Copywriters R Us.

Copywriter’s unite! I rounded up a coupla copywriters and poked them with some thought provoking [uh, not really] questions on - yeah, yeah, you guessed it – copywriting!

Anita Siek from Wordfetti

Anita is savvy with words, brand voices and business writing tips. When she’s not penning prose, she’s running the Change-makers Ideas-shakers Norm-breakers facebook group.

What makes good copywriting? Understanding that copywriting isn’t just about words sounding good together in a sentence. It’s about connecting to the end reader. Understanding who they are, and writing backwards.

Best piece of copywriting advice given to you? “A copywriter should have an understanding of people, an insight into them, a sympathy toward them.”

Finish this sentence – my fave thing to write about is… Stories. People’s stories. Brand’s stories. Stories!

Tips for copywriting/content writing? Don’t just focus on writing what your product or service offering is. Place equal if not more focus on getting to know your audience and target market. You need to write to them.

Tips for social media copy? Social media isn’t an e-commerce store. People are on social media to be inspired, to get value, and to build connection. So use it as a connection platform, understand who you’re talking to, nail your tone of voice, be human and connect!

How do you stay creative? Books, podcasts, travelling and massive mind mapping and journaling.

Copywriting stigmas you’ve come across [think Madmen etc] That people miss the idea of what copywriting is all about. It’s not just the ability to write well. It’s not just the ability to put some nice sounding words together in a sentence. It’s the ability to really get under the skin and understand how humans think, how we interact, and what words truly resonate with certain minds.

Wordplay like puns, clichés etc – yay or nay? YAY! Who doesn’t like to giggle a little bit as they’re reading, oui?

Lastly, what’s your fave word and why? Wordfetti - d’ah!

Tristan Taormina from The Wordanista

Tristan considers himself a bit of a ghost in the night. A ghost who doubles as a word wizard. He’s also living proof that you don’t need a strong online presence to get work (although it does help).

What makes good copywriting?

1. Brevity

2. Consistency

3. It doesn’t matter if it’s scribbled on a napkin or covering a bus, good copy will always lead to action.

4. See number 1

Best piece of copywriting advice given to you? “Find out what really pisses them off (the target market) – we’re in the business of solving problems.” - A wise person

Finish this sentence – my fave thing to write about is… A product/service with a younger target market. It keeps me young.

Tips for copywriting/content writing?

1. Dump every damn thought on the page with reckless abandon, then pan for gold – it’s in there somewhere.

2. Delete your opening sentence – it’s often useless.

3. Be bold and break the (writing) rules. Impact lives there.

4. Don’t be clever for the sake of it – it’s not about you.

5. See question 1.

Tips for social media copy? Be authentic. Don’t fish for clicks. Get to the point.

How do you stay creative? Walk away and come back to it. Because nothing is more creatively stifling than trying to be creative.

Copywriting stigmas you’ve come across [think Madmen etc]. Thanks for answering the question for me. It’s Madmen every bloody time.

Wordplay like puns, clichés etc – yay or nay? There’s a time and place for everything. But definitely more nay than yay.

Lastly, what’s your fave word and why? Rambunctious. I don’t know why.

Belinda Bracale from Neon Moose

One day, Neon Moose is either writing magazine articles, creative social media copy or scribbling media releases. The next, she's featuring herself on her own blog.

What makes good copywriting? I often find humour works well.

Best piece of copywriting advice given to you? Word economise. This was especially drilled into me when writing radio ads as you only have about 80 words for a 30 second ad. So write copy which is short, sharp and to the point. Cull the fluff.

Finish this sentence – my fave thing to write about is…Anything. Lame but true. One day I’m writing about dog food and the next I’m writing about public transport.

Tips for copywriting / content writing? When writing, use either the AIDA method - Attention, Interest, Desire, Action or the RITE method – Relevant, Interesting, Timely, Entertaining. With content writing, my made up method works well too - YOU - Your Own Unique-awesome voice.

Tips for social media copy? Keep it fun and light. People go on social media to be entertained [mostly] or educated. Not to be sold too. Subtly weave in your business or product – every now and then.

How do you stay creative? Mindlessly scrolling through Instagram. Reading a book on creativity [ground breaking]. Chatting to other creatives.

Copywriting stigmas you’ve come across [think Madmen etc] That we are all chain-smoking, alcohol-swigging writers ala Madmen. Or that we are holed up in a beach shack, overlooking the ocean and writing, in our sweats and bad hair. Well – the bad hair part is probably true lol.

Wordplay like puns, clichés etc – yay or nay? Um, YAY. I’m a sucker for puns. I can take or leave clichés.

Lastly, what’s your fave word and why? Furphy – it means something that is untrue or redick. Seriously though – how cool is that word?