Have you ever wondered, “Is copywriting good for me?”
There are a lot of marketers and business owners who would like to get into the world of copywriting. And who could blame them?
Out of all the skills related to your business, copywriting is the one that makes the biggest impact. If your copy is good, you can get more leads, boost conversions, and drive more sales from your website.
But let’s be honest: it can be a tough skill to master.
So if you’re on the fence about learning copywriting, don’t worry. Because in today’s post, we have 5 questions to help you answer the ultimate question: is Copywriting good for me?
Before we do, though, let’s get clear on what we mean by the term “copywriting.”
What Is Copywriting?
Copywriting is the art of strategically crafting words to influence people’s buying decisions. It can be used in print, on websites, through email marketing campaigns, and more.
The truth is that copywriting has been around for centuries.
But today’s marketers are using this skill more than ever before thanks to its incredible power to convert visitors into customers.
That means whether you’re a business owner or trying to become a freelance copywriter, you’ll develop an incredibly lucrative skill. One that will allow you to not only make money but also provide value to the world.
With that in mind, let’s turn to our 5 questions so you can see if copywriting is good for you.
“Is Copywriting Good For Me?”: A 5-Question Test
1) Do I Enjoy Writing?
If you enjoy writing, then copywriting is absolutely for you. The best part about the whole process of creating amazing copy is that it’s all about communicating effectively with your target audience through words on a page.
And if you’re already passionate about the topic or product that your business sells, this will be even easier to do!
So if you enjoy the process of putting words together to communicate an idea, it’s safe to say copywriting is a perfect fit.
2) Do I Understand My Target Audience?
One of the best parts about copywriting is that it requires you to deeply understand your target audience.
This means understanding their needs, desires, fears, problems – everything! If this sounds like something you’re interested in doing, then there’s no doubt that copywriting would be a good fit for you.
Remember, “good” copywriting can only be measured by one thing: the results it delivers.
And to get the BEST results, you need to understand whose problems you’re fixing. For that, you’ll need an understanding of your target audience.
If that’s the kind of research you enjoy, then copywriting can absolutely be good for you.
3) Am I Results-Driven?
Every freelancer, marketer, and business owner knows that the best way to show your value is through results.
And copywriting for landing pages or advertisements? That’s no different!
If you’re someone who lives by the motto of “get it done,” then chances are you’ll be able to thrive in this industry.
And if you already know copywriting is for you, then rest assured that your results should speak for themselves.
Copywriters are usually measured by how much revenue their ads or landing pages drive. And since this directly relates to the success of a business owner’s company, it makes sense that they would want someone who can get them concrete results.
So if you’re someone who is results-driven, there’s no doubt that copywriting can be good for you.
4) Am I Good at Receiving Negative Feedback?
Every copywriter has to be able to take negative feedback.
Sometimes, you’ll write what feels like the perfect ad or landing page – only for someone else to point out how it could have been better.
And that’s why being able to receive feedback is crucial. If this doesn’t sound appealing to you, then maybe copywriting isn’t the best career path.
But if it does, then you’re already well on your way to mastering copywriting and becoming a successful freelancer or even an in-house marketer.
That’s because copywriters are perpetual students. They need to analyze the concepts behind the scenes that move people into action.
Then they need to replicate that same process for THEIR audience. The problem? Sometimes a campaign will fall flat on its face.
It happens to everyone.
You’ll need to be open to hearing feedback about your failed campaigns and will likely deal with clients or judge your campaigns based on how it “sounds” or “feels.”
This can be frustrating, especially when the person giving you feedback is NOT a copywriter. If these are the kinds of conversations that annoy you, professional copywriting might not be the best fit.
5) Do I Have the Discipline to
Stick With It?
If you want to start a career in copywriting, it’s important that you have the discipline required to stick with it.
It takes time and energy to learn new skills – especially if this is your first rodeo! You’ll need to practice writing persuasive content for hours on end. And then after all that, you’ll need to continue working on your own copywriting skills.
This can be tricky for some people since most copywriters work alone and from a home office.
So if you’re easily distracted or find that working from home can be too chaotic, then professional copywriting might not be for you.
But if you love the idea of getting paid to write, want to work on your own time, and are self-disciplined enough to learn new skills (and embrace negative feedback), then copywriting might be a great fit for you!
Alright, so you’re convinced: copywriting is TOTALLY for you. What now?
Let’s look at 3 things you can do to get started with copywriting for yourself or other clients.
How to Get Started Copywriting (in 3 Steps)
1) Do Audience Research
Start by learning as much as you can about who your target audience is and what they care about.
This should feel a little bit like detective work, actually. You want to uncover the problems that your ideal customers are facing – so think of yourself as a researcher or strategist.
What does this have to do with copywriting?
It’s important to know everything you can about your audience so that you understand the nuances of their problems. Only then will you be able to create content that speaks directly to them and gives them a reason to take action.
2) Create a Swipe File
Content marketing is all the rage right now, and it’s for a good reason: people love to read useful content that relates to them.
A swipe file of successful headlines or ads will give you some inspiration when crafting your own copywriting pieces – which can be especially helpful if this is one of your first gigs as a copywriter.
Be sure to keep track of what makes certain content go viral.
Then study the elements that make it stand out before you begin writing your own headlines or ads. This is one way copywriters can save time and still create great work for their clients.
3) Practice, Track, & Test (Then Practice Some More)
The best way to become a good copywriter is by doing it. But be prepared: the road won’t always be easy.
You’ll need to put in hours of hard work before you see tangible results, and that’s okay.
It might sound like marketing mumbo jumbo, but this is actually how most things go when we want to get better at something: we need to practice.
When you’re first starting out, it’s a good idea to track your progress and keep yourself accountable (after all, nobody else is going to do this for you). You can even set goals and reward yourself when you meet them!
Just be sure not to compare yourself to other copywriters.
Everyone has their own style, niche, and voice – which makes each piece of content unique.
So focus on YOU for now: don’t worry about the competition or what other people are doing in your space. Instead, make sure to stay true to yourself as a writer while getting better with every project that comes your way.
Now that you know the basics of copywriting, it’s time for you to decide whether or not this is something YOU want to do!
If so, great news: there are lots of startups and businesses out there who need your help with their written content.
You can even start a blog about whatever interests you (like this one!) and try monetizing it through affiliate links or advertising.