Bethany's Copywriting Journey: From Reading to Writing and Beyond
In today’s Q&A session, we’re shining the spotlight on the person behind most of our blogs - our copywriter, Bethany Piper. We’re aiming to find out how she combines her love for creative storytelling with the technical demands of SEO to produce high-quality, compelling copy for a range of platforms and industries, plus top tips on her process - including how she overcomes writer’s block…
What drew you to a career in copywriting, and how did you get started in the field?
Growing up, I always adored reading. Some of my strongest memories from my childhood involve being curled up with a book, whether it was eating mini cheddars on the top bunk as I lost myself in Philip Pullman’s Northern Lights, or sat by the fireplace with my worn-out copy of The Bed and Breakfast Star by Jacqueline Wilson and a packet of wotsits.
My affinity for both books and cheese-based snacks has continued well into my adulthood, and this has slowly evolved into a full-fledged career in writing. I studied Business and Management at university, which has given me the skills to support my clients to a far greater degree than simply providing lovely words. After three years teaching English whilst dipping my toes into writing on the side, I decided to take the plunge and turn to copywriting full time.
How has the role of a copywriter evolved in the digital age?
Working on the cusp of the creative industry, I am constantly surrounded by people who are very excited about the increasing capabilities of AI-powered tools like ChatGPT and Google Bard. It’s so easy to become daunted by that (is a robot going to steal my job?!) but if you take the time to understand what these tools can do - well, you’ll soon understand their limits. At the same time, you can also see how they can factor into the writing process.
Just as I have my own personal tone of voice, ChatGPT has one too. Once you know what to look for, it’s easy to identify whether or not something has been written by it. Go and ask ChatGPT to write an introduction to a hotel, restaurant or café. I guarantee it will give you the words ‘tranquil’, ‘nestled’, ‘timeless’, or the phrase ‘hidden gem’.
When copy editing existing content, my process now involves rewriting paragraphs which are grammatically fine, but contain dozens of these ChatGPT-isms.
What does your typical writing process look like, from ideation to final draft?
My writing process always starts with pressure-free research. If I try to write the perfect piece from start to finish in one go, I’m heading straight for writer's block. My best work always materialises when I have a hundred ideas floating around in my head, just waiting to be seized and worked into sentences.
Whilst I research, I’ll gather links, images and short pieces of information into a separate document to use as a reference. This is especially important when I’m writing about something I’m not experienced in, or when I’m working with a new client for the first time. If a stellar sentence comes to me, I jot it down.
Once I feel as though I have enough information, I start the planning process, which involves writing a list of everything I want to cover. I then focus on building a narrative: this is the foundation to a persuasive piece of writing. One of my favourite structures involves the presentation of a problem which is then solved by the product or service of my client.
After creating a basic structure, I get stuck into writing. I don’t do this in any set order - I tend to follow where my ideas are taking me - but I always write the introduction last. Trying to write it first would be like attempting to explain the plot of Game of Thrones when you’ve never seen it - confusing and frustrating for everyone involved. Once you know what’s coming up, you’ll know how to write a compelling introduction that will encourage people to read on.
I proofread my work throughout, as if you’re checking the grammar of one paragraph, it’s far easier to notice any errors than if you’re sifting through two thousand words. However, the final stage of my writing process always involves reading the piece aloud from top to bottom. This gives me a different perspective on my writing, allowing me to pick up on anything I might have missed. This also means I can check for repetition, which is particularly important for projects I’ve been working on for several days as opposed to one sitting.
How do you approach tailoring your writing style to match different brand voices?
I have a good awareness of what makes my writing style unique. I love em-dashes, I always slip in some humour where I can, and I can’t get enough of a good anecdote. This means I can always turn the volume down on my personal tone of voice when the situation calls for it. I’m having a lot of fun writing this Q&A without reining in my conversational tone one bit. I haven’t always understood the characteristics of my own writing - this has come from reading and rereading thousands of my own sentences over many years.
If I’m working on something for a client with a wildly different tone of voice to mine, I’ll add an extra round of copy editing to my process where I focus entirely on the style of the writing.
Can you share tips on overcoming writer's block and maintaining creativity in your work?
If I’m having trouble with a particular blog, the first thing I do is forget about writing paragraphs and sentences and just write down words. They don’t have to flow, they don’t have to be pretty, they just have to be words on a page. It’s like if you’re trying to unblock your kitchen sink - you’re not going to just pour several gallons of water down the drain, because it’ll overflow and go everywhere and you’re going to be very stressed. Instead, you should do something to unblock it, then pour down a few drops. If it looks good, pour some more. If not, then it’s time to step away for a bit.
The same goes for writing.
How do you collaborate with SEO specialists to ensure copy is both creative and optimised for search engines?
It’s easy to feel as though SEO and creativity are at odds with each other. But in reality, SEO actually means you have to get more creative as a copywriter to seamlessly integrate keywords into a piece of work. This could be frustrating, but it’s very important to have an understanding of SEO as a copywriter. You don’t necessarily need to know the ins and outs of every technical element if you’re not an SEO specialist, but knowing the basics means you can optimise your writing so more people see it.
What strategies do you employ to seamlessly integrate keywords into your copy without sacrificing quality?
I always keep the relevant keywords for each blog or page in front of me as I research, plan, write and edit. This means I can drop them in whenever it feels natural. Sometimes, copywriters make the mistake of shoehorning a keyword in as-is, without changing the sentence around it. This is when it starts to become glaringly obvious that a blog only exists for SEO purposes.
How do you handle feedback on your copy, and what's your process for making revisions?
I generally share my copy with clients through a shared document where they can add revisions or comments for me to review. I encourage all of my clients to read through the content carefully, especially if they’re operating in an industry with complex or technical subject matter which aren’t in my area of expertise.
What advice do you have for aspiring copywriters looking to build a successful career in the industry?
Something I found very useful involved ensuring I had a strong foundation in my copywriting skills before I started to build my career. I didn’t have a huge amount of work to show to my very first clients, but because I showcased my skills and my value from my very first projects with them, we’re still working together years later.
These skills include writing speed, as well as factors like grammar, punctuation, spelling, and vocabulary. If you feel as though you’re lacking in any one of these areas, work on improving it through whatever means work for you. I love doing quizzes, so I’ve found Sporcle particularly useful for expanding my vocabulary. Starting off by proofreading samples of writing also helped me become more confident in my grammar.
Possibly the best way to learn, however, is by doing, reviewing, and boosting. Set yourself a brief, write, then ask somebody else to read through it and give you feedback. Then make it better!
Can you share a valuable lesson or experience that has shaped your approach to copywriting?
Strive for perfection, but don’t beat yourself up if you don’t achieve it the first time. Feedback from clients doesn’t mean you’ve messed up - it’s a natural part of the process, and each critique gives you more insight into what that particular client needs. Even if you thought the first draft was flawless, it’s important to remember that your client will have a different perspective. Invite feedback, welcome it, embrace it! Your process (and client) will thank you.
I sincerely hope you found something useful in this Q&A session. Maybe you even cracked a smile! I had a lot of fun writing today, as I often do when I’m able to let loose with cheesy jokes and silly analogies. Even in the world of business, copywriting requires a certain degree of creativity, and I’ve personally never produced something good when I’ve been feeling stressed.
If you’re looking for support with your copywriting strategy, whether you want to improve SEO on your website or enhance the quality of your blogs, consider partnering with UNBXD! We are lucky enough to have a skilled team who can help with each stage involved in copywriting, including PPC pros, marketing gurus and SEO specialists - which means not only will you have awesome copy, your target audience will see it, too!
