Welcome to the world of copywriting, content management, and internet marketing! The popularity of search engine optimization (SEO) has swept many businesses to join the tide, hiring a digital agency in Tampa, for instance, to help them boost their brand presence online.
Before you delve into your new position, we have to define what exactly freelance copywriters do in the age of digital marketing.
Duties
Although similar to content writing, a copywriter’s main role is to advertise through text or other mediums for clients to a target audience. Mediums may include magazines, television, and of course, the online markets. As a copywriter, always be mindful of marketing trends and movements, as these can dictate how well you know your clients and the market.
Documentation
When contracts are signed, business starts to roll. Always begin a project with written conditions and stipulations in a contract as well as what both you and your client expect from each other.
Adjusting from the 9-to-5 schedule
If you’re a freelance writer, it can take some getting used to from the typical office hours. Now that you hold your own hours, setting a schedule of your own and keeping your clients aware of this means setting boundaries as to when you may be contacted and giving you that much-needed work-life balance. If the 9-to-5 schedule still runs in your body clock, you can implement the same for freelance work.
Respecting Yourself
Throughout your copywriting career, you may see clients who breach contracts or are far too unrealistic with their demands. Expectations may be too high or maybe you’re not that interested in what they want you to write about. Respect yourself and learn to say “no.” Sometimes, rejections can be what’s best for business. Learn to evaluate requests and analyze projects while being respectful and courteous to clients. Over time, you’ll learn to be more discerning of clients as well as the portfolio you’ll be gaining.
Meeting Requirements and Deadlines
Even as a freelancer, deadlines will always make their presence known. Meeting deadlines mean you value and respect your business, as well as your customers’ time and money. By not meeting deadlines, you risk lowering your standards and reputation. No one wants a copywriter who cannot meet deadlines and does not deliver on what they promise.
Being Inspired
Inspiration can be difficult to come across if you’re not motivated. Reflect on the writers or authors you look up to and see if you can adapt or borrow some of their styles in writing and crafting stories. In addition to this, keep in mind your target audience while being persuasive in your writing style.
Editing Skills
If you’re tired of rewrites and send-backs, learning to edit your work can bring you a long way. Learn to cut out redundancies and irrelevant words, as well as checking the basics of grammar and sentence construction. Stick to your main points and the essentials of what you’re trying to convey.
Enhancing copywriting skills, whether in the process of writing content or managing your freelance status, can be a real challenge. Like other skills, writing takes practice and development. Over time, you may be the one telling your success story in copywriting.
