A copywriting job can be an exciting opportunity to hone your writing skills and work with some of the top advertisers in the world. However, there is more to a job in copywriting than just writing ads! Here are some of the things you might be responsible for.
Designs
You’ll be responsible for coming up with designs for various marketing materials, websites, and social media platforms. For example, you might be responsible for the overall look and feel of an advertising campaign or the copy of a marketing email.
The amount of creative freedom you have will depend on what type of client you’re working with. Normally, you’ll be given a few basic guidelines to follow but will be allowed to come up with the designs themselves. This is one of the areas you can really shine if you’re creative and can come up with original ideas.
Edits
Editing is important if you’re going to be handling copy, and this is something you’ll learn on the job. You’ll be tasked with going through the ad copy or editorial and making it sound more natural and coherent. You’ll also be responsible for removing any mistakes that might have been made while copying.
Normally, you’ll be given a few paragraphs of ad copy to work with. While there is no exact science to copyediting, there are some simple, effective guidelines you can follow to make sure your copy is error-free and of good quality:
- Read the copy out loud.
- Make sure you’re reading from the point of view of a “normal” person (not a market expert).
- Check for spelling errors (and grammar mistakes).
- Paragraphs should be no longer than three or four sentences.
- A good rule of thumb is: Never write in the third person.
- Cut out all jargon and use industry terms (but make them easy for the reader to understand).
- Avoid words commonly used in advertising (like “free”, “instant”, or “exclusive”).
- Look for ways to improve the flow of the copy (make it more engaging).
- Check for any logical inconsistencies (if something doesn’t make sense, it might be a sign you’re missing something important).
- Avoid using clichés (everybody loves a good cliché!).
- Make sure you’re using the right tone of voice – you should be able to tell from the copy whether it is formal or informal.
- Keep a healthy balance of topics – don’t put all your eggs in one basket (i.e. if you’re writing about travel, make sure you also include content about food and culture).
- Use relevant examples – if you’re writing about fashion, make sure you also include examples from other areas of commerce such as food or retail.
- Be thorough – make sure you’ve considered other points of view as well (especially if you’re in a conflict of interest situation – e.g. if you’re a marketer and you’re dealing with a client from a different industry, make sure you disclose that you’re in a conflict of interest).
Along with editing, you’ll also be responsible for organizing and updating different types of content on a website or blog, including product reviews, FAQs, How-to guides, case studies, and video tutorials.
Writes
You’ll be tasked with coming up with creative headlines and engaging copy for various ad campaigns, email marketing campaigns, and blog posts. Your job will be to engage audiences so they actually read the content and take action (e.g. make a purchase, fill out a form, or sign up for a mailing list).
Writing for the web is a bit different from regular writing. You’ll mainly be working with concise text (typically under 1000 words) that needs to be interesting, memorable, and contain a specific call to action (CTA). To help you develop your writing skills, you’ll be working with experienced copywriters who can show you the ropes and help you get your head around the difference between effective and ineffective writing.
If you’re looking for a change from your day-to-day routine and want to try your hand at something a little different, there are plenty of opportunities out there for you to land a job in copywriting. All you need to do is put in the effort to learn the necessary skills and follow the job search process.