If you’re looking into becoming a copywriter, you’ve probably noticed that there’s a huge demand for freelance copywriters online. Thanks to platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, and LinkedIn, there are now countless opportunities to kick off your career in a creative field that has the potential to be both lucrative and rewarding.
But what exactly is copywriting online?
In today’s world, copywriting is often considered to be a combination of journalism and advertising. Although the two fields might seem to have nothing in common, the lines can be very blurry. To best represent the field, it is important to understand what makes up a typical piece of copy.
Here, we will discuss the four pillars of copywriting online – headline, copy, image, and social media. We will introduce you to the world of freelance copywriting and how you can get started, as well as share additional insight on what makes a good copywriter. Finally, we will discuss some of the inks that you might need to have on hand during the course of your copywriting career.
The Headline
The headline is an intriguing element of any article or press release. It’s the first thing a reader, viewer, or listener will encounter, so it plays a crucial role in your story’s success. When crafting a headline, you should keep in mind the five W’s and one H (Who, What, Why, Where, When, and How):
(1) Who are you talking about? (2) What do they do? (3) Why should they care? (4) Where are you featuring this news piece? (5) When did you publish this article? (6) How long have you been writing for this publication? (7) What tools do you use to write and research your topics?
The Where and Why are both important, but not as crucial as the other four pillars. If you can nail the Who and the When, you’ll be able to put together a compelling storyline that will grab readers’ attention.
The Copy
Whether you’re an experienced writer or a complete newcomer, your write up will need to follow a set structure to best represent a good piece of copy. The structure might be considered a “kitchen sink” approach where you throw in everything but the kitchen sink – from the vital statistics to the hyperbole. You want to include everything that you think could possibly be relevant to the topic.
For example, let’s say you’re writing about a new product and you want to include everything from the introduction to the reviews. In general, you want to start off with a strong opening that hooks the reader and draws them in, and then you’ll want to dive into the meat of your story. Ideally, you’ll want to write something that is between 500 and 1,000 words – but this can vary depending on the publication. You’re not going to waste too much time with short articles when you can easily move onto the next one.
The Image
Visual content is becoming an absolute necessity in today’s world. According to HubSpot Blogs research, 92% of consumers research products or services online before buying them. With so much competition, you’ll need all the help you can get in order to draw in the readership. As a copywriter, you’ll be responsible for coming up with an image that represents your company or brand, but you also want to include the essence of the product or service you’re promoting.
When it comes to product images, you’ll need to make sure that they are technically sound, and adjusted to fit the dimensions of the article they’re going to accompany. If possible, you’ll want to get the approval of the product manufacturer or distributor before you start working on any copy for an article featuring their products. With that being said, you should still be able to come up with a compelling story that will draw readers in even if you haven’t received any product shots for the piece. For example, let’s say you’re writing about the top waterproof smartphone case, and you want to include an image of an iPhone 7. You’ll need to source an image of an iPhone 7 from a reputable website or an authorized Apple reseller. Once you have the image, you can start working on your copy.
The Social Media
While traditional media outlets are migrating towards websites, blogs, and social media to gain more traction and become more interactive, copywriters are responsible for using these platforms to spread the word about their work. Although social media is becoming an essential tool in the copywriter’s toolkit, it’s important not to get too absorbed in it and lose sight of your work. Once you’re established as a freelance writer, you can incorporate social media into your strategy and use your individual platforms to grow your own network, as well as build a following.
When you’re writing to build a following, you’ll want to use handles that are both relevant and engaging. For example, if you’re writing about a new kitchen appliance, you might want to use the hashtag #newappliances to join the conversation and encourage people to follow your article’s thread on Twitter.
If you’re establishing yourself as a freelance copywriter, it might be a good idea to take some time off and get a handle on your finances. Even though you might be used to being frugal, now that you’re starting out, it’s a good idea to get a handle on your money. This is particularly important if you want to continue freelancing and grow your career. In 2021 alone, there were more than 731 million articles published online, according to HubSpot Blogs research.
The digital nomad lifestyle is becoming extremely popular, and thanks to the pandemic, more and more people have the opportunity to pursue their dreams and take a leap of faith in a new place. With new online platforms like GoAbroad, you can now live and work virtually anywhere in the world – provided you have a good internet connection. If you’re considering this lifestyle change, now might be a good time to explore your options.