What is tech copywriting?
Do you happen to be a bit of a tech geek?
If so, tech copywriting might be just up your street.
The great thing about this niche is that it’s not really limited to just one thing.
If you specialise in tech, you can write about:
Gaming
Ad-tech & mar-tech
Construction
Fintech
B2B tech
You might decide to specialise in one of these sub-categories or may choose to cover a broader range of topics in your writing - point is, it’s really up to you.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the tech categories:
Gaming
I had to start with the most ‘fun’ one!
Gaming writers literally write copy for games.
Yeah.
World of Warcraft. GTA. League of Legends - it’s not just designers behind these bad boys.
There are writers too.
The scope of game writing is pretty much limitless. There are so many different gaming genres - it’s really up to you what takes your fancy.
There are two main stages to game writing:
1. Conception
This is when the game is still being created. Your job as a game writer is to do as much research as possible during this phase. To understand where the game is being set, the historical period, and the kind of conversations people are going to have.
2. Production
Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to write up copy for the game - such as the characters’ dialogues or the backstory.
This is one copywriting niche where the ability to write stories and be creative really comes in handy (but in my personal opinion, creativity can be applied to any niche - even construction!)
For more info, check out this article - it’s a Q&A with a professional game writer. Lots of gems in there.
Ad-tech & mar-tech
Ad-tech is short for ‘advertising technology.’ It’s a broad term for all the different technologies and tools that brands use to help deliver ads to customers. Mar-tech is similar - it’s the technology used to help brands create ads and achieve their marketing goals.
One of my copywriting clients is an ad-tech specialist, so I have a lot of experience writing up copy for the advertising technology space.
I’ll admit, it was a bit of a learning curve at the start - but it paid off.
Being able to understand what’s going on in the world of online advertising is super important - especially as a customer. You want to know how your data is being used and what companies are doing with it (remember that Facebook privacy scandal?)
There are lots of different advertising technologies out there, but if you do happen to get into this space you’ll probably end up focusing a lot on targeted advertising and programmatic advertising.
Some popular topics in the ad-tech and mar-tech industry include:
Cookies (not the crumbly kind - the data kind. It’s basically a bunch of letters and numbers that are downloaded onto your laptop/mobile every time you visit a site. Cookies help brands and advertisers track your search history and your preferences, but by 2024 they’ll be swiped from the internet completely - thanks to Google. Why? Read this article to find out more.
Automation
Data (First-party, third-party, zero-party - all with different functions and purposes.
Walled gardens (again, not what you think it is. A walled garden is basically a closed environment where a brand keeps all its technology and user data to itself, instead of sharing it)
Construction
Construction tech copywriting is pretty self-explanatory. Anything that’s to do with construction - like bridges, railroads, or special equipment - all fall under this niche.
Like ad-tech and mar-tech, the world of construction copywriting can seem a little scary at first. There are lots of new words to learn - lots of words that are specific to the construction industry (also known as jargon).
Examples?
A large building company might come and ask you to write up a brochure on their latest construction project. Or a drilling company might ask you to write up their website copy or to do a few blogs for them.
Have a read of this article for a more in-depth look at construction copywriting.
Fintech
Fintech is a bit of a funny one because it can equally be classed as a ‘financial copywriting niche’ as well as a tech niche.
Put simply, fintech means financial technology.
It’s all the tech and tools used to improve and optimise traditional forms of finance for both businesses and direct customers.
Topics you might come across in fin-tech include:
Cryptocurrencies
Trading
Mobile banking
Wealth management
P2P platforms (basically any kind of financial platform that lets one person send money to another person - examples include PayPal and Venmo).
As a fintech writer, you may be asked to write copy directly for a product or service. This could be anything from writing up website copy for PayPal to creating social media captions for a wealth management platform.
B2B Tech
I have a bit of a soft spot for B2B tech.
My first ever copywriting gig was for a B2B tech company - this company to be exact!
B2B (business-to-business) is basically a fancy way of saying that one business sells to another business. So instead of selling to direct customers (people like you and I) a B2B business only sells its products/services to another company.
B2B on its own is very very broad. It could be something more tech-related like Slack or Skype, but it could also be a company like Amazon or even a haircare brand that only sells its products to salons.
So, very very diverse.
But right now we’re just going to focus on B2B tech and in B2B tech, the most popular type of copywriting focuses on software.
The majority of the time, B2B software is created to help other businesses perform a particular task or process more efficiently.
Slack is a good example - it’s a messaging app that helps businesses communicate more efficiently with their team members. RingCentral is also a good example - it enables businesses to video chat and message with team members (and clients) without leaving the app.
Is tech copywriting right for you?
Again, every one of these sub-niches is a little different.
Construction and B2B tech will be way different from game writing - so if you are interested in a tech role, try to pick a niche that aligns with your interests.
If you’re an avid gamer and love the idea of bringing stories to life, give game writing a try.
If you’re into finance or just happen to be really good with numbers, give fintech a go.
And if you’re honestly not sure?
Don’t sweat it.
There are so many copywriting niches out there - beauty, B2B, B2C, food, SEO - so you’re bound to find one that really resonates with you.
If you’re unsure about what niche you want to pick, get copywriting work with an agency that specialises in B2B and B2C. That way, you’ll be exposed to lots of different sub-niches like food, beauty, and tech - all at once.