For this episode of our podcast, The Ecom Show, we’re focusing on one of the essential cornerstones of great marketing… copywriting!
This week we’ve got the privilege of speaking with one of our own all-star copywriters at Budai Media, Nick Marshall from Bournemouth, England!
From teacher to content writer, and then journalist to copywriter, Nick has plenty to share with aspiring writers. And ecommerce business owners alike. He likes to focus more on marketing psychology and how people behave in groups to get great results and perfect his craft.
Have a listen as Budai Media’s founder, Daniel, and self-proclaimed ?behavior economist? Nick discuss:
?? How to get started as a copywriter
?? AI and copywriting automation
?? Tried and true templates vs. experimentation and creativity
?? Who should hire a copywriter?
?? Great resources for understanding how to write compelling copy
Where to Begin
Ten years ago, Nick had no idea what copywriting even truly was. He didn’t know any of the overused abbreviations like CTA or what a sales funnel was!
People often misunderstand what it means to be a copywriter, and there is no correct way to set yourself up to become one. Nick spent most of his professional career as a journalist and a content creator, which he says often involves presenting information ?as clearly as possible.? As a copywriter, he?s learned to shift his focus to evoking an action or response, whether it be a sale or a page visit.
Humans vs. Machines
There’s plenty of careers being automated in this day and age, but Nick says that ?creativity is the last great advantage we have.? For example, automated software algorithms programmed to scan and replicate content can sometimes strike gold, especially with things like email subject lines. But they will never understand the deeper context, according to Daniel, or create something unique and original.
In a career where you’re supposed to connect on a human level with your audience, it feels like copywriter?s jobs are safe for now!
Learn the Rules to Break the Rules
Nick has read plenty of books, taken courses, listened to lectures, but he thinks this will only take you so far. To be a true copywriter, you need to venture off on your own and experiment. If you do what is statistically proven to work every time, you might lose your audience?s attention!
It pays to break the rules once and a while. So long as you stick to the brand’s character and voice, there is truly no limit to what you can do as a copywriter or advertiser.
Get Yourself a Copywriter If…
People often think they can write websites or email copy themselves and are surprised when their conversion rates are awful. It can be hard to relinquish your brand and enlist others to help serve as the ?custodian of the brand,? as Nick puts it, but if you have a 5-star restaurant and your menu is riddled with spelling mistakes, will anyone actually take you seriously?
If you manage to have the budget for a copywriter, the product pages and basic email flows are a top priority! Leave it to a professional, and don’t assume copywriting is easy, just like you wouldn?t assume graphic design or coding is easy.
Top Resources for Copywriters
Nick thinks it’s best to have 2-3 resources you check every day, and even if you learn something, you always have to go back and rehash it every so often. He recommends sites like:
The best thing Nick recommends is simply to become more aware of the copy all around you. You’re bombarded by advertisements each and every day, and Nick believes you can even learn something by sifting through your spam inbox and picking apart the worst emails you can find!
We try to focus on a different aspect of ecommerce and advertising each week, and there is no denying how valuable copywriters like Nick are in this industry!
Follow Daniel Budai:
Follow Nick:
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
