Why doing a DIY copy job doesn’t always pay

Image: Keattikorn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Getting the world to wake up and notice your company has never been easier.  Off-the-shelf software makes publishing your own site fool-proof. Bang out a few words and the templates will slot them into a smart-looking site in no time. It’s so incredibly quick and easy - just like it says on the box. Throw social media and blogs into the mix and the speed of getting your message out there is only limited by how fast you can type.

This advancement, however, comes with an unfortunate side effect. It seduces us into thinking that we can all write when obviously not all of us can. Trawl the web for companies and you’ll be sure to catch among the good ones a few dud ones - sites that are dull or difficult to read, or riddled with typos, bringing the company’s professionalism and competency into question.

The sites were probably created in a hurry. Just as in the rest of the online world, there appears to be a hunger for spontaneous communication. Take Twitter and Facebook. They encourage the outpouring of our every thought (without us putting any thought into it). And so we end up with users hastily posting messages and regretting them later after finding their unfortunate choice of words was misinterpreted and created offence.

Why employ a copywriter?
 
As a SME on a tight budget doing a DIY job on your own brand communications may seem like the sensible thing to do. After all, no-one knows your brand as well as you do. However, being close to it can be a disadvantage. Buoyed by the excitement of having so many great things to tell the consumer company directors can be inclined to waffle on too much. Or to show they are at the top of their game, pepper the copy with buzzwords or boastful statements. There is only so much a reader can take in before they switch off and if endless copy doesn’t do it, the perceived arrogance of overselling or the confusion created by meaningless buzzwords will.

Copywriters know how to switch the reader on. They know what points will float the reader’s boat and what won’t. Copywriters are skilled at making every word matter so that the copy is engaging, clear and is driven to get a good response. Being an outsider they can also take a fresh angle you may have never thought of.

Thanks to the internet it’s easy to get a brand get noticed but getting it noticed in a good way? Now that’s more tricky.

Coming soon… why companies employ my services at Motive Copywriting