing copy. Ask your copywriter to provide you with examples of their copy and perhaps Google their name, to ascertain if they have what it takes.
Things a copywriter should display are :
- The ability to capture the feel of your company and services.
- Knows all the current trends for writing copy
- Their Grammar is impeccable
- They will provide fresh new content and not use duplicates
- They will make their copy sound “Exciting”
- Have the ability to utilise other formats (i.e. PowerPoint, etc.)
- The ability to write for all genres – Sales pages, blogs, social media, brochures etc.
So there you have it, check a person’s skills before hiring and make sure they know how to “sell”.
