Getting a bachelor’s degree in English isn’t necessary to become a copywriter. But it certainly helps.
You won’t get very far in this field without having the proper education. Being able to write compelling texts on any topic is essential. Being able to do this consistently and accurately is even more vital. Familiarity with the English language is also helpful, as you will be writing predominantly in English, even when you’re not working directly on an English project.
In addition to a degree in English, you will need to gain some experience. This can be done by volunteering for publications or organizations that will allow you to get your feet wet. Even better, consider obtaining a minor in journalism or marketing. This will give you a chance to shadow experienced professionals and gain some valuable working knowledge.
Remember that the above-mentioned degrees aren’t necessary, but they do help. If you don’t have them and are looking for a way to get started, consider pursuing a minor in business or journalism. Alternatively, you could try to land a permanent job as a copywriter with a smaller company, where you will get the opportunity to prove yourself.
The Different Specialties Within the Career
Once you’ve obtained your degree in English, you will be faced with a choice: what kind of copywriter should you become? While it’s not essential to have a specific specialty, having a focus in one area will certainly give you an advantage in the field. Some of the most in-demand specialties today include:
Advertising Copywriting
Writing advertisements is one of the most common and one of the most in-demand specialties in the field. If you’re able to write compelling advertisements for an advertising agency, you will undoubtedly be able to find work.
As an advertising copywriter, you will focus on creating advertisements that promote a product or service. You will need to be able to accurately and concisely express the main idea of a product in an advertisement. In order to do this, you will need to conduct extensive research on your product and its competitors. You will also need to familiarize yourself with commonly used adwords and phrases. In addition to this, you will need to be able to write creatively, so as to catch the attention of the reader.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is all about creating and distributing content to attract, retain and motivate customers. There are several different facets to content marketing, including web content, email marketing, and social media marketing. As a content marketer, you will be in charge of creating and distributing content to achieve a marketing goal. Depending on the goal and the type of content, you may need to develop a strategy and plan to execute it.
One of the distinguishing factors between content marketing and regular PR is that, as a content marketer, you are focusing on creating and distributing valuable content, which may or may not be directly related to your product or service. This valuable content could be an important website that you found or developed, or it could be an engaging blog post that provides useful information to the reader.
Direct Marketing
Direct marketing is all about getting the word out there about your product or service, whether it’s a product you sell online or offline. For example, if you sell t-shirts online, your direct marketing would consist of creating and distributing flyers, posters, and other kinds of marketing material, such as emails, to attract consumers. You will need to have a good working knowledge of various marketing platforms, including email marketing and social media.
As a direct marketer, you will need to be able to establish a connection with potential customers and then engage them into buying your product or service. To do this, you will need to utilize various marketing strategies, including but not limited to: email marketing, social media, and online advertising.
Fashion Copywriting
Fashion copywriting is all about crafting a text that convinces readers to purchase a product or service related to fashion. In order to do this, you will need to be able to think outside of the box and come up with unique ways to promote fashion. You will also need to be able to accurately and concisely express fashion ideas in an engaging fashion. In order to do this, you will need to consult fashion magazines and websites for inspiration, as well as conduct extensive research on popular fashion topics. In addition to this, you will need to have a good command of the English language and be familiar with commonly used fashion terms.
Some of the most in-demand areas of fashion copywriting include:
Women’s Fashion
Women’s fashion is constantly changing, and so is the demand for fashion writers. If you’re looking to make a career change and want to write about a topic that’s constantly evolving, then women’s fashion is the field for you. You will need to be able to accurately and thoroughly research the main trends and distinctive pieces of each brand and designer. In addition to this, you will need to be able to craft engaging texts on different subjects related to fashion.
Men’s Fashion
Men’s fashion is constantly evolving as well, and so is the need for fashion writers. If you’re looking to make a career change and want to write about a topic that’s constantly evolving, then men’s fashion is the field for you. You will need to be able to accurately and thoroughly research the main trends and distinctive pieces of each brand and designer. In addition to this, you will need to be able to craft engaging texts on different subjects related to fashion.
Branded Apparel
Branded apparel is all about getting a brand or company’s message out to the public. You will need to be able to accurately and thoroughly research the market and audience for a particular brand, as well as write creative advertising texts to persuade potential customers to purchase the brand’s products.
If a brand’s image is associated with a positive or negative feeling in the minds of the audience, your creative writing will need to reflect that. For instance, if writing about a luxury goods brand, you might want to emphasize the quality of their products or services, as opposed to the brand’s overall image.
There are many different specialties within the career of a copywriter. If you’re looking for a way to make a career change and want to be able to write about a variety of topics, then consider exploring the field of copywriting. You will undoubtedly be able to find work, as there is a tremendous amount of demand for these talented individuals.