I see you, friend. You’re getting your business idea out of your head, onto paper, and off the ground. You’re overwhelmed with #allthethings, and the abundance of terms is literally making your head spin. For one: what is COPY, anyway, and why on earth is it important to my business?
Nope, we’re not talking about duplicates of anything, or copycatting someone else’s work. Cutting right to the chase with this one, basically:
Copy (n): text.
Do you like that? I’m kind of a dictionary nerd at heart, so I’m all about the word usage in a sentence, succinct definitions, and all that jazz. (Fun fact: in high school, I used to flip through the dictionary, stick my thumb in a random page, and write an essay on the word at the top of the page. Seriously. I didn’t even realize the kind of closet nerd I was!).
But getting back to copy (what it is, and why you need it in your business), it is literally words or text. It’s what you write. It was used more back in the day when print materials were more popular to refer to the content prepared to go to print (think: newspapers, advertisements, and other editorial materials), but it is also used all the time in the business world to speak about the words on the web.
Web copy is the words on your website that you weave to make an impression and make a sale. It’s the most obvious form of communication online.
But why is it important?
Copy is important because words tell your business story. Words tell all about your brand. Words get to the heart of your audience by the way you speak, the words you choose to use, and the manner in which you use them.
Good copy is vital to the health of your business because copy is a foundational piece of the pie.
Good copy works with the other elements of your business to create that overall image of your business for the prospect. You may have a beautiful, modern website complete with stunning images that connect visually with your audience, but if the copy that accompanies your website isn’t compelling–or worse: is filled with grammar errors and icky sentence structure–it will be a turnoff for prospects.
Good copy is concise. By writing words that are to-the-point, you capture the attention of your audience and keep it. Ever notice yourself leaving a website because you’re not exactly…captured by the words? It’s not that they’re bad; you just weren’t captivated right away. Such is the attention span of today’s online audience. The importance of grabbing and keeping their attention right away has never been more important.
Good copy is persuasive. You have to get them in with a bait and hook. You have to tell them and show them why they should stay on your online space. Persuade them that they need you (or what you sell/offer) in their life.
Good copy is conversational. It’s easy to read, easy to understand, and easy to follow. By creating your brand’s copy to read as a conversation, you can create a more personal connection with your audience. You can think of it as creating a persona for your brand, including how your business “talks” online. Are they articulate, or more casual? Do you implement sarcasm in your brand, or a more heart-to-heart feel? Implement a consistent “voice” in your copy and see what the results come!
Are you ready to create killer copy for your own business?
I have the perfect solution for you.
Next week, starting Tuesday May 30, I’m hosting a FREE 4 day workshop on creating your own stunning CONTENT STYLE GUIDE, in which we’ll work together to get to the nitty-gritty of your business writing so you can decipher and decide what is on-brand (and off-brand) when it comes to the words you use and how you write them.
(Hint: it has everything to do with your business values and speaking to what your audience needs).
Will you join me? Sign up for the workshop today because the key is to stop scrambling, organize your thoughts, and sketch out a roadmap for your words. It’ll kick that insecurity – when it comes to writing – to the proverbial curb. And who wouldn’t like that kind of confidence in their biz?