What Does a Copywriter Do?
So you’re interested in a career as a freelance writer. You’ve probably heard that copywriting is where the money is at. But exactly is copywriting, and what does a copywriter do? Today on the blog, I’ve got all the answers for you! I’ll explain what copywriting is, the different types of copywriting, and what my day-to-day as a freelance copywriter looks like. If you’ve been wondering “what does a copywriter do?” – keep reading!
WHAT IS A COPYWRITER?
So, what does a copywriter do? First of all, no, I do not work for the U.S. patent office. I get that one a lot! You’re thinking of a copyright, and that’s a different thing entirely.
To tell you what a copywriter does, I first need to tell you what copywriting is. Here’s an easy way to define copywriting: anytime you see or hear words from a business, whether in the form of an ad, a website, an email, a brochure, or a social media post – those words are considered “copy”. So, what a copywriter does is write those words.
Unlike other forms of writing like editorial and fiction, writing copy is all about getting your audience to take action, i.e. “Buy this product”, “sign up for this email newsletter”, “follow our Instagram!”
Copywriting is easier said than done. Countless drafts go into a single piece of copy to make sure it’s as effective as possible and resonates with the brand’s voice. Believe it or not, the shortest copy is actually the most challenging to write. When you only have six words to perfectly describe an idea, it’s quite difficult (and fun, in my opinion).
Traditionally, copywriters either worked in advertising agencies or as part of an in-house marketing team. If you’re curious about what life as an advertising copywriter is like, I encourage you to watch Mad Men. Although the market and technology has changed a lot since the 1960s, copywriters are essentially doing the same work. We try to sell products, services, and companies through words.
But keep in mind: not all copywriters work in advertising.
Now, more copywriters are going freelance. Copywriting is great remote work, because most of the work can be done alone in your home office (or wherever you like to work).
WHAT SKILLS DOES A COPYWRITER NEED?
Obviously, copywriters need to be creative and have top notch language skills. Copywriters also need to be versatile. Each client has a voice, and copywriters must adapt their writing styles to match that voice. Typically, clients will provide their brand guidelines that include tone of voice. However, sometimes (especially with new businesses), you just have to wing it!
WHAT DO COPYWRITERS WRITE?
Here’s some more concrete examples of what it is that copywriters actually do:
Blog Posts
Blog posts usually range from 300 to 2000+ words and take search engine optimization into account. Clients usually want blog posts as part of their inbound marketing strategy.
Email Newsletters
Copy for email newsletters can vary a lot from client to client. Some clients prefer a plain text format that reads more like a letter from a friend, while other clients use image-heavy emails with very few words. Copywriters also handle writing the subject line, usually providing several options for testing.
Website Copy
Copywriters also write all the words you see on any business’s website. From the hero banner on the main page to the “About Us” and the contact page – these are all the work of a copywriter.
This type of copywriting also takes user experience into account – how can you present your words and ideas that will make it easier for the customer to get to the next step?
Product Descriptions
Since e-commerce customers cannot experience a product firsthand before purchasing, businesses employ copywriters to write accurate and persuasive product descriptions. Product copywriters strike a balance between providing convincing information about a product while keeping their copy short enough for customers’ attention spans.
Social media
Brands love having a steady stream of content on their social channels, but who do you think writes all those pithy little captions? A copywriter, of course.
And that’s just the tip of the copywriting iceberg! There’s also other types of copywriting, like direct response, white papers, case studies, video scripts, etc. Each type of copywriting has its own skill set.
If you want to be a copywriter, you don’t need to master all of these forms of copy. Specializing in a few when you start out, like blogs and emails, will help you to create better work and book more clients. As you gain more experience, you can add additional services to your lineup.
WHAT DOES A COPYWRITER DO?
Here’s a casual list of things that I do as a copywriter on a semi-daily basis:
Researching
Interviewing
Communicating with clients via emails and phone
Proofreading
Editing
Managing projects
Sourcing images
Prospecting clients
Updating my social media
Managing my finances
Oh yes, and sometimes actually WRITING
What a copywriter does in a typical day:
10:00 am – Begin work (Since I work for myself, I have the luxury of following my natural sleep schedule and working out in the morning before starting my day!)
10:00am-12:00pm – Work on client projects. I like to devote this part of the day to pure writing. My focus tends to be best in the early part of the day, and writing copy requires extreme focus!
12:00pm-1:30pm – Eat lunch and take a walk.
1:30pm-4:45pm – More client work. I finish up whatever I didn’t do before lunch. If I have time, I will work on my business blog or my personal blog. This is also the time when I will schedule client phone calls so they don’t interfere with my morning focus time.
4:45pm-whenever – Task-y stuff. Primarily updating my financial spreadsheets, answering emails, social media, sending proposals, and prospecting clients. This is a big part of the freelance copywriting life. Not only do you have to write, but you also have to manage your own business! I also take this time to plan out what I will work on the next day, so I can hit the ground running instead of reading emails and dithering about.
I hope you found this informative. But if you have any questions about what copywriters do, leave a comment below or contact me. I’m happy to answer any questions you have!
And if you’re a copywriter who’s tired of explaining what you do to your aunts and uncles over Thanksgiving, I encourage you to reference this article the next time someone asks you “What does a copywriter do?”
Now that you know what a copywriter does, it’s time to take the next step towards your freelance writing career! Here’s what to read next:
How to Create a Freelance Writer Portfolio (even if you don’t have any experience)