Copywriting – the value of words in Islamic branding

Whilst we see with our eyes, we read with our hearts. Being recognised as a primarily Islamic brand has become increasingly important to many of our clients – an instant, effective identity that links their logo with key concepts of faith is part of what we provide to many of them. But there is a stage beyond simple identification that helps many brands create loyalty.

Brand loyalty and copywriting

Whilst having properly optimised text is vital to success in an online world, it’s only half the story. SEO text, as it’s commonly known (SEO stands for Search Engine Optimised) ‘sells’ your site to Google, which in turn offers your site a higher search engine ranking if it likes what your text has to say. That’s important.

But Google is used by human beings – individuals with standards and values, and beliefs – and your text, called copy in the trade, needs to meet their needs. Brand loyalty is built when the reader recognises that a brand has the same standards, values and beliefs as they do. People go back again and again to places they like and trust – that’s just as true online as it is in the physical world. We return to where we feel comfortable, safe and confident, and your copy should give people those feelings about your brand.

Copywriting and search engines

Google, along with other search engines, constantly changes its algorithms to provide individuals with better search results. Google is like a personal shopper. The individual puts in their search term, sits back, waits to see what the personal shopper brings them. If the goods are exactly what they want, the individual buys without having to scour the shops themselves. So what Google wants you to do is label your goods really clearly so that the personal shopper can find them swiftly and check that they match the customer’s needs. No good going back to the customer with dates if they wanted figs, even if they are both dried fruit!

This constant adjustment, called tweaking, means your online copy should be adjusted regularly to take account of the latest Google algorithm alterations.

That’s half the story – here’s the other half.

Ummah and articles of faith

We all want to convey who we are and what we believe in. For our Islamic clients this may mean clearly demonstrating their relationship to the articles of faith and the pillars of Islam, or it may mean demonstrating how their business or service fits into Ummah, and is a valued part of the community. Copywriting is not just persuasive words to them, it’s a key part of their identity and their contribution to the world.
Finding copywriters who can understand such requirements ands still write text that Google values isn’t always easy, which is why we have a small team of experienced and successful copywriters we can call on to help our clients demonstrate their faith, without losing their Google ranking.

We help them engage with the client, whether that requires face to face interviews, a telephone call or us obtaining a complete briefing and conveying it to them. They then create copy based on the values that are important to our clients, but also bearing in mind the target audience and – if it’s online text – Google. We work with them to ensure that their words and our brand imagery are completely harmonious, so that our clients end up with beautiful, powerful, meaningful brands.