How to Become a Copywriter
Do you have a passion for writing and communication, and enjoy working independently most of the time? Consider a career that caters to all this and find out how to become a copywriter. In this article, we explain how to become a copywriter with no experience, how to become a freelance copywriter or work within a company and provide you with information on copywriter salaries.
What Is a Copywriter?
Copywriters are professionals in charge of creating written materials for businesses, organizations, and anyone who needs to promote a product, service, or brand. Good copywriters not only deliver a company’s messages but are also able to inform, persuade and push audiences to take certain actions like buying a product. To achieve this, you’ll write a great variety of content including articles, blog posts, emails, marketing materials, and radio, television, and social media advertising.
What Do Copywriters Do?
Specific tasks copywriters perform in their job include:
- write original copy and edit various types of content
- understand and adapt the tone to company/client briefs
- use various tools to thoroughly research content topics
- write with appropriate targeting for specific audiences
- meet with clients to understand their content goals
- maintain up-to-date knowledge of the industry they write about
- meet editorial guidelines
- respect editorial deadlines
How to Become a Copywriter
A copywriting career is one in which there’s no single way to get your foot in the door. So, how to get into copywriting? Well, a bachelor's degree in English, communication, journalism, or marketing will set you up with a great foundation, but it’s not the only way in.
In fact, you could score your first copywriter job regardless of your education or experienceOn-the-job training, previous writing experience like blogging, writing for a local newspaper, or even assisting authors or other writers could be enough as long as your examples are high quality.
If having a formal education is not always necessary, taking courses to improve your writing skills and educate yourself constantly on the industries or subjects you write about is essential. Nowadays you can find valuable resources not only from traditional education institutions but also online, often directly from field experts. Gaining a certification is another great way to attract more clients as well.
Besides excellent writing capabilities, crucial copywriting skills you’ll need for this job include creativity, attention to detail, flexibility, and both an analytical and curious nature. If you intend to pursue a freelance career, you should also learn how to market your skills and communicate effectively with clients, as many gigs still come through word of mouth.
How Much Does a Copywriter Make?
The average copywriting salary sits at $59,814 per year. However, based on your specific experience, particular copywriting skills, area of specialization, and location you could be making more or less than that. Keep in mind that the most skilled and experienced copywriters can make up to six figures.
Based on the data from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, some of the top-paying industries for copywriters are:
- motion picture and video
- securities, commodity contracts, and other financial investments
- non-depository credit intermediation
- cable and other subscription programming
- federal executive branches
On the other hand, considering locations, copywriters on average earn the most in:
In learning how to become a copywriter, you’re surely also wondering how much you can make in this role in your city. Simply visit Monster's Salary Calculator to find out. This tool will not only show you the estimated salaries for any city but also the skills to acquire and the potential next steps you might want to consider for your career.
How to Find Copywriter Jobs
Having all the information on how to become a copywriter is just the first step. To secure the role you want you also need to prepare a killer copywriter resume.
Approach your resume the same way you would approach a copywriting project and start by considering your audience. Recruiters and companies receive thousands of resumes, so it’s crucial you make your resume easy to read and scan. To do so, use paragraphs, a professional summary, bullet points and bold text.
Then, to stand out from the competition you need to show the reader what you’re capable of, rather than simply describing a list of past tasks. Use metrics to help you quantify your achievements and make them tangible for recruiters.
Finally, always include a cover letter with your application. This is an incredible tool to add more information that you can fit into your resume. Use it to talk about what you can bring to the prospective company and what your long-term objectives are.
Where Does a Copywriter Work?
An important part of understanding how to become a copywriter is also knowing where you can work. In fact, copywriters can work for a single employer in an in-house creative team, in an agency or as freelancers for one or multiple clients.
Even though being a copywriter is one of the best remote careers you could pick, working in the same state as your employer might help you find a role faster. These states have the highest level of employment for copywriters:
As for U.S. metro areas, we suggest you look at copywriter jobs in:
Get Your Resume Read by More Employers, with Help from Monster
Now that we covered every detail of how to become a copywriter, it’s time for you to jump into your job search. Monster is your best ally for finding all the relevant job listings since we delivered direct to your email. Simply set up a free candidate account, upload your resume and select the type of positions you’re looking for. We’ll also promote your profile to partner companies and recruiters to help you find the perfect match.