What Does a Copywriter Do When They’re Not Reading the Dictionary For Fun?
“So wait…exactly what does a copywriter do?”
The story of my life since I began copywriting full time.
I wish I had a great answer on the tip of my tongue. Alas, I’m a copywriter, not a copy-talker (is that a thing?) so I’m not actually that quick with words when chatting.
The short answer:
We use words to make people do things.
The long answer?
We’re part writer, part strategist, part researcher. Trying to figure out why someone clicked and what’s going to make them stay on and become part of your community or client base.
(Note: When I say “we use words to make people do things” I’m talking with free will, and ideally some solid ethics intact.)
Let’s break it down.
A Copywriter Writes Words That Work
Sure, copywriters write words. But not just any words. We write the kind that make people:
- Click “Buy now” instead of bouncing
- Fill out your form instead of ghosting
- Feel seen by your brand (and maybe even a little obsessed)
- Encourage others to check out what you’re promoting
We Know Psychology (Ideally Without Being Creepy About It)
Behind every line you read on a good website or in an excellent email, there’s a strategy.
Copywriters study how people think.
What motivates them, what holds them back, what words make them curious, and what words make them click away faster than a pop-up ad.
(Note we focus on consumer psychology… Do not go to a copywriter to treat your depression! We might be able to send you some good memes but go get that treatment!!)
We use principles like:
- Social proof (“If others love it, it must be good.”)
- Loss aversion (“Don’t miss out on this deal.”)
- Authority bias (“Experts recommend…”)
- Emotion first, logic second (because humans buy with feelings, then justify with facts)
We’re not out here trying to trick people, or at least us ethical copywriters aren’t doing that.
We help people make good decisions they already want to make, just faster and more confidently.
Example: Two Types of Buying
Imagine there’s a great course that would help your professional development. It’s a bit of an investment, but you love the teacher’s style and haven’t seen anything else like it anywhere.
But there are a couple ways you might end up buying this course.
1) You purchased that new course joyfully, knowing it was the right choice and smiling along the way.
2) You felt shameful, skeptical, and crappy the entire time. Your heart was heavy after making the purchase, you cringed when you saw the confirmation email. Bleh! You might even ask for a refund before you open it.
It might be the exact same course, serving the exact same purpose in your life.
But whether you look at it as exciting professional development that will propel you to the next level…
Or a big money suck that drains at your energy…
Great copywriting makes a difference.
Sidenote: What Does a Copywriter Do When They’re Not Into Consumerism??
Now’s a good time to point out I’m an environmentalist and very critical of consumer culture…which may seem a bit hypocritical.
But at the end of the day, if people with skills (copywriting, engineering, administration, caregiving) use them in a way to promote services and supports that make lives better…let’s frikking do it!
And maybe the crappy copywriters can work on the crappy products and hopefully no one will buy them!
We Research Like a Detective
Before we even start writing, we do the part of the job many people don’t realize can take a big chunk of time energy: research!
We dig into things like:
- Your brand’s story and goals
- What your customers actually care about
- What your competitors are doing (and how to do it way better)
- The words people type into Google when looking for something like you
- How your ideal client talks to their friends, family, and themselves about their challenges and goals (this last one is so, so, SO important…it’s called voice of customer!)
By the time we’re done, we know your audience ridiculously well.
A Copywriter Sounds Like YOU — On Your Best Day
Ever been to a website that just felt kind of …meh?
You’re probably not going to remember them next time you need their product or service.
That’s what happens when someone writes without a clear brand tone.
A good copywriter will make your words sound like you, only sharper, clearer, and a little more magnetic.
We translate your thoughts into something your audience actually wants to read.
We Turn Strategy Into Sales
Every single line of copy has a job.
- That headline? Grabs attention.
- That subheader? Builds curiosity, maybe weaves in some SEO.
- That CTA button? Converts it into a click (or a call, or a donation).
A copywriter’s real job is to move people through a journey — from “I don’t know you” to “I trust you” to “Take my money already.”
What Does a Copywriter Do When Everything Is Chaos?
Some people are hesitant to hire a copywriter because their business or brand are kind of all over the place. It happens, we’re used to it!
We wrangle all your ideas and turn them into a cohesive, strategic story that resonates with your ideal clients. That can combine your:
- Mission, values, and founding story
- What you’re offering these days
- Target personas
- Your “oh wait, can we also say this?” tangents
Because while you might know your business inside out, translating that into copy that feels effortless (and converts) takes a different skill set.
And about nine open documents and a zillion browser tabs.
What Does a Copywriter NOT Do?
While every copywriter has a different background, here’s what we’re not:
- Random bloggers throwing out content for keywords
- Journalists writing the news
- Poets (though we appreciate a good metaphor)
- Able to predict the future, but we can learn a lot from what your ideal clients shared in the past
What does a copywriter do…for YOU?
A copywriter helps get to the right words.
The ones that make people stop scrolling, start nodding, and think, “Yep, that’s exactly what I need.”
A great copywriter can help you:
- Clarify your message. Clarity is essential for purchases.
- Strengthen your brand voice. A voice that people remember is a voice people purchase from again and again.
- Increase conversions. Whatever that means for you…sales, signups, clicks!
- Sound like a pro. Without sounding like a robot, something people are starting to see through now with so many people relying on AI.
- Put time back back on your calendar. You have a business to run. A good copywriter takes care of things, on time, without a million revisions and more confusion.
Basically: we help turn your ideas into income, while saving you time.
What Does a Copywriter Do At The End?
Oh hey, you made it!
So, a copywriter might summarize the main points (a bit boring, but a solid strategy).
Like how we combine research, psychology, and strategy into helping people take action that everyone feels good about!
We might tie everything all together with a nice bow 🎀
Like this:
So what does a copywriter do?
We write in a way that makes your business sound irresistible. But that’s just the end product. Behind the scenes, we’re blending psychology, research, storytelling, and strategy into something that not only gets read but gets results.
And we definitely end with some sort of call to action.
If you’d like to see what a copywriter can do for you, I’m just a short message away!
Alright, time to close some tabs and get a latte…
