If you are wondering, what is copywriting? Or if you’re ready to find out the best way to learn copywriting, keep reading. Copywriting is so much more than just sales. The goal of copywriting is not to sell, but rather to inform the reader about the product/service at hand. Just like any other skill, it can be learned. Another question that may be running through your head is… How do I learn copywriting?
Have you been wondering about what copywriting is, and if so, how you can learn copywriting? If so, you have come to the right place. In this article, you will find out more about copying writing so that you can begin to go on a journey as a copywriter as soon as possible.
What is Copywriting?
Copywriting is re-arranging words to make things sell better. It is a text form of salesmanship. But there’s a lot more to it than that.
The definition of copywriting is “salesmanship in print”.
Copywriting is using words to persuade people to take some kind of action, such as clicking on an ad or purchasing a product.
For this reason, it’s one of the most important aspects of marketing. It’s also why professional copywriters are the highest-paid writers on the planet.
That’s what copywriting means.
That leads me to my next point… the definition of a copywriter…
What Is A Copywriter?
Those ads you see on TV?
An advertising copywriter wrote them.
Those first few entries on any Google search?
That’s copywriting too.
And those emails you get from websites or online stores you buy from?
You guessed it… copywriting!
As you’ve probably noticed, professional copywriting can take MANY different forms but the intent is always the same: to sell a product or service to a target audience.
So – can you learn copywriting?
Yes, anyone can become a copywriter. You don’t have to have a fancy degree (or any degree for that matter).
You don’t have to live in a certain part of the world … or have a specific skin color … or have experience in any particular industry.
You don’t have to come from money or have pre-existing contacts … you can start at any age … you can have a day job, or not. You can be retired, or not.
You can be established in a totally separate field from writing, or you can come into the profession without any credentials to your name.
Over the years, I’ve met hundreds of people who come from every background imaginable. They’ve tailor-built copywriting careers that work for their interests and lifestyle.
It’s not as simple as a yes or no answer. And here’s why…
The more traditional methods of advertising copywriting, for example, slogans, banners, or any other copy that is included in advertising campaigns, whether in print, on TV or online, are highly creative and as such hard to learn without natural flair.
However, learning copywriting for other types of marketing collateral, like emails, brochures, and websites, is a little less reliant on originality and creativity. Instead, it relies on someone that knows what they’re talking about and isn’t afraid to use language to help frame their products or services in the best possible light.
Of course, all of this comes down to honed skills that are regularly practised.
It doesn’t take a degree or formal training to learn copywriting, but instead some fundamental principles that will become your mantra when starting to write killer copy. Whether you want to write the next Budweiser advert or develop on point marketing brochures, many of the tips and tricks to succeed are the same.
Copywriting isn’t just writing. It’s not about stringing pretty words together. It involves structure and technique, plus an understanding of persuasion, of needs and wants, of what content works best in which marketplace, and so forth.
This is an important distinction when it comes to pricing your services and working with clients who value you. Because, while some business owners can successfully apply the techniques used by professional copywriters …
Sometimes, and more often than not, the smartest business move they can make is to call in a professional.
I’ve had to learn that distinction myself as it applies to non-writing projects. For example, I enjoy graphic design. I can make a decent infographic or logo … but it could take me as much as 20 hours, whereas it would take a professional graphic designer just two hours. Plus, I’d have to research at length which colors mean what and what styles are appropriate where, and how to use the latest graphic design software …
It’s something I can do for fun in my spare time, maybe for a home party invitation, but not something I’d do for my writing business.
Same goes for the art of copy editing. I know where commas and semi-colons can go … but everything I put out always goes through a copy editor who’s trained at a professional level to spot things I don’t notice.
Learn to write copy through reading up
There are many copywriting books on the market that can help you to learn the basics, through to the more advanced ways of copywriting. As with learning any subject, the more books you read, and tips you absorb, the more effective your writing will become.
This does take time, but this will pay off if you schedule a little tuition in each day. Treat learning copywriting like revision or when you used to mark up your English literature homework. Annotation is key so that you can easily mark useful tips to go back to, as you develop your career.
Engage in some training develop your copywriting skills
There are hundreds, if not thousands of copywriting courses that you can take to help improve your copywriting capabilities. The range of courses means that you can study when and where it suits. If you’ve already got a day job, and only have the evenings to study, enrol on a distance learning online course that can work around you.
If you are able to spare a couple of hours a week to get to a course at a local college or university, this may be better in the long run, as face to face constructive feedback and Q&A is invaluable. Learning from a senior copywriter in the industry will allow you to gain more insight into what you’re doing well and what you need to work on. They can also provide you with personal examples and anecdotes for guidance, as well as sharing stories of successes and lessons learned.
A good copywriting course should teach you the skills to write for different mediums, and discuss the challenges and benefits of writing for each type. It should also teach you how to change the style of your writing for different topics and readers. The Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) is a reputable organisation, offering a one-day introductory course, covering the fundamentals of copywriting.
Develop and maintain a portfolio
As you progress your career in copywriting, keeping a portfolio is key to showing prospective employers what you can do for them, as well as acting as a record of your own continuous improvement. Having a folder of work to look back on will remind you of how far you’ve come, and is also good for positive mental attitude. If you can physically see the improvement over time of your copywriting, this will support you through moments of self-doubt or mental roadblocks.
All writers are critical of their own work; it’s human nature. To prevent you from getting bogged down in negativity over writer’s block or over-editing, take a look at your portfolio from time to time to remind yourself that you are a decent writer and that you can still take on a challenge! For further guidance, check out how to create a killer copywriting portfolio.
Conclusion:
Learn everything about copywriting, including how to apply it to your every day life. Learn what is copywriting. Learn how to write copy. And learn why you should learn about copywriting.