Without realizing it, I actually started developing my copywriting chops back in the corporate America of yesteryear as an IT manager. My department needed written procedures, knowledgebase entries, website content, job descriptions, employee evaluation forms and the like to help run the place, so I dove right in.
Some of my best work in that role included creating open job postings, a marketeer’s job if there ever was one.
After leaving corporate America I started my own digital marketing / advertising agency where effective copywriting skills are a must-have. I became an avid student of the giants in professional copywriting and advertising – David Ogilvy, Claude Hopkins, Dan Kennedy, John Carlton, and Gary Halbert, just to name a few. I also studied their more contemporary disciples like Perry Marshall, Ryan Deiss, David Sprague, Eban Pagan and Frank Kern, mastering the proven styles and strategies that are proven to be the foundations of great copywriting.
What else does it take to be an effective advertising copywriter?
I’m also a meticulous proofreader. When you’re writing copy for a client, in my opinion, it has to be perfect. It’s a bit disheartening to see all the sloppy writing and editing in some of today’s most prestigious publications and on many popular websites. I suppose that’s an indictment of today’s educational system where such things just aren’t emphasized as much anymore.
Graphic design skills are something I’ve also developed over the years, and in that category I would grade myself a B. When an advertising copywriter can combine emotive imagery with compelling copy, you’ve got winning ad creative.
One more thing, and it’s important. In today’s online world, you can’t just create new content without paying attention to SEO. Not only do you have to write the actual copy (for human readers), but you also have to know how to optimize it for online search (for the Googles, Bings, Yahoos and DuckDuckGos search engines of the world.) There’s no point in creating great copy if no one can find it.
Thanks for staying with me this far, but I have to go because I get tired of talking about myself.
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