Whether it's scrolling through a social media post or surfing websites, chances are a copywriter wrote the content. It is a popular misconception that copywriting is just about clever ads, when copywriters are the masterminds behind the words that influence our decisions and shape our online experiences every day, from website content and social media captions to email campaigns and product descriptions. Copywriting is growing, but what does it really entail?

What exactly does a copywriter do?

Copywriters are skilled wordsmiths who create persuasive text to attract an audience. This includes a wide range of tasks, from writing captivating headlines for newspapers to developing persuasive sales copy for online businesses. Copywriters' texts have specific intentions and directions. In majority cases, it is to inform their audiences in a way that entertains them or attracts them.

"In the simplest terms, as copywriters, we craft text to persuade, inform, or entertain," says Lamisa Ahsan, former Marketing Executive at a leading edtech platform, where her job description entailed copywriting. "This can range from crafting eye-catching headlines for newspaper articles to writing persuasive sales copy for online stores," she explains.

Copywriting is about understanding human psychology and using language to evoke emotions and drive action. Whether convincing someone to buy a product or sign up for a service, every word has a purpose.

Effective copywriting requires understanding human psychology, leveraging language to evoke emotions, and driving desired actions. "Copywriting is more than just writing," explains Aymanul Islam, Human Resource personnel at a leading financial institution.

Qualifications for a copywriting job

Azmain Haque, copywriter of a market-leading IoT company, shares, "Keen eye to detail is key for a good copywriter." He explains that socio-cultural understanding and the creative ability to use that to attract consumers is also useful. 

Aymanul adds, "We look for copywriters who can understand our brand voice and translate it into engaging content. We prioritise individuals who can write for different audiences and platforms, whether it's our social media platform or our website."

A good copywriter should have a unique blend of skills. This would include, but is not limited to, strong writing and editing skills, creativity, research skills, and original ideas. Of course, for a copywriter, adaptability is key. The copywriter needs to be able to adjust their writing style to suit different platforms and audiences.

According to Mir Shahrukh Islam, Managing Director of a locally based IoT company, "Copywriting will be heavily challenged by generative AI. However, creativity and originality will always have a special demand."

Copywriting can be seen as a form of creative writing with a purpose. It takes the tools and techniques of storytelling and applies them to a commercial context. Lamisa says in her experience, the importance of creativity and strategic thinking is paramount: "A good copywriter isn't just a wordsmith; they're a storyteller. They need to be able to craft narratives that resonate with the target audience and effectively communicate the brand's message."

Overlapping roles

In Bangladesh, the role of a copywriter can frequently overlap with other roles' job descriptions, as not all companies hire copywriters specifically at this point. Often, content marketing managers are responsible for developing and executing content strategies to achieve marketing goals, a role that often involves significant copywriting responsibilities.

Or, often social media managers are tasked to create and manage social media content, instead of the work of copywriting. In some companies, SEO specialists optimise website content to improve search engine rankings, and they are expected to copyright the website as well. 

Marketing teams' roles are often also overlapped with copywriting roles. Because copywriters are expected to write to attract and persuade, they ultimately do the work of the marketing team. 

Essentially, copywriting is the voice of marketing and therefore is not always distinctly addressed. Lamisa shares her experience of working as a copywriter in her role as a Marketing Executive, "Because copywriting was integral to the marketing of the company, it was a part of the job description for members of the marketing team to take care of this task." Aymanul adds, "HR teams need to make specific modifications to be able to hire copywriters, which is often a long and bureaucratic process," explaining why many companies still may not have specific copywriting roles. 

How common is this role in Bangladesh?

"The demand for copywriting jobs is increasing in Bangladesh rapidly, and copywriting-specific hiring will likely increase significantly," shares Lamisa. Azmain adds, "Our copywriting market is best understood in two-fold ways. For one, we have demand, because brands need copywriters. On the other hand, the salary for copywriters is often not sufficient for this to be pursued full-time in the majority of instances." Mir Sharukh further adds, "While hiring we always focus on inquisitive minds. We look for someone who is willing to try, fail, learn and repeat."

Copywriting is becoming more common in Bangladesh and will likely grow further. It is a competitive field that needs more skilled employees and at the same time, a higher compensation. Ultimately, successful copywriters will be those who can adapt to evolving trends, embrace lifelong learning, and consistently deliver impactful, human-centric content that cuts through the noise.

After all, a good copywriter is not someone who just traditionally writes the same content as everyone else, but someone who creatively tries new things and is willing to learn.