Being a Kiwi copywriter has its unique challenges. While freelancing does open up a global market—there’s nothing stopping a New Zealand writer from producing copy for clients in the Americas, Europe, Africa or elsewhere—much of the work I do does tend to be local. Business owners and agencies like to hire local writers, for many reasons.
So, what is there to keep in mind when writing for Kiwi audiences? These are the small things which have stuck out to me as a copywriter in New Zealand:
The tone is often a little more casual
Kiwis are very good at bringing a little lightheartedness to everything, and this can be reflected in the copy they want for their websites and blogs. While some clients want a very professional and formal voice for their copy, which I am happy to do, many prefer to have some fun with the words that represent and explain their business mission.
It’s one of the perks of living and working in our fair nation—casual often wins out over stuffy, and a little humour is almost always welcome. People don’t tend to take themselves too seriously. Being a little bit cheeky captures readers’ interest, it makes a brand approachable, and it’s just a lot more fun for everyone. So chur, Kiwi business owners, for embracing a more casual and captivating voice in your copy.
Picture taken during a very casual dinner of fish and chips by Raglan Harbour.
There’s the spelling to think about
While it shouldn’t be an issue for a copywriter in New Zealand to use accepted NZ spelling, and it generally isn’t, Americanisms can creep in surprisingly easily. This applies especially to writers like myself who work for overseas clients as well as Kiwi ones. Always check that your “s” doesn’t become a “z” in words like “organise”, and that your “humour” and “neighbour” retain their “u”.
We are saturated in American influences, which include not only spelling but also word choices. Think babies wearing diapers rather than nappies, and storing things in the trunk of a car rather than the boot. If you switch between codes often in your writing, I highly recommend running it through an editing software like Grammarly or even a basic Google Docs add-on, set to the preferred form of English.
Of course, many New Zealand copywriters like to put Kiwi slang to good use in their writing, too. There’s a time and a place for it, but it can lend a very friendly tone to a web page. I try to use te reo phrases where appropriate too—it makes for richer text and a strong cultural context, and advances the goal of bringing this beautiful language back to life.
Kiwis are eminently practical
The no-fuss, no-frills approach to business that many New Zealanders take is good in some aspects, but it often leaves marketing attempts a little lacking. I have found that some NZ copywriting clients want only the very basic copy for their website—a bit of “about us”, maybe some product descriptions, perhaps a few FAQs. It’s serviceable, and I can make it sound good, but writing can do so much more than just provide the basic facts for customers, clients and partners.
A blog and other longform content is not excessive or showy, and it’s not just something cute to post on social media, either. Text on your site serves a purpose beyond just providing the essential information.
Blogs, articles, and longform content are hugely helpful to SEO, which should be a big concern for ecommerce businesses and anyone wanting more eyes on their website. They can boost your site up search rankings, getting it in front of many more sets of eyes. With the right keywords and a bit of content strategy, text is a tool that gets great results.
In this age where trust and relationship is of huge importance in the brand-consumer relationship, blog content can also establish you as a thought leader and expert in your field. In conjunction with judicious use of marketing channels like social media and emails, it will help you build a reputation and a sense of community amongst your customers and potential customers.
All in all, I love our fair nation, God’s Own, Aotearoa—and being a copywriter and editor in New Zealand is quite a treat, if only for the fact that the flexibility of my work makes it possible to enjoy the country even more. The unique quirks and commonalities of writing projects for Kiwi businesses, mixed with a fair whack of overseas clients, makes for a job that’s never boring!