So fun fact: Copyright and Copywriting are two very different things!
More often than not, I have had people ask me what I do and when I say “I’m a copywriter” they say “ooohhh, so you like to help people register names and inventions and stuff!?!”
Definitely not, lol.
It’s not surprising that yet again the English language has confused and confounded us all!
Now, I am sure I could research the actual history and origins of the word and concept of “copywriting” but I neither have the time nor the energy to achieve such things these days and I am certain you don’t have the time to read it! So let’s just go over the basics of Copyright and Copywriting and what makes them so very different.
Copyright
Merriam-Webster defines copyright as:
: the exclusive legal right to reproduce, publish, sell, or distribute the matter and form of something (such as a literary, musical, or artistic work)
Basically it’s the protection of people’s/company’s intellectual property, written works, music, inventions, etc. So that in the future, I can’t take your aunt’s kitchen invention, sell it, make money off it (without express permission and compensation), and pass it off as my own. There is an entire legal process that you go through with the government in order to make sure your ideas are in fact original and will work to protect you from others trying to take your amazing ideas and inventions.
Copywriting
Copywriting is a type of persuasive and informative writing used with the goal of building brand awareness, connecting with your clients (both current and future), and getting them to take action i.e. sign up for a newsletter, book a call, fill out a form, buy your products etc.
I like to tell my clients that copy should reflect you and your brand while building trust and connection with your clients, showcasing what you or your product/service can actually do for them.
The goal is clarity! Who you are, what you do, what you will do for them, and what the next steps are.
Places you may see copy in your everyday:
Blog posts
Emails
Social Media
General Content
Product Guides
Taglines
Product Descriptions
Product Names
The list really goes on and on. We can even dive into different types of copy i.e. sales copy, business copy, general copy, etc. but that’s a post for another day.
Cheers!
Jess McGun
Copywriter Extraordinaire
www.jessmcgun.com
@jessmcgun
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