Wednesday, September 15, 2021
Blog-ui - In recent years, an increasing number of people worldwide have chosen to work freelance rather to choose the more traditional choice of a full-time employment, and there are several reasons for this.
Freelance employment provides independence and flexibility, allowing you to work whenever and from anywhere you choose.
If you happen to perform your finest work at 3 a.m. in your pjs, freelancing permits you to do so.
Copywriting, in particular, lends itself well to freelance and remote work since it can be done alone and requires less collaboration or coordination than many other forms of employment.
Aside from that, businesses and clients are delighted to use freelancers for copywriting requirements, especially if they have a restricted, short-term project that does not merit engaging a full-time staff.
Or they just want to avoid the high expenditures of hiring a typical staff.
So, if you're skilled at writing (or have the time and desire to study and develop) and looking for a flexible career, freelance copywriting is a wonderful alternative.
I know because I've been doing it for over a decade and it's been my major source of income for more than three years. This employment has enabled me to relocate across the world to a new nation and pursue my master's degree.
It has transformed my life, and I'm here to show you how you can utilize it to improve yours.
So, if you're wondering what freelance copywriting is, if it's right for you, and how to get started, keep reading.
This review about Grammarly maybe help you to be a copywriter
What exactly is copywriting?
The first thing you must understand if you want to work as a freelance copywriter is what copywriting entails.
Copy in the business and advertising sector refers to text that can be found in an ad, on a website, in an email, or anyplace else.
It is defined as opposed to the graphics or pictures seen in any of these forms of media.
The term "copy" is most commonly used to refer to advertising copy, which is writing that is intended to help sell a product or service, however there are many various forms of copy.
For example, all written information found on the internet, such as in a blog post, white paper, or on social media, falls under the category of online copy.
Then there's body copy, which is a piece of writing's primary text. Body copy refers to the actual newspaper content, as opposed to image captions and headlines, which are also copy.
Copywriting is the act of generating all content that fits under the broad category of copy.
While some businesses define copywriting only as the development of advertising copy, others use the same term to apply to the creation of all forms of content.
What exactly is a copywriter?
A copywriter is simply (and obviously) someone who writes copy.
Donald Draper, the fictional protagonist of Mad Men, who works at an advertising firm producing ads for brands such as Coca Cola, is maybe the most renowned copywriter.
But don't be misled by this stereotype; a copywriter may appear in a variety of ways, especially nowadays.
In my instance, a copywriter is a female graduate student who works as a freelancer for hundreds of different firms from the convenience of my studio apartment.
For you, a copywriter may be a retired soldier, an empty nest mom, or a high school student looking for additional money.
Anyone may become a copywriter through freelancing.
Copywriting employment vs. freelance copywriters
Copywriters can find work in a variety of settings.
Traditionally, they may work for an advertising agency, a copywriting agency, a public relations firm, or in the marketing department of a large or small company.
Freelance copywriters, on the other hand, work for themselves, locating and selecting their own customers and determining their own fees.
Both solutions have advantages and disadvantages.
A typical copywriter position has the distinct advantage of having a steady pay, benefits, and structure.
You know you can rely on the same money month after month, so you can concentrate your efforts on writing.
Freelance writers, on the other hand, are basically small company owners.
They must market their skills, locate their own clients, and figure out how to pay taxes as an independent contractor.
Their labor may be uneven, with some months earning significantly more than others.
To that end, being a brilliant writer isn't enough for a freelance writer; you also need to be a manager, marketer, agent, and entrepreneur.
However, with increased responsibility comes increased freedom.
While it may be tough to obtain junior copywriting employment at a firm if you do not have a four-year degree in a comparable subject and some work experience, you may begin freelance copywriting regardless of your educational or professional history.
You get to direct your own career and generate your own possibilities.
You establish your own prices and may give yourself a raise at any time by charging more to your clients.
And, as previously said, you may work from anywhere and wear anything you choose.
What exactly does a copywriter do?
As I previously stated, copywriters work on a wide range of text kinds.
Any of the following (and more) can be included:
- Emails
- Letters
- Messages through text
- Pages on the website
- Apps
- Videos' scripts
- Brochures
- Billboards
- Catalogs
- Advertisements in print
- Commercials
- Taglines
- Blog entries
- Posts on social media
- Infographics
You get the idea: copywriters work on a wide range of text kinds.
And, while the job is termed "writing," it entails a lot more than just putting your fingers to a keyboard.
Before you can write, you must connect with clients, conduct research, and have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish with each piece of writing.
You must also edit, revise, proofread, format, locate pictures, and frequently conduct SEO research as part of the writing process.
And, as a freelance copywriter, you must do much more, such as locating, selecting, and managing copywriting assignments and projects, as well as all of the other tasks associated with having your own small business.
How to Make a Living as a Copywriter
If you've read this far and still want to be a freelance copywriter, you're probably wondering how you can get started.
Allow me to break it down for you.
First and foremost, you should ensure that you have the abilities to execute at a high level as a copywriter because if you don't, you'll have a difficult time obtaining work.
If you've done a lot of writing in your life and discovered you have a natural knack for it, you might be able to dive right in. But if you don't, it's a good idea to attend a writing class - or two, or three.
You may do this online or in person; the choice is yours; there are several options accessible.
You may also obtain certificates to demonstrate to potential clients that you know what you're doing.
If you don't want to go through the formal process of taking a course, I propose that you at the very least read some internet resources, look at copywriting samples, and practice creating various forms of copy.
You'll also need to build together a portfolio of writing samples to present with potential clients as a first step.
This is a requirement; no one will hire you until they can see your work first.
So collect examples of your writing, preferably stuff that has been published. If you don't have any published writing, try creating a blog to utilize as a portfolio piece.
If you don't have enough examples to complete a portfolio, you may work for free, guest post on other people's sites, or simply make up some writing samples.
As you begin to work more consistently, you will be able to compile a portfolio of your greatest work that shows what you are capable of as a writer.
Ideally, your portfolio should demonstrate your variety in terms of tone and style of text.
So collect examples of your writing, preferably stuff that has been published. If you don't have any published writing, try creating a blog to utilize as a portfolio piece.
If you don't have enough examples to complete a portfolio, you may work for free, guest post on other people's sites, or simply make up some writing samples.
As you begin to work more consistently, you will be able to compile a portfolio of your greatest work that shows what you are capable of as a writer.
Ideally, your portfolio should demonstrate your variety in terms of tone and style of text.
Then you'll want to decide on a copywriting rate.
Do your study and try to find a fee that you believe is high enough to be fair to you while still being low enough to be appealing to customers and appropriate to your level of experience.
You may have to quote per hour or per word depending on the sort of copy you create.
Finally, do yourself a favor and engage in some self-promotion and marketing. Create a company website for yourself that contains a brief biography, your portfolio, and your contact information.
I created mine on Squarespace in a matter of hours and have been approached several times by clients who discovered my website.
You should also set up social media profiles for your freelance copywriting company.
Do some networking and attempt to connect with people in the sector. Inform your relatives and family that you are seeking for freelance copywriting job.
You'd be amazed how frequently individuals would send you leads on a job opportunity they occurred to hear about or see on Facebook.
Finally, I recommend looking at tools for new company owners, such as systeme.io, which can assist you manage all of the email marketing and sales funnels that come with beginning an internet business.
Remote copywriting positions
After you've completed all of that, you're ready for the difficult part: finding work.
But don't worry, it's not as complicated as it seems.
There are a plethora of resources available where customers advertise for freelance copywriters, so make it a habit to read them and apply to the remote work possibilities you're interested in as soon as possible.
One of my first freelance copywriting projects was writing blog articles for an educational firm, which provided me with steady work for several years.
You may also apply to one of the several freelance writing markets, which allow clients to find you - and you to find clients.
Another alternative is to work for a freelance copywriting firm, which will bring tasks to you and enable you to pick which projects to work on.
The main disadvantage is that you will most likely earn less money through these channels.
As long as you have the work ethic to keep seeking for employment, you'll eventually come across something, and then something else, until you have as much work as you need.