10 Surprising Myths About Copywriters
Ah copywriting myths…there are so many of them flying around that I feel many people have a bit of an inaccurate idea of what copywriting is and even what a copywriter actually does!
So today I’m on a mission to bust the 10 most common myths once and for all! Let’s jump right in…
1. Copywriters just write
I do understand why people have come to this conclusion (especially since when you work with a copywriter, the finished copy is all you see) but it is SO not the case. Copywriting involves a whole plethora of things including research (lots and lots of research), strategy, editing, proofing, consultation calls and deep dives into our client's businesses so we can nail the tone of voice…just to name a few things we do besides write!
2. It’s super cheap to hire a copywriter
Now that we’ve covered that copywriters do more than just write down a few random sentences on the page, I’d like to address the fact that good copywriters don't come cheap! Why? See myth 1.
While there certainly are copywriters on Fiverr and Upwork be wary of their process and the quality of their copy. That’s not to say you’ll always receive a bad batch of copy, however, it may be rushed and they might not spend as much time researching and really getting to know and understand your tone of voice.
This can result in copy that doesn’t really resonate with you or your target audience…and I’m going to have a guess and say that’s not the sort of copy you want to represent your business!
3. We charge per word
Urm no…because as I think we have clearly established, there is a lot more to copywriting than just the amount of words on the page. It also wouldn’t make much sense to do so and would make quoting for a project a very tricky task!
4. Longer copy always costs more
A bit like the first myth, I can see where people are coming from with this. However, it’s also not true! Often shorter forms of copy, say an email sequence, can cost a bit more than other longer forms of copy. This is because you have less space to get your point across, do it well and trigger a response from it. It involves a lot of research to get these short pieces right and it can take a lot longer to do. And as we just talked about- we don’t charge by the word (and this is another reason why!).
5. Copywriters only write blogs
Nope! Copywriters can write a whole bunch of different copy. In fact, there are even two main types of people who write copy: Copywriters and content writers. Copywriters often write more sales-based copy and content writers write content such as blogs and social media posts. You can read all about the difference in my other blog!
6. To be a copywriter you need to have an English degree
This also isn’t true! In fact, you don’t need a degree of any sort to become a copywriter. I’m not saying that having a degree can’t help, but writing is a skill you can practice outside of university. There are also lots of other ways to learn about everything that goes into copywriting. So if you’re looking to become a copywriter, remember- there’s no right path so just do what feels best for you!
7. Artificial intelligence will replace copywriting
This is a really interesting myth when you get into it. But that doesn’t make it any less of a myth. I’m sure there will be certain aspects of copy that AI could take over but I personally don’t think it will ever be able to truly replace copywriting.
Copy is about connection and human experience, so AI can help to an extent, but it can't pick up on your unique traits, human emotions and quirks. It can’t interpret human behaviour and thoughts and then write carefully crafted copy that speaks directly to an ideal target audience. That is something only a human can do (specifically, a human who is a copywriter).
8. Copywriters can read minds
When I say this, I mean you can’t simply hire a copywriter to write your emails and expect them to just come back a week or so later with 5 perfectly written emails curated specifically for your business. It’s often a collaborative process, especially at the beginning. More often than not we’ll want to have a chat with you to find out more about your business, discuss what we’ll be writing and get an idea of your tone of voice! So expect to put in a bit of work upfront when you hire a copywriter.
9. All copywriters write the same thing
In the same way that there are two types of copywriters (see myth 5) copywriters can write a very diverse range of things! And not every copywriter, will write everything- most people specialize and niche down (which is something to bear in mind when it comes to hiring the right copywriter for your business. You can read more about that here). Some will write sales pages and emails (like me!), others product descriptions, adverts or even video game scripts!
10. Copy is all you need to sell
I feel there is a big myth that if a product doesn't sell, it must be the copy. But in reality, the copy should be just one part of a much bigger picture. Firstly, you need a viable product that you're selling to the right audience. Then you need a top-notch marketing strategy and design that complement the copy.
Copy can be instrumental in whether something sells or not, but just remember that it should exist in an ecosystem and it certainly doesn’t exist in isolation!
So…now you know the truth about copywriters, myths be gone!
If you’re a copywriter yourself, let me know what myth you always hear people talking about that makes you laugh and if you’re not, what myth did you believe before reading this? Let me know!