I’ve been in the professional writing business for over 20 years and, honestly, nothing has kept up with the times like online copywriting. The ability to write and send press releases to potential news sources and connect with bloggers and journalists via social media has created a whole new world of opportunity for writers. While traditional copywriting once relied heavily on the tried and true methods of print and radio media, today’s writer can experiment with digital marketing and find their voice in the worldwide web.
The Evolution Of Content
Anyone who’s created content for the web will tell you that the format and the frequency of content changes. What was once the exclusive domain of websites and blogs is now used by platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and more.
Traditional media like radio and television still have their place in everyone’s lives, but consumers have come to expect more real-time content that’s accessible on demand.
The Rise Of Online Copywriting
Before you say goodbye to your day job, consider the endless opportunities that the internet provides. One of the biggest changes regarding content on the internet is that it’s nearly always, well, copywritten. While you might write and edit an editorial to accompany a story, the piece itself could very well be machine-generated content. The same goes for any blog post or piece of press release copy. When I first got into the business, I made a conscious effort to learn how to use content generation software like HubSpot, Unbounce, and Thrive, which allow you to create compelling online content in minutes without having to touch a line of code.
The key to being able to write for all these platforms is understanding the differentiator — what makes your content special? What makes it unique and compelling enough to draw in your audience when otherwise, you might find yourself typing and re-typing the same content for one site after another? Once you figure that out, you can begin to add structure to your content creation process. From there, it’s a matter of experimenting and finding the right combination of content types — video, infographics, blog posts, etc — and the right delivery method — SEO, display ads, or both — to fit your target audience.
The Benefits Of Copywriting For Bloggers And Online Publishers
As a blogger or online publisher, you’re used to writing content for websites and other platforms alike. While it might not seem like a huge difference at first, once you dive into the process you’ll notice how easily you can transfer your knowledge and expertise to other formats. Whether you’re writing for a digital scrapbook or creating an infographics guide for a business, once you’ve finished you’ll have a completed product that you can use across multiple platforms and devices.
It’s a common misconception that you can only put out good content on websites. As a matter of fact, you can use the same compelling language and structure in your email marketing campaigns, social media posts, and even in your YouTube videos or Instagram captions.
As a copywriter, you’re in the unique position of being able to experiment and find the right approach for each individual platform. You might decide that video is the way to go and begin building out a content strategy around videos or that a certain type of blog post lends itself more to a social media campaign than a traditional website. Don’t be afraid to test out different content types and platforms to see which one makes the most sense for your target audience and the type of content you’re most familiar with creating.
One of the things that make copywriting such a competitive field is the sheer volume of content that you have to sift through. It’s not uncommon for a freelance writer to get bombarded with content requests and to keep up with them all is exhausting. Believe it or not, this was how things used to be done in newspapers too. Freelance journalists would be hired to write short, snappy articles to accompany photographs or to compliment other articles in the publication. While that might not seem like a bad idea, what’s the point of having an article if no one reads it? If your content doesn’t appear in the first few pages of a Google search, no one will ever see it.
If you want to be able to make a living as a copywriter, you need to find a way to target the right audience and to stand out among the horde of content creators, marketers, and bloggers who are all vying for consumer attention on the internet.