One of the online jobs that are growing pretty fast is copywriting. It has generated millions of jobs and has attracted millions of freelancers from across the globe. That essentially means that a freelancer has to strive to stand out to win a contract.
As for the client, finding a consultant to get the job done might not be a big issue, although it'd call for some apt hiring skills to pick the right one. However, for the final work to be completed to the client's expectations, you as a freelancer should spell out the specifications to the best of your understanding - this is where a copywriting brief comes in.
Despite the fact that not all information may end up in the final piece, remember that the more you know as a freelancer, the better your creative response. In essence, when you are well informed about what the client wants to communicate to their audience, then you are better positioned to produce the content that is engaging, informative and effective.
Luckily, a majority of clients that need copies for advertising or other marketing purposes already have an idea of the direction they'd like the copy to take. Whether seeking to get a copy for a brochure, web page or other marketing material, you should make sure that the clients say exactly what he needs so you can prepare a copywriting brief and avail it to the client before the project commences. That's not to say that things will always be cozy. At times the freelancer has to call-out the client for more essential information. Sufficient information will save time both for you and the client. You get to avoid sending too much unnecessary time on one piece.
To get good quality and a relevant copy, prepare a copywriting brief for the client, capturing the below points and any other information you believe would make the copy richer. Ensure that you are as extensive as possible so that you capture as many details as required.
1. What’s the copywriting brief used for?
If your client is looking for a freelancer to curate the copy for them, make sure it's abundantly clear what it's to be used on. Is it for a flyer, poster, web page, brochure, or company profile? Remember that the purpose of the copy will determine a lot, the tone, the approach, the wordings and it will also give you an easy time as you work.
We all know that different marketing copies are written in different ways and styles based on the usage and that's what forms the call for the client to reveal the purpose of the content the earliest possible. As a freelancer, you'd consider including copywriting brief sections to guide the client on what information to avail to you.
This will not only help you in creating the coy but it will ensure you do not have to make too many unnecessary revisions.
2. What’s the copywriting brief expected to achieve?
While this point is somewhat related to the first one, it goes beyond the mere presentation of the copy on a website or some print material. It touches on the basis of the decision to create the copy and possibly extends to the expected impact of the copy on the reader. For example, if you are expected to write under a different author's name and sign a ghostwriting contract template, you'll need a brief of what the client is trying to achieve with your copy.
What you should be more concerned with before beginning your copy, is the reaction of your audience. What should they do after reading the piece of communication? What response you want to incite in them, it should be clear and direct.
- Is the copy expected to attract people to make inquiries?
- Is the copy simply meant to provide additional information about some existing product?
- Is the copy to be used to introduce a new product?
These are questions that the copywriting brief should answer to make it easier for you to write a copy that gets the job done. If you are a specialized writer, the technical writer contract template will brief you on what specific information you'll need to go over.
3. The kind of audience the copywriting brief is targeting
A professional copywriter understands that the main focus should always be the audience, not the client. What will put you at the top of the industry is your capability to strike a chord with the target audience with every copy.
One of the biggest and most common fails in copywriting is creating a copy that doesn't fit in with the target audience. To avoid such a scenario, you should take advantage of the copywriting brief to provide the client with your understanding of the target audience. This could capture more specific details such as whether the audience consists of experts or not, their social status, their geographical location, and the kind of language that would best appeal to them.
Another factor to consider when thinking of the audience is the amount of time they may have to put into reading your piece. Essentially this means, if your audience has very little time to spare, the copy should be captivating, engaging and straight to the point.
4. Product or service benefits to be highlighted in the copywriting brief
In the copy, the freelancer must outline the advantages that the target audience is expected to earn, be it informational, financial, emotional, or spiritual. We're living at a time when everyone is busy chasing one thing or the other. And unless what you are offering is relevant to what they want, they may not be interested. Meaning to get someone to spare even a minute, therefore, means you have to dangle something alluring to them. Anything less is for another day.
With this in mind, you understand the need to do extensive research to produce a copy that is worth every second sent reading it. Make it rich, not fluffy though, just in information to keep your audience coming back. Consequently, to effectively achieve this, you have to be fully aware of your audience and what they view as valuable. With this information in your hands, you will be able to custom your piece to be as alluring as possible.
5. Underline the authority of the copywriting brief to the audience
As a freelancer, you should never accept to make wild claims in a copy without any factual foundation. Your credibility will be determined by how much your audience feels confident in the information your offer. This can only happen when they are well aware of the authoritative references you make all through the piece. When they know that the angle you are taking is based on facts, then it will be easier to establish trust and affirm your credibility as an informational source. For every stripe of information, you thrust out there to persuade the audience to take some action, ensure that the copywriting brief you prepare contains a valid justification for it. These should also be injected in the copy so that the audience can confidently decide as anticipated.
6. State the important keywords in your copywriting brief
Use of keywords can make the difference between making it on the first page of Google search, and lingering back in the recesses of the internet. Therefore the relevant keywords must be used in the piece naturally and effectively. This is important especially at this age when almost everything is digitalized and your online presence is as important as the quality of your piece.
If you send the client an objective copywriting brief, the copywriting experience would be a lot easier and straightforward for you. Remember that the quality of your brief will determine how rich or bland your final coy will be. Therefore ensure that you put in as much effort and attention into the small details, as you would want your results. Do not restrain when writing your piece; be as descriptive and insightful as you can stretch.
