Do you have a passion for writing, but are unsure how to craft a successful ad? How do you become a copywriter? Copywriting is a lucrative profession that isn’t going anywhere. All companies, especially big businesses, need talented copywriters do promote their products.
If you have a knack for the written word and are interested in growing your talent, read more to learn how to make a well-thought article or blog post that will attract readers.
The Copywriting Process
Okay, so let’s set the scene. You just graduated college and you nabbed your first copywriting job with your Summa Cum Laude English degree. Good for you!
You will have your own desk (probably) and your supervisor will give you projects.
Or more realistically, you will graduate college and suffer as a freelancer for a while.
Whatever the case, if you want to write and sell copy that you made, you will have to begin by researching.
Research
Whether you are a copywriter, a screenwriter or a novelist, if you want to produce the best content you can, you must do the research first. If you have access to the Internet, use it. If you don’t have access to the internet, find someone who does. Or go to the library. They have thousands of free books and magazines for you to use, too.
Once you have gathered enough information, it is time to break it down into categories of importance. If you are doing a copywriting project to promote skin scream, you would break down the benefits, the ingredients, the audience that it is directed to, and you must do all of these while having a genuine passion for the project.
The Expert
Renowned copywriter Joseph Sugarman, author of “Advertising Secrets of the Written Word” expounds of a copywriter’s need to be an expert in the subject:
“You need to become an expert on a product, service or anything you write about to really be effective.”
You should feel so confident in your knowledge that you could explain a product in just a few words. Now, on the surface, to a layperson, those few words might not seem too impressive. In fact, they might begin to doubt your expertise. However, if you are such an expert that you have chosen the correct words to explain the product, then you needn’t say anymore. Surely, you have experienced this in your life. Well, it goes the same when writing copy. You must know what are talking about so well that customers will not have any doubt of your knowledge on the subject.
*NOTE* Oftentimes, when dealing with a serious customer, they might view the confidence of your product knowledge as fake. They might question your expertise. If so, be ready to go beyond the general and expand on the specifics. This type of confrontation might not happen frequently, but it does happen. That is why researching your project is vital.
Who is the Customer?
If your project is about designing sneakers, then you should know the demographics of people who have bought sneakers like those in the past. Is it mostly women or is it men, too? What is the primary age group? Which color did they typically purchase? Did like solid colors or abstract designs?
The point is all the research and expertise in the world is absolutely useless if you don’t know your target audience. Ultimately, your audience controls the market. Not the media (so much). Not big business (so much). And not celebrities (so much). The mass-market spend their dollars on what they want and what they can afford. Your job as a copywriter is to know who they are and create advertisements that appeal to them.
The Copywriting Mechanics
The mechanics to good copywriting are in its structure. If you know how to build a house, it will last many years. The house will be more desirable for its buyers. And the house will provide a better reputation for you as you continue to build your company.
Copywriting uses the same efforts. Building a name for yourself is vital, but it won’t happen overnight. The better-structured copy you write will eventually build upon your brand and before you know it, you will begin to see the offers roll in (if you are a freelancer) or your reputation at your workplace skyrocket.
So, how can you make copy that customers will want to read and buy its products?
Headline
I already wrote an article about the importance of SEO headlines. You can read it here.
The headline, without a doubt, is the most important piece of an ad. The headline text is usually bold and larger than the rest of the ad. Therefore, it will be the first thing people see even before they decide to read the article. The headline stands out. It is meant to attract interest. It is meant to grab people who never thought about buying Nike sneakers to suddenly read what they have to say about the new soles Nike started using.
Furthermore, the headline will typically be in some type of loud color that attracts attention. Along with its large size, magazines will use friendly colors (blue or red) and simple block letters that won’t force the reader to analyze any intricately-designed lettering. The less detailed-thinking a reader has to perform with a headline, the better the chance the copywriter has at keeping their attention.
Sub-Heading
Okay, so you attracted your reader to the headline. They want to learn about the product. Now you have to write a good subheading to keep them interested.
The subheadline goes immediately underneath the headline. You might see examples of an italicized font. This is done to stand out from the rest of the text on the page. Surely, the main headline above it won’t be in italics and surely the rest of the body copy won’t be in italics (save for a highlighted word or two). The subheadline usually is no more than one sentence. Any more than one or two sentences of 20 words total and you risk the reader not going any further. A wordy subheadline will make the reader skip over the ad.
To write a good subheadline, you should think of it as both a summary of the article that teases out a specific reason that will benefit buyers. Going too far into the details in a subheadline isn’t the point. You just want to give them a taste. Get them hooked, so they will read more. Remember, you are in charge. Don’t give them all the information right up front. That defeats the purpose.
Just a taste!
*NOTE* As a copywriter, you might not have the duty to choose any images for the piece. Depending on the agreement, freelance copywriters might have the duty of securing their own images for the ad. Whether you do or don’t if an image is used for the piece you might be in charge to provide a caption for the image.
- The caption is usually a sentence or two. A smaller font is always used and the font might be different from all other text on the page.
- The caption will describe some minor details of the product image without going overboard.
Paragraph Headings
Copywriters may or may not use paragraph headings. The majority of copywriting these days don’t use them, however, I have seen some that still do. It is up to the discretion of the copywriter. Personally, I think they interrupt the flow of the article. If a page is littered with paragraph headings it makes a reader’s eyes not focus as much on the actual copy. Also, it limits line space on the page. When editors use layout software to place the copy on the page, they are allotted only a certain amount of space.
However, if you wish to put paragraph headings within the ad, then treat them no differently than the previous headlines. Choose specific benefits of the product and reword them in general terms, so the follow-up copy will explain the details. For example, a section could be about the new types of material Nike used for its shoelaces. For the paragraph heading it could read, TOUGHER LACES. The copy to follow could explain how the materials interact with each other to form stronger laces that won’t fray over time.
Call to Action
This goes at the end of your ad.
If you have followed the steps properly and incorporated the right information about the product in the ad, then this final call to action should be no problem.
But it usually is a problem. Why?
Because of the copywriter.
The fault lies within the confidence (or lack thereof) of the writer who is selling the product. The call to action section is never large. In fact, it is usually just a sentence or two telling the reader where to go next to buy the product.
However, customers are not stupid. They can tell when they are being scammed or having been presented a product by someone who isn’t the most informed. And the wary customer is correct. Why would you buy a Mercedes from a car salesman who is obviously a newbie, who is clearly nervous, and who doesn’t know the product information about the new Mercedes model? I sure as hell wouldn’t spend my money.
Before entering the writing and editing fields myself, I was in sales. I know how difficult it is to sell anything. You have to be knowledgable. You have to have the confidence to ask for the sale. It is tough, but it certainly is learnable.
The call to action—a great call to action—will not just appear spontaneously at the end of your ad. It will flow normally because it will have been expected as the next piece within the ad. If it is done right, the reader might not even know they have just read a call to action. They might find themselves Googling the product or going to the company’s website to buy the product.
That is what good copywriting does. It captures the reader’s attention so well that they feel as if you were speaking directly to them, which will then make them more receptive to buy the product.
Two Call to Action examples:
- You can buy our product on our website
- If you think that our product is right for you and you would like to learn more about the benefits our product can make in your life, please visit our website.
So, which one does a better job at relating to the reader? Clearly #2.
The second call to action quickly restates the benefits (product is right for you) and then asks you if wish to learn more about the longevity the product will have (benefits our product can make in your life). And finally, it relocates you to the official website where you can experience other products (most likely) that the customer will find beneficial.
It is literally as simple as that. Don’t overthink the call to action.
Copywriting is Psychological
Hear me out.
The actual physical writing, knowing where to put copy, images, proper format is mandatory for great advertising. However, there is more to copywriting.
Copywriting is not simply a form of non-fiction where you must present data and charts and graphs that show why your product is beneficial.
Think of writing persuasive copy as creative non-fiction.
The creative (persuasive) element comes from you, the writer. It is your duty to structure the information in such a way that appeals to the reader, both financially and emotionally.
It is not as difficult as you think.
Personalize the Language
If you expect to sell an ad by writing copy that sounds as if it is from a robot, think again.
Using $20 words that sound as if you are using a thesaurus doesn’t work. It is not an academic paper you will present before a board of professors for your Ph.D. Th language you use should be concise with the audience of which it is directed.
What does that mean?
That means if you are hoping to sell a Mercedes, you should use adjectives and verbs that people in those circles also use. Rather than say, “The new Mercedes has been properly recorded evoking velocities upwards of 120 mph,” you could reword it. Instead say, “Researchers of the new Mercedes has clocked its speeds reaching 120 mph.” When copywriting, it is usually unnecessary to use big words. Customers will lose interest.
Another method is to speak directly to the reader. This is similar to blogging. Incorporating “I” and “you” are great because it personalizes the message. It lets the reader know that a person wrote the copy who likely has profound knowledge of the product and recommends it.
When a copywriter uses “you” it specifically targets the customer. In other forms of writing, such as literature and other mediums, using second-person POV is not encouraged. However, in copywriting, especially because copy is a short and small platform (usually few pages in a magazine at the most), a copywriter must formulate the right message as quickly as possible. Using second-person does this nicely.
“You” places the reader at the center of attention. Using “you,” it personalizes the piece to an extreme. And that is what you want. The copywriter should employ all tactics to ensure his or her message doesn’t lose its hold on the reader.
Writing with the correct language and bringing the reader in the ad, you have increased your chances of selling that advertisement.
The Path to Copywriting Success
As mentioned before, copywriting careers are, unfortunately, these days, mostly freelance. That is unless you have quite the portfolio that garners attention from companies looking to hire a full-time copywriter. That could be you. That is what you should aim for. But hey, if you like freelancing and it brings in decent amounts of money and clients, then stay with freelancing. Perhaps, if you get popular and successful as a freelancer, you could begin your own company. Go for it!
However, for us mortals who work at jobs, there will be requirements in the form of certifications and university degrees that we must achieve before a corporation will hire us to work on million-dollar advertisements.
Step 1: Know Thyself
The first step is to know that a career in writing is what you want. This decision should be done as soon as possible. The longer you wait to know that putting words together is something you want to do for the rest of your life, the better.
Once you have found your way to college with becoming a copywriter in mind, you should take full opportunity of writing clubs, working for the college newspaper, joining literary journals, and working for the college writing center. Having those extracurricular activities on your resume when you graduate college is a major achievement that will get you noticed for a copywriting job. College degrees in English, journalism, and other liberal arts majors will provide more than enough writing and editing experience for you to master your craft.
Step 2: Keep a Copywriting Portfolio
…of everything you have written. I mean everything.
This seems like an impossible task. It is a difficult one, but not impossible. The purpose is to track your own progress as a writer. There will be countless academic papers you will write for various reasons. Keep copies of them all. Even better, ask the professors to provide grammar and content corrections of your work. This will ensure that you do not make the same mistakes twice. Working with your writing professors is of such massive importance. Mainly because you have access to them. Never again in your life will you have such immediate access to professionals in the writing fields like that. Take advantage of it.
Step 3: Multitask
If you are going full-time in college and working too, taking on extra responsibilities is tough. But if you truly want to succeed in it, you can find ways to make it happen.
I am referring to 2 things that all copywriters should have (besides a degree):
- A website or blog
- A certificate from a writing/editing company
The Blog:
It is the 21st century. Everyone should have some type of social media outlet that promotes their name and their brand. Beginning with a simple blog is good enough. You won’t have to put forth all of the time and effort that goes into creating an actual website. A blog is good just to get your work out there. Showcase your writing. Promote your advertisements. You will find that you will begin exploring other avenues, like images and layout. It could lead you into doing other specialties in the copywriting world.
The Website:
Arriving at a job interview with a beautiful website of your own articles that you made yourself is a huge advantage over other job candidates. To start your own website, simply visit the WordPress (like I did). Maintaining a website s similar to a blog, but more detailed. There are many more options, like thousands of free themes and plugins to help your site run smoothly. The blog option on your website will help you express and display your copywriting examples and can blossom into a great freelance career while you look for your perfect company job.
The Copywriting Certificate:
While starting a blog and website are relatively free (with a few exceptions), the certificate will cost you—but it is totally worth it. There are many writing and editing courses online that can teach you a great deal about copywriting and copyediting. I suggest you check around first, and not waste your time and money on courses that are so basic you can learn just as much from a YouTube video. Stay away. Do some research and examine professional sites with legitimate certificates. Most certificates can be completed within a few days. The good ones can cost a few hundred dollars, but they are totally worth it.
Conclusion
Well, there you have it. The basic advice I can give you about copywriting. Hopefully, you will use these suggestions to find success. Becoming a great copywriter overnight doesn’t just happen. It takes time and patience and hard work. You can do it if you set your mind to it.
Here is a list of links I think will guide you along your copywriting path:
- This is the Poynter copyediting online course I completed. It took me about 3 days. There is a wealth of writing, editing, and fact-checking knowledge in these courses. The price is $150.
- The Blackford Center for Copywriting has an accredited diploma in copywriting.
- If you like this article and want to read more about the craft, you can read my post about improving your copy-editing skills now.
- And if you have a manuscript you need reviewing before sending out to literary agents or any material you need to be edited, check out my services page for information.
- Don’t forget to sign up for my monthly newsletter to let you know what posts are coming and writing tips!
- And if you want to amplify the suspense in your short story or your novel, you can purchase my eBook here.
Keep writing!
~M