Hello dp members in this forum I have a few questions about articles and copywriting. Actually I am still new to copywriting, so I hope all of you can answer my question with a detail explanation . With that way, at least I can know something about copywriting. 1. Is copywriting the same as writing articles ? If different, why they could be different. 2. As I know that the demand of writing articles comes from many subjects such as health, food, life, computer, technology, finances, games, and so on. How can the writers know the content they want to write if they never write about certain subject before, for example finances ? For instance, I know about games and health subjects. Suddenly, there is a project to write articles about food subject. I never write and I don't know at all about something relates to food category. Do I have to search first some articles relates to food in the internet, then I take the articles and I edit a little so it will look different from original articles ? so I could apply that project. 3. Continue from second question, we couldn't know what kinds of subjects we are going to write because it depends on the project. So, in order to anticipate the project, do I have to learn anything about most of the subjects for example health, food, life, computer, technology, finances, games ? So, supposed that I have project for technology subject, I could do it because I have already learned. I think I couldn't learn about most of the subjects because my brain is so limited and also my memory is so small . What should I do ? Thanks before
1. In a very general sense (there are always exceptions), when we talk about article / content writing we're talking about something that educates, informs, or entertains. When we're talking about writing copy, we're talking about something that persuades someone to do something or persuades them to think or feel a certain way about something (can be anything from a sales letter to a company's About Us page designed to build trust in the company / brand through background). 2. Many of them don't have a clue - generalist writers base the articles solely on research. I strongly suggest you consider specialization instead rather than throwing yourself in with that group (you'll have potentially higher-paying clients and less qualified competition). And no, you should not be simply re-writing random articles around the Web if you don't know the subject. In some areas, that's illegal - and even if you're not in an area where it's illegal (no idea where you're located), your client very well may be. 3. Again, choose a specialization ahead of time, and build credentials and a portfolio.
Article writing = Education and information. Copywriting = Writing to sell something. I wrote a blog on the different kinds of writers. (Some of them, anyway.) Different kinds of writers.
@ jhmattern you said that generalist writers base the articles solely on research (in this case, they don't know at all the subject they are going to write). What does "research" mean here ? What are the steps to do a research ? If research you mean is looking for the articles relate to the subject on the internet, then combine all the articles we have found and we edit them with our own words so it will become new article. I think it is the same as simply re-writing random articles around the Web.
Let's say a client wants me to write an article on 'special cream cheese' and I have no idea what 'special cream cheese' is, then I do some research on 'special cream cheese'. This research can be done on the internet, in books, or whatever teaches you about 'special cream cheese' Then you remember what you have researched about 'special cream cheese' and in your own words write an article on 'special cream cheese' If you are writing a copy (copywriting), then you need to try and sell what you researched (special cream cheese) in your own words. If you are simply writing an article on what you researched (special cream cheese) then you need to try and teach others what 'special cream cheese' is in your own words. You can NOT simply take what other writers have written and change it around by adding a few of your own words here and removing a few there. If you do this then the person who you are writing the article for will run it through copyscape ( a program that detects copyright(illegal)) and then not pay you. This is why it is so important to write in YOUR OWN WORDS. I hope this clears it up a bit for you.