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Being a freelance writer can be a lonely gig. Most of the time, the “freedom” part is achieved by being categorically disassociated with any one...
It’s easy to ignore the creative side of the copywriting process — especially when creating content for SaaS, blockchain, cybersecurity and other dense tech sectors. Behind detailed technical product descriptions, laser-focused CTAs and compelling headlines is a purpose-driven creative medium.
Tech copywriting is much more than reaching a word count; it’s about finding an audience, entering the conversation and influencing your readers to take action.
Today, we will take a peek under the hood to develop some strategies to help refine the copywriting process.
It’s often a misconception to imagine writing as a purely in-the-moment artform. It’s an image portrayed by eclectic artists looking to create mysticism around a realistically laborious process.
Allen Ginsberg, a famous Beat poet, was often mistakenly credited with writing the entirety of his famous piece “Howl” in a single evening. In truth, it took Ginsberg many years and countless drafts to capture his now-iconic picture of the restless 1950s counterculture.
This example illustrates that writing, including copywriting, is not a magic process. It requires meticulous planning, practice and preparation. Sitting down in front of a blank page is only a tiny part of what it takes to create killer content and copy.
In a business of results, writer’s block is a luxury. One way to combat the invertibility of creative downtime is to prepare and prepare well. You most likely already have some kind of prep process that precedes the actual act of writing, depending on what you intend to deliver.
When you're in the creative zone and cranking out line after line of amazing copy, you don’t want to be bouncing back and forth to discover fresh answers, create an outline or find new SEO keywords. Planning and prepping ahead of time gives you a better chance of slipping into what Georgetown University professor Cal Newport calls deep work.
When you know the purpose of your writing, the audience and the foundational domain knowledge, a blank page isn’t as frustrating to approach. Not only will it often help increase productivity, but preparation can also improve the overall quality of your work.
Mise en place is French for “everything in its place.” If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it’s part of the essential education of professional chefs. Walk into any fine dining establishment and peek into the kitchen and you’ll see a well-organized and well-oiled machine — every diced chive and sharpened knife exactly where it needs to be without exception.
For copywriters, a mise en place might mean having all your prepared materials in an easy-to-access area. Leveraging online tools and physical additions to your setup, you can easily maximize performance while minimizing wasted time.
Most operating systems and some browsers allow for a split-screen function. This way, you can keep both your writing and your research on the same screen. Those minutes spent jumping back and forth between information may seem insignificant, but add them all up and they represent a hearty chunk of time.
If you have the means, adding an additional screen to your setup can provide more real estate for you to occupy. Outside of additional screen space, your mise en place might mean keeping your desk organized and always making sure you have water or coffee nearby. It’s not enough to take advice blindly; you need to cater each step of the process to fit your personal needs.
Having everything you need to write ready to go should be your goal. The more time you spend finding the right tools and materials, the less time you spend on the page creating copy.
Another way to improve your overall tech copywriting process is to shift your mindset toward a results-driven mentality. If you only focus on elements like good SEO keyword placement or hitting a specific word count, you’re distracted from the overall goal. Those elements are important, but never lose sight of the fact that actual people will read your work.
During the research and preparation stage, you should always try to answer questions about audience and intent. If you focus on providing results, whether that’s converting the reader or introducing them to your company, the final product will often be more impactful and engaging.
Anyone can write, but writing well is a strategic art form. Moving past the text and digging deeper into concepts like search intent, audience demographics and pain points can help refine mediocre copy into thoughtful, purposeful writing.
Nothing happens overnight. Improving your copywriting process is itself a process of trial and error. Working toward the goal of creating results with your writing, you can slowly whittle away the inefficiencies in your existing workflow. The last thing you want is to add more time to projects.
If you’re writing content for a blockchain or a software development company, it's easy to lose track of the overall goals of your copy and content. Tech copywriting subjects can be dense — both for the reader and the writer.
While it often takes years for writers to develop a personalized process that produces results, implementing small changes can dramatically affect your final product. If you’re struggling to create impactful copy, it might be time to call in some help.
Here at Hire a Writer, we can help you reach your business goals and create the kind of content your users are eager to read. Whether you’re in SaaS, cybersecurity or any tech vertical, our expert copywriters will always produce the catered copy you need to grow your brand. If you want to learn more about our services, contact us today.
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