When should you accept feedback and when should you push back in copywriting?

Don't take every feedback. It is not for you. Check the credibility and authority of the source before accepting a feedback. Because feedback shapes your actions. Don't rely on week feedback.

I always view feedback as the focus group. Feedback is an opportunity to better understand the client's goals and the audience's perception. Use it to your advantage and take it as a learning lesson, regardless of source. Remember: Your goals are the client's goals. Don't make the mistake of thinking that copywriting is a way to express yourself. You won't last if you do.

Feedback doesn't matter in itself. It's your reaction to the feedback that matters. Every feedback is a learning opportunity. You can learn something from it or "push back"... Your choice.

One thing I found helpful is to look at feedback as a positive thing, no matter what it is. It is still someone taking time to evaluate something you wrote. That does not mean you have to follow the feedback, or change anything. But listen, and just take it into consideration. This is not about you, it is about the product.

All feedback should be accepted, but not necessarily actioned. Sometimes feedback can help reinforce a decision you have already made, even when it’s against your decision. As copywriters, the feedback can also spark new ideas, and allow content to be extended. If what can change a single article into an entire series.

More often than not, the reasoning I receive from a client regarding their feedback is that they didn't like it - or feel good about it. In the copywriting space, as a service provider, a big part of my job is to empower my clients to think effectively. And reason logically. Personally, unless they can convince me with proof regarding certain changes - I don't budge! I don't write copy without going through my processes and research - that means I almost always have reasons ready to back up my copy! :)

It's always important to remember that you as a copywriter are brought into a project for your industry expertise. The client will almost always know more about the subject matter, but they are also counting on their copywriter to push back in the name of creating the most effective piece of content possible. It is up to you to ensure that the content ultimately aligns with the audience and distribution goals.

The purpose of the feedback is so important. One of the authorities on writing said: "You must not make the reader work." Edits should benefit the reader. I've worked in higher education for about six years now, and higher education loves acronyms. However, "alphabet soup" doesn't serve the reader and should be avoided whenever possible.

When receiving copywriting feedback, one sometimes has to clarify its accuracy. Is the other person making the correct assumptions when giving that feedback? And would you be making the correct assumptions if you pushed back? Be sure.

I would add that, if you feel that the feedback distracts from the goal, you need to be able to explain why. It helps if you: * Have done extensive client-focused research in the industry * Have taken the time to understand the client's brand & focus * Have a good understanding of the marketing process & how this specific piece of copy supports it Also, the purpose should always be clarified in the beginning, before you start writing.

All feedback is good feedback even if it’s bad. Let me explain. You’re meant to be the expert if you’re hired to write something. So you should be able to spot when feedback is helpful or unhelpful. If it’s helpful, you’ve got a goldmine of new source to learn from. If it’s unhelpful, you can practice your reasoning skills as you push back. The process of explaining why your choices work helps you clarify your position. Which makes you a better thinker (therefore a better writer). No matter what, always be respectful. Feedback is the fastest way to learn and grow. If you shy away from it you’ll stay stuck.

All copywriting feedback is subjective. The only way to know for sure what will work best is to test it with a live audience. If you find yourself in a situation where a lot of feedback is being administered as objective truth, try to find a new job or client that better understands marketing. You'll learn a lot more working with veterans who understand everything is a hypothesis and how to systematically experiment in the direction of higher returns. If you find yourself feeling like you are objectively right about your copy, take a step back and realize that's just narcissism.

There is a genius sentence by Arthur Schopenhauer that says: "Talent hits a target no one else can hit; Genius hits a target no one else can see." It is clear that the message needs to be clear in order to achieve the goal - this is the ABC of a copywriting course. But what is not taught in courses, only learned through life, is how to "hunt" the goal before it's even identified as a goal. Professor Dan Ariely writes about this in his brilliant book "Predictably Irrational." In general, an effective advertising message touches the subconscious even before the conscious mind has time to rationalize.

If the feedback is as clear as a bell, actionable like a to-do list, and as respectful as a well-mannered dinner guest, then you've struck gold! But if it's as murky as swamp water and as constructive as a wrecking ball, don't be shy—ask for clarification or justification. After all, your copy deserves nothing but the best!

This article reflects a bigger issue in society: that people are increasingly unable to handle criticism, no matter how constructive it is. If I care about someone, you can bet your arse that I will let them know if I see them slipping. That, of course, goes both ways--I demand that my friends and co-workers do the same for me. We're on this planet to learn and grow, aren't we? Of course we are. Neurobiology tells us that people actually learn from negative feedback more quickly than they do from positive reinforcement. Interesting, isn't it? The moral of the story is this: feedback is your friend. Embrace it as a tool in your toolkit and an opportunity to raise your level. You got this.

When I receive negative feedback, I first double-check what I wrote to see if I was indeed mistaken. If I made an error, I apologize, thank the person for their feedback, and make corrections. If I find no mistake, I usually don't respond. If the feedback seems angry, confused, or rooted in anger, I try to understand the underlying pain behind it. When I grasp where it's coming from, I address it and provide explanations. However, these cases are rare, as I believe good copy speaks directly to the customer, requiring little explanation.

When you get feedback, acknowledge it promptly first. If you start communicating your point of view right away, it might seem like you are getting defensive right off the bat. A better approach is to iterate the feedback and state your understanding of how it fits the goal of the content piece. Getting this confirmation is crucial because many times, such assumptions are the only reason for miscommunications. If you don't completely agree with the feedback, then state your perspective and offer your viewpoints and ask for suggestions on how it can be improved further.

Writing for a client isn't just about the *writing*. Just as important is explaining your thinking and process. Without it, the client is only seeing half the picture. They're seeing the finished product, but not the steps you took to get there: - The initial brainstorms - The discarded drafts - The small revisions You should also consider data, and what's worked in the past. If you have evidence to suggest that your ideas will work based on previous campaigns - in other words, logical rather than emotional reasons you stand by your copy - then it's important the recipient understands this.

In my humble opinion, if you have done your homework well, crafted a solid rationale with a sound strategy, you can argue for your creative. However, it may have issues and a kind gesture from a more senior creative than you would be a gift. But if the feedback came from someone who isn't working in the creative industry, you should stick to your opinion as he/she/them know nothing about the creative process and how much time and resources invested in it.

Knowing when to pushback against creative feedback depends very much on whether the source understands what you're trying to do or not. Many times, in the early stages, they might not understand (because you haven't explained or refined it enough yourself). In that case, you can consider trying to get through to them again.

Anything that's logical is a must go, Imagine, if you're writing for different social media platforms such as Instagram and LinkedIn, both needs different style. So, if clients need a tonality change after the submission it's agreeable. Similarly for the same go, if the clients says the language isn't precise, headers needs to be changed. Push back without a second thought. Unreasonable feedbacks are from clients who aren't sure what they exactly need. You revise content for 100th time, you can't satisfy them.

What immediately jumps to my mind is SEO. Without proper SEO optimization, your webpages are not going to rank organically - it's that easy. If you have people pushing for you to change copy or structure in a way which would be detrimental to SEO, you should push back with explanations.

Let go of your ego. If the input makes sense, then listen and learn. You'll be a more accomplished, more professional, more successful copywriter.

Check if your personal biases or insecurities are keeping you from taking feedback. As writers, we are often too close to the finished product, and anybody else pointing out fault lines can be triggering. It's something I had to learn as a writer, too; to be able to accept that a comment on my work was not necessarily a comment on my ability to do that work well.

For me, the main question is always the same - did I doubt in my text in the first place? And then react for the feedback accordingly.