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The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter …and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign Fiona Campbell-Howes Founder, Radix Communications @patroclus / @radixcom
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Page 1: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter

…and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

Fiona Campbell-HowesFounder, Radix Communications

@patroclus / @radixcom

Page 2: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

Why is this important?

Page 3: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

13 different types of content

Page 4: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

78% of UK marketers created more content in 2014 than in 2013.

Source: Content Marketing Institute, Content Marketing in the UK 2015

Page 5: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

19 million+ blog posts published

50,000 long-form posts published on LinkedIn

80,000 presentations uploaded to Slideshare

3 million hours of video uploaded to YouTube

Sources: Wordpress 2013, LinkedIn investor report Feb 2015, Slideshare, YouTube

Each week…

Page 6: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

Making engaging content is hard

Page 7: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

It’s not hard to see where all this ends…

Page 8: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign
Page 9: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

So how do you make content that

stands outgets readstrikes a chordconverts

Page 10: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

You can start by hiring the right writers.

Page 11: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

Think about it…

Page 12: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

Initial research stage: below 150 words

Source: Octopus Group, Tech Heads Report, 250 CIO decision-makers, 2014

Decision-makers like different formats at different stages…

Decision stage: c. 2,000 words

Shortlisting stage: 300 – 500 words

Page 13: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

13 different content formats

3 funnel stages

Lots of communications channels

…one writer can’t be great at it all!

Page 14: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

(Despite what they may tell you…)

“A versatile, all-round writer”

“I can write anything, on any subject”

“Anything you want written, I can write”

“I find the right words for your business”

“Words are my passion”

Page 15: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

In reality, there are 7 different types of B2B copywriter.

You need to be able to tell which types you’ve got – and always match the right one to the right job.

Page 16: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

How can you tell which is which?

Their background

Type of content in their portfolio

What they say on their website

Page 17: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

#1 The Creative Copywriter

Page 18: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

#1 The Creative Copywriter

BackgroundAdvertising – agency or in-house

ThinksLaterally, in big, visual concepts. They show, not tell, and aim to make an emotional connection.

AdvantagesHelps you stand out at the top of the funnel. Works with designers to create striking art/copy combinations.

Great for:Ad copy, top-level web copy, branding, naming, concepts, ideas

Page 19: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

#2 The Digital Copywriter

Page 20: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

#2 The Digital Copywriter

BackgroundDigital agency/in-house web team

ThinksUser experience, conciseness, SEO, on-page conversion

AdvantagesWorks well with digital specialists, understands digital formats, design and technologies

Great forWeb copy, landing pages, apps, banners, PPC, social copy, microcopy

Page 21: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

“You don’t need a [creative] copywriter to spend weeks working on a “big idea” when you can find a digital copywriter who’ll tell you adding “now” to your call to action could increase conversions by 4%.”

- Allastaire Allday, Digital Copywriter

Page 22: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

#3 The SEO Writer

Page 23: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

#3 The SEO Writer

BackgroundJust starting out, or just left an agency to go freelance.

ApproachMust work fast to survive, so repurposes Wikipedia articles. Keywords, keywords, keywords…

AdvantagesCheap: £9 for 500 words is common

Great for:Keyword-stuffed filler, fast turnarounds when quality doesn’t matter.

Page 24: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

#4 The Technical Writer

Page 25: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

BackgroundIn-house product development / publishing house

ApproachExplains how technical stuff works to a technical audience. Their aim is to clarify and educate, not to inspire or create an emotional connection.

AdvantagesWrites clearly and knowledgeably about tech subjects for a technical audience.

Great for:Technical web pages, product manuals, datasheets, knowledge base articles, FAQs#4 The Technical Writer

Page 26: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

#5 The Explainer

Page 27: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

BackgroundPR, AR, internal comms, report writing

ThinksTranslates complex subjects into plain language for a non-technical audience. May be unused to working with designers and thinking in visual concepts.

AdvantagesWrites clear, readable, engaging copy on complex topics.

Great for:White papers, ebooks, press releases, reports, blogs, articles, newsletters

#5 The Explainer

Page 28: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

#6 The Conversion Copywriter (aka direct response copywriter, persuasion copywriter)

Page 29: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

BackgroundOld-school (pre-digital) direct marketing: in-house or agency.

ApproachPersuasive and laser-focused on conversion. May not be very design-oriented.

AdvantagesKnows lots of psychological/emotional techniques to convince people to take action.

Great for:DMs, eDMs, long-form ad copy, sales letters

#6 The Conversion Copywriter

Page 30: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

#7 The Journalist

Page 31: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

BackgroundTrade or national media, usually print or web

ApproachUncovers your stories – or your customer’s stories – and tells them in an interesting and engaging way.

AdvantagesGreat interviewing/reporting skills, and sense of what makes an engaging story. Knows your industry, but this can create conflicts of interest.

Great for: Blogs, articles, expert pieces, case studies, brand journalism, managing brand newsrooms.

#7 The Journalist

Page 32: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

Why does getting the right writer matter?

Page 33: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

vs.

Page 34: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

vs.

Page 35: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign
Page 36: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

Play them to their strengths…

Page 37: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

In the funnel…

Page 38: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

And in the right formats…

Concepts, ads, web copy, branding, naming

DMs, eDMs, landing pages, long-form ads, sales letters

Web copy, landing pages,

apps, PPC, banners,

social copy, microcopy

Technical web pages, manuals,

datasheets, knowledge base

articles, FAQs

Blogs, articles, expert pieces, case studies,

brand journalism / newsrooms

White papers, ebooks,

press releases, reports, blogs,

articles, newsletters

Keyword-stuffed filler articles and

blogs

Page 39: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

Build your dream team…

Our creative copywriter is

…………..…………

Our conversion copywriter is

…………..…………

Our digital copywriter is

……………………….

Our technical copywriter is

…………………………

Our journalist copywriter is

…………………….

Our explainer copywriter is

……………………..

Our SEO copywriter is

…………………...

Page 40: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

Go forth and create great content!

Page 41: The 7 Types of B2B Copywriter… and how the wrong one can destroy your campaign

Thank you