Do you have copywriting skills that can turn any business into a sales machine? Becoming a freelance copywriter might be worth it if you know how to write copy that converts cold leads into buyers.
This article will take you through a list of questions and topics that ultimately prepare you to be a qualified copywriter.
From understanding the basics of copywriting and brushing up on industry standards to exploring writing niches and learning about the job market and current technology trends, this guide covers everything you need to know to become a copywriter.
We partner with awesome companies that offer products that help our readers achieve their goals! If you purchase through our partner links, we get paid for the referral at no additional cost to you! For more information, visit my disclosure page.
My name is Eddy and has a skilled copywriter myself, and I believe anyone can start a copywriting business from scratch. This skill can work in any online or offline business, including:
- SEO copywriting
- Content writing
- Webinars
- Email copywriting
- Sales Pages
- Landing copy
And much more that I'll go over in this blog post that will teach you how to become a copywriter.
What is a Copywriter?
Copywriting is crafting persuasive words that influence prospects to take action. It's a professional writing job aiming to promote brands, products, and services, gain exposure for businesses, and increase sales.
Unlike other forms of writing, which are used to entertain or teach, copywriting is all about informing and persuading an audience to do something.
Freelance copywriters create their portfolios by taking courses or learning independently, becoming their own boss! Professional writers need strong writing skills and an understanding of marketing to craft compelling content for campaigns, landing pages, and materials.
Becoming a Six-figure copywriter will help you secure a job or career for a lifetime due to the skillset required and the high level of demand.
To join them, you must learn the necessary skills, build your portfolio and choose a niche; get familiar with your industry, decide how to market yourself; develop the right mindset...and master time management!
In short, if you want to become a successful copywriter, it takes more than just good writing - but putting in the effort can be gratifying.
The Types of Copywriting
Copywriting is a form of creative writing crafted to create persuasive and captivating content for marketing. Most copywriters are responsible for creating engaging material that follows the style and legal guidelines and is optimized for search engine visibility.
They work with agencies or in-house teams to produce ads, brochures, website content, emails, press releases, and product descriptions.
A copywriting career offers many types used in different industries, such as:
- Technical copywriting: This involves software or other tech topics.
- Direct response copywriting: This encourages readers to take action.
- Content copywriting: This requires research into the target audience’s needs.
Digital copywriters must understand human psychology and write resonating words that appeal to their audience. You may also be tasked with crafting social media posts, sales letters, and other marketing materials, which includes learning the appropriate copywriting framework.
Professional copywriters have extensive writing experience plus an understanding of their client's industry, so they can provide valuable content that meets the client's requirements.
Writing copy takes a lot of work and learning copywriting skills, like research and storytelling. It’s essential to understand the target audience and to be able to craft words in a way that resonates with them.
How Much Do Copywriters Make?
Providing freelancing copywriting services is a golden opportunity for any freelance writer who wants to make money online. You can make a great living as a copywriter with the right skills and a savvy marketing strategy.
The market for a professional copywriter is in high demand. Some even earn six figures annually.
According to salary.com, the average yearly salary of full-time copywriters stands at $51,691; however, salaries range from $38,500 to an impressive $114,000 per year. Unfortunately, job outlooks are stagnant overall in this field, so it's essential to have an impressive portfolio when seeking clients.
According to payscale data, freelance copywriting offers lucrative opportunities, with median hourly rates at 34 bucks and 16 cents. In-house or online copywriting gigs usually take home around $60K annually, while hiring a six-figure writer could cost up to 25 grand annually.
Those specializing in video scripts may find the market more competitive since few writers specialize in this area.
But again, all copywriter's salaries will differ depending on their experience and portfolio.
Pay rates for freelance copywriters depend on their skill level and success rate with marketing efforts, industry specialization, and quality of materials produced. So that's why it's essential to improve your copywriting skills and update your portfolio.
Key Takeaway:
You should learn copywriting and either start your own marketing agency or work with a company to gain writing experience. Ensure you have the right skill set and mindset before diving into this rewarding profession.
How To Become A Copywriter In A Few Easy Steps
Now I'll show you how to grow your copywriting portfolio and get your first few clients as a copywriter. From online writing to honing your storytelling skills, the steps below will help you start on the right foot.
Step 1: Learn the Basics of Copywriting
Starting your own copywriting business begins with learning. You'll want to learn sales, marketing, and advertising fundamentals to improve your copywriter skills. You can also take copywriting courses from your favorite marketer or watch Youtube videos that discuss the step-by-step process.
You must have strong writing abilities, strategic thinking capabilities, good communication skills, and an eye for detail. Plus, you should know your target audience inside out and their wants and needs will shape your words and suggestions.
Crafting excellent copy starts with research: gathering facts and creating an outline are critical steps in this journey.
Check grammar and punctuation errors, repetition, or redundancy. All these little details can make or break a piece of content. Finally, double-check typos and fact-check everything once before optimizing it for your target audience's eyes only! But don’t get too carried away; editing is as essential as flowing those creative juices.
If you want to become a professional copywriter, there are several things you can do: gain experience by interning at local businesses or small publications; listen to podcasts like Kevin Rogers'; use templates & case studies available online; learn about content marketing principles; focus on each writing separately (ie: persuasive essay).
In short, if you want to be a copywriter on a waitlist, hone your craft through research & practice. Continue learning to write sales copy that converts and even have your own website with your previous work.
Step 2: Get the Right Mindset
To become a copywriter, you need more than just technical skills. To reach your goals and get copywriting clients, you want to hone your writing skills, build a portfolio, network with others in your specific niche, and set up a project management system. You should also stay up to date on industry trends.
A passion for creating meaningful work drives successful copywriting students; they possess a foundational interest in writing or marketing and are ambitious to take action and succeed in this highly competitive field. They think critically and strategically to craft persuasive copy that meets the target audience's needs.
Having an accountability partner can be beneficial, too: committing your goal to someone else increases your chance of completing it from 65% up to 95%. A mentor can offer advice and provide feedback on progress as well.
Hard work, dedication, and the right mindset are key ingredients for thriving in this rewarding career as a copywriter.
Step 3: Choose a Niche
Choosing the right niche industry is essential for anyone wanting to start a copywriting career. Specializing in a particular field can help you become an expert, enabling you to command higher rates and land more projects.
It also allows you to focus your energy on one particular area of copywriting, which can help increase your productivity.
When choosing a niche, it is essential to consider your interests and skills, as well as the needs of potential clients. Speak to the needs of your ideal client within your niche. Take the time to envision what the average customer “looks like.”
Consider their age, spending habits, and literary expressions. Additionally, choose a copywriting topic that relates to your niche and tailor your portfolio and samples to your copywriting niche.
Regarding topics, you should focus on writing about your chosen industry or niche. This can include sales letters, landing page copy, direct response copywriting, and more. You could even delve into copywriting books related to your industry and niche.
- Research the market and find specific industries you want to pursue. These could include renewable energy, baby products, SAAS technology, health and nutrition, travel, or real estate.
- Identify the industry best suits your skillset and resources for long-term success. Consider the unique skills and benefits you can offer companies in your niche. Once you have identified your target market, you can start marketing yourself to prospective clients.
Choosing a niche can be daunting, but it’s essential to becoming a successful copywriter. Find an industry that you’re passionate about and knowledgeable in, and do your research to ensure that your chosen niche will bring you more clients.
With the right place and skills, you can become a successful copywriter and start building your copywriting portfolio.
Step 4: Get to Know Your Industry and Offer What They Want
As a copywriter, you must know your industry and the people you write for. This understanding helps create content that speaks to readers and encourages them to take action.
Additionally, understanding how humans think is critical in crafting copy that resonates with readers and motivates them to take action. To prepare a persuasive copy, research the target audience and their pain points, then use compelling hooks to capture their attention.
Many copywriters must stay ahead of the learning curve by enrolling in formal education or putting their work into practice. This will help you create a more efficient writing process without buying a copywriting course.
You can start with freelance copywriting or content writing jobs to gain the necessary experience and eventually carve out a space for yourself as an expert in your domain.
Learning how to become a copywriter requires understanding the industry and target audience and obtaining adequate skills through practice and experience. By doing so, you'll be able to write persuasive content that entices readers into taking action, paving the way toward a thriving career in copywriting.
Step 5: Find Your Tribe
Is networking and connecting with other copywriters essential for success as a copywriter? Absolutely! Working with different clients not only gives you experience but also provides valuable feedback to help you hone your craft. Plus, it can help you find mentors and receive advice to advance in the industry.
So how do you reach out and connect with other copywriters? Subscribing to industry newsletters, critiquing each other's work, and setting up an accountability partnership or group are great ways to stay informed and improve your skills.
You can even use social media platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn to build relationships with professionals in the field.
Regarding job titles available for copywriters, there's a wide range of options. Consider roles such as Conversion Rate Specialist or Social Media Expert freelance writing gigs. Plus, I always notice that companies or brands are hiring for freelance copywriters on social media.
Networking is key to kickstarting your career as a copywriter. By connecting with others in the industry, you can learn from their successes (and failures!) while finding dream clients for yourself too. The connections made here are invaluable, so don't miss this opportunity.
Step 6: Determine How You're Going to Market Yourself
When finding copywriting gigs, have you ever wondered what platforms are available for freelancers? To stand out from the competition, copywriters must offer potential clients persuasive writing skills, knowledge of search engine optimization, and direct response copywriting. But how can leads and prospects be found?
Networking with others on social media is a great way to start. Cold-pitching potential clients is also an option. Advertising your business on social media, job boards, or websites can help too!
When marketing yourself as a copywriter, several tactics come in handy such as the following:
- Word-of-mouth marketing
- Engaging with potential clients online by providing helpful information
- Publishing guest posts on high-profile websites
- Using LinkedIn for outreach.
- Grow your Twitter following
- Build a personal brand or website
With the proper skill set, mindset, and strategy, you can become a successful freelance copywriter and make money online.
Step 7: Master Your Time
Time management is necessary for any freelancer who wants to succeed, and copywriters are no exception. As a freelance copywriter, you need to be able to juggle multiple clients, deadlines, and tasks like an expert juggler.
To succeed in copywriting, you must master the art of organizing your time and making it work for you. For employed copywriters, 25% of their day is spent writing or rewriting content, while the other 75% is dedicated to researching trends in the industry, networking with potential clients, and marketing themselves.
To stay ahead of ever-changing trends in this field, they must continuously improve their skills by reading books on the subject matter or taking courses from mentors.
Time management and research skills are essential, as well as a basic understanding of marketing concepts. You should also be able to develop ideas and turn marketing campaigns into revenue quickly.
So if you want to become a copywriter, you never have to worry about living paycheck to paycheck. You'll want to stay ahead of the curve to increase your chances of success.
Step 8: Use AI Copywriting Tools
One of my biggest copywriting tips is to leverage AI copywriting tools for your business. AI copywriting is more advanced than traditional copywriting and can provide more efficient ways of creating content that resonates with audiences.
AI tools can help you write faster by providing auto-complete suggestions for words and phrases and optimizing your copy for SEO purposes.
I highly recommend Jasper AI, which skyrockets my copywriting skills because every output made me learn something new. Gaining writing experience and creating online content is now easy because of AI copywriting.
Even beginner copywriter can leverage AI tools and start their copywriting career.
Becoming A Freelance Copywriter
Freelance copywriting is another way to make money online. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced writer, there are many opportunities that you can use to increase your income.
I'd highly recommend working with a blogging business who needs to create higher quality content and search engine optimization (SEO) content.
You can also offer your services on freelance websites or create your own website to promote yourself and your copywriting skills. If you have the right skills, you can make a lot of money in this field.
So if you ever wanted to work remotely or part-time doing freelance copywriting, then I recommend giving it a try. You never know what opportunities or companies might be interested in working with you.
Summary
Copywriting can be a rewarding and lucrative career but also a demanding digital marketing skill. It requires extensive research, planning, and a deep understanding of a specific industry.
To become a copywriter in 2023, it's essential to understand the basics of copywriting, have the right mindset, choose a niche where you will excel, offer what prospective clients want, build a network, and market yourself.
Additionally, mastering your time is essential to progress as quickly as possible. By enacting these seven steps, copywriters can increase their chances of success and become invaluable assets for businesses and organizations.
Although these steps may seem daunting initially, with dedication and hard work, anyone can become aspiring copywriters and get their first copywriting client online.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I start copywriting?
Start your copywriting journey by studying the fundamentals and honing in on a specialty. Once you have a good foundation, writing some copy for yourself or friends can help you get your first gigs and build your reputation for referrals.
A great place to start is by writing blog content for search engines and seeing how you can effectively communicate a message. This will help you develop skills for a potential career shift into copywriting.
With the right effort and passion, you'll be successful as a copywriter.
Do copywriters make good money?
Successful copywriters are making money and have multiple streams of income. This can offer DFY services, templates, consulting, and other online services. With hard work and dedication, this is a great way to make a full-time income from copywriting.
Can I be a copywriter with no experience?
It's possible to be a copywriter without any experience. While some may believe that experience is necessary for the job, many successful industry professionals don't have a formal degree of education or prior work experience.
That said, developing your content writing skills through practice and networking is essential to succeed as a copywriter.
What exactly does a copywriter do?
A copywriter is a creative professional who crafts compelling copy for digital and print media. They research products, services, customers, and competitors to create unique and informative content, drive traffic to online destinations, and capture customer attention.
You can also leverage your copywriting skills towards becoming a content writer. This is how I started and by writing online, I've grown a blogging business to six figures per month.
Content writing is all about creating content that readers will find interesting, informative and helpful. This can involve researching topics, crafting content, collaborating with designers or editors, and optimizing the content for SEO purposes.
Copywriters write content that makes a cold lead into a warm one. They develop content that engages readers and builds relationships between brands and customers. Copywriters can create blog posts, sales letters, press releases, website copy, scripts for advertisements and commercials, email newsletters, and more.