The difficulty of writing copy for technical subjects

technical writerSo, when it comes to writing about a complex or technically difficult subject matter, a certain level of research is required to ensure that the content you provide is clear, concise, and factually correct.

The technical nature of complex copywriting projects means that it can be extremely challenging for even the most competent and experienced copywriters to construct content that is fit for purpose, especially if they lack the technical subject knowledge and background.

The good news is there are lots of tricks of the trade you can use in order to produce high quality content that is accurate, engaging, and powerful.

Here’s our guide to the techniques you can employ to create content that inspires action, no matter what the subject matter. After all, a good copywriter should be able to write about anything.

Start by gathering all the facts

Before you start any copywriting project, you should always begin by gathering as many facts and information about the subject you are going to be writing about. Collect and review all source material for the project and highlight any major features or benefits of the topic, service or product you are writing about.

Go back to basics

If you’re writing about a subject that is difficult to understand or complex, children’s books or school-books can be an invaluable source of information. They tend to cover a whole host of subjects and are written in a way that is much easier to understand than adult text.

A high tech dictionary will also prove invaluable if you’re a copywriter that writes a lot about complex subject matters.

Interview your client

Before you put pen to paper, make sure you understand your brief inside out! Clarify anything that you are uncertain about and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

It can really help to get the information you need by interviewing your client.

This will allow you to get a clear idea of the service or product that your client is offering, and extract all relevant information you need to complete the project you are working on to the highest possible standard.

Oh, and although the majority of copywriters are perfectionists, don’t be offended if your client asks you to make amendments to the first draft. This is often happens when copywriters are working on technical content.

We have recently worked alongside The National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre in order to design and develop their website from scratch and were responsible for overseeing the content creation for the website. This was one of the most challenging projects we have worked on due to the technical nature of the subject matter. The National Renal Complement Therapeutics Centre specialise in atypical haemolytic uraemic syndrome, eculizumab, C3 glomerulopathy and offer advice on the diagnosis and management of these rare conditions.

However, we have worked on a wide range of website content, for a variety of different sectors, so we were able to confidently adapt the style and tone of the content so that it was fit for purpose. You can check out our work here.