Copywriting has always been a vital element of marketing. When copy is written well, it helps attract visitors to a website. The content also informs them of what products or services customers can get from the site.
Great copy also allows website owners to bulk up their site with interesting, worthwhile, and useful information. As a result, these sites have more versatile and valuable content, which can give their SEO campaign a boost.
Lastly, copywriting plays a crucial role in converting website visitors into customers. With well-researched and written content and calls to action or CTAs, readers can be convinced to do what you want them to do, such as buy a product or sign up for a newsletter.
If you are a copywriter, you have to be aware of the benefits that excellent copy provides. Moreover, you have to be consistent in maintaining the quality of your work to allow your clients to experience these advantages.
You have to do both to be successful in the world of copywriting.
Having the right traits can help you find your footing and carve out a niche in the competitive field of copywriting. When you have the necessary qualities, you can be a creative and prolific copywriter, one that employers would want to hire on a permanent, contractual, or part-time basis.
An English copywriter in Dubai shares below the six qualities you have to develop to succeed in the field of copywriting:
1. A Thirst for Knowledge
The best copywriters always have plenty of questions regarding the company they will work for and the products or services they have to write about. Aside from speaking with their clients, the pros will do additional research to find the right answers and satisfy their curiosity.
Once you have a copywriting job, showing your innate thirst for knowledge will serve you well. By asking your client the right set of questions, you get the information you need to write copy that meets their requirements.
Your curiosity also gives the person who hired you the assurance that you are writing content based on what they want and need.
2. Resourcefulness in Gathering Information
When writing copy, you can’t simply rely on what your clients tell you. You also have to do additional research using different platforms and techniques.
Effective research starts with doing online searches and poring through materials that you were given. Interviews are also reliable sources of information.
Because of this, you also have to brush up on your interviewing skills. You have to be adept in conducting interviews with both your clients and their target audience.
Understanding your target audience should be your priority when interviewing them. You should take note of their demographics and the language they use.
By getting as much information as you can from different resources, you ensure that the content is educational, easy to understand, and marketing-driven at the same time.
3. Keen Attention to Detail
All the work you put into writing great copy will be useless if you have an unimaginative, long, and excessively descriptive title. Moreover, content that has plenty of grammatical errors can turn off readers, too.
Whether you are new to the world of copywriting or already a pro, one of the key traits you have to develop is strong attention to detail.
Develop the habit of spotting errors in your written content. You have to be a proofreader and copy editor of all your materials. You have to make sure the copy is error-free and polished before sending it to the client.
Also, don’t forget to check if your copy meets Web-friendly formatting. This means using short sentences and paragraphs, headers, and subheaders.
When your copy is reader-friendly, you can be sure website visitors will read it from start to finish. And this will help the website with its SEO campaigns and increasing conversions.
4. Constant Interest in Trends
Depending on your client and copy, you may be able to use the latest relevant news stories or trends in your content. By doing so, you can get the attention of readers, especially when you include one in the introduction or first paragraphs.
Due to this reason, you will do well to keep up with the latest news, trends, and views.
Keeping up with trends also entails knowing the latest in content writing, marketing, and SEO copywriting. It means being aware of topics that resonate with your target audience.
Also, you have to know which high-ranking keywords to use and how and where to add them in the copy.
Doing your research on the latest SEO and copywriting trends will help you with these.
5. Thick Skin
Being a copywriter means receiving criticisms about your work. However, you have to learn to take them in a positive way.
Keep in mind that there is no use getting upset when your client does not approve a topic or asks you to change a paragraph or more. At the end of the day, they are the ones paying you; as such, you have to please them.
Take such instances as learning experiences and apply them in the future.
More importantly, don’t take their criticisms to heart. Don’t let their negative feedback get you down. Continue believing in your skills and expertise as a copywriter and stay confident and resilient.
6. Professionalism
Regardless of how many projects or copywriting jobs you have, you have to stay professional. This means delivering the copy on time.
If you want to be a prolific copywriter, you have to know how to manage your time properly. You have to learn to prioritize and organize all your writing assignments so that you don’t miss deadlines.
If you need an extension, inform your client at least 24 hours before the deadline, not two hours after it. And make sure you have a valid reason for not being able to submit your copy, such as needing more time to conduct research.
Also, don’t make missing deadlines a habit. This will hurt your career more than other mistakes you may make.
Whether you are still starting as a copywriter or already a seasoned one, having these traits can ensure you always have a job and achieve progress in the field of copywriting.
AUTHOR BIO:
Hisham Wyne is an award-winning copywriter, brand consultant and content creator based in Dubai. He has over a decade’s experience in helping brands get their messages right. From crisp web copy and zippy brochures to in-depth company profiles and analytical annual reports, Hisham makes words work for you – so you can sell better, gain visibility, and give your brand a unique voice.
During his time in the Middle East, Hisham has collaborated extensively with blue-chip companies including Twitter, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Harley-Davidson and Aston Martin, and helped government concerns such as the Dubai Internet City, in5 and the Dubai Design District.
