Ever since businesses have needed good sales copy to sell their products and services, copywriters have been in great demand. There are millions of businesses in the world and they are all vying for paying clients and customers. They all need good copy to sell their products and services. The act of writing that copy is called copywriting.  

The aim of copywriting is to produce promotional and marketing copy that persuades the reader to take an action. 

Copywriters write copy for webpages, company brochures, newspaper and magazine advertising, television, and any platform that promotes products, like YouTube and Facebook.  

Can anyone be a copywriter? 

Yes and no. Copywriting is like painting: anybody can pick up a paintbrush and paint, but not everybody will produce a work of art. To a certain extent, copywriting is the same because it’s also an art form.

However, while there are talented writers who have a natural ability to write outstanding copy, others can learn to become proficient copywriters. 

Because the profession is associated with creative talent that many people believe they simply don’t have, relatively few people attempt to establish themselves as copywriters. But realistically, you don’t have to be a literary genius to write copy that will sell a product.

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Why you can be a copywriter even if you are not very creative with words?

Yes, you read that right. Think about it. The purpose of copywriting is to get the reader to do something, not to impress them with your writing! Your writing doesn’t have to be colorful or poetic; it must be clear so the reader understands you. And, most importantly, your writing must get the reader to take action.

If you can learn to write clear and concise copy, you can be a good writer. And if you can also learn to write persuasive copy, you can be a copywriter. 

The takeaway: as a copywriter, your writing must inform and persuade, not impress.

What other skills do you need to be a good copywriter?

1. Researcher and interview abilities 

Copywriters have to write about a wide range of different topics. Since it’s impossible to be an expert on every subject, talking to people in the know is the best source of information. Talking to an actual person is much more informative than doing a Google search. In fact, Google search often only produces poorly written text that’s not informative at all.

Interviewing someone in the field will add immensely to what you can find on Google.

To do so requires strong interview skills, so we suggest brushing up on those.

2. Know and understand the audience the copy is aimed at  

This is one of the cardinal rules of copywriting: you have to know your audience. What are their needs, what are they typically looking for; are they affluent and knowledgeable; are they from the suburbs or the city center; how old are they? If you’re trying to persuade your readers to do something, or buy something, you must understand them first. If you don’t, your writing will completely fail.

To gain this knowledge, you need to do some research or ask your client to provide you with a buyer persona.

3. An insatiable thirst for knowledge 

Copywriters are usually people who have an innate thirst for knowledge. They tend to be interested in everything, even boring subjects like what to look for when buying a bassinet for your baby. 

Copywriters are curious and want to know how things work and how people work, and they go to great lengths to find the answers. So, if you don’t have this trait, it might be better to pursue another profession.

4. Knowledgeable about current trends 

Good copywriters understand that consumers don’t have time to read long-form copy, that they tend to skim read and want to get to the point as soon as possible. They know how to write high-converting headlines, and understand the importance and use of keywords for SEO. They use platforms that check their grammar and spelling and avoid plagiarism at all costs.

5. A readaholic

Successful copywriters always have loads of books on their nightstand. And the subject matter is usually very diverse. Of course, if a copywriter is focusing on a specific industry, that heap might be less diverse. The really exceptional ones become industry experts in their own right. 

What do copywriters read? American Scientist, Fast Company, Financial Times, Business Insider, and Adweek are favorites; it really depends on the industry and the writer’s interests. Copywriters often askew fiction in favor of non-fiction.

6. Open to feedback 

As a copywriter, you must interpret the information you get from a client and try to articulate their particular message. This can be a tricky exercise depending on the brief and the personalities involved. Since no two people think the same about any two topics, you can take it for granted that you’ll have to revise your copy. Experienced copywriters don’t take feedback from clients personally. They understand that sometimes they don’t have an immediate meeting of minds with some clients, and work with the client to incorporate feedback in their work.

7. Know when good enough is good enough 

Most serious copywriters are never satisfied with their work; they always feel it can be better. However, in a world of constant deadlines, it’s simply not possible to spend endless time perfecting a piece of writing. 

Experienced copywriters trust their work, they know they are not writing gibberish, and that there is no such thing as perfection, so they know when it’s time to accept that a piece of writing is done.

8. Are prepared to kill their little darlings

All writers fall in love with some of their cleverly constructed sentences that would probably beguile readers. Sorry, but you are not writing a novel; you are writing copy for a business that must succeed in persuading someone to do something. No matter how clever your sentence or paragraph, if it doesn’t convey your message succinctly, get rid of it.

9. A master of simple language

Effective copywriters have mastered the art of simple writing. Good copy is writing that is clear and simple. It uses short words and sentences, is short on adverbs, and limits passive voice. 

You want someone who reads your copy to understand your message. Copy that uses complicated sentence structures and uncommon words won’t succeed in bringing your message across. 

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10. Don’t waste time on details

This point could also read: know when to stop researching. Good copywriters always want to know as much as possible about a subject before they start writing. Sometimes this can lead to reading countless reports, survey results, research results, articles, etc. This is the point where you can get so completely lost in a sea of facts and figures that you feel paralyzed.

Successful copywriters know when to stand back, evaluate what they have learned, and start writing. They know when to stop looking for one more defining point that would support their copy. They realize that it’s impossible to find all the information about a subject when deadlines are looming. At the outset of their research, they focus on information and data that would illustrate the company’s perspective and message. This is a skill that takes many years to master.