11 Tips To Becoming A Great Copywriter

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These days, there is a constant demand for quality content and compelling copywriting, first to attract visitors, and then to convert them into leads. In the online business world, you will soon find that "Copywriting is King." It is not easy work, and you may soon find yourself asking, "why did I choose this job?" (Seriously, we’ve all done that at one point in our copywriting lives.) You are required to have a knack for writing high-quality content and should be able to work at a fast pace to become successful.

Derryck Strachan has provided the following tips that should will help you become an expert copywriter:

Know Your Area of Work

The last decade has seen a remarkable growth of online content, thus creating an unparalleled demand for new copywriters. This tendency is mainly due to Search Engine Optimization requirements. Company websites with great content give customers both information and the confidence to opt for the provided services. Well-written SEO content also helps attract people to a website, ensuring a higher ranking on Google Search. In today’s fast-moving world of internet marketing, writers are required to have advanced knowledge of social media, digital marketing, and the latest SEO trends. It is advisable to study sites like Copyblogger.com and EConsultancy.com to fully understand the concept of content writing as it pertains to online marketing. Try to use language in your content the readers use in their daily lives if you want to persuade them to buy your product or services.

Perceive the Type of Copywriter You Would Like to Be

The definition of copywriter used to mean writing press releases, email campaigns, brochures, business related work or even scripting commercials on television. This type of work is still necessary, but there has been an increase in the demand for SEO copywriters, web editors and for writing online content. If you are interested in becoming a copywriter, upgrade your skills accordingly and understand what content writing involves before you apply for the job.

Be Realistic In Your Perception

The world of a copywriter involves creating a lot of accurate content, in the least possible time and at very low rates - especially when you have just begun content writing as a career. If you have never published any work online, the best way will be to create a blog to exhibit your skills. You can even try building up your portfolio through some recruitment sites like Elance.com, or work for a content mill. Make use of headlines that appeal to readers.

Examine The People Or Company Before Applying

Instead of giving applications online, it will be more effective if you connect with the decision-maker of the company for whom you wish to work. Many applicants make this mistake. It is relatively easy to find names and contact numbers on the website, so try Google, Twitter or LinkedIn to get a specific name and then call to get the details.

Social Media Is A Good Way To Build Relationships

Follow a company on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn if you are interested in working with them. It is a great way to build relations with someone through social media. However, do not go overboard showing your enthusiasm as it might just irritate the other person. Copywriter vacancies are available on Twitter where you can apply after providing your specifications.

Don’t try to prove yourself by overselling

It is not possible for a candidate to possess every skill out there. So when a candidate applies for any post, be it that of a marketer, copywriter, social media expert, Google wizard or a telesales specialist, it will indicate that this is their first application straight after university. Be specific and focus on the skills and expertise required by the employer. Your CV should include your field of expertise instead of focusing on all services.

Perfect Grammar Is the Rule

When you’re applying for the job of a copywriter, ensure there are absolutely no spelling mistakes or grammatical errors in your application. Double check the application by reading aloud or making someone else read it before sending. Another way to do this is to study the grammar rules for CVs, and then make your application keeping them in mind. When you are writing content, make use of active voice in your sentences as it is easy to understand and comprehend. Passive voice makes your content sound weak and reactive. Don’t just use adjectives and adverbs, but use the best words to convey your message or emotions. Mark Twain’s famous quote “The right word is the difference between lightning and lightning bug” can be a great example for copywriters.

Be Ready To Write a Sample Article for the Employer

Employers usually ask the candidates to write a sample article that will showcase their skills. You will not receive a payment for this. The sample tests the speed and reliability of the candidate, as this is an important factor for a copywriter. It also helps as a means to assess how well you can adhere to deadlines. Don’t lose your calm, as this is standard practice to assess a copywriter.

Specialize In Some Particular Field

There are a large number of copywriters writing about fun-filled content like films, music, travel, food, and fashion. Copywriters work for specific industry related topics like insurance, telecoms, law, finance and electronic devices. You can open up countless opportunities for yourself by specializing in these subjects.

Don’t Get Disheartened and Give Up

Every employer gets several CVs from new copywriters and it’s not possible to give work to all of them. If you do not succeed initially, don’t worry as you might get the next one. Following up is the right procedure that will tend to get noticed after successive trials. Just don’t give up.

Make Your Work Visually Appealing

Leo Burnett, a professional advertiser, gave some simple tips for using icons to make your content more eye-catching.  No one would be interested in reading an ad that does not please the eye, and the same holds true of online content. Unless your content is exceptional, with eye-appealing characters like proper type font, short paragraphs, bulleted or numbered lists, subheadings, quotes, or visual cues, and not to forget the underlining, italicizing and bolding - it will not be recognized. All these points will draw attention to your content.

Last but not the least, including a strong call to action at the end will do the trick. Everything a copywriter is writing, from social updates to blog posts to landing pages, should all close with a strong call to action. It is advisable to learn from the mistakes of others as copywriting is more art than science, so you have to pull yourself together and find some new and unknown content to deliver.

So what do you think of these tips to become a copywriter? Share your experiences in the comments below.

Posted 24 July, 2017

Ruchi Bhargava

Content Writing | Designing | Web Development

Hi! Are you looking for content that gets all the birds (read: customers) in one proverbial stone? Then I'm the person you need to talk to. After millions of words written for my clients, I can guarantee one thing: quality. When you're working with me, you'll get nothing short of perfect, well-researched, and enticing content. But that's not all I'm about. Along with creating custom cont...

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