15 Types Of Copywriting Worth Learning For Savvy Writers

Do you know that in the U.S alone, there are over 131,200 copywriters, and the growth rate of the job market is 7.6% (between 20016-2026)? That means you have a lot of scope for you. However, this calls for becoming a pro at different types of copywriting, especially if you are someone who has just started out. No matter what, you must be productive if you are aiming to run a marathon in your career as a copywriter. Content marketers can also benefit from knowing the differences between various types of copywriting to improve marketing skills. 

In this post, we’ll look at the 15 types of copywriting with examples but first, let’s understand all about copywriting is and how it differs from content writing. 

What Is Copywriting?

Copywriting is a method of producing content that aims to persuade the reader to perform a particular action.

To produce conversions and sales, the copywriter must write the “copy” while considering its persuasive quality and use triggers to pique the reader’s attention.

The terms copywriting and content writing are sometimes used interchangeably. However, this is incorrect. You must note that copywriters write content with a promotional intent and a specific marketing objective in mind. That is the crux of copywriting.

Difference between copywriting and content writing

Taking a cue from what we saw above, let’s get deeper into the difference between copywriting and content writing.

Content writing is the process of creating written content that readers can learn from or find entertaining. It might also boost sales, but that’s not its main goal. Content writing is all about creating top-quality and useful content to educate or entertain readers. 

A few content writing examples include blog posts, ebooks, whitepapers, newsletters and tutorials. 

Organizations build a content marketing strategy to achieve their goal more effectively. 

Now let’s move on to copywriting. 

As you have already seen, copywriting is the process of creating written content to convince people to perform an action to help your business sell more. For example, if you’re trying to sell a product, you’ll need to try and convince potential buyers that it’s a good deal. Mainly, B2B copywriting is the art of getting people to perform an action related to sales.

Writing landing pages, ads, product pages, website sales copy, and sales emails are a few examples of professional copywriting. 

Let’s take a closer look at the differences between copywriting and content writing,

Purpose

The main difference between copywriting and content writing is the purpose. 

The goal of content writing is to help educate or entertain readers, while that of copywriting is to persuade them to take action.

Length

As content writing is more about educating readers or entertaining them, the content length is usually longer in this case. The point is that you can get people to do something with just one or two lines, but to teach or entertain them, you’ll probably need more words. According to the topic, you may need content between 500 and 2,500 words. If a content piece is too short, readers won’t get much value from it, which is why the length of the content piece is more in the case of content writing. 

SEO

Content writing outranks copywriting with regard to SEO as it provides value to readers, and is informational instead of commercial. Plugs, being long-form, it ranks better. 

Language and Grammar

Grammar has to be on point in case of content writing or you may disrupt readers’ thought flow. On the contrary, you don’t need perfect grammar for copywriting to get readers to take action. Moreover, with word limits in ads, you must persuade the audience with as few words as possible.  

Hopefully you now know the meaning of copywriting and how it is different from content marketing.

Why Do Businesses Need Different Types of Copy? 

Both B2B and B2C types of copywriting are specialized & require skilled writers. As a copywriter, you must carefully follow the best guidelines to target different audiences. How you write a copy for the web differs from how you write a copy for ads. This is because individuals interact differently with different copies. This is why businesses require different types of copies for different purposes. For instance, there is the need for a specific type of copy for ads while it is different for marketing video scripts.  

Types Of Copywriting with examples

Wondering what are the different types of copywriting? We’re going to look at exactly that. 

Marketing Copywriting

Have you ever heard of marketing copywriting? If you had, you would have known that it is the branch of marketing that writes the copy for marketing materials. It is mainly promotional and a part of a marketing campaign. It includes ads, brochures, radio/TV commercials, and YouTube videos. You have to craft language that will attract, persuade, and delight customers. The aim is to write compelling messages that will speak to a specific audience – and do so in a way that is consistent with the marketing goals and objectives of the organization.

You’ll have to take into consideration the target audience’s experience, intellect, maturity, interests, and motivation. So, it’s important to develop a clear understanding of who you’re writing to and what you’re trying to communicate as a marketing copywriter. This way, you can choose a language that will be both effective and valuable to your business.

Here’s an example of marketing copywriting,

This is an ad of purses from kate spade new york and drives the reader to start shopping by giving an enticing sale with a heavy discount. There is the use of very few words but the copy seems to be quite effective. 

Here’s another example,

The above is a Google ad of an umbrella brand that knows about the problem most umbrella users face. With a statement like ‘Stop chasing umbrellas down the beach’, the ad creates a mental image of the problem that attracts the target audience. It is the sign of good copywriting that hits the nail. 

SEO Copywriting

SEO copywriting is the practice of crafting content in a way that will rank well with search engines, i.e., is search-engine friendly. It’s a form of marketing that can be highly effective but requires a clear understanding of how search engines work and what strategies will be most effective for your niche.

SEO copywriting helps people find your product or service when they are doing an online search. This can effectively attract potential customers to your product or service and increase conversion rates.

Keyword research is one of the most fundamental aspects of SEO copywriting, and the most effective way of ensuring that your content will be relevant to your target audience. Before you start creating content, it’s essential to take the time to research keywords that are relevant to your product and niche. While you don’t need to be an SEO expert, it is essential to know the basics. 

Let’s understand the concept with an example – 

There’s a website that offers types of copywriting services. The website has a blog section with informative articles on copywriting basics. However, at the same time, each article written has promotional content to get potential customers to hire their services. With the help of SEO, you can make the blog pages rank on Google, and you can do that by using the target keywords and search terms while ensuring the content is for humans. 

In a nutshell, it is about optimizing your copy for search engines to increase online visibility. 

Email Copywriting

Simply put, email copywriting is the art of crafting an email that will appeal to readers and encourage them to take action.

To write a compelling email copy, you must first understand what makes up a successful email. The entire email, from top to bottom, should contain a compelling opening, a strong body, and a stunning but professional close, along with a call to action. 

Email copywriting falls into two distinct categories:

• copywriting for outbound marketing
• copywriting for inbound marketing

Simply said, outbound marketing is mainly about cold outreach. Here you reach out to people who don’t know about you or your brand in the hope that they will need your solution and purchase from you. 

Types of copywriting for outbound marketing includes cold emails followed by follow-ups. 

Check out this cold email template,

Here the sender has introduced the organization they represent and tells the recipient about the service it provides. If you see the opening sentence, the sender values the recipient’s time and promises to keep the email short. There is a request to connect over a call at the end, and the conversation can get going if the recipient answers with a yes.

Now, let’s move to inbound marketing. It is a common type of marketing that focuses on luring customers to a brand by providing informative, entertaining, or insightful content for the target audience.

You attract potential customers through different channels and send them emails to convert them. 

Here is one easy-to-understand example for you,

This is a welcome email when someone signs up for Morning Brew’s newsletter. It provides all the details of what the subscriber will get from their newsletter, creating a connection. 

Website copywriting

Have you ever glanced through a website and loved the crisp and witty copy on the first page? Website copywriting refers to writing content for web pages, which is in high demand thanks to online marketing. You may have to write pages about a company or service, its brand story, its team and where they are based, the company’s blogs and more. It is basically about writing content for all the web pages of a business.  

You have to write a persuasive copy that can keep people invested in your website and encourage them to take the desired action. However, online copy doesn’t behave the same as traditional magazine or newspaper copy. You’ll need to learn how to write for the web if you want to succeed.

As a copywriter, this job requires you to know a great deal about the company you’re writing for, but the outcome can be very satisfactory for both you and the company.

Take a look at the web page below,

The above is the copy of The Hustle’s web page that aims at drawing the readers to subscribe to their newsletter. It clearly mentions what the readers will get by signing up for their emails. It is a clear and direct message that works well. 

In the above webpage, the wording complements the image well in narrating the story. You can’t expect the webpage to exude the same charm if you remove the copy. From this, you can clearly understand the power of words. 

Ad Copywriting

Ad copywriting involves using words to help market products and services. Copywriters may convert the target audience into buyers by creating appealing headlines, intriguing text, and compelling calls to action.

You may have to write headlines for ads which can be anything from Facebook ads, taglines for billboards, descriptions for boosted social posts, video scripts for podcast ads, and more. However, in SaaS, ad copywriting is often digital—so let’s get billboards out of the picture. Even though the formats of ads are different, they all have one thing in common: a word limit. That requires more effort from your end as a copywriter; you have to fit in your words and convey the message in the best possible way. 

So, if you want to write a great ad copy, you need to hold people’s attention and communicate your message to your audience clearly. 

The first and most vital step to effective advertising is understanding your audience’s needs and wants. When you write an ad, you are presenting words that have to convince someone to buy your product or service. Another important point is that your ad should provide solutions for your audience’s problems. 

Here are some examples for you,

In the above Facebook ad, the text positioning works well, and the pain points are in yellow, making them the highlight of the ad. They will meet the readers’ eye first, which is a must to make the reader relate to the ad. 

This is yet another FB ad to which the target audience can relate. The fact is that people want as few meetings as possible, and Slack emphasizes just that. The position of the CTA is another element that works in the favor of the ad. 

Social Media Copywriting

We’re all aware of the power of social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. But did you know that many businesses get a large part of their revenue through social media marketing? This type of marketing drives sales, builds credibility and establishes trust with potential customers. 

But it takes work.

There are character count limits on most social media platforms, and you have to be careful about that while crafting your copy. Apart from this, a lot of copywriting skill is required to craft the perfect content for different social media platforms. And that is precisely what social media types of copywriting is about. It would help if you customized your writing based on the platform you are writing for as a social media copywriter. 

Take a look at this example,

The above is a post on Unstack’s LinkedIn page,

It is crisp with hashtags and emojis to increase the chances of people liking and sharing it. By creating tailored posts for each platform, you can go a long way in creating engagement and increasing your brand presence. 

This is a Facebook ad where the business offers foreign tax services. It offers resources for those planning to pack their bags and move abroad. It surely does resonate well with the target audience, and they are most likely to click the CTA.  

Brand Copywriting

A brand is generally associated with a business, product, or service. A brand encompasses everything from the logo to the marketing materials, reviews, and more. Your brand will determine how others perceive you (for better or worse), forming the basis of your marketing efforts. 

Copywriting that targets an audience to promote a company’s brand is called brand copywriting. The art of crafting copy that encourages devotion towards a brand, product, or service through storytelling. This kind of writing needs to be informative, engaging, and persuasive. Additionally, it must be able to evoke an emotional response from the reader. 

The most classic example of brand copywriting we can cite here is that of Nike and its slogan -Just Do It! It is synonymous with sportswear and reflects the attitude of athletes. You can crown it as the best slogan to date as it is etched in every mind – Sportsperson or not!

There’s another example worth mentioning here, and that is Coca-cola. The brand has its own charm and uses the best approach to connect with the audience. It has taken time, but the results are already in front of you. 

Creative copywriting

Whether writing for print or online, creative copywriting involves conceptualizing unique, interesting, and attention-seeking ways to “sell” a product or service. The main requirement for creative types of copywriting is that it has to be different and out of the box. It is all about being original and finding your way to the potential customer’s heart. It has to be so gripping that the prospect reads the copy till the very end. 

Hence, as a copywriter, you have to look for new, alternative ways to make your writing stand out from the rest and attract the attention of the target audience. You would agree that writing high-quality creative copy is an art and science. Plus, you must keep the psychology of readers in mind. 

While you may have come across some stellar copies with creativity at its peak, let us see a few real examples to understand what exactly is required. 

The above is a rather witty copy that reinforces that the bank is as honest as they can be. They have used the term money in the right context. It is clear, crisp and precise!

In the copy above, the way the word cough appears in the copy is praiseworthy. It changes the meaning of the sentence immediately, making the cough syrup brand unforgettable. 

Direct Response Copywriting

Direct response copywriting is a type of writing that is designed to get a specific response from the reader. You can use it for anything from sales letters to email marketing campaigns. 

Direct response copywriting stands out because it focuses on the here and now. This kind of writing makes the reader take action as soon as they finish reading the text. It’s very important that you create a sense of urgency in your copy by using words like “now” and “today” that refer to the present. You can also put a time limit on the offer, either with a specific date or just by saying that it won’t last long. The phrase “last chance” is a great way to get people to pay attention to your copy and convert. 

The point is that when you create a sense of urgency, people are more likely to take the desired action out of the fear of missing out. Therefore, if you play your cards well and tap on that emotion, you can get higher conversions. 

One example of direct response copywriting includes pop-ups on ecommerce websites.

They successfully get the visitor to make the decision directly, which is why it forms a part of direct response copywriting. Usually, you can make the visitor perform an action like signing up for a newsletter or making a purchase. 

The above are FB ads that focus directly on the target audience.

Technical Copywriting

Technical copywriting is a type of writing that focuses on explaining technical information in a clear and concise way. This could include anything from writing product manuals to creating how-to guides. Businesses use it to convey information in a concise and organized manner.

Technical copywriting requires a deep understanding of the subject matter and the ability to communicate complex information in a simple way. Most often, writers specialize in specific industries or fields, like technology or medicine. It is also essential to be able to write in a style that is appropriate for the audience, whether that be a casual or more formal tone. If you’re looking to get into technical copywriting, it’s essential to have strong writing skills and demonstrate your understanding of the subject matter.

Take a look at the example below,

Mozilla’s attempt to appeal to the masses along with the geeks by using the word code strategically. This is what most tech businesses are doing today. 

With error pages, you get the chance to show your creativity in distracting users. Try to impress them with a witty copy such as the one in this example. 

Public Relations Copywriting

Another highly specialized subset of copywriting is public relations copywriting.

In order to build a company’s reputation, public relations copywriting involves copywriters collaborating with an organization’s marketing or public relations departments to produce statements or press releases. PR copywriters must be persuasive while remaining objective.

They should have a thorough understanding of public relations best practices and be able to write copy that will boost a client’s reputation in the eyes of the target audience.  

A well-written hook that inspires the reader to take action and concisely states your value proposition in under 500 words is essential for an effective press release.

Here’s an example that will give you an idea of what PR copywriting is about,

During COVID-19, Uber ran a campaign on their website to urge passengers to stay at home. They just said, “Stay home for everyone who can’t,” as a way of thanking their customers for not using the cab service unnecessarily for the time being. Additionally, Uber promised 10 million free rides and food delivery in conjunction with the campaign to help medical professionals, senior citizens, and everyone else in need during the trying times. This is definitely a great attempt at building a brand image and reputation. 

Thought Leadership Copywriting

With thought leadership, you identify problems in your industry or community commonly brought up and provide thoughtful answers in a piece that shows your knowledge, talent, and passion.

It is designed to be valuable and influential and to position your product or service in a way that is – or could be – useful or entertaining to the reader. In effect, you are using the written word to introduce and explain a concept, service, or piece of technology to the readers. This form of marketing is most effective when executed strategically and consistently over time. Thought leadership copywriting can help propel your organization to the next level when executed well.

At SalesBlink, the Founder of the tool writes blog posts around sales, automation & marketing and much more which is a mark of thought leadership. The aim is to educate readers and at the same time establish authority in the niches. 

Sales Page Copywriting

A sales page is a web copy intended to boost sales. Sales pages encourage visitors to purchase your product or service, attempting to turn them from visitors into customers. Writing copy for sales pages is referred to as sales page copywriting. It is an essential skill, and a well-written sales page can mean the difference between making a sale and losing a customer. 

The primary purpose of a sales page is to present the visitor with an irresistible offer and persuade them to make a purchase. A good sales page needs to be visually attractive, but the layout and graphics are secondary to the words you use. 

Additionally, most sites have a limited amount of space to convey their message, so you will have to get right to the point, highlight the benefits, and create urgency to make your sales page copywriting to be effective. 

Sales pages can perform a few specific tasks, such as: explaining how the product works, promoting the benefits of buying, defining a unique selling proposition, informing about different pricing plans. 

This is a sales page that talks about how the book can help a person make money online. The headline clearly shows that a person not doing very well in life can succeed by implementing what the book suggests. 

The headline in their sales page is to the point and simple while highlighting the benefits of joining the online learning website. At times choosing to go simple is all you need to make your copy work.  

We hope you understand what sales copywriting is about. 

Radio and television copywriting

Radio and television copywriting is a specialized form of writing designed to capture the attention of listeners or viewers and persuade them to take action. This type of writing is often concise and to the point and often uses persuasive language and emotional appeals to make its case. When planning radio or television copywriting, the first thing that you need to understand is what your purpose is. It would then be easier to work on it. For example, suppose your purpose is to encourage people to watch a particular program or subscribe to a certain channel. In that case, you can use the listener/viewer’s curiosity and create interest by using phrases that would make people want to listen to you. 

Because radio and television are such visual mediums, copywriters also need to be aware of the nonverbal elements of their writing, such as the tone, volume, and pace of the voiceover. In addition, they need to write in a way that you can easily translate into visuals, such as graphics or video.

Let’s look at a few examples,

The above is Burger King’s radio advertisement that sadly cannot run on other platforms because of the way copywriters have written it. The ad is welcoming and focuses on the cheeseburger that is available for $1 only, with other highlights like being flame broiled. Basically, it’s about sending the message across. 

Here’s another one 

Apple’s ‘Think Different’ ad needs no explanation. The ad is capable of evoking different emotions and is quite iconic. 

Video Copywriting (Script Writing)

Although it may seem relatively new, marketers define video copywriting as the process of developing persuasive and effective copy to convey your message and accomplish a specific set of objectives through video content. 

Everything from writing scripts for video advertisements to describing text for social media posts can fall under this copywriting category. You must understand that the same rules for video copywriting apply whether you are creating descriptions for Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, or any other social media platform. 

As a copywriter, you can’t overlook the role that effective video copywriting plays in creating entertaining and compelling videos. Therefore, you have to constantly work on yourself because your content will undoubtedly draw attention, inform viewers, and persuade them to act when you have strong video copywriting skills. 

The above video from Louis Vuitton shows how the brand is different from the rest with the help of celebrity power. The video of the luxury brand is totally on point. 

Get Ready To Write Copies That Convert! 

We have seen the 15 different types of copywriting, and you may now know what copywriting and its subsets are. Needless to say, as a copywriter, you must have a clear idea of all of them and their distinction to craft copies that do justice to their format. It may not always be about sales, copies can also be about building email lists through newsletter sign-ups. However, copywriting is primarily for commercial purposes, which is why you have to strike the right chord each time to win over the target audience. 

Here’s wishing you all the luck in writing copies that evoke emotion. You can thank us once you establish yourself as a pro copywriter. 

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