What is copywriting in digital marketing?

Digital marketing is very commonplace today. 

It's everywhere around us, from websites to socials, video to podcasts, SEO and much (MUCH) more.

It has been for years. However, 'commonplace' doesn't mean that it's stagnant. Far from it! With the growing advancements in Artificial Intelligence, Bots, Automation, Virtual Realty, Augmented Reality, and so on, digital marketing is evolving rapidly.

So, what happens to copywriting inside this shifting landscape? Quite a lot, actually! It plays quite a significant role across all of it.

Let's explain this further.

---

​Prefer to listen, rather than read? Here's the Podcast summary!

---

Most people ask what copywriting is first (which you can find an answer to here), but the second question is always about how it ties in with digital marketing.

What is copywriting in digital marketing?

I mean... how do 'old words' keep up with the advanced digital superhighway, right?

Well, as a professional marketer myself, I can tell you that, just like digital marketing is evolving, so is copywriting.

Why? Because words fuel so much of the new technology and digital advancements we see today. Sometimes it's obvious and other times it isn't. 

Let's break some of them down.

Just because things are moving away from ink and the more traditional forms of reaching an audience that are typically associated with copywriting, doesn't mean copywriting is going extinct.

In fact, it's probably even more important today than it has ever been - with so many platforms and customers being so selective about where they spend their precious attention.

Websites and Copywriting

Your website should always be the very first step in your digital marketing plan.

Websites today are full of content which has been written by a copywriter. Sure, it doesn't have to have been written by a professional copywriter (although the results will reflect the difference in results if it had been), but websites are written and full of text none-the-less.

From the home page to the contact us page, it contains a mixture of written language as well as audiovisual content to intrigue people in and keep them on the page.

This web content follows all of the rules - it's there to introduce, inform, entice and convert visitors with valuable copy.

This wont change any time soon, and good copy is essential if you want your digital website to resonate and perform successfully.

To read more, here are my 3 tips to improve your website copy.

SEO and Copywriting

Well, these two go absolutely hand-in-hand.

SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, is about producing quality content which is deemed by the search engines as the most valuable to people, and is therefore ranked higher, organically, than other pages. 

While SEO involves a huge and never-ending list of changing criteria to meet, the one thing that doesn't change is the need for copy. Copy is a main ingredient in SEO, and it therefore needs a lot of attention to get this right so that your website pages rank high when your target audience is looking.

Here are three tips to keep up with the evolving nature of SEO!

Digital Advertising and Copywriting

This refers to your Google PPC (Pay Per Click) Ads, Facebook Ads, LinkedIn Ads, YouTube Ads, Banner Ads and so on. 

You've definitely seen them around, and they have different results depending on when and where they are - but again, one common element in them all is copywriting!

Even when they are made of videos or photos, there is always copy around them, like a button, a Call To Action or some explanation text.

Digital Adverts need copy.

It's no surprise really - copywriting was originally birthed from traditional advertising decades ago, and so it's a natural progression together onto digital platforms.

Videos and Copywriting

Video and copywriting are opposites, right? 

Wrong! They play hand-in-hand with each other. People make this mistake because they think that copy is only for use when creating text-based blogs; however as a professional copywriter, I'm forever writing scripts for videos of all different kinds.

Great copywriting creates great video.

Whether you're filming an info video or a video ad, you need a copywriter behind you to bring it altogether, provide structure, and make it sound amazing for your very picky audience.

Social Media and Copywriting

Social Media platforms are many, and they all are very popular with all walks of life.

This means that businesses have to be active on there. While the occasional post is good, you really need a strong branding strategy to implement across all social media platforms to ensure that you're communicating a consistent, regular and solid message to the right people.

From the strategy to the actual implementation, all of it requires copywriting. Even your amplification instructions that you push out your other content across Facebook, LinkedIn and so on, requires copywriting.

To learn more, there are 3 tips to maximising your business' success on social media.

AI Bots and Copywriting

This is a little less commonly understood, but it shouldn't be too much of a stretch to the imagination to believe how AI Chatbots and copywriting go together.

How?

Well, they are communication tools, and copywriting is the great facilitator of this.

As a professional copywriter, I write AI scripts for bots (and it's fascinating!). It's up to me and the tech team to come up with all possible search "trees" or journeys that customers may head down, and then I work out relevant scripted answers that are put into the algorithms to feed back to customers in the right context.

This is definitely an evolving area, and one I love being involved in. But all of the bots you interact with right now are driven by sophisticated script copywriting and technology together.

Voice Search and Copywriting

These are opposites, too? Surely?

Wrong again!

Voice commands and voice search are all based on written content that is searchable over the web. Your SmartPhone assistants and Voice Search Devices like Amazon Alexa and Google Home aren't using their own source of content - they use algorithms to search through all of the copy around the internet to find the best result and read it back to the person asking.

This means that voice AI and search are changing Marketing and Copywriting, but they're still all very interrelated.  

For more information on how copywriting can help your business take full advantage of the voice search revolution, read my other blog here.

Virtual/Augmented Reality and Copywriting

I feel at this stage, Marketing and brands as a whole haven't quite got there with AR and VR right now. This is a whole new and awesome world to explore, and while some brands dabble in this, it really needs something amazing to really set the wheels in motion.

And believe me, copywriters will be there when it does - just like any other form of digital marketing.

Right now, as a copywriter, I have been involved in the digital marketing strategy of VR and AR campaigns. There is also coding and content that is needed behind the scenes, but the sky really is the limit and it will be here soon enough!

Digital Marketing may be here and changing, but copywriting is here to stay!

As you can see, copywriting really does play a huge role in digital marketing, and marketing in general too.

It shouldn't be a surprise- brands need to communicate with customers and copywriting does this.

Just because things are moving away from ink and the more traditional forms of reaching an audience that are typically associated with copywriting, doesn't mean copywriting is going extinct. Far from it!

It's as alive and kicking as it ever has been. In fact, it's probably even more important today than it has ever been, with so many platforms and customers being so selective regarding where they chose to spend their precious time and attention.

Good copywriting unlocks and empowers digital marketing today.

Is your business taking full advantage? Or just giving it a go? 

How Can Melotti Media Copywriting Help You?

To engage your customer and achieve ongoing business success today, you need quality copywriting and consistent content. However, we understand that this is easier said than done.

You’re time poor and spread thin, and writing isn’t your expertise. So, focus on what really matters, while we take care of all of your copywriting and content marketing needs!

For more information or to speak to a quality copywriter to get the results your business deserves, contact me now at chris@melottimedia.com.au.

I can sharpen your words to achieve your goals, today!

Christopher Melotti

Melotti Media Copywriting and Marketing Solutions
www.melottimedia.com.au
 
Click here to view the Copywriting FAQ page for all you need to know ​​​