What do I need to know to be a good copywriter?

[sergio247]

What skills and abilities do I need to become a good copywriter? I am willing to learn from the beginning, but want to start down the right path.

Good advice is appreciated. Thank you in advance.

[SARubin]

Hey Sergio,

Are you interested in content writing… or sales copy?

I only ask because many people think they are the same thing, while others (myself included) agree that content writing is one thing and copywriting is another.

Content and sales copy can be similar, and there’s definitely crossover between the two, but there are differences.


So which one do you believe is more valuable for you to learn right now?

[sergio247]

Hey Sergio,

Are you interested in content writing… or sales copy?

I only ask because many people think they are the same thing, while others (myself included) agree that content writing is one thing and copywriting is another.

Content and sales copy can be similar, and there’s definitely crossover between the two, but there are differences.


So which one do you believe is more valuable for you to learn right now?

Can you explain the difference. I would like to learn all copywriting but I’m not sure where to start.

TIA

[SARubin]

Can you explain the difference. I would like to learn all copywriting but I’m not sure where to start.

TIA

Generally speaking, content writing is writing things like blog posts, news stories, articles, etc… stuff like that.

Where copywriting can be all those things, plus it has a call to action. Some action you want your reader to take as a result of your words.

I wrote a short post on the difference between the two, here…

what’s the difference between content writers and copywriters?


If I had to give you any advice right now, Sergio, it would be to start with simple content writing.

This will give you a foundation for writing to the masses, and it will help you develop your writing style. Then you can evolve into sales copy from there.

Sales copy involves writing engaging content, and it also involves a deeper understanding of consumer behaviors and habits.

Which is also something else you’ll need to learn, unless you already have a few years experience as a professional sales person?


So starting with content writing is a good way to go.


As far as where to get started…?
Do you have a particular niche you find interesting? That would be a good place to start writing…

You’ll also want to have a blog, website or other platform where you can showcase your writing. It can be your own website, or a popular website (social? freelance site?) with built in traffic. That’s something you’ll want to figure out also.

Anyway, hope that gives you some things to start thinking about. Shout back if you have any other specific questions…

[Franklin]

What skills and abilities do I need to become a good copywriter?

You need to know how to write in a clear and concise manner so people can grasp your message easy.

An understanding of human nature and psychology can help too

[Rhonda]

Hi Sergio,

The first thing you should do is to decide what type of copywriting you’re interested in.

You can pick a single niche to start with – Then decide the purpose of your writing.

It could be selling a product, like in direct response marketing, or it could be brand building through content to establish yourself or your client as an authority in your niche.

Or you can pick a subset of copy to start with.
It could be email copy, article and blog post writing, banner ads or press releases

However, each of these requires a different style of copywriting skills and knowledge.

Trying to learn them all at once would be overwhelming for anyone, and you should start with one step. Then you can build on your skills over time.

It takes time, one step at a time, to become good at anything.