What kind of copywriter are you?

By Richard Croxford, Copywriter, UK

There are 10 types of copywriters.

Each have their own style, medium, skillset and tone.

In my day-to-day job, I’d describe myself as a general copywriter. I cover the entire spectrum of the available copywriting options.

However, if you’d prefer to be more specific and you want to know what kind of copywriting is available to you, read on!

1. General copywriter

The all-rounder. The marketing professional and the one people usually think of when they hear the word “copywriter.”

This is a role that covers every aspect of the marketing equation, whatever is necessary, in every medium, style and length.

In my job, for example, I cover all the below kinds of copywriting to some degree so I suppose you could call me a marketing or general copywriter.

As the name suggests, the social media copywriter uses their skills to promote a product, brand, or service via social media.

This includes writing shorter pieces of text for things like X (Twitter), Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

This is one area of copywriting in which I’m less experienced as we have specialised social media copywriters working within the agency that manage this side of the job.

To be good at this, you’ll need to learn about microcopy.

3. Email copywriter

Email marketing is a big part of digital marketing strategies and I often find myself writing eshots.

The skill with email copywriting comes from avoiding accusations of spam by either the inbox filter or the reader.

You need to catch the readers attention without coming across too salesy or slimy.

It’s harder to be a good email copywriter than you might imagine.

4. Website copywriter

Web copy is one of my favourite things to write.

I think it’s because it takes real skill to convey information in short snippets of text and the whole process is like a puzzle wherein you are always considering layout as well as copy.

You quickly learn where and how to write in your call to actions within the page, and how to include common web features like carousels and subheadings.

It’s also really satisfying to see your work in its final form once the web designers and coders have done their bit.

5. Direct response copywriter

Direct response copywriting aims to get an immediate and measurable response from the audience, usually pushing them to take a specific action like making a purchase or signing up for a service.

To be honest, it probably doesn’t deserve its own section because most copywriters will do direct response writing in some way and I very much doubt any are exclusively focused on it as a stand-alone style.

Nonetheless, I think it deserves covering, so consider this an honourable mention rather than a true type of copywriter.

6. Technical copywriter

It might sound a bit boring, but I actually really enjoy writing things like reports, whitepapers and other more technical aspects of marketing.

There are two types of technical copywriting. One is the whitepaper/report approach, and the other is writing about the technical aspects of a product.

For example, a technical copywriter might write about the way a new pair of headphones works, about how to integrate your new washing machine into your plumbing, or explaining why a new computer screen’s graphics are better for your gaming setup.

These copywriters are experts on the product – or at least they must come across that way.

7. Brand copywriter

A brand copywriter specialises in promoting a company’s brand identity, values, and messaging across multiple channels.

They’re experts in conveying the voice of the brand through their work, whether that’s through storytelling, appealing to emotions or adapting the brand’s identity to different demographics.

8. Public relations (PR) copywriter

This is an area of copywriting that, again, I find very interesting.

Unfortunately, at the agency in which I work, we have two expert and highly qualified PR copywriters who manage this side of the job.

Their main responsibility is crafting compelling and persuasive messaging that enhances the company/client’s reputation.

This might be through traditional media articles from senior leadership figures or social media.

It might also include press releases, media kits, and other materials aimed at promoting and protecting a brand’s image.

9. Thought leadership copywriter

In a way, this kind of copywriting is exactly what I’m doing right now!

I often find myself writing thought leadership pieces for our clients to post on their websites and blogs.

It can be a great way to promote the brand as a leading voice within their sector or market which not only drives traffic to their website but also cements them in the minds of customers and competition alike.

To write thought leadership/industry insight pieces, the copywriter must first be something of an expert in the field themselves, which can take some time to master.

10. SEO copywriter

I’ve been putting a lot of effort into my SEO copywriting skills in the last six months.

Essentially, this is the art of writing copy that helps a web page rank highly on a results page.

That might be through including keywords, backlinks or crafting meta descriptions.

As an SEO copywriter, you’re constantly trying to stay updated on industry trends and algorithm changes to refine your strategies and maintain a piece of content’s effectiveness in driving organic traffic to a website.

It’s a hard one to learn and I practically learn something new about SEO every single week.