Copywriting For Beginners: How To Master It & How To Find Jobs
If you’re interested in learning copywriting for beginners, then there are a few things you need to know before you get started. For instance, out of all the content creation strategies that people are using to drive traffic to their websites and increase the number of their customers, this could easily be the most interesting one. It has been around for a long time and it has been responsible for attracting people towards certain products long before the Internet even appeared. In fact, if you check out the evolution of this strategy, you’ll find evidence of the first copywriting material coming into existence in 1477.
That was certainly a long time ago, wasn’t it? It makes you wonder. Has the strategy lost its power today, or is it still going strong? Well, that is another important thing you need to know before we start the process of explaining copywriting for beginners and helping you learn what you need to know. In short, it hasn’t lost its power and the truth is that it probably never will – the written word is still quite magical.
Now, if you are ready to learn this particular skill, then you probably have some questions about it. And, the great thing is that I am going to try and answer some of those for you. You’ll learn what copywriting is, how to master the skill, as well as how to find jobs after mastering the skill. Let’s start learning right away.
What Is Copywriting?
Before we get started, I need to make one thing perfectly clear. Content writing and copywriting are two different skill sets, even though people often confuse them. While they both fall into the category of content marketing, as do the skills found here, they are certainly different. We could explain the difference in few words like this. Every copy is content, but not all content is copy.
That should make things a bit clearer to you. Basically, copywriting is a part of marketing that is designed to persuade and that is mostly used for advertising purposes. The goal of copy is to persuade the reader to buy or take a different type of action that you might have in mind. Your copy will be successful if readers take action. Content writing, on the other hand, aims to entertain or educate, and it is a part of a broader marketing strategy.
How To Learn Copywriting As A Beginner?
As you might already understand, copywriting for beginners is definitely not easy. You might have been trying to learn it by reading certain blog posts and by generally bombarding yourself with all kinds of content that talks about this strategy. While there is nothing wrong with that, the truth is that you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed.
There’s just so much information, and no structure at all. You’re all over the place, reading one thing right now, and then switching to another after a few minutes, never letting the knowledge sink in. Some of the things you’ll read this way will certainly stick with you. Yet, you cannot really master the skill without proper structure.
This does not mean that you’ll have to set aside a huge budget for courses and similar materials. Of course, those can always help, and you should definitely find a few great ones if you have the money. Still, if you don’t feel like doing that, you’ll certainly be able to learn copywriting for beginners if you just apply a bit of structure to your process. Continue reading to learn how.
Here’s a source that may help as well: https://www.wikihow.com/Learn-Copywriting
1. Learn To Listen
Marketing is generally focused on listening to your existing and potential customers, in an effort to figure out their needs. When copywriting is in question, though, this is taken to a whole different level. Instead of listening with the aim of identifying needs, you’re listening with the aim of stealing people’s words. No, that’s not a figure of speech. You’ll literally be stealing their words.
Does that sound a bit phony and deceitful to you? Well, get over it! This is the way things work, and there’s nothing deceitful about it. You’re just learning how your customers speak, so that you can use the same tone of voice and the same vocabulary to appeal to them. A great copywriter always knows the audience.
2. Always Keep The Basic Principles In Mind
When trying to learn this skill, you’ll always have to keep in mind that there are some basic principles you’ll need to follow. Without those, your copy won’t be successful. You’ll just be wandering in the dark, trying to make it enticing, while not even knowing what you are doing. Let me tell you more about those basic principles.
a) Benefits Trump Features
A lot of beginners make one crucial mistake in their copy. When they are describing a product, they stick too much to the features of said product. That, however, won’t work well. Buyers are more interested in learning how they can benefit from a product or a service. To put it simply, benefits always trump features.
If this is a bit confusing and you don’t know how to separate one from the other, here’s an example to help you. Let’s say you are selling pillows. Instead of talking about, say, the height adjustability feature, you should turn that into a benefit. For example, you can say something like “say goodbye to neck pains with this new pillow…”, or similar. Of course, you’ll need to describe the features as well, but benefits always come first.
b) Proof Is Important
Another thing to remember is that your readers will want proof of what you’re saying. So, if you have any testimonials to share, or if someone has endorsed the product, make sure to mention that. This will make the copy even more persuasive, because there are real-life examples of the benefits that we’ve talked about above.
c) Objections Need To Be Addressed
People can easily give up on buying something because it is, say, too expensive, or because it lacks in some different aspects. If you are aware of the objections that your audience has about the product, ignoring them is never a good idea. Instead, you should address them directly. For instance, if the price is their objection, you should focus on talking about the value that your product brings to the table, thus justifying the higher cost.
d) A Great CTA Is A Must
No copy is complete without a great call to action (CTA). There are some rules you should go by when writing your CTA. It has to clear and persuasive, and it has to stand out from the rest of the copy. Whatever action you want your readers to take, make it clear in your CTA, and make the process of taking action as simple as possible. One click of a button should take them where you want them to land.
3. Find Copywriting Pros & Study Them
Now that we have covered those basic principles of copywriting for beginners, let us return to giving you some more tips on how to actually learn this skill. One great thing you can, and should, do is this. Find out who the pros in the industry are and start studying them in details. You can read their blogs, books, as well as their copy examples.
4. Practice
None of the tips above will help you if you don’t practice. Make the practicing process fun (here’s some more info on writing for fun), though, because you don’t want to end up hating the skill. Well, okay, that probably won’t happen. The bottom line is that practice will make you perfect.
How Long Will It Take?
If you’re like most people, then you’re probably wondering how long it will take you to master this skill. In case you’re a complete beginner, you certainly cannot expect any miracles in the short-run. To put it differently, you need to understand that this will take time.
The great thing is that you’ll be able to search for jobs after you’ve covered the basics. Don’t apply for those that you cannot handle, though, because you don’t want to be unprofessional. Mastering copywriting takes years, and the truth is that you’ll never stop learning. Still, you won’t have to wait for years to cover the basics and become good at this technique. In short, the time frame will depend on your determination and persistence.
How To Find Copywriting Jobs?
I’ve mentioned above that you can start handling some copywriting for beginners after covering the basics. Yet, you are probably wondering how it is that you can find those jobs that will suit you, regardless of your level of knowledge. Well, the Internet can be of great help in this specific process, so make sure to use it.
It all depends on what you want to achieve when you master this skill. If you’re looking for a steady job in one company, your searching process will be different than it would be if you were looking for freelancing gigs. Most copywriters focus on the latter, though, because it gives them the freedom they want. Nevertheless, both options are great. So, consider your preferences.
Here are some websites where you can search for these jobs: https://millo.co/copywriting-jobs
Whichever option you choose, you’ll certainly use the Internet to your advantage. Above I’ve provided you with a link to some of the websites that you can use while searching. Those should also include UpWork and LinkedIn. In addition to using those websites, though, it would be a good idea to make one for yourself as well.
It doesn’t have to be complicated. You should think of your website as of your portfolio. This will help you land jobs when sending applications, because clients will be able to check your work before deciding if you are a good fit. So, to sum things up, use various online sources to search for these jobs, and create a great portfolio to attract your clients.