Did you know that almost all of the content that you read every day was written by someone else? Whether you want to write a business plan, plan for a vacation, or want to create a brochure for your new product, chances are you’re going to need someone to write it for you. While there are plenty of jobs out there for non-writers, not many people can actually write compelling stories, product descriptions, or marketing copy for businesses.
Writing is an essential element to any marketing or communications plan, and if you can’t write something yourself, it’s probably a good idea to hire someone to do it for you. While you might not think so, creative writing is actually a pretty useful skill to have. It can serve as a good filter to ensure that your messages are coherent and understandable, and it can help you discover new angles and approaches to your subject matter. Let’s take a look at how you can get into copywriting, what job titles you might expect to hear, and the various degrees and training programs you might consider pursuing if you want to take the road less traveled.
The Many Tasks That Come With Copywriting
If you’re reading this, I assume that you either know what copywriting is, or are at least curious about what it is. For the rest of you, copywriting is the art and science of writing marketing materials (brochures, articles, marketing materials, and more) for businesses.
It might not seem obvious, but copywriting is a fairly in-demand job when you consider all of the different content that businesses need to produce. To give you an idea of how many different tasks you’ll be expected to perform, here are the top-level roles that come with the job:
- Marketing and advertising manager
- Marketing strategist
- Content marketer
- PR strategist
- Copywriter
- Editor
- Translator
- Researcher
If you’re wondering why so many of these positions exist, it’s because most businesses don’t have someone specifically responsible for writing all of their content. Instead, marketing and communications managers might be called on to write press releases, explainer articles, whitepapers, and more. A content marketer might be asked to write product descriptions, online reviews, FAQs, and frequently asked questions. A PR strategist might be expected to write media releases, plan pitches, and conduct follow-ups. And finally, the Copywriter might be called on to write blogs, web copy, and even software documentation.
In some instances, you might even be tasked with finding and coordinating the editorial work of other journalists, copywriters, and content strategists. That’s a lot of responsibility for one person, which is why most marketing and communications managers have a team of professionals working under them. It’s a big job, but someone has to do it. That someone is you.
The Various Degrees And Training Programs You Might Pursue
If you’re wondering what degrees you might need to pursue in order to become a copywriter, there’s no simple answer. It really depends on what you want to do and where you want to go. For example, a journalism degree could land you a job at a newspaper, magazine, or online news outlet. A degree in English might be a plus, but you don’t necessarily need it. You could become a copywriter with just a bachelor’s degree in some other subject.
However, if you want to become a top-notch copywriter and take on more responsibility, you might want to pursue a Master of Copywriting. You would need to complete a Master of Copywriting program, which could take anywhere from a few months to a year or more. You might also want to consider getting a Ph.D. in Communication, or combining your Bachelors in English and Communications to take the road less traveled and get both degrees at the same time.
Key Takeaways
What does all of this mean for you? It means that no matter what stage you’re at in life, or what kind of career you want to pursue, you can become a copywriter. Not many people can say that. It also means that you have a fairly in-demand job, and you can probably find a job anywhere in the world if you’re looking. Just make sure that you have the necessary qualifications and licensing to be able to work in the field you’ve chosen.