The importance of copywriting

Chances are, if you're visiting this site and others like it, you're aware of the importance of professional design. You probably know that hiring a professional designer will benefit your business and its image. Too often though, businesses will overlook copywriting.

I bring up this topic is because too often I see small businesses who go out of their way to hire a good designer only to fail miserably at the hands of poorly written copy, be it an ad or a sales brochure. You may have the greatest looking brochure ever that captures the attention of your intended audience every time, but does the text back it up? Does your business sound as good as it looks? Or does it bore the reader to tears and cause them to move on to your competitor?

I've seen a few clients choose to write their own copy. And to be perfectly honest, for a few, it works. But usually... it doesn't. In some cases, a client will get the help of a friend, spouse or relative who also happens to be a writer. Again, for a few it works. But usually, it doesn't. And it's not a reflection of their friend, spouse or relative's ability to write. A "writer" and an experienced "copywriter" are not the same thing, much like an "artist" and a "designer" are not the same thing. Yes, there are many common elements and similarities, but in the end, they're very different.

In any medium - web or print - good copy is essential, if not vital. A professional copywriter will not only craft your message well, he/she will do so in a way that targets your intended audience, gets that audience interested, and maintains their interest throughout. For the web in particular, it's crucial to hire a copywriter that has experience writing for the web. Websites need to rank well in search engine listings and one way to do that is with well-written content. And well-written content will contain your site's keywords in a natural way to boost your SERP (search engine ranking position). A professional copywriter should be able to do this without any problem.

If you truly want to give your small business an edge over competition, give professional copywriting some serious consideration. You don't want to miss out on more customers and sales due to poorly-written copy!