Do you love writing? If so, then perhaps you may have heard of, or are considering, copywriting as a career. A copywriter spends their day coming up with persuasive prose to promote different goods and services, as well as beef up advertisements online, on TV, and in magazines. For example, a company might need its Home Page rewritten, or a new type of soft drink might need an advertisement created for it. This is where a copywriter comes in. 

Copywriters are creatives, and this is how they are known in advertising firms, because they are responsible for making up the copy that drives different marketing campaigns. They are also responsible for the slogans that make brands attractive and memorable. Nike’s slogan, “Just Do It” was likely the result of a copywriter’s creativity. 

What are the Responsibilities and Duties of a Copywriter?

A copywriter’s job isn’t very glamorous in the sense that they often aren’t in the spotlight. They rarely ever get famous beyond their circle of colleagues and clients, and I am yet to hear of a copywriter who became a household name. However, despite the lack of glamor, a copywriter is vital to the success of any marketing campaign, and their work can often make outsized effects to the image and public perception of a brand or company.

A copywriter has many duties and responsibilities, including the ones below:

• They are in charge of creating content for social media. Copywriters are responsible for carving out a ‘voice’ for the brand on social media.
• Copywriters collaborate with people from other departments, such as customer service, marketing, and PR, all in a bid to properly coordinate a company’s marketing campaigns or shape the public perception of a brand.
• Copywriters are in charge of making sure that content produced by a company is free of errors and is of high quality, adhering to the style guidelines of the company.
• A copywriter is in charge of interpreting the creative brief they receive and implementing the points into appealing and persuasive copy.
• Copywriters often have to juggle multiple projects at the same time, as well as deal with tight deadlines on a regular basis.
• Copywriters are expected to propose concepts for copy to company leadership, as well as general strategies for taking their marketing strategy in the right direction.

How much does a copywriter earn?

The salary earned by a copywriter varies according to a wide range of factors, including their specific area of expertise, how many years of experience they have, the type of clients they deal with and so on. 

That said, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for copywriters is $61,820 a year, which translates to $29.72 per hour. The top 10% highest paid copywriters bring in an annual salary of more than $118,760, or $57.10  per hour. The lowest 10% earn a salary of less than $30,520, or $14.67 per hour.

What kind of training and certification does a copywriter go through?

Typically, you’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree to qualify for a full time job as a copywriter. Fortunately, there are no industry-wide certifications or licenses required to practice copywriting. However, it is always in your best interests to gather up a portfolio of work samples to showcase your experience in the field. 

You can land work creating specific ads. However, the majority of hiring managers are more likely to hire you if you can demonstrate work you’ve done, preferably while working at an advertising agency. They also have a soft spot for candidates with undergraduate degrees in communications, journalism, English, linguistics, or some related field of study. This is not a hard requirement, however, and you may still land a job if you have a strong portfolio. 

Speaking of portfolios, without one you will find that it is very difficult to get a job as a copywriter, especially when compared to other advertising-related fields. You need to have a strong portfolio of the work you’ve done. In the advertising world, this portfolio is known as a ‘book’. To create a book, you should start with an internship at an agency. 

If you want to start while still in school, try writing for high school and college newspapers and magazines. Alternatively, if you can’t get into ad agencies, you can consider other forms of writing on https://writix.co.uk/buy-assignment-online and other sites. These include writings such as essays and dissertations, which are great for developing your writing skills.

A book is basically just a collection of all the ads you’ve worked on. The catch is that you often need to work at an advertising agency in order to work on any ads.

To get an internship, you will have to do lots of research on openings online, making an effort to network with creative directors and cold contact as many as you can.

What skills make a good copywriter?

The most important skills that a copywriter should possess include the ones below:

• You should be creative.
• You should be good with social media and have a firm grasp of concepts like SEO.
• You should be a fast learner, with the ability to learn on the job and under pressure.
• You should be a good communicator.
• You should have a knack for paying attention to detail.

Conclusion

Copywriting is not only deeply challenging, but also deeply rewarding as a career path. While you shouldn’t hope to be a household name, chances are that if you’re good enough, one of the slogans you come up with will be a household slogan.

Author Bio

Bobbie Sanchez is a writer and editor with a focus on education, technology, and entertainment. He enjoys writing informative articles to answer his readers’ most pertinent questions. When not writing, Bobbie likes to go fishing.