About CopywritingLearn More

Copywriting is both a skill and a field of work. Copywriters craft the messages featured in advertisements, email newsletters, social media posts, product descriptions, and other marketing materials. Copywriters learn to tailor their messages to an organization's target audience and use the brand's voice. Effective copywriting grabs the reader's attention and communicates the offer, why they want it, and how they can get it. Copywriting is essential because successful marketing prompts people to take action. A stand-out headline and a compelling call-to-action will bring in more sales than plainly written copy. This means each marketing dollar brings more results, and fewer are wasted. Copywriting is the art and science of sales and marketing writing.

If you love writing, copywriting may be for you. As a copywriter, you’ll spend plenty of time writing, so it’s crucial for you to love what you’re doing. Copywriting consists of organizing words in the best way to sell products, services, etc., or to create brand awareness. To be able to succeed in copywriting, you should also love reading, learning, and researching. Learning and researching will allow you to discover more about your target audience or industry and craft meaningful copy that speaks to them. Finally, if you know how to harness a range of emotions and create content to appeal to your audience, copywriting may be for you. Talented copywriters know how to connect with people and understand their issues to create copy that speaks to possible solutions.

People who love to write are well-suited for a career in copywriting. Empathetic people can shine in a career in copywriting. The best copywriters can truly understand their audience and their pain points and connect with their emotions to develop and write relatable content. People who love learning will thrive in this career. It’s impossible to know everything about everyone and every situation, so researching and learning about your audience is essential for a successful career in copywriting. Analyzing the research you’ll encounter is crucial; reading is one thing, but taking what you read and creating meaning to craft content is needed for copy that sells. Finally, people who are willing to improve their work is vital. You’ll receive plenty of feedback throughout your career on how to improve your writing; plus, testing is an essential part of the process, as it’ll help you understand the content that resonates with your audience.

Some employees and clients may hire people without a degree, others may prefer hires to have a degree in English, marketing, communications, or other relevant fields. However, some employees and clients may hire for experience over education. To get experience, many starting in copywriting may pick up freelance gigs (or internships if in school) to help them build a portfolio and get their foot in the door. Afterward, entry-level copywriters may move on to become junior copywriters. After producing quality work, a junior copywriter may be promoted to senior copywriter, which will allow them to take on more challenging work. If desired, senior copywriters can move on to management roles, such as copy or creative director, marketing director, or chief copy editor. Many copywriters decide on a career of freelancing.

A good writer with no experience can become a copywriter. The first step is to study the craft and start a work portfolio. Writers begin their portfolio either by working for free or for an online content agency that accepts new writers. As a new writer, you might not know what you want to specialize in, but you should let your experience guide you as you get started. If someone has a background as a nurse, they may want to choose medical writing as one focus. Hobbies, passions, and work experience will help launch a copywriter's career and make writing projects more manageable. Many copywriting jobs require expert knowledge or research. Extensive research can slow down the writing process, so some prior experience in an area improves the writer's efficiency and results. New writers can also take advantage of online courses to hone their writing technique.

Copywriting requires a strong command of the target language. Copywriters write concise messages that need to grab people's attention and propel them to action, so a love of language is a plus. An effective copywriter knows their subject and can explain it so that others understand. It requires research skills, willingness to learn, and industry expertise. A copywriter can start working without specific industry expertise, but most companies want to see a relevant work portfolio when they hire. Focusing on a specialty can make getting clients and jobs easier. Copywriters also need to be able to put themselves in the reader's shoes and imagine their perspective. Strong time management is also vital since meeting deadlines keeps clients happy.

Copywriters are in high demand at almost every level of skill. Skilled copywriters have always been valuable to businesses and organizations. They build brand awareness, simplify complex ideas, and create an emotional appeal that drives people to action. As the world gets more digital, the demand for content and copywriters continues to grow. Small to enterprise-level businesses need website copy, blog posts, landing pages, online ads, social posts, and more. An experienced copywriter will command higher rates than a new one working on building a work portfolio, but the demand is high at every level. Some writing platforms cater to new writers, providing low-cost services to clients as new writers gain experience.

Organizations and businesses need many types of marketing and sales copy. They differ based on format, audience, purpose, style, and tone. For example, a company may need copy for physical advertising spaces like billboards or fundraising events. Print advertising in newspapers and magazines, direct mail, annual reports, and flyers also need professional copy. Copywriters compose radio, television ads, and YouTube explainer video scripts. Stores need copy for product descriptions and promotions. Online, there is a long list of places to spread your message. Online copy includes blogs, web pages, social media, white papers, technical writing, company bios, and promotional emails. Professional copy is used everywhere businesses sell or market their products or services.