Copywriting is a big deal these days. Copy is words that sell. You can find copy in almost every aspect of our life. These are things like magazine and billboard adverts, television commercials, web content and even those annoying paper ads that fill up your mailbox.
There was a time when you only needed basic writing skills in order to land a copywriting job. Things have changed a lot in the writing game and if you want to keep up with the competition then you need to have a few key skills under your belt.
- Refine your writing: If you want to have a career in copywriting, you have to write. Simple as that. Spend a few hours every day practicing your writing. As you do so, you improve your speed and learn to avoid mistakes. You don’t need to be naturally skilled in writing however you have to put in the time and effort to brush up on basic grammar and punctuation and follow certain rules and guidelines when it comes to writing for various publications.
- Doing in-depth research: In order to ensure you deliver clear and concise copy, you have to do your research. The internet is continuously growing with blogs and websites and it can be hard to know which source to trust when it comes to information. So, ensure you do a proper search for information on your topic and do another one so you have narrowed your list down. Cite your sources carefully and always check that they are an authority in the industry.
- Having a proper understanding of SEO: You may be an excellent writer who crafts beautiful copy constantly but there is no point if it doesn’t reach the right people. It’s vital that you include SEO friendly headings and keywords and write optimised content so its easily accessible on the web.
- Being empathetic: In order to sell something, you need to connect with your reader on an emotional level. Touch a chord of sorts. When your copy can explore their unique feelings of happiness, sorrow or anguish, you are just a bit closer to getting them to take action depending on the type of copy you write.
- Edit your work mercilessly: First drafts are often far from perfect and if required edit it until you feel the copy reads well, has no silly grammar or punctuation mistakes and is ready for submission. Sometimes you will spend more time editing than writing and this is perfectly normal.
Once you get the hang of the above skills, you are well on your way to becoming a successful copywriter.
What did you think of the above tips? Do you have any of your own? Share them below.