If you're thinking about using a copywriter (or becoming one), it is critical to realise that there surely is several kind of copywriting and several type of copywriter.
Different writing projects require different skills, and writers evolve different skillsets, whether deliberately or simply as the natural result of their working experience. So the terms 'copywriting' and 'copywriter', although simple-sounding, actually encompass a variety of specialisations and features. This post lists a few of the most typical types of copywriting and copywriters.victor palandi
Note that a few of these copywriting disciplines possess parallel job titles/descriptions, and others don't. For example, while 'SEO copywriter' is now a recognised job title, I've by no means noticed anyone describe themselves as a 'long-duplicate copywriter'. Also, remember that a few of these labels are flexible - while there are different strands within copywriting, the distinctions between them aren't usually so clear-cut as my headings imply, and people may use these conditions in various ways.
The freelance copywriter
The freelance copywriter writes in virtually any medium directly for clients, usually operating as a sole trader or one-person company.
Businesses and organisations need a broad range of points written: websites, brochures, case studies, product descriptions, consumer manuals, pr announcements, presentations, internal files and more. While many will simply use internal resource to get the writing performed, many convert to a freelance copywriter to greatly help them out.
Freelance copywriting is generally managed on an ad hoc, job-by-job basis, although some clients perform strike retainer plans or setup longer contracts with freelances. Typically, the freelancer offers a cost or proposal, will the work, revises the copy in response to opinions, and submits their invoice on authorization.
Freelance copywriting typically requires 'broad but shallow' copywriting skills. For example, in the course of writing a business site, the copywriter might find themselves writing long copy for details webpages, snappy selling copy for high-profile pages and journalistic duplicate for news webpages. At the same time, they might throw in a firm tagline as well as perhaps name a product range or two - in some instances, without also being asked, since the client may not possess realised that they actually need these things.
As a result of doing work for many different clients, the freelance copywriter also tends to develop wide but shallow knowledge of different business sectors, allowing them to get a handle on new customers' requirements very quickly. This is one region where older freelancers can consistently outdo their youthful counterparts - experience can't be faked, nor bought.
Conversely, some freelances specialise on paper for a particular industry or sector - pharmaceuticals, charity and so forth. This may be because they previously held a salaried placement in that sector. It may be a deliberate choice, or it could just emerge because of this of the jobs and referrals that come along.