What Does a Website Copywriter Do?

A website copywriter produces written sales or advertising content for publication on web pages. The general goal of copy writing is usually to help sell a product, to promote an idea, or to persuade the reader to take action. Salespeople and advertisers do not always have time to write descriptions of their products or services, so they often have copywriters create material for them. A copywriter may be an internal staff member of a particular company, an employee of a copy writing agency, or a freelance writer. Some examples of the types of writing they produce include articles, advertisements, newsletters, and direct email communications.

When given an assignment, one of the first duties of a website copywriter might be to research the product or service in order to have a clear understanding of its purpose. Next, he or she usually needs to describe it thoroughly and accurately in language that the average consumer can understand, avoiding technical jargon or complicated terms. It often helps to consider the potential customer's point of view as well, and outline how the good or service will benefit him or her. In general, website copy writing involves more effort to actively promote a product or concept, rather than simply describing it.

A website copywriter often has an academic background that includes journalism or another communications field, and he or she typically has some professional experience with sales and marketing. Website copywriter jobs usually require good communication skills, as it is important for the writer to understand the clients' goals and then clearly transmit their ideas to their potential customers. A website copywriter typically will submit his or her material to the clients and then work with them on the edits. He or she might work as part of a creative team that includes the client and other professionals who are working on different aspects of the project. For example, copywriters often collaborate with art directors to coordinate text that complements the visual portion of the content.

Depending on the particular product or service, an advertiser might require a website copywriter to use a variety of marketing methods. Ads and informational articles are just two techniques used to target website visitors. Another common sales approach utilized by website copywriters is to send newsletters and messages directly to email subscribers. A copywriter might also need to be proficient at search engine optimization (SEO) copy writing and be knowledgeable about other branding or promotional strategies that are helpful to a company's online marketing strategy.