Introduction

When a copywriter says, “I can do that for you”, they don’t mean what you think they mean. There’s another, less obvious sentiment in that statement:

“Don’t do it yourself.”

In other words, avoid DIY copywriting.

I know, it sounds mean to imply that. In this case, it isn’t. Here’s why:

That statement is a simple truth that grounds our business in skill, practice and process. Copywriting requires specialized knowledge and expertise. However, you’d be surprised to learn how many decision-makers don’t believe so. They say things like:

“It’s just writing words. Anyone can do that!”

“I know what people want. It’s my business, after all.”

“Better writing won’t make a difference for my business.”

I wouldn’t call these statements mean. I would call them uninformed.

It’s pretty terrible to receive statements like this from previous and/or potential clients. Unfortunately, I’ve been subject to them. It never helps the conversation. In fact, it’s always a disappointment. What it tells me and other copywriters is that these clients may misunderstand what their business actually needs.

This is one of many reasons why copywriting is in high demand.

The COVID-19 pandemic is still ongoing and people are at home and online. People are scouring the internet for information about the products and services they used to enjoy in person. So, it’s the perfect time to find a freelance writer or update your communications strategy to adapt to the new changes.

However, it’s never a good time to try and do that yourself. While you may know your business, you may not know how to make a case for it with words. Here are 3 reasons why do-it-yourself (DIY) copywriting is a bad idea:

Reason #1: DIY copywriting is informed by assumptions and not expertise

I could go on and on about the specific skills that copywriters have, such as writing, editing and synthesizing information. But I think it’s more important to explain why copywriting isn’t just writing.

Copywriting achieves desired outcomes. It persuades readers with compelling language and stories to take action. However, copywriting is informed by more than just words. There’s data, research, analysis, tone, style, standards, accessibility and business outcomes, among many other factors to consider before the act of writing copy even begins. We may all know grammar and syntax, but we don’t all know how to interpret information to create compelling copy. This is why copywriting isn’t just simple writing anyone can do.

I also need to mention expectations. Copywriters are trained to set realistic expectations that make the path towards successful goals as smooth as possible. Not everyone knows that. As a result, DIY copywriting may create frustration because of what you think copywriting is supposed to do when in actuality, copywriting just doesn’t do it. For example, copy doesn’t lead to sales. Instead, copy supports the path towards a successful conversion or a sale. It works with other factors, such as website design, layout, communication strategy, business goals and so much more. Knowing how to manage those expectations is what a professional copywriter can do for you so you don’t have to stress about it.

Reason #2: A copywriter knows your audience

To do copywriting well, you have to know the target audience very well. I know that sometimes, people believe that knowing their audience anecdotally is enough, but it isn’t an ideal situation. Success stories, customer testimonials, and tweets can only tell you so much. For example, customer testimonials will tell you what customers like about your business, but they won’t tell you how they arrived at that conclusion. This is important because with copywriting, you’re trying to guide your customers towards your desired outcome. You’re trying to tell them that your business is worth their time and your products solve their problems. But if you don’t know what their problems are and your DIY copy doesn’t convince them, then the effort becomes a lost opportunity.

It’s the same thing with anecdotal evidence. Let’s say you know that some of your target audience is parents, but aren’t sure what percentage. You can either make all of your copy about parents or pick and choose. What should you decide to do?

The correct answer is nothing. There isn’t enough concrete evidence that either decision will achieve a business outcome. When that copy goes onto your company website, you have to wait quite some time to see any data. If you don’t see the results that you hoped for, you won’t even know where to begin to resolve the previous problem because of a lack of evidence. It goes without saying, but these decisions cost time and money.

A good copywriter will always work with what you have and try to build on that. Our job is to gather as much information about your target audience as possible by studying everything from social media presence to website analytics to conducting surveys and questionnaires. Copywriting is a lot of work and takes a lot of resources and time that people who insist on DIY copywriting often don’t have.

Reason #3: DIY copywriting can hide your business online

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, people are less outside and more online, seeking information about any and everything all the time. People gather information in short bites. That means that there is a small window of opportunity every business has to convince people to invest time in their business. But without clear, professional copywriting, you may find yourself with a huge problem: nobody can find you.

In other words, when people use search engines to find information in your industry, your website, as well as your social media presence and other digital assets, will not show up on the search engine results page (SERP).

As a result, it’s likely that you’ll have trouble getting your business in front of the people who are looking for it, which is a huge missed opportunity. Unfortunately, even if your target audience does find your website, it may not be relevant enough for them to stay there in part due to the copy. This translates into less audience engagement and opportunities for brand awareness, sales and even thought leadership development. Put simply, it translates into potential revenue losses.

Conclusion

Let me be clear – I’m not suggesting that any losses or missed opportunities are a result of bad writing. I’m suggesting that they are a result of uninformed writing that doesn’t work. For people to find your business, it has to include things that copywriters are trained to know, like keywords, relevant phrases and ideas as well as accessibility. There are also things like paid advertisements that can boost your business. However, both options require persuasive writing. Copywriters do persuasive writing in a way that non-professionals don’t.

For a copywriting job, it’s best to hire a copywriter. Aside from receiving better copy that works, you also learn more about your own business and target audience with this copywriter perspective and deep writing process. Don’t wait until something stops working to get in touch with a copywriter. Find one today and let them know you need their expertise.

You can start with me here. Let’s get in touch.