So you’ve finally decided to get into the world of online advertising, and you’re bursting with ideas about how you’re going to change things around. You want to try your hand at copywriting for ads, but you’re not quite sure what that entails. Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. Here’s a handy list that’ll help you figure out what to charge for your services.
The Basics
- Writing
- Editing
- Revising
- Proofreading
- Data entry
- Design
- Creating compelling headlines
- Budgeting
- Client services
Creating Compelling Headlines
You’ve got a rich tapestry of material to pull on; whether it’s current affairs, popular culture, or international affairs, you’ll have plenty to choose from. Your challenge is to weave it into compelling headlines that’ll stick in readers’ minds.
You’ll have to decide how many articles you’ll write – maybe you want to concentrate on short-messaging on social media, and try to crank out a couple of articles every week. Or perhaps you’d like to dive into long-form journalism and e-books, and give it your all every month.
Decide which direction you want to take and set a calendar to work towards. You might also want to branch out and offer your services to other companies that are also interested in attracting online readers. The world of business is a small place, and word of mouth travels quickly – getting an article in top publications is no longer a surprise to anyone.
Keywords, Keywords, Keywords
Let’s say you’ve decided to concentrate on writing compelling headlines for businesses. You want to find the right keywords to pull in the targeted audiences you’re looking for, but you don’t want to sacrifice readability. After all, your clients are unlikely to be searching for “headline writer” – they’re going to Google their particular product or service and want to find what they’re looking for quickly and easily.
When it comes to writing for SEO, you want to avoid using any keyword that’s been heavily “trawled” (or spammy) – not directly relevant to your article, and likely to be picked up by Google and other search engines. Look for popular terms that are still relevant to your article’s content, and don’t go overboard with your targeting – only use keywords where they make sense and won’t freak out your readers.
The Essentials
- Website
- Blog
- Social media
- Directory Submissions
- Article Submissions
- Press release
- Offline Marketing Materials
Additional Benefits
Once you’ve established yourself as an accredited writer, you can then bid for more complex projects. The more you write, the more you’ll be able to offer. The same goes for editing and revising. Don’t be afraid to ask for more work if you feel you’re able to do a good job. Plus, you can then market yourself as a whole-package solution, capable of delivering top notch content across multiple platforms – from a short-form to a full-blown piece for a magazine or newspaper.
Set A Reasonable Rate
When it comes to pricing, you don’t want to be hasty. Set a rate that’s fair and reasonable, and don’t be afraid to consult with other writers to get a sense of what’s normal in your industry. Also, take into consideration how familiar your target audience is with your services – what you’re worth should reflect that.
Budgeting
Budgeting is both challenging and essential when it comes to being a successful writer. You’ll have to set a budget and stick to it – the number of words you have to work with, the size of your target audience, and the time you need to deliver the content are all factors that can affect how much you can charge. Set a budget, and don’t be afraid to ask for more money if you feel you’re able to do a good job. It’s also important to review your budget regularly and see if there are any areas where you can save – maybe you can get a deal on an airplane ticket or a hotel room, or maybe you can find a publisher that’ll give you some good-will advertisement costs. Whatever it may be, find a way to save a few dollars where you can.
Delivery
You’ll have to decide how long it’ll take you to get the content done. If you’re writing for a magazine or newspaper, you’ll need to schedule in advance to have the article published at the right time. Once that’s done, you can sit back and relax, knowing you’ve got a steady stream of income coming in. If you’re working for an online publication, you’ll have to make sure you update the content regularly or the publication is going to lose respect for you as a writer. For shorter-form content such as tweets or status updates, you can aim for daily updates as long as the content is of good quality. For longer-form content, such as magazine articles, you’ll need to make sure you have the time to get everything done – if it’s a bit more than you can handle, then you might want to consider hiring some help. A part-time assistant or intern can help a lot with the busy-ness of a magazine article, and can also help with the technical aspects, such as setting up automatic email notifications to remind you to update the content.
With the basics taken care of, it’s time to move on to the fun stuff: creative copywriting!