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There is huge demand for technical copywriters, and those few who master this skill are guaranteed to be rarely out of work. There is good reason for this – technical copywriting is built on two very different foundations: technical expertise and writing ability. Just like making mayonnaise, technical copywriters have to carefully blend together two ingredients that do not naturally want to combine.
In addition, rather than writing for an uninformed audience (common practice for most copywriters), technical copywriters are required to write for individuals who are as (or in many cases more) experienced than themselves.
Each point they make, therefore, has to be carefully considered, to avoid leaving the author open to criticism. Consequently, technical copywriting tends to be done by the most experienced writers, the cream of the crop.
Technical writers are called on to complete a wide range of copywriting jobs, including:
- Article writing
- Producing web copy
- User manuals
- Sales sheets
- Marketing material
- Whitepapers
If you’re considering a career in technical copywriting, or are searching for a writer for article writing (or any of the above services), there are a number of things to consider – characteristics that make for a great technical copywriter.
1. A clear writing style
It’s easy for a writer get lost amidst reams and reams of technical jargon when tackling more complex topics. It is of fundamental importance that technical copywriters keep their writing clear, concise and easy to follow. Verbose, overly complicated sentences and paragraphs are to be avoided at all cost.
Technical copywriters tend to approach projects as if they were writing user manuals – creating short sentences, with one, clear instruction per point. Similarly, when it comes to article writing, technical copywriters will utilise subheadings, numbered bullet points and even charts, tables, pictures and diagrams to help them get their point(s) across.
2. Research and analytical skills
Research and analytical skills are perhaps the most important characteristics of a technical copywriter. Of course, all copywriting jobs require a degree of information gathering; however, it’s fair to say that technical writing requires a more advanced level of research and analysis – the toughest jobs may even require degree-level expertise.
Coupled with the ability to research a project thoroughly is the ability to critically analyse any information that is unearthed. The sources of all information, for example, have to be carefully interrogated, as do the key points.
3. Communication: understand your audience
You may have the necessary technical expertise, and have thoroughly researched your topic, but if you do not possess the talent to communicate your points you cannot be a successful technical copywriter.
In addition to a clear writing style (see point 1), understanding your audience is key to good communication. For example, article writing for individuals without any existing knowledge of the subject area requires a completely different approach to article writing for an audience of experts.
4. Keeping it interesting
It is easy for technical copywriting to quickly become dull and boring. This is simply because most technical documents by necessity have to contain lots of detailed information.
However, the best technical copywriters have a natural instinct for keeping their work interesting – there are many ways to do this:
- Focus on the benefits of the services or products they are talking about
- Include examples of usage in user manuals
- Talk about why the reader needs the product
- Keep work concise, clearly laid out, neatly presented and to the point
5. Knowledge
Technical writers are required to have, at the very least, a basic working knowledge of their subject area. Of course, it goes without saying the more complex the project the greater the required knowledge base.
Most technical writers will have a strong background in their chosen field (whether through a previous career or education), in addition to a solid body of work. The best advice for those starting out as technical writers is to build a portfolio slowly and carefully. Be fairly choosy with the projects you take on to begin with as these will influence future ventures.
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Technical copywriters are faced with a unique challenge: making products and services easier to understand whilst simultaneously making them more attractive to users. This requires writers to combine technical expertise with writing ability – two skills that do not always neatly dovetail together. The upshot of this is that good technical writers are in high demand.
By utilising a copywriting agency such as Snack Media, you’ll find it easier to initiate a conversation with the audience you wish to reach – whether that’s through online, magazines or social media.
A successful UK copywriter should have one goal in mind: to create relevant, engaging content that provides a measurable return on investment for their clients. Our copywriting professionals, therefore, are not just great writers – they know the ins and outs of internal communications, marketing and client relations, too.
You don’t need a content marketing agency such as Snack Media to tell you that digital content is different to print media; for starters, one is something tangible you can hold in your hand and the other is floating out there in the electronic ether.
But aside from the obvious differences, there are a few technical pointers that need to be considered when writing for the web. Here are some top tips to bear in mind when creating digital content: Read More
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Most businesses are defined by three things: the way they look, the way they sound and the way they behave – tone of voice is a crucial part of the second of these categories.
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Don’t believe the hype – copywriting for newspapers and magazines is alive and well. While some journalists and marketers have long been predicting the demise of print, you only need to look at the plethora of publications on newsagent stands – not to mention the ever-strong presence of display advertising – to understand that this prediction is at best short sighted and at worst, simply incorrect.
Indeed, two of the UK’s best-known newspapers, the Daily Mail and i (the condensed version of The Independent) reported an increase in sales towards the end of 2011 – despite the competition posed online. Meanwhile, tabloids as a whole performed relatively strongly over the course of the year.
It’s true that the distinction between content marketing and copywriting is occasionally blurred – fortunately, though, the differences can be explained succinctly.
Content marketing concerns the development of well-written copy for a marketing purpose – an organisation, for example, publishes an innovative, in-demand report that really stimulates interest. In exchange for this information, it will ask for the reader’s email address and permission to inform them about other developments in the future. Examples include white papers, blogs, viral videos and printed marketing literature.
In order for content to work there has to be a strategy in place. Strategy enables marketers to measure the effects their content is having, count the ripples each element is making and refine those aspects that are most successful.
Of course this doesn’t mean we, as content engineers, have to be completely rigid; a good strategy will allow for flexibility, leaving room to adapt and pursue new, innovative, uncharted avenues and reach fresh audiences.
Article writing forms the core of Snack Media’s copywriting and content marketing operations. Our passion for words, breadth of knowledge and brand awareness skills allows us to consistently produce engaging, authoritative articles for clients across a range of sectors and industries.
Our team of professionally-trained journalists specialises in creating and telling stories. Creative-minded and armed with content marketing expertise, our copywriters will produce sparkling articles that are guaranteed to engage with a client’s target readership and deliver a return on investment.
Google’s Panda update signals the end of poor quality content on the web. Google is conscious of improving people’s browsing experience. In an online world where content is king, it’s become more important to boost the visibility of sites boasting better quality content, and this is the premise behind Google’s Panda update.
How to survive post-Panda? In short, your website needs to boast quality, authoritative content.
Copywriting for Magento e-commerce sites in the UK is vital to a sites success – and using an e-commerce copywriter can potentially be highly profitable. Many new magento sites suffer from non-descript, stale product descriptions, just a few tweaks and an injection of creativity from a copywriter can have a markedly positive effect on sales. For a smaller e-commerce portal, this could translate into thousands of pounds of extra income per year.
There’s a misconception in the UK that copywriting is complicated – fortunately, though, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Some of the most effective tips can be implemented quickly and easily – and there’s one in particular that could make your e-commerce site more profitable in literally hours – a call to action.
