Writing words meant to make a reader do something: read on, enquire, sign up or buy. The 'copy' is the text itself, in an ad, a landing page, a caption or a WhatsApp message.
Example
Meera's old caption read 'New collection in store'. The rewrite reads 'Office kurtas that survive a Pune monsoon commute. Try them on this weekend, alterations in 48 hours.' The second one is copywriting: it speaks to a need and asks for an action.
How you'll hear it
“The visual is fine; the copy is what's weak.”
Don't confuse it with
- Content writing: content writing mainly informs or helps; copywriting is written to prompt a specific action.
- Copyright: a legal right over creative work, unrelated.
Related terms
Sources
- Copywriting templates, HubSpot
- Problem-Agitate-Solve (Demian Farnworth), Copyblogger, 2014