It’s high time I wrote the article that’s lived rent-free in my head for at least three years.
Why has it taken me so long? Two reasons. First is the risk of coming off a little too salty. Second is that, like you, I’m continually recovering from imposter syndrome. (FYI, it doesn’t get better with wrinkles.)
But, as one of my copywriting colleagues reminded me recently, there is merit in going through with your first “shitty” draft. A draft that you, as the reader, won’t actually see.
So, without further ado, here are my thoughts on four copywriting misconceptions.
1. Copywriting is just writing
It’s wise to never assume you know everything about another person’s job.
I’ll give you an example.
At my work, I’m currently leading a writing community for marketing communication professionals. I wanted to empower the other writers to make data-driven decisions about their content. So, I set out to find a list of questions that a data analyst might use to draw inferences around copy.
Boy, what a trip.
I Alice-and-Wonderland-ed straight into a data analysts’ world of methodologies, terminologies and programs … when all I wanted to do was find my rabbit. That rabbit was the intersection between what a data analyst does and how copywriters can make their own data inferences.
In the end, it was a happy reminder that I’m not a data analyst and a data analyst is not a copywriter. We both have jobs to do.
Why am I sharing this?
If you’re under the impression that a copywriter gets into the office at 9 a.m. (or 8 a.m. for you pre-Millennials), sits down at their computer and writes for the next 8 hours … you’re chasing your rabbit.
Here is a sample of non-writing tasks I may complete on a typical day:
- Consult with data analysts and subject matter experts.
- Research a subject or topic.
- Review data from relevant sources and draw actionable inferences.
- Source stories or quotes from online publications.
- Coordinate and/or facilitate interviews.
- Map out journey content based on audience awareness.
- Create a content structure for a website or landing page.
- Conduct competitive analyses.
- Develop strategic communication guidelines.
This level of strategic, data-driven work is what enables copy to be successful. It drives above-average performance metrics. It’s the best squeeze for your juice. I.e., the craft.
2. Editing is easier than copywriting
Is teaching easier than learning?
Most copywriters review and edit work. Being an editor is different and comes with it’s own responsibilities outside of reviewing.
When I review work, here’s some of what I look for:
- Spelling and grammar.
- Copyright and trademark infringement.
- Brand alignment.
- Writing style (AP, Chicago or whatever is standard).
- Word safety.
- Inclusive language.
- Proper links.
- Digital accessibility.
- Reading comprehension — how does it score up on Flesch Reading Ease, Lensear Write, the Automated Readability Index, etc. There’s a lot to look at.
- Tone, voice and tenor.
- Dynamic cohesion.
If I made you a comprehensive list of what to check and included links to the tools I use, you could review work at a more professional level. It would take you longer — which is why it’s often part of a full-time job. Having that list does not mean you’re of the same expertise as a career editor.
3. AI can write copy without any help
Oof, can it though?
I’m not someone who hates AI. Any emerging technology (AI copywriting has been around for a while, mind you) poses new opportunities and positive use cases.
What we’re coming to understand in the writing community is that AI is not quite at the point where it can do our jobs unsupervised. The reason is that AI is largely about coding — and copy, in the broad sense, does not have a perfect formula.
Now, you can certainly train AI to understand your audience and eventually, it will do what you do. In that scenario, you would become AI’s supervisor and continue to provide AI guidance and review its work.
What I’m really talking about is management.
If I sit down now and ask ChatGPT to write me an email for a project I’m working on, it’s going to be confused. It’s going to need my help to understand what it’s writing about and why and what it’s hoping to achieve.
So either I do my job or I train AI to do it and then continue to supervise it afterward. Both scenarios take time. Both are work.
4. All copywriters write the same
Let me ask you, what do you do for work?
Is it the same as someone who is doing your job at another company?
Maybe. But more likely, you’ve found ways to do it that work for you and produce positive results in your context. What’s true for you is true for me and most career professionals out there.
My creative process is not the same as my colleagues’. We were hired, believe it or not, to bring our own value to the craft. We were not hired to run a spell check and peace out for the day.
If nothing else, remember this: Creative professionals are not production lines. They are strategic, expert curators delivering results in line with key business objectives.
In summary
My advice to all professionals is to respect that the people on your team have a job to do.
We are all guilty of making assumptions about the expertise of others. So, find ways to combat those tendencies. Ask your colleagues about what they do. Shadow them. Learn how to work better together.
That’s what high-performing teams do.
