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How clever copywriting can make your business more original (and why that matters) 14 July 2023

Is your business original? Does it stand out for having its own unique stance – or fade into the background? Because being original is great for business. Pause for a moment and think of the brands you remember. I’m willing to bet you recall them because they’re distinctive and original. They stick in your mind because they have personality.

The business advantages of original

Original means a business with a cohesive and clearly defined identity, a brand with something of its own to say. It means:

• Your business is memorable, rather than easily confused with others
• Your business is recognisable, rather than at risk of being overlooked
• Your business has a strong identity and a well defined niche or specialism
• Your business has a voice of its own, rather than following the lead of other companies

Original strengthens your rapport with your audience. It’s the idea and the content that hits just right and endures – rather than setting out to be like any other company or brand. Your business has something new to offer and it’s communicating it in a truly interesting way. This story shares what can happen when you try something different with your copywriting voice.

The risks of sticking with the same old same old

While being original is clearly beneficial, it’s not as easy to achieve as it might seem…
The challenge is to keep looking at your business and your messaging from a fresh perspective. That way you can avoid relying on hackneyed, familiar ideas and keep your content and copywriting perspective fresh. As I know from the conversations I have with people in businesses of all types and sizes, changing how you look at your content can be challenging but very rewarding.

Go beyond the obvious

Being original involves every touch point you have with your target audience: your website, your blog articles, your social media content… the list goes on and on. There’s no point in being a distinctive business if your copywriting approach doesn’t reflect that. Adopting an effective copywriting approach can actively help to drive a more original business identity. A dedicated copywriter will work hard to understand what is special about your business and communicate it in a way that’s of value to your ideal audience. This often involves digging deep, striving to be original and not falling into the trap of relying on the usual ideas and messaging.

AI copywriting: a limited solution

I know a lot of people are excited about AI in business. And it certainly seems to offer some great benefits. But AI can never be truly original. Why? Because it doesn’t understand the content or messaging it’s being asked to create. It can only generate variations.

Being truly original is all about having new ideas. An original business – and original copywriting – entails creating something which genuinely hasn’t existed before. Okay, AI can produce content: content created by drawing from other sources. How can it develop messaging which is aligned exactly with your business and completely original? It can’t. Unlike a real-life copywriter.

So, what does this mean for your copywriting strategy?

That if you rely on AI, your content can never be truly original. Machine learning can do great things, but it cannot create truly fresh ideas. It can’t come up with content that’s completely and uniquely your own. Even now, the plagiarism lawsuits are starting in earnest, with more likely to follow in the future. Technology is a great tool but it’s not the answer to everything.

Original equals better business

If you’re always looking for new ways to achieve more in business, why wouldn’t you apply that to your content? Being and staying original in a crowded, information-overloaded world is a challenge. New problems require new solutions. The fresh ideas and approaches created through the copywriting process are critical to answering both this and other key business problems. And those ideas are ones that only humans have the creativity to produce. AI can provide some answers but not the best ones. It lacks the drive to find new approaches. Humans have that drive – and it’s this that leads to real creativity. Push for better in your content and you’ll accelerate how people view, value and buy into your business.

Copywriting to drive your originality: the takeaway

Being original in business enhances how people relate to your brand. Great copywriting can play a big role in supporting that. Beware of relying on AI-generated content as it’s not original, so it will never reflect your business at its best. Creating a strong relationship with a copywriter that you can trust is better for business and will pay more dividends in the long term.

Need content advice? Drop me a line!

Camilla Zajac, Green Light Copywriting, July 2023