Running head: Literature Review of Copywriting
Literature Review of Copywriting
Toure Jimison
MRKT 600
School of Business: Liberty University
Jul 7,2024
Running head: Literature Review of Copywriting
Literature Review of Copywriting
Introduction
Since copywriting utilizes all-around picked words to persuade perusers to act, it is
fundamental for compelling web advertising. To become a professional copywriter, one must
practice and refine their craft (Mitchell, 2020). This HubSpot post discusses ten popular
marketing copywriting templates. Dedra Michell creates text templates for HubSpot's call-to-
action, memo, case study, eBook, blogging, social media, email marketing, and customer and
crisis communications. To entice visitors to each template area, high-quality copywriting content
is required. Publicists don't perform particularly well, assuming you choose to ignore the
commercials they place on the web or in the paper. Lister (2020) asserts that the goal is to
astonish and captivate the audience. Mary Lister's Word Stream article contains 21
recommendations for copywriters who want to produce marketing content that is both effective
and compelling. Lister's piece discusses how to get people's attention, who to target, and trusting
your instincts in copywriting. This study examines the many facets of copywriting and provides
examples of both excellent and bad copywriting. Through a literature review, we will examine all
marketing-related aspects of copywriting.
Current Situation
According to Forsey (2021), new trends and shifts in customer behavior and expectations
occur every year. Content creation is one of the most significant and cost-effective strategies for
supporting business expansion. Caroline Forsey analyzes marketing strategies and offers
suggestions for creating high-quality content for a HubSpot blog. Copy writing’s foundation
should continue to be an efficient content strategy. Copywriting allows you to stand out from the
Running head: Literature Review of Copywriting
competition. By adjusting to changes and developing from them, a publicist can keep up with the
outcome in unique circumstances. A writer may ensure that their work is still relevant by staying
up-to-date on current trends. Writers should consider the intended audience, the topic the content
addresses, the uniqueness of the continent, focus formats, publication channels, and content
creation management (Forsey, 2021). In order for copywriting to have a positive effect on a
marketing campaign, a content marketing strategy is now required.
History of Copywriting
Copywriting has long been a popular strategy. Jones (2018) asserts that the earliest
known printed document is a prayer book advertisement from 1477. Being a skilled copywriter
necessitates an understanding of the history of copywriting. The Medium post by writer Jones
provides an insightful timeline from 1477 to the present. We conclude that copywriting is the art
of creating language with the intention of securing a contract. At first, copywriters used feathers
and ink to make large ads for billboards. Marketing specialists needed to put their promotions on
city walls and posts, which made content dissemination more troublesome than it is today.
Before the invention of mass printing in 1605, it was crucial to create each page separately
because it was practically impossible to print copies (Jones, 2018). Just like today, every
advertisement requires careful planning and creation to effectively sell a product. In 1664, the
Oxford Paper served as the primary newspaper in Britain. Marketing specialists then distributed
notices on paper as complete pages or in small print. Print booklets and leaflets gained
prominence quickly, with the distribution of the principal pamphlet in 1748 (Plath, 2014). On her
blog, Sylvia Plath posts a number of useful articles. This article explains the distinctions between
a brochure, pamphlet, and leaflet. A brief booklet of printed information or advertising is known
Running head: Literature Review of Copywriting
as a brochure or pamphlet. When creating brochures, photographers may have numerous design
options and a lot of creative leeway. It took less time to make a few small materials than to make
multiple large posters. It is believed that John Emory Powers, who lived from 1837 to 1919, was
the first individual to work independently as a copywriter. Ruler, Taylor, and Wanamaker's, two
clothing companies that valued high-quality content in magazines and newspapers, compelled
Powers to regularly write six pieces of advertising (Franks, 2019). We now have a better
understanding of John Powers' life thanks to Sandy Franks' article. When writing his copy,
Powers adhered to the following six guidelines: 1. Use discounts, "Tell a Story," and Rule No. 2.
Rule 3, "Offer Free Trials" 4. Writers should be familiar with Powers' style because he was one
of the early, successful copywriters who helped shape copywriting into what it is today. Rule 5:
"Keep Headlines Brief"; and Rule 6: "Make Purchasing the Product Easy."
Copywriting Relation to Marketing Practice
Copywriting prompts activity in deals. Making a purchase, signing up for an email list, or
asking for more information are all examples of activities. Copywriter marketing, as well as the
potential leads it generates, can assist in the successful execution of acts. Copywriting is crucial
because digital marketing aims to pique a consumer's interest and motivate them to take action.
When making commercials, marketing specialists consistently go through valuable assets; the
content remains the same. As Sonia Simone's paper on Duplicate Blogger clarifies, copywriting
and content advertising are not exactly the same thing. Simone clearly defines copywriting as
writing that persuades a reader to take specific action. This may involve buying something,
contacting you for more information, or joining your email list. Simone's article will be helpful
to copywriters because it explains that, even though content marketing attracts more repeat
Running head: Literature Review of Copywriting
customers, effective copywriting will still inspire readers to take action. A lack of coherent ideas,
a lack of rapport and credibility, a lackluster call to action, and dull headlines are all examples of
poor copywriting. If the headline is boring, readers may decide to put down their books. Titles
captivate the reader and encourage them to keep reading.
Marketing text, according to Elias (2018), can determine whether or not a sales campaign
is successful. In his essay on the Active Campaign, Benyamin Elias dissects a number of
erroneous statements. Benyamin Elias frequently dispels myths to reveal the truth and dispel
misperceptions. One erroneous belief is that copy drives demand. Since most consumers already
have an interest in or desire for the products, marketing language serves merely to confirm this
desire; it creates some demand. In copywriting, the writer must accurately compose the content
and consider the reader's viewpoint. Before a simple call to action can be effective, the writer
must make the reader feel accepted, at ease, and confident in the work. The article presents its
most crucial argument and calls to action at the end. To effectively market to them, a copywriter
often needs to persuade the reader to take action, make a purchase, subscribe, or provide their
contact information.
Copywriting Became Recognized
People realized copywriting was important in 1800s marketing. Wanamaker's excellent
copywriting material resulted in a tripling of their annual sales. Publicizing, a fundamental tool
for staying ahead of the competition, was generally considered a risky strategy for firms that
needed to innovate. As copywriting gained prominence, there was a demand for copywriters
from numerous businesses, which led to the match. Writers must publish content daily in order to
make money within the next 24 to 48 hours (Farnworth, 2014). We all know, as copywriters, how
Running head: Literature Review of Copywriting
crucial it is to have a solid understanding of the past. In the Copy Blogger piece, Farnworth
talked about 13 wise suggestions from previous copywriters. The article presents a number of
ideas and discusses their viability. Today, effective copywriting can focus on every aspect of an
individual's marketing strategy. The variety of channels available for material distribution offers
publicists a wide range of delivery options for their duplicate content. Publicists can use copy for
various purposes such as PR releases, blog posts, about pages, outreach emails, podcast
descriptions, interview questions, YouTube descriptions, and social media posts. The copywriting
industry will require a wide range of product knowledge and writing abilities in 2021. In order to
assist businesses with their marketing efforts, copywriters need to write on a daily basis,
investigate products and rivals, and remain at the forefront of their profession.
What to Use to Research
Researching prior to writing is an essential part of copywriting. According to Bram
(2019), analysis helps writers comprehend the thoughts of their target audience and the product
they are marketing. Readers can understand from Bram's piece why effective copywriting
requires research. Without doing some research, how can one write about a subject? Significant
components of a fruitful copywriting system are the market, crowd, item, and Web optimization.
A competent copywriter must be able to produce high-quality content on both common and
obscure topics. Before writing about topics you aren't familiar with, do some research. To
produce the best content for the client, writers must devise a method for conducting in-depth
research.
Running head: Literature Review of Copywriting
Best Methods for Copywriting
One can use a variety of approaches to gather data for copywriting. Copywriters
frequently struggle with the challenge of creating something from nothing. During copywriting, a
writer might suggest topics they have no interest in or are completely unaware of. It will be
difficult to locate a trustworthy source of information if the subject is difficult to research
(Greene, 2020). The post by Susan Greene explains how to become a freelance copywriter. This
is a troublesome job that requires a considerable amount of exertion and practice. In her piece,
Greene gave readers who might want to become copywriters a comprehensive account of a
conversation she had with a client. When copy writing for a client, it is helpful to conduct
primary research and speak with the customer or business in order to cover every subject.
Through discussions about the issues, the reader will have a direct impact on the book's details.
When searching for specific content on the web, the most reliable sources aren't always
available. Speaking with the intended professional can provide the writer with the necessary
knowledge. To gather data for a copy, primary and secondary research are required. A writer who
has read articles about the product and is well-versed in its history can write excellent copy. One
of a copywriter's most important areas of focus is target audience research (Riddle, 2020).
Examining James Enigma's Learn Center point exposition will aid us in crafting persuasive copy
for the believers. Publicists anticipate that their audience will pause and reflect on the unique
value their image offers. Authors accomplish this by creating enrapturing, eye-getting content.
The rhetorical triangle, created by Aristotle, is a useful structure for keeping readers interested
(Riddle, 2020). Pathos refers to appeals to sentiment and emotion; ethos refers to ethics and
credibility; and logos refers to logic and reason. Using this framework, copywriters can better
connect with their target audience.
Running head: Literature Review of Copywriting
Best Methods for Copywriting
You can collect data for copywriting using a variety of approaches. Making something
from nothing is a common copywriting problem for marketers. During copywriting, a writer
might suggest topics they have no interest in or are completely unaware of. It will be difficult to
locate a trustworthy information source if researching the issue is difficult (Greene, 2020). In her
essay, Susan Greene explains how to become a freelance copywriter. This is a troublesome job
that requires a considerable amount of exertion and practice. Copywriters face the challenge of
creating something from nothing. In her piece, Greene gave readers who might want to become
copywriters a comprehensive account of a conversation she had with a client. When copywriting
for a client, it is helpful to conduct primary research and speak with the customer or business in
order to cover every subject. Through discussions about the issues, the reader will have a direct
impact on the book's details.
When searching for specific content on the web, the most reliable sources aren't always
available. Speaking with the intended professional can provide the writer with the necessary
knowledge. When making a copy, both primary and secondary research are equally important.
The target audience is one of the most crucial areas of research for a copywriter. (In Riddle,
2020) Examining James Enigma's Learn Center point exposition can help us create duplicates of
the believers. Publicists anticipate that their audience will pause and reflect on the unique value
their image offers. Creators achieve this by delivering outwardly captured and charming data.
The rhetorical triangle, created by Aristotle, is a useful structure for keeping readers interested
(Riddle, 2020). Pathos refers to appeals to sentiment and emotion; ethos refers to ethics and
Running head: Literature Review of Copywriting
credibility; and logos refers to logic and reason. Using this framework, copywriters can better
connect with their target audience.
Type of Copywriter Best for Jobs
A subject-matter expert copywriter might be an expert in a particular area of writing, like
dentistry, medicine, fashion, sports, or technology. Subject-matter specialists cannot write about
everything because they lack the depth of knowledge required to be copywriters (Ormond,
2019). Copywriters must be able to write. Sally Ormond's post is a great source of information
about the reasons why copywriters shouldn't have to become subject-matter experts to write.
After reading this essay, a writer may understand why it is more important to work on improving
one's writing skills than to try to become an expert in a particular field. This study develops and
implements an Automatic Product Copywriting Generation (APCG) system for the online
product suggestion platform JD.com. Using internal training data, the algorithm generates natural
language and controls copywriting quality. With an overall improvement in the average click-
through rate (CTR) of 4.22 and the average conversion rate (CVR) of 3.61 percent, the system
has produced 2.53 million product descriptions. The gross product volume (GMV) development
is also 213.42%. Improving model performance and expanding application scenarios, such as
personalized copywriting, domain-specific pretrained models, multiproduct advertisement post
generation, and personalized product description generation, will be the primary goals of future
development. The APCG framework's goal is to improve client experience and spark interest in
web-based business ideas among clients (Zou et al., 2023).
Running head: Literature Review of Copywriting
Failure in Successful Copywriting
Poor copywriting includes run-on sentences, misspelled words, improper punctuation,
typos, and grammar errors. In her blog post, Alex Cattoni provides excellent examples of what
advertising should not say. According to Cattoni (2020), errors can result in negative publicity
for both the author and the seller; content can spread quickly and widely; and errors have the
potential to cause a great deal of blowback. At the onset of the copywriting phase, a number of
colleagues scrutinized the content before printing. Today's rush to produce and distribute
information often leads to the overlooking of mistakes. Before publishing, blogging, or sharing
their work, writers should carefully evaluate their errors because they will always be available
online (Cattoni, 2020). The content for copywriting must be clever, original, and creative. It's
simple for writers to use their imagination too much and produce work that is arrogant,
ambiguous, poorly constructed, or just bad.
Bad Copywriting Examples
The Scatter Editorial Desk post provides readers with examples of poor writing. By
examining a poorly written piece, you can gain a deeper understanding of it and enhance your
ability to create quality copies. The "White is Immaculateness" campaign by Nivea served as an
example of a careless and unfortunate use of language. The campaign led to the development of
Nivea's black-and-white invisible antiperspirant. The Facebook advertisement's slogan read
"WHITE IS PURITY" in all caps (Desk, 2020). Targeting Middle Easterners, the advertisement
immediately provoked racial prejudice and served as a metaphor for skin tone. Even after the
company offered its apologies, numerous customers expressed their outrage on social media. No
Running head: Literature Review of Copywriting
one is likely to forget this error. Mr. Another example of poor copywriting is Clean's Mother's
Day campaign, which stereotypes women (Desk, 2020). The print advertisement and social
media campaign depicted women performing housework. "Get back to the work that truly
matters on Mother's Day," the advertisement advised. According to this assertion, moms are in
charge of household chores and housekeeping. The writers and marketing team at Mr. Clean had
no idea that their advertisement would be interpreted as sexist and disrespectful. In order to avoid
writing poor copy, the marketing team must review the material. When the marketing team is
diverse, it is easier to identify topics that may polarize various groups.
Further Research
How will copywriting evolve in ten years? We look at some forecasts for the future of
copywriting in an article by Nicki Krawczyk. The piece's main question is, "Will copywriting
continue to exist in the future?" (2021; Krawczyk). We can deduce that copywriting will
continue to exist for some time to come. Since the beginning of time, copywriting has been an
integral part of advertising. Krawczyk predicts that online collaboration will increase. Given the
rapid progress of innovation, it is possible to conjecture how copywriting's role in innovation
will advance over time. Future translation software should include contextual translation
features. For instance, we could immediately translate an English banner into Spanish.
Furthermore, we intend to provide more communication channels in the future. Extra
correspondence channels will be open, such as universal free Wi-Fi or vehicle promotions
empowering individuals to drive themselves to work. Krawczyk proceeded to discuss the
Running head: Literature Review of Copywriting
customization of copy for individual users. Copywriters will continue to improve their ability to
create individualized content with knowledge of big data.
There are currently more opportunities for long-lasting learning and independent internet
learning thanks to the continually moving business sector and advanced scene. Copywriters and
other professionals who work with online communication should be especially aware of this
situation. A possible arrangement could include using data items, which are electronic materials
required for proficient turns of events. The primary goals of this study, according to Escandell-
Poveda and Palglvez (2023), are to describe informational products on copywriting and assess
their suitability as online learning methods. The sample contains nine pages and eight authors.
One popular format is the free e-books available for download. The results indicate that the
eBooks' didactic descriptions are not particularly outstanding, despite their respectable content.
We recommend further review to enhance the quality of the arrangement and ensure its
suitability for free learning.
Few Ideas for Copywriting
Creating content is critical for advertising, with copywriting representing most of the
material. Copywriting is an essential part of marketing in both print and video advertising. The
articles in this review demonstrate that copywriting is a skill that requires practice. Copywriting
aims to pique the interest of readers and inspire them to take action. Every day, a copywriter puts
in a lot of effort to produce content of high quality. Given the emergence of recent fads,
marketing specialists need to be aware of the consistent shifts in client behavior. Since the
Running head: Literature Review of Copywriting
production of the first printed materials in 1477, the year 1605 has witnessed the production of
duplicates. Powers, a pioneering copywriter, helped his clients achieve tremendous success by
writing six ads per week. Copywriters must employ a variety of strategies, including
summarizing the rhetorical triangle, in order to effectively communicate with their intended
audience. For many years to come, marketing campaigns will make use of copywriting.
Running head: Literature Review of Copywriting
References
Bram, N., & *. (2019, May 18). Copywriting Research - Why it's important and how you
can do it! Bram Vergouwen. https://bramvergouwen.com/copywriting-research/.
Cattoni, A. (2019, September 18). How to not write copy: 8 Bad Copywriting Examples
& Marketing Fails. Alex Cattoni.
Desk, S. (2020, July 27). Bad copy: 11 Examples that can teach you what not to do.
Scatter.
Elias, B. (2019, November 26). The secret to writing great marketing copy is market
research. Email Marketing - Marketing Automation - Small Business CRM.
Escandell-Poveda, R., & PapÍ-GÁLvez, N. (2023). Training resources in digital
communication: info products about copywriting. Vivat Academia, (156), 1
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Farnworth, D. (2020, April 19). 13 Good ideas from 13 dead copywriters. Copy blogger.
https://copyblogger.com/ideas-from-dead-copywriters/.
Franks, S. (n.d.). 6 Favorite rules from the first full-time copywriter. American Writers &
Artists Institute.
Krawczyk, N. (2015, November 2). What will copywriting look like in 10 years? Filthy Rich
Writer.
Running head: Literature Review of Copywriting
Greene, S. (2020, February 14). Want to be a freelance copywriter? Consider these challenges
first. Susan Greene Copywriter.
Lister, M. (n.d.). 21 Ways to write more compelling marketing copy. Word Stream.
Mitchell, D. (2020, December 21). 10 Common copywriting templates to use in marketing.
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Plath, S. (2014, January 9). Difference between Brochure and Leaflet. Cypher.
Reh, F. J. (n.d.). What is a subject matter expert? The Balance Careers.
Riddle, J. (n.d.). The keys to copywriting: How to write copy that converts. Learning Hub
Rozell, S. (2021, March 23). Copywriting: The definitive guide (2021). Back linko.
Simone, S. (2021, April 22). What’s the difference between content marketing and copywriting?
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Tice, C. (2020, November 25). 10 Ways to find your first copywriting clients. Make a Living
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