As a copywriter, you’re never working in a vacuum. Your job involves collaborating with lots of people and departments regardless of whether you work in-house or remotely. But when someone says, “Go talk to traffic,” do you know what that means? Here we explain some job titles copywriters encounter so you’re prepared to collaborate with the best of them.
When in Doubt, Ask
Every industry has its own group of bizarre and specific job titles that you can’t possibly understand until you’re in the thick of it. Before we go on, though, I want to encourage you to ask questions—especially while you’re new. There’s nothing wrong with saying, “So, what does the traffic manager do? And who is that?” It’s better than guessing and guessing wrong!
People expect that you don’t know everything and that you’ll have questions, especially when you’re new. It’s much better to ask now than have to ask after six months of pretending that you knew what everyone was talking about.
These Are the People in Your Neighborhood
Traffic Manager (also sometimes called Project Manager). The traffic person, or trafficker, is the person who is responsible for keeping all projects on track. They flesh out the project schedule, let you know which projects to prioritize, and remind you when your due dates are coming up. The best traffic managers are detail-oriented and, believe it or not, are your best friends when they’re hounding you about work that’s due. They figure out what you need to work on and in what order so that you don’t have to. They can also be your best advocate for pushing back on clients and Brand Managers if you have a disagreement.
Product Manager (also sometimes referred to as a Project Manager). The Product Manager is responsible for coming up with and leading the charge for the development of products (digital or physical) for companies. For example, the Product Manager for a website may come up with a new search function for the site.
Brand Manager (sometimes referred to as a Marketing Manager or Brand Marketing Manager). This person is responsible for maintaining and promoting a company’s brand through its marketing materials. Why not just call them marketers? Who knows.
Developer (also called an Engineer or, more colloquially, a Coder). This is the person who writes the code that builds websites, apps, and other digital elements. They take the words you write and bring them to life online.
SEM Coordinator. SEM stands for “search engine marketing.” This team is in charge of making sure your company’s ads on search results pages get clicked on.
SEO Coordinator. SEO stands for “search engine optimization.” This team is responsible for making sure that your company’s webpages come up on high on the list of results after someone executes an online search.
Graphic Designer. This is your design partner. The yin to your yang. You’re in charge of the words, and the Graphic Designer is in charge of the images.
Art Director or Creative Director. This one is a little bit tricky. Sometimes an Art Director can refer to a Graphic Designer who has attained more experience and gotten a promotion. However, it can also refer to someone who directs the photographer and stylist on a photo shoot. How can you know the difference? Context clues, my friend. Creative Directors can also be copywriters who have been promoted and who know a bit about how to effectively direct Graphic Designers and ensure copy and design work together.
Traffic Acquisition (sometimes called TRAQ). This team is responsible for getting traffic (visitors) to a website. They use a variety of means to do it, including affiliate marketing and buying advertising space, and they’re often indispensable to an online company’s bottom line.
Business Development (sometimes called BizDev). These people are in charge of taking advantage of growth opportunities within a business. Sometimes their work will coincide with the sales team and they’ll develop partnerships with other companies.
Business Intelligence (sometimes shortened to BI). This team is the group who analyzes all the data (metrics) that are pertinent to a business. They’re the ones who look at things like visits to a website, sales, time spent on a site, and a million other pieces of data, then processes them, analyzes them, and reports on them.
Information Architect (sometimes shortened to IA). An Information Architect is the person who figures out how a website is structured, including which pages link to which other pages and which page-to-page paths users are likely to follow. If you’re helping to build a site from the ground up, it’s likely you’ll work with an IA.
And there you have it! Those are the most pertinent job definitions you’ll need to know as a copywriter working today.
Watch More: Who Works With You on Copywriting Projects
In this episode of the Build Your Copywriting Business podcast, Nicki and Kate break down roles copywriters collaborate with every day and the types of questions you may ask each role during the course of a copywriting project. Whether you are working full-time, part-time, or freelance, you’ll want to listen in so you know how to best work with everyone on your team!
Your Turn!
Did we miss any people who copywriters interact with? What other job titles in the copywriting field have you encountered? Let us know in the comments below!
Last Updated on October 30, 2024
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