Copywriting facts for kids
Copywriting is the job of writing words for advertising and marketing. The goal of copywriting is to sell products or services. The text a copywriter creates is called "copy." Good copy helps more people learn about a brand and convinces them to take an action, like buying a product.
Copywriters write the words you see and hear in many places. This includes billboards, brochures, magazine ads, and websites. They also write scripts for TV and radio commercials, famous taglines, and posts for social media. Their job is to make the writing interesting and effective for the people they want to reach.
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What Does a Copywriter Do?
Copywriters can work in many different places. Some are hired by advertising agencies, while others work directly for a large company's marketing department. Many also work for themselves as freelancers, which means they can work from home, a coffee shop, or a shared office space.
Working on a Creative Team
In an advertising agency, a copywriter is usually part of a creative team. They often work with an art director, who is in charge of the images and design of an ad. The copywriter writes the words, or "copy." Together, they come up with the main idea for the advertisement. Working as a team helps them create better and more creative ads.
Different Kinds of Copywriting Jobs
Some copywriters specialize in certain areas. For example, some focus on digital marketing. They write ads for Google, posts for social media, and emails that encourage people to visit a website. This type of writing has become very popular with the rise of the internet.
Copywriting vs. Technical Writing
The job of a copywriter is different from a technical writer, even though both involve writing. They have very different goals.
- Copywriting is creative and persuasive. Its main purpose is to get a reader interested in a product and convince them to buy it. It often tells a story and tries to connect with the reader's emotions.
- Technical writing is clear and instructional. Its main purpose is to explain how something works. Technical writers create instruction manuals, how-to guides, and other documents that help people understand complex information easily.
How to Become a Copywriter
There are many paths to becoming a copywriter. A lot of copywriters have a college degree in a subject like English, Journalism, or Marketing.
However, a formal degree isn't always necessary, especially for freelance work. Many people learn the skill through online courses or by finding a mentor. Building a portfolio, which is a collection of your best writing examples, is very important to show clients what you can do.
According to PayScale.com in 2019, the salary for copywriters in the U.S. ranged from about $35,000 to $73,000 per year, depending on their experience.
Famous Copywriters and Ad Campaigns
Some copywriters have become famous for their creative ideas and memorable ads.
Famous People in Copywriting
- John Emory Powers (1837–1919) is considered the world's first full-time copywriter. He believed in writing ads that were honest and straightforward.
- David Ogilvy (1911–1999) is often called the "Father of Advertising." He was famous for writing headlines that grabbed people's attention. One of his most famous was for a Rolls-Royce car: "At 60 miles an hour, the loudest noise in this new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock."
- Leo Burnett (1891—1971) created some of the most famous characters in advertising history. His agency created characters like Tony the Tiger, the Pillsbury Doughboy, and the Jolly Green Giant. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century.
Memorable Ad Campaigns
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Some ad campaigns are so successful that people remember them for years. Here are a few examples:
- Nike's "Just Do It" — This simple but powerful slogan helped Nike's sales grow from $800 million to over $9.2 billion in just ten years.
- California Milk Processor Board's "Got Milk?" — This campaign became a huge cultural phenomenon. It increased milk sales in California and led to many funny parodies.
- Apple's "Get a Mac" — These commercials featured two actors playing a Mac and a PC. The campaign was very successful and helped Apple's market share grow by 42% in its first year.
Where You Find Copywriting
Copywriting is all around us, in many different forms.
Writing for the Internet
The internet has created many new types of copywriting. Copywriters now create content for:
- Websites and landing pages (the first page you see after clicking an ad)
- Blogs and online articles
- Emails sent by companies
- Social media posts and ads
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
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A big part of writing for the internet is Search Engine Optimization (SEO). This means writing content in a way that helps it appear high up in search engine results, like on Google. To do this, copywriters include specific words and phrases (called keywords) that people are likely to search for. Google also looks for content that shows experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness.
Writing for Different Audiences
Copywriters have to change their style depending on who they are writing for.
- Business-to-Business (B2B): This is when a company sells products or services to another company. For example, a company that makes office furniture sells to other businesses, not directly to you. The writing is usually more formal and focuses on facts and benefits.
- Business-to-Consumer (B2C): This is when a company sells directly to customers, like you and your family. Think of stores, restaurants, or online shops. The writing is often more fun, emotional, and tries to get the customer to buy something right away.
See also
- Advertising
- Communication design
- Email marketing
- Swipe file
- Professional writing
