Texts are different – entertaining, enticing, provocative, informative. Within the framework of this article, we are interested in those that are aimed at sales. Selling texts should be written by copywriters, which we will talk about in today s article.
I will talk about what modern copywriters are doing, what skills they should have and how much you can earn in this field.
What is copywriting
Copywriting is the process of writing copy for advertising or other forms of marketing. It should stimulate sales, increase the popularity of a product, service, company or a specific person.
However, often on the Internet, this term means writing unique articles on the topics specified by the customer. This includes not only selling, but also informational articles, as well as product descriptions and even content for posting on social networks.
Who is a copywriter
This is a person who writes texts to order. And it is not so important how this process goes and what “sources” the author uses, that is, communicates with experts or writes independently, finding information on the Internet. Moreover, the text formats used by copywriters may be different. Such texts include:
- SEO texts,
- informative articles,
- materials for landing pages (landing pages),
- letters for mailing lists,
- posts for publication on social networks,
- scripts for shooting videos,
- texts for presentations,
- materials to sites – from the main page to the product card.
There is another category – rewriters. These are those who paraphrase other people s materials in their own words, without changing their structure and content.
There are also SEO copywriters – those who write texts that are optimized for search engines. I have already talked about how to compose such materials.
Copywriting job
A copywriter takes an order on a specific topic, in which he is well versed, and fulfills it in the allotted time. Depending on the volume and subject matter of the material, they can vary from several hours to several days, and sometimes even weeks.
To understand exactly what principle the text should be written on, it is necessary to pay attention to the terms of reference, it is also TK. In it, the customers must formulate all the final requirements. As a rule, it indicates:
- required structure,
- Work theme,
- the price for completing the task,
- the amount of future text,
- technical requirements (uniqueness, nausea, spam, and so on),
- deadline,
- number and types of key phrases (if it is SEO text).
As soon as the text is written, the author submits it for review. If there are any inconsistencies, the customer can send it back to make changes. The order is considered completed only if the material complies with the technical specification and is delivered within the specified time frame. After that, the copywriter gets paid for the work done.
But there is another scenario when a person writes articles on his own without TK. But before that, he must do a tremendous analytical work – to understand exactly what goal needs to be achieved with the help of the future text. Only then does the copywriter begin the writing process. The result is often material that fully meets the needs of the target audience and attracts many times more customers.
What skills are needed to work as a copywriter
A copywriter should be a versatile person, because he has to work with a wide variety of topics – both technical and humanitarian (especially if it s freelance). A person who writes articles must analyze, generalize, be able to make at least minimal predictions, and also make causal relationships.
There are other qualities that a good writer should have, here are some of them:
- Curiosity.
- Large vocabulary. Only love of reading can lead to such a result.
- Perseverance. One has to sit at the computer for several hours while writing one text.
- Observation. The author should notice interesting details in order to supplement their text with them later.
- Meticulousness. In order to understand a topic well, a person needs to research it for a long time, inquisitively and corrosively.
- Self-criticism, but in a rational scale.
- Creativity. By this we should rather mean the ability to formulate an idea in such a way that, as a result, the uniqueness is 100%.
Where can I work as a copywriter
Personally, I worked for three years in the state, and then went to freelance in connection with entering the university. There are three options:
- On the staff of the company. Here you have to work exclusively for one firm. The plus is that you know almost everything about it – the advantages and disadvantages, the specifics of a busy field of activity and its pitfalls. Some companies hire on a remote basis, but very rarely – most are looking for workers in the office. Most often, this scheme is applicable to online stores, factories, logistics firms, and so on.
- At the agency. In this version, everything depends on the specifics of the agency itself – it can be a full cycle, specialized, creative, and so on. The main thing is that the company generates orders, and you are engaged in the preparation of text materials for its customers. The most interesting thing is that in order to create quality content, you will have to delve into several different areas.
- Freelance or entrepreneurship. This option is also called self-employment in Russia. Here you need to independently look for clients, negotiate with them, establish agreements, agree on tasks, conclude contracts and pay taxes. Freelancing can be different – you can work with one client on an ongoing basis or perform tasks for different companies and be in constant search.
How much can you earn from copywriting
The minimum wage for a copywriter without work experience is ~ 15,000 rubles per month. In some regions it may be less. The more experience, the higher the pay.
As hh.ru shows, wages in Russian regions range from 25,000 to 55,000 rubles. And if you take Moscow, the rates there are already much higher – on average, from 60,000 to 80,000 rubles. This is if you work in the state.
Regarding freelancing – payment is for 1000 characters without spaces. As a rule, novice authors on exchanges receive from 15 to 25 rubles for this volume. And again – the more experience and skills, the higher the stakes. With work experience of 3 years and more and having a high-quality portfolio, it is quite possible to start earning from 100 rubles per 1000 characters.
How to get the first experience
The most important thing is to start and not stop. The more you write, the faster your writing skill will develop and the faster you build a portfolio. Tackle a variety of topics, master previously unknown areas, delve into them in as much detail as possible. And do not forget to use various methods and technologies, improve the quality of your text in a variety of ways.
Over time, you will earn a reputation as a truly talented writer and will be able to collaborate with major clients.
Does a copywriter have a career
A good copywriter with excellent knowledge of the Russian language can get a job as an editor. This person not only checks the texts of others, but also communicates closely with the client, organizes the work of the authors, helps them create really high-quality content and, of course, is responsible for the result. The editor also works directly with content managers and draws up editorial policies, but this depends on the industry and the size of the company.
A step higher is the chief editor who coordinates the work of the entire direction, sets tasks for specialists, monitors the effectiveness of the blog and prepares publications for external sites.
That s all! I explained who a copywriter is and what he does. I hope that the material was as useful as possible for you. If you have any questions – ask them in the comments;)