My industry has a habit of coming up with new names for things, so let me explain.
At a very simple level …
Digital writers (or digital copywriters) create copy that sells. Think landing pages, pay-per-click ads, product pages, sales emails, SMS ads.
Whereas content specialists create copy that tells. Stuff like podcasts, interviews, news articles, case studies, infographics, and social media posts.
And UX writers create hardly any copy, to effortlessly guide users through websites and apps (mostly). They obsess over menus, labels, error messages, chatbots. Even instructions for first-time users.
UX writers are like referees in football: do a good job and you hardly notice them. Do a bad job and the crowd will soon tell you.
Just to confuse you further, there’s often overlap between all three forms of writing.
Since 2000, I’ve morphed from advertising copywriter to B2B copywriter to digital writer, UX writer, web content publisher, and customer communications specialist.
In between business as usual, there have been campaigns fronted by the All Blacks, Novak Djokovic and Lisa Carrington, various pitch wins, and one lonely Best Award silver in a category that doesn’t really count (self promotion).
Now when I write, it’s less about cleverness and more about insight. Double entendres are out. Clarity is in.
But much of that advertising thinking – in terms of single-minded propositions, unique selling points, benefits not features, and grabbing attention – is still as relevant in the digital space today.
I’ve worked side by side with UX designers for more than six years on everything from websites to chatbots, and freelanced at digital shops like Saatchi DGS, Fracture, and Shift.
When you hire me you get a digital writer (/content specialist/UX writer) with tons of big brand experience. I know what works, and I know what I’m good at.
Financial services, retail, FMCG …
These are the categories I know best, but don’t let that stop you from calling me.
