Irritated....articles, e-books "not copywriting?"

hmmm....so its a higher level...damn. ok I was wrong then.

It depends on which definition of copywriting you mean. If you look through books on copywriting such as The Well-Fed Writer or The Copywriter's Handbook, there are many different types of copy. In the broadest definition, copy can be any commercial writing, anything from the script of a radio commercial to articles in a company newsletter, to a non profit organization's annual report.

Some people prefer to take a narrower definition see copy only as sales material, and others narrow it down even further by limiting the term to direct response copy. I've even heard people say that TV commercial scripts aren't 'real' copy.

Personally, I prefer the broader definition. To me, copy is any business related writing.

Articles I'd say are copy, as long as they're produced for a business purpose. Bob Bly lists articles as one of the copywriting services he provides on his web page. You want to go tell him they're not copy? Article writing may have gotten the redheaded stepchild rep of the copywriting world because of all those third world 'writters' without grasp of English grammar willing to work for peanuts, but they're still copy. A lot of copywriters still write articles for stuff like company newsletters and get paid.

E-books, IMHO it depends on the subject.

That's personally my view. Anything that entices a prospect your page or gets them to hit that buy button, or educates them to make that choice is copy. No sense in pigeon holing things. Copy for the ultimate purpose of a sale is copy no matter what its form.

Don't think I will.

I think the purpose of the written words is at the crux of the matter. For example, a lot of content is there simply to provide information or opinion. When the motive behind writing copy is not merely to inform, but is also designed to get the reader to do something (a conversion), then it becomes "copywriting." Can articles be an example of this? Of course. Lots of article marketers use articles specifically to pre-sell readers. The conversion isn't a direct sale, but rather a link click. A sales page, a squeeze page... also copywriting, but with a more tangible and direct result (profit or a new list member).

I suppose you could even argue that content on non-commercial blogs/sites that is designed just to inform or editorialize is also a form of copywriting, in that you want people to be impressed enough to bookmark your blog/site and come back. Isn't that a conversion as well? You might not be enriching yourself monetarily, but you do get "paid" in the form of a bigger following and wider reach.

It's not a slam-dunk either way.

John

The division between article writing and 'copywriting' is an artificial one
for the purpose of the Warrior Forum. I also offer article writing as
part of my copywriting services, but the forum prefers to keep this
section of the board for direct response copy only.

At least that's my impression. And I guess this decision was made
by popular vote.

-Ray Edwards

On the internet the term "copywriting" among marketers usually
means direct-response sales copy. "salesmanship in print" as
they say.

I prefer a broader definition myself because I recognize white
papers, articles, brochures, everything written a business puts
out about itself, to be copy and it should all work together
to create an image and a brand.

When a marketer has an ebook he wants to sell however
he wants a salesletter and in that case he's probably thinking
of copywriting as an investment so he can sell it and make
a fistful of money. He's not looking for a product writer or
a bum-marketing writer (articles).

Anyhow - it's a good investment of your time and resources
to learn about the hard-sell direct-response form of copywriting
because it pays well and being capable of doing it will increase
your value to your clients.

First off, if the OP on Facebook didn't specify the kind of copy he/she was looking for a copywriter to write, he/she isn't clear about what copywriters do. So don't get insulted.

I suspect the OP got a load of unusable responses, simply because he/she wasn't specific in defining what was needed. Which made the OP pretty crabby by the time your response showed up. Not your fault.

"Copy" is everywhere. The writing on the back of your cereal box is "copy". The instructions for putting together your Ikea bookcase is "copy". A White Paper is "copy". Ads meant to enhance brand image use "copy" that is not designed to stimulate a direct purchase.

So if you think of someone who writes "copy" as a "copywriter" or "copy writer" you're looking at a pretty broad field.

The reason copywriters specify their area(s) of service as "article writing, "sales copy", "direct response", "SEO", etc., is to help the prospect figure out if they're in the right place.

In your case, an article writer may write an article that is specifically supposed to educate. Such an article would typically not contain a CTA.

Or, you can use an article as the first stage in a multi-step selling process. In which case, the article would contain a CTA or hotlink to the sales or order page.

One type of article is "sales" copy. The other is not. So if I consider myself primarily a "direct response copyywriter", I may also list "article writing" as one the services I offer. However, it's up to me to make sure that my prospect understands that the articles I write are intended to make the reader take action.

And e-books, depending on how they're used, sort of straddle the line between copywriting and ghost-writing.

We've made peace, so all is well. And you're right it wasn't specific, and I did get my back up, as I (like all of us) have worked very hard to get myself to the level I'm at (I remember some of my first articles and PRs....YIKES!) but like I said we have made peace, and I think the next logical step for me is to invest some time and energy into the hard sell sales page style.

Most "copywriters" are fairly snobbish about the definition - and I think rightly so - because you get a lot of $1 article writers who reckon they can write "proper" sales copy which isn't so.

It's a whole skill unto itself. And probably the hardest in the writing spectrum.

If you say you're a copywriter, most sensible business owners are going to ask to see the 25 page sales letter you wrote the converted like gangbusters... As opposed to your article on why you shouldn't exercise in the morning.

Even though that article is selling the idea of why you shouldn't exercise in the morning, and is there for, arguably copy... Most folks won't call it sales copy, and they won't call the writer a copywriter.

Obama's election speechwriter for example, is arguably a copywriter because his mission was persuasion, but you would call him a speechwriter... Not a copywriter.

Am I making sense?

Colm

Along with most marketing directors.

IMHO, it depends on what the purpose of the article is. It's not all black and white.

If someone writes an article on cats to go on a cat blog where people can click on affiliate links for cat supplies, that probably wouldn't be considered copy. If it was, then any article in any magazine would be considered copy.

But say a company develops a new process for injection molding, they might have someone write an article comparing their new process to the existing process and have it published in a trade journal. Then later on they might include a reprint of the article in sales material that they send to prospective clients to back up their sales message with proof.

The differences aren't nearly as clear cut as we'd like to believe. It's very shades of gray.

To me, a copywriter is someone who works as part of an advertising team, understands concepting and creative direction, and is knowledgeable and experienced in crafting prose in a creative context that applies marketing psychology to affect desired results, or someone who has education and/or background that would allow them to do so. In general there's nothing about writing articles, ebooks, novels or poetry that particularly qualifies or even prepares someone for copywriting, the copywriters I know have been known to spend half a year engaged in thousands of reviews and revisions, hundreds of meetings, and several presentations to complete one paragraph in one print ad.

It's really a philosophical difference IMHO. A good writer is a good writer period but the style of writing needs to change based on the medium or format.