I’m a Writer, but What Is Copywriting?
See if this lucrative writing profession is for you…
After countless short stories, a published novel and college papers I tried way too hard on, I’ve been a writer all my life.
It wasn’t until my mid-20s when I learned about copywriting, and I’m so glad I did (and so was my bank account).
In this article, I’ll give you the basics about what copywriting is. And if you’re already someone who enjoys writing, this basic information can help you determine if it’s the right career path for you.
What Is Copywriting?
Basically, copywriting is marketing writing. Whenever and wherever you want someone to buy, subscribe, learn more or take action, it’s a copywriting platform.
Now, before you shy away and think, “Hell no! I don’t want to write scammy ads and sell, sell, sell.” That’s not what copywriting is.
Yes, there’s bad marketing out there, but there are other forms of copywriting that bring so much more value.
Copywriting is all about making a connection between the right customer and the right product or service. And you don’t have to be selling something either. Copywriting is used to help brands educate their audience, build loyalty and inspire action.
Copywriting is used to help you decide which brands align with your values so that you feel great about purchasing from them. Copywriting is used to make sure a new business finds the right software to help them grow. Copywriting is used to gain donations for a local pet shelter.
So, as you can see, today’s copywriting is not scammy sell, sell, sell.
From the writer’s standpoint, the beauty of copywriting is that you’re only responsible for the writing. No design. No uploading to a website. All you have to do is work on a Word document (or equivalent) and submit your writing to the client. Awesome, right?
Looking for copywriting courses? Read my review about the best copywriting courses depending on where you’re at in your career.
Note: AWS does not provide a copywriting course, so this link will take you to my personal copywriting portfolio where I’ve ranked the best copywriting courses over the last several years.
What Are Examples of Copywriting?
If you get into copywriting, there are so many projects you can work on! Copywriter jobs can be found in print marketing, digital, video and more. More specifically, here are some things copywriters may be tasked to do.
Digital Copywriting Projects
Digital marketing is growing and expanding by the day. That means the work will never stop for digital copywriters.
From high-ticket website rewrites to conversion-driven sales pages, copywriters can make exceptionally good money on digital copywriting alone. Here are some more digital copywriting projects you could be hired to do:
Email marketing campaigns: Clients may want to sell their products or bring value to those on their email list. These projects are great for generating conversion stats, which can help you land better clients in the future. Just imagine if your email generated $1M in sales for your client!
Social media ads: Create ads that get clicks! With the right audience targeting and awesome copy, your client can gain lots of traction online. Plus, you can even write the entire funnel for your clients.Google ads: You probably see these ads all the time. The goal is to connect with the right audience and draw them to your client’s products or services. Imagine overcoming the challenge and writing a successful campaign!
Banners and display ads: Stunning display ads are not only effective, they get written about in marketing books. Even though they are short ads, they can be so powerful and compelling.
Marketing webinar scripts: When a client wants to sell something, like a course, a copywriter can be tasked to develop the webinar script and slide in a subtle sales pitch. If you make the sales pitch a no-brainer for the customer, that equates to conversions!
Product descriptions: Super fun to write, these short descriptions are used on ecommerce websites to help customers decide if the product is right for them. Whether it’s an essential buy or a “treat yoself” purchase, copy inspires sales.
TV ads: Commercials on TV use copywriters for the messaging. Imagine seeing an ad on TV that you wrote! What an awesome legacy to leave behind as a writer.
Radio ads: Just like TV, your copy could famously appear on the radio! That’s where the message really counts. It’s a copywriter’s job to make the message punchy so listeners take action after they hear it.
Print Copywriting Projects
If you thought print marketing was dead and gone, think again. Companies still invest millions into print advertising, all of which needs a great copywriter to get the conversions they’re looking for. Some examples of copywriting projects for print:
Glossy magazine ads: Imagine creating memorable copy that appears in Covergirl or Sports Illustrated. These copywriting projects use romance and grandeur to stick in the minds of the reader.
Direct mail: Think envelopes, postcards and more. A copywriter would love seeing their writing in tangible print. Try not to make it junk mail though!
Mailed sales letters: Take the recipient through a story, and build an emotional connection with them. These are often used for non-profits to pull on heart strings for donations.
Billboards: Imagine driving on the expressway, and you see a billboard that you wrote. Stunning! Billboard ads can be so distinct and memorable. Marketing books love highlighting awesome billboards!
Miscellaneous Copywriting Projects
Some other examples of copywriting projects deal with branding, where you help companies formulate how they present themselves to the world, what they stand for and how to help them stand out in their industry. Here are other examples of copywriting projects that you may come across:
Brand guides: Pretty big projects that work with the company heads to nail down who they are as a brand. These guides direct all marketing efforts in the future.
Microcopy: Think chat boxes, text advertising and in-app marketing. This is a growing realm that copywriters are getting into. It’s often in these 1-on-1 chats where conversions can happen!
Press releases: Businesses always want to share their dealings with the world, and it’s the copywriter’s job to make them sound like something worthwhile.
Who Do Copywriters Work for?
Copywriting is a B2B (business-to-business) service. So, they write for organizations, brands and entrepreneurs. These organizations can be for-profit or non-profit.
However, to put it in perspective, every business (big or small) can benefit from the work of a professional copywriter. Even though anyone can write, skilled copywriters write in a way that sells (or converts).
Luckily, copywriters are so essential to marketing that they’re in high demand. You can work as a freelance copywriter, on-staff or via a contract.
Is Copywriting Lucrative?
Shamelessly so. It’s one of the most lucrative and stable writing professions I’ve seen. The need for a great copywriter is essential, the pay can be amazing and every business can use one. What other writing professions can say the same?
In my experience, I’ve been a creative writer, academic writer and health authority writer. I either saw no success or very little, and it was crushing!
However, once I got into copywriting, my annual income skyrocketed into 6-figs within 2 years. Job stability is not a concern for me anymore since I know I can pitch any company with a great idea. Or, jobs simply come to me!
Now, that’s not to say copywriting is easy. You have to put in the work, learn the skills, earn your street cred and build your business. But it totally beats sending your fiction story to publishing companies and making pennies per copy sold!
Find Out if Copywriting Is Right for You
When you’re just starting to learn what copywriting is all about, you may have tons of questions and hesitations. While AWS does not offer a copywriting course, we do have recommendations about the best courses that already exist.
Check out this review of my favorite copywriting course. This link will take you to my personal copywriting portfolio site.
Otherwise, feel free to poke around this website to learn more about copywriting and establishing yourself as an ambitious, professional writer. The Ambitious Writer Society offers information, education and tools for any ambitious writer who wants to make a wonderful life for themselves.
