Copywriters are becoming more and more common in the modern world. As this practice grows in popularity, it causes many people to wonder if they should pursue a career in copywriting too.
Copywriting could be a promising career for you if you can write well and have a clear message to share. It’s a rewarding and fulfilling career that comes with many perks. However, being a copywriter means that you have to know what makes people tick and what will resonate with them.
There are many pros and cons to being a copywriter. In this article, we’ll discuss some signs that indicate whether copywriting is for you, as well as some of the perks and challenges that come with it.
5 Tell-Tale Signs You Should Be a Copywriter
1. You’re Creative & Writing Comes Naturally to You
Copywriters usually do well if they’re creative in some way. This career path could be good for you if you enjoy writing and creating new and unique things.
The best copywriters can harness their creativity to make ads that stand out from the rest of the crowd. Here are some qualities that could make you a better copywriter:
- You’ve always been creative—You love making up stories and telling them to other people. You also like writing poetry, song lyrics, or screenplays for movies or plays!
- Writing comes naturally to you—You can’t imagine not being able to do it because it just feels right when it flows out onto your computer (or pen/paper).
- You have a passion for writing—You love coming up with ideas and putting them down on paper or the computer. You like sharing your thoughts and feelings but also enjoy hearing what others say.
- You’re good at telling stories—people often ask you to tell them what happened at work or school. Maybe they always want to hear about your day or weekend. Copywriting could be a good fit for you if you remember details and can put them into a form that makes sense and keeps the listener engaged.
2. Listening to People Is Your Forte
Although this might be surprising, a big part of being a copywriter is being a good listener. You have to listen to your client, but more importantly, you must listen to what your audience wants.
You should be able to ask good questions and identify what they want. Listening isn’t as simple as just hearing what someone says.
Instead, it’s about understanding what they mean and figuring out how you can help them achieve their goals, whether that’s getting more customers to buy your product or helping them find a new job.
In this sense, listening is a skill that enables you to become a natural at copywriting because it allows you to understand other people and how they think.
As our world becomes more connected through social media and technology in general, listening skills are more important than ever before.
If you’re good at listening to people and understanding how they feel, then copywriting might be a great fit for you.
3. You Can Easily Identify Tone
Do you tend to know when someone is happy, sad, or angry, even if they try to mask their emotions? If you can identify their tone based on subtle hints, you may have a knack for copywriting.
As a copywriter, you’re always trying to get people to take action. Therefore, it’s vital that you understand what kind of mood they are in when you talk to them.
If they’re happy and excited about something, this will rub off on your conversation and make it easier for them to take action. If you listen closely to how someone talks, you can identify different moods.
Small changes in tone or even the words people choose can be a giveaway.
If you can recognize the different emotions of your audience, you’ll know how best to interact with someone—a skill that most copywriters feel is very important in the world of sales.
It’s not an exact science, but it’s also not random guesswork. Identifying tone takes practice and focus, but the ability will pay off over time. Plus, it will help you in your social and personal life!
4. You Understand Your Audience
A copywriter is the person who creates all of the text you read on a website, email, advertisement, billboard, etc.
The job involves a lot more than just writing in a way that sounds good and makes sense—it also requires an understanding of how people think, act, and feel.
A good copywriter knows what makes people tick and how to use those insights to get them to take action.
If you’re the kind of person who can quickly grasp the situation and understand why people behave the way they do, then copywriting may be the perfect career for you.
Many people don’t know why they do the things they do. They just act on impulse and hope for the best. But as a copywriter, you need to understand human behavior and motivation if you want to be successful.
There are many different theories to explain why people behave the way they do, but one of the most popular is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
This theory states that people are motivated by different needs, such as the need for safety, belonging, and self-esteem.
If you understand what motivates people, you’ll be able to write copy that resonates with them on a personal level.
5. Your Writing Can Invoke Action
The best copywriters are masters of persuasion. Therefore, if your writing is clever and engaging, your readers are more likely to listen to you and take action.
So what does this mean for you? It means that if you’re a copywriter, then you are someone who writes with a purpose. You want to get something from each reader when they engage with your copy.
And as long as your writing meets their needs, they will keep coming back for more—and they may even become your customers!
Perks of Copywriting
As someone who has been in this industry for years, I have seen the many ups and downs that come with it.
Here, I will discuss some of the many perks of working as a copywriter, as well as the challenges that come with the job.
If you’re wondering whether you should be a copywriter, consider the pros and cons below!
Perk #1: You’re The Boss
If you’re a copywriting freelancer, you’re essentially self-employed. You don’t have an employee or a boss telling you what to do or when.
So as long as you meet your personal goals for timing and budget, you can work as much or as little as you want.
Since everything is up to you (and only you), then whatever happens next depends solely on your decisions and actions. This means that copywriters can be extraordinarily flexible!
However, there is a downside to this independent approach.
Because you are your own boss and there’s nobody else to answer to but yourself, you always have to be sure that whatever you’re doing is worth your time.
Perk #2: Enjoy a Flexible Lifestyle
In professional copywriting, there are virtually no restrictions. You can work from anywhere in the world (as long as you have a computer and a stable internet connection).
Your schedule will be entirely up to you, allowing for a more flexible lifestyle than those with traditional jobs.
You can take your laptop outside and enjoy the fresh air while finishing up some sales copy, or stay inside and write stories on your couch. The possibilities are endless!
As a remote copywriter myself, I have fond memories of taking my work on vacation with me.
I remember sitting in the sand, surrounded by palm trees and the sound of crashing waves, typing away on my laptop with a margarita in hand.
It was one of the most relaxing experiences of my life, and it wouldn’t be possible in a traditional 9-5 office job.
Perk #3: No Cap on Your Earnings
Although the endless earning potential isn’t something you’ll experience initially, it’s something you can look forward to. With other jobs, there are always limits on how much you can earn.
You might make a decent amount now, but there will always be a cap. This is not the case when you’re writing copy for the internet.
There are no limits on how much money you can make from writing copy—you simply need to put in the work and focus on providing value for your clients.
As long as you can write, you can continue to make money.
Perk #4: Help Businesses Grow & Succeed
As a copywriter, you can help businesses grow and succeed. Copywriting enables you to have a growth mindset, which means that you always want to improve your skills and help your client.
As a result, your job opportunities and professional network will grow. I still remember that in my early days as a copywriter, I was able to help one small business owner sell their entire inventory in three days.
Three days! That’s how powerful the right words can be—and it’s just one example of how you can help businesses grow and succeed when you become a copywriter.
Challenges of Copywriting
Challenge #1: Copywriting Is Not Easy
As a copywriter, you should expect to be involved in every aspect of a company’s marketing efforts.
You will be required to understand how every piece of content contributes to the bottom line and how it fits into the overall strategy at play.
To do this well—and produce copy that will resonate with your audience—you must have an eye for detail and be able to work quickly and efficiently under pressure.
You’ll also need to monitor the moving parts of each project. Remember that copywriting is not just about words; it also requires excellent marketing knowledge and writing skills.
In addition, you must understand how different types of messages affect readers’ emotions or behaviors.
Great copywriters should also know what works best when trying out different approaches and which channels are best suited for specific types of messages. Copywriting is both an art and a science.
It requires creativity, attention to detail, technical skills, and a thorough understanding of human behavior and emotions.
Copywriters must be able to think on their feet and work quickly while still delivering a high-quality product that meets the needs of their clients. This means that copywriting is not suitable for everyone.
Challenge #2: High Competition
One of the biggest challenges of copywriting is the competition. There are a lot of people who can write well, and many of them are looking for the same jobs you are.
Most people choose to enter this field because they love writing and want to work from home. While that’s great, it means there will always be someone willing to do your job for less money.
It takes a lot of determination and patience to become successful in this field.
You have to consistently deliver impactful messages that prompt action if you want your clients or readers to come back again and again.
Sadly, I have seen many competent writers give up early on in their careers because they failed to see results after a few months. The truth is that it takes time and effort to build a good reputation in this field.
If you desire to become a copywriter, you should know that it is a long and challenging journey.
However, if you are willing to put in the effort and learn from your mistakes, you have limitless opportunities to succeed.
The Future of Copywriting
As with any major decision you take in life, you should consider the future. In this case, think about how much demand there will be for copywriters in the coming years.
Luckily, it seems like copywriters are now more important than ever! Copywriting is one of the most in-demand skills in the world right now.
The demand for copywriters will only increase as businesses rely more and more on content to connect with their audiences.
In addition, companies will focus on making their websites more user-friendly, and the demand for social media copy will continue to rise.
This means that copywriters will have more opportunities to get involved in exciting projects, work with big brands, and make a great living doing what they love.
So, if you’re thinking about becoming a copywriter, don’t let the challenges discourage you. The rewards are well worth the effort. Just be prepared to put in the work and strive to improve.
And if you do that, I have no doubt that you will be successful.
Key Takeaways
We’ve explored some of the tell-tale qualities that prospective copywriters may have. If you could see yourself in any of the points I mentioned, then this career path could be perfect for you!
The field is full of opportunities for talented writers, and the future looks bright. And thanks to the internet, copywriters now have more avenues than ever before to showcase their work and locate clients.
Of course, there are challenges that come along with the perks, but you can overcome them when you have the drive and desire to succeed.
Finally, remember that copywriting is a journey – it takes time, effort, and perseverance to become successful.