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Copywriting

The craft of writing for brands: how to brief a copywriter, why a human still does it better, and what makes a voice recognisable.

A red box marked with a large question mark sitting on stacks of dollar and euro banknotes, beside the words 'What you're paying for when you buy copywriting'

What You're Actually Paying For When You Buy Copywriting

Two hundred words of pack copy can cost more than a two-thousand-word article, and should. The word count was never the product. Here is what the fee actually buys.

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Crumpled yellow sticky notes covered in hand-drawn question marks, with the text 'before hiring a copywriter'

The Questions to Ask Before You Hire a Copywriter

Every portfolio looks good; that is what portfolios are for. The real differences between copywriters only show up when you ask the questions most buyers never ask.

Assorted grocery packaging - bottles, jars, cans, bagged pulses and netted apples on a bright yellow background, with the words 'Pack copy goes harder!'

The Words on Your Pack Work Harder Than Your Ads

Packaging copy is read at arm's length, in seconds, at the exact moment of decision, and it is usually the last thing anyone briefs. That is backwards.

Close-up of hands writing in a notebook beside a laptop, tinted blue, with the words 'Is your copy working?'

How to Tell If Your Copy Is Working

Most brands judge their copy by feel, or by committee. There are better tests, most of them free, and none of them require an analytics dashboard to run.

Overhead view of a studio table strewn with print layouts, typography proofs and sticky notes, hands working across it — with the words 'What Print Taught Digital Forgot'

What Print Advertising Taught Me That Digital Forgot

I learnt copywriting when space cost money and nobody could scroll. Those constraints built habits that make digital copy sharper, and most of them are being unlearnt.

How Agencies Work with a Freelance Senior Copywriter

How Agencies Work with a Freelance Senior Copywriter

Overflow weeks, pitch crunches, and briefs that need grey hair: the four ways agencies actually use a freelance senior writer, and what makes the arrangement work.

Film crew at work on a TVC shoot: secrets of the 30-second TVC script

What Makes a 30-Second TVC Script Work

A television commercial is not copy read aloud. It is a film on paper, and thirty seconds is less time than it sounds. Here is how a script earns its airtime.

Why Brands Still Need a Human Copywriter in an AI World

Why Brands Still Need a Human Copywriter in an AI World

AI copywriting is average by design. A senior human copywriter gives your brand a distinct, recognisable voice that readers trust. Here is why the difference matters.

How to Brief a Copywriter: A Practical Guide for Clients

How to Brief a Copywriter: A Practical Guide for Clients

A good brief doesn't guarantee good copy. But a bad brief almost guarantees wasted time, revision rounds, and frustration on both sides.

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