In this guide, I’m going to teach you, step by step, how to become a copywriter and earn 8 figures within the next calendar year.
I read more than 10 articles about how to become a copywriter & how to make money as a copywriter and filtered all necessary, reliable information to write this ultimate guide.
Are you looking to ditch the low-paid writing gigs and finally learn how to make money writing by moving up to lucrative freelance writing work?
Becoming a copywriter is one of the best options out there, but don’t know how to do it?
Don’t worry I’ll teach you everything you need to know about becoming a copywriter.
Introduction to copywriting
You can easily make money working as a freelance copywriter not just from home but anywhere in the world. Better still, you don’t need much to get started.
Copywriting is a multimillion dollar industry with skilled copywriters in continuous high demand. More and more businesses are understanding the importance of working with a skilled copywriter for their marketing efforts.
What is Copywriting?
A letter you receive in the mail, an advertisement you watch on TV, a voicemail message you receive from a salesperson, a marketing email to subscribers, a landing page with a CTA for a product, a video on YouTube about a product, a press release, push notification, and a webinar are all examples of copywriting.
Who is a Copywriter?
A copywriter createA copywriter is someone who creates written messaging for a business or organization, usually with the intent to sell or promote a product, service, or brand.
What does a copywriter do?
A copywriter creates text for promotional materials including:
- Adverts on TV, radio, magazines or newspaper or the Google and Facebook ads
- Brochures
- Websites
- Signup forms
- Sales scripts
The list goes on and on…
Types of Copywriting
In general, you can divide copy into two categories: direct response or branding.
With direct response copy, you want the prospect to take action immediately. Lead magnets and sales letters would fall into this category.
With copy written for branding, your goal is to create trust and memorability around the product, company, or personality. White papers and even types of content marketing, digital marketing, and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) would be good examples of branding.
How to Become a Good Copywriter in 2023
If you want to learn how to become a copywriter, follow these 5 steps:
- Learn the basics of persuasive writing
- Learn these 6 core copywriting skills
- Land your first few clients
- Develop and refine your freelancing process
- Build a stream of recurring leads
These steps aren’t easy, but they are all you need to become a successful copywriter within the next 12 months.
Reading copywriting books
You can learn a lot from reading copywriting books.
Copywriting For Profit (affiliate link) is my favorite book for beginners — Learn Step-By-Step How To Write A Copy That Sells And Become A Successful Copywriter.
How to Become an Ace Copywriter (affiliate link) is also absurdly good if you can get your hands on it (it’s out of print). Other old books like The Accidental Copywriter, How To Become A Good Copywriter (affiliate links) are also good.
Copywriting Courses
SkillShare is a good online courses site that you can discover how to write web copy that sells your products and services (even if you’re a total beginner) with lessons from a professional copywriter with 14 years’ experience writing copy for 153 different industries.
YouTube is a free video tutorial platform that you can learn copywriting for free. Here are our top free courses to learn copywriting. Complete Copywriting Tutorial – Examples, Tips and Formulas, How To Become A 6-Figure Copywriter – 3 Keys To Higher Income , Copywriting For Beginners: How To Get Started Fast (With No Experience)
Learn The 6 Core Copywriting Skills
If you want to make money, you need to be able to utilize your persuasive writing abilities in writing specific types of copy that are in high demand.
I’ve identified six copywriting skills that are always in demand and constitute what I would consider “core skills” in the copywriting world.
1. Headline Copywriting
Headline writing is the only skill on this list that I consider absolutely essential for every single copywriter. It’s also the only skill on this list you are probably never going to get paid for directly.
Learn how to write a headline.
2. Value Proposition Copywriting
A value proposition is a concise statement that communicates what a business is offering, it’s value, and who it’s intended for.
For more complex products and services, simply producing a concise statement that adequately captures the offer is a challenge unto itself.
Learn how to write a value proposition.
3. Landing Page Copywriting
I would consider landing page copywriting to be the “bread and butter” of online copywriting. Every business needs a website, and the success of every website revolves around the success of a handful of landing pages.
Learn everything you need to know about website copywriting.
4. Email Copywriting
Similar to landing page copy, email copywriting is in high demand. Everyone needs it, but unlike website copy, they need more of it every month.
Learn everything you need to know about email copywriting.
5. Ad Copywriting
Ad writing is the godfather of copywriting, and it’s more prevalent today than it’s ever been before… by leaps and bounds.
The good news is that there is never-ending demand for ad copywriting.
Learn how to write an advertisement.
6. Video Script Copywriting
Finally, we have video scripts. I’ve written some stupidly high performing emails and some solid ads, despite neither of them being a huge chunk of my client work.
Here’s the best resource I’ve found on writing video scripts.
How To Become A Freelance Copywriter in 2023
Becoming a freelance copywriter means you take control over and responsibility for all of these things simultaneously.
It’s not easy, especially at first, but if you persist, you will find yourself with absolute control over your career and finances to a degree you never previously believed possible.
How much money can you make as a Freelance Copywriter ?
t all depends on level of skills and experience.
A new copywriter with minimum experience and copywriting skills will earn about $3,000 – $15,000 per year while a medium experienced copywriter will make anything from $75,000 to $150,000 per year.
A highly skilled copywriter on their part could earn over $300,000 per year.
Further, For an in-house copywriter, a typical salary is around $60,000 per year in most cities. For a freelancer, you could safely raise those rates to about $75,000 – $80,000 for a copywriter with a couple years experience and a handful of good clients.
Where to Find Copywriting Jobs
Here’s some good places to find gigs:
On sites like Upwork, you can find a steady stream of work. A lot of it will be from small clients who don’t pay well, but it can pay the bills and give you some case studies and writing samples of work. If you dig around enough, you’ll also occasionally stumble across good clients. They do exist there, and some can even lead to full-time copywriting job opportunities.
How to Become a 8 Figure Copywriter
There are reasons top copywriters make so much.
If they are paying you $30,000, they probably expect to make $150,000 or more from the campaign.
And you’re expected to make that happen. Or else.
Being a professional copywriter is like being a pro athlete. You’re expected to perform. It also takes years of training and practice to be able to perform at that level.
Are you ready for that kind of pressure?
To command those rates, you also need proof you can deliver the goods.
How To Make $10,000 Per Month As A Copywriter in 2023
I’ll be honest, there aren’t many careers where you can make $10,000 per month. This is because effective copywriting is something few people can actually do. So if you’re one of them, you can charge a premium for your services.
But before we start, let me emphasize that earning $10,000 or more per month is a process. You won’t go from $0 to $10,000 with the snap of your fingers…
That’s not realistic.
Now that you have the skills to actually write great copy, and a strategy to get the right clients, let’s do some basic copywriting math:
$10,000 per month breaks down to $2,500 per week.
If you work 5 days per week this comes out to $500/day (or about $357/day if you work all 7 days).
I’m lazy, so I’m going to use 5.
$500/day comes out to $63/hour if you work 8-hour days and $100/hour if you only work 5.
Now, let’s be honest, are you actually going to work 8 hours a day?
We both know you’re not.
Don’t kid yourself.
I think 5 hours of focused work is a very reasonable goal. (Heck, studies show that the average worker only does 1-2 hours of actual work per day!)
So, depending on your daily working hours, between $63 and $100 per hour is where we want to aim to reach our income goals.
From experience, I’ve found that aiming for a minimum of $100 per hour is the best way to go.
How to Become a Copywriter (Step-By-Step Guide) in 2023
Feeling overwhelmed with all the information here?
Trying to figure out what you should do first? Second? Third?
Well, let’s go back to the steps I outlined in the beginning, and we will wrap up with some concrete, actionable steps:
1. Learn the basics of copywriting from books
One of the most important questions you need to answer is:
How committed are you to becoming a better copywriter?
Yes, it’s a great career, but only if you genuinely enjoy it, and it’s impossible to know without first dipping your toe in the water.
That’s why I think everyone should start by reading a copywriting book. If you enjoy it, continue on the path, but if it’s a slog, you can stop and do something that’s a better fit for you.
2. Choose a copywriting specialty (email, Facebook, etc.)
Once you’ve decided that you want to become a copywriter, and you’ve learned the basics from books, you can move on to choosing a specialty copywriting skill and mastering it.
So, your next step is to purchase a course on one of the copywriting specialties. In the future, we will be releasing a few of those here at Smart Blogger, but in the meantime, simply Google “[SPECIALTY] copywriting course” to see what’s out there.
Another option is to start with a general community like Copychief.com and ask for advice on the best courses. You’ll get lots of current recommendations from copywriters who have taken the courses.
3. Write some copy for yourself or friends
Now it’s time to get some practice.
If you have access to a traffic source like your own email list, blog, or Facebook group, you can try writing some persuasive copy for yourself, either promoting your own product or someone else’s.
If you do NOT have access to a traffic source, offer to write some sales copy for a friend who has their own small business. Many times, you can meet these people inside the specialty course you purchase.
Just don’t forget to gather DATA.
The most important part of this step is to see how your compelling copy performs “in the wild.” You’ll learn a lot about where you need to improve and maybe even develop your first case study.
4. Get your first gigs from job boards
This is the hard part.
Nobody enjoys getting turned down from job after job, but it’s a part of the process in the beginning. The smartest thing you can do is to sign up to multiple job boards, including mega sites like Upwork, and start applying for lots of copywriter jobs.
How many is “lots?”
Dozens at least. Worst case, apply for 100 jobs. If you apply for 10 jobs per week, that will take you 10 weeks.Action Item: Apply for 10 jobs per week until you get your first three gigs.
5. Build your reputation to generate referrals
If you make it to this step, you’re already well on your way to becoming a successful copywriter. Congratulations!
In general, this step is also a lot of fun. You’ve gotten to the point where you know what you are doing, and you’re ready to start making a name for yourself.
How To Get Started as a Freelance Copywriter in 2023
Now let’s get into the real work on how to get started as a freelance copywriter.
Follow these 8 steps and you’ll be on your way to a successful freelance copywriting career in no time.
1. Pick your niche
Find one area that you’re already good at or interested in and work on perfecting your writing skills in that area. For instance, if you have worked for a bank you have experience in banking and finance and specialising in financial copywriting, an area you’re already familiar with, will give you an edge as a new copywriter.
2. Acquire a skill
Remember how we said skills determine how much you earn? Yep, learning an extra skill or two will give you the power to earn more.
3. Practice your skill/Practice doing jobs for friends & family
Once you learn a new skill put it into practice. The more you write the better you’ll get at it. Some writing experience is especially necessary for a new copywriter to get a copywriting job.
One way to gain some experience is to work for friends and family either for free or for a few dollars just to get your foot into the industry. Don’t let this go on for too long though, because you’re trying to build a sustainable business and a few dollars per job won’t get you there.
4. Build your personal website/online presence
To get clients you need to get your name out there where people can find you. Nothing will promote you more than creating an online presence for yourself. You also get to create credibility as a good copywriter so that you can start charging more money.
5. Decide what to charge
As you continue to work on how to become a copywriter decide how much you want to charge your clients. Remember we talked about how varied freelance copywriting rates are so you should come up with a rate that is good for you.
Now that you have the skills to actually write great copy, and a strategy to get the right clients, let’s do some basic copywriting math:
$10,000 per month breaks down to $2,500 per week.
If you work 5 days per week this comes out to $500/day (or about $357/day if you work all 7 days).
6. Find clients
So here is the real work on how to be a copywriter starts.
No clients means no money and all the skills you’ve earned and practiced for weeks will be useless. So let’s help you get a couple of clients to get you going.
1. Friends and family: Let your friends and family know about your copywriting business and that you’re looking for new clients. Request them to send work your way or refer you to their friends or colleagues who may be interested.
2. Business networking events: Go for networking events that potential clients may be attending. These could be both online and offline. Talk to people, give them your business card and let them know how you can help their businesses with your copywriting services.
3. Reach out to print publications: Find magazines and other print publications in your niche and reach out to them to find out if they have any freelance copywriting gigs open. They may be in need of someone to write advertising copy for them or someone to join their editorial team and write how-to articles or anything else that might be of interest to you.
4. Join freelance copywriting job sites: These are a great avenue for an inexperienced copywriter to find some work. They may not offer high paying jobs but they are quite popular with clients and therefore, they feature lots of jobs that you can apply for. Some of the best sites to consider include Upwork, Freelancer, Guru, FreelanceWriting.com, Blogging Pro, ProBlogger’s, among others.
7. Find communities and network
Copywriting communities and networks are not only a great way for finding clients and referrals but also a great way for newbies to learn about the industry and interact with others to learn more about how to become a copywriter.
Joining a community or network of copywriters will also give you a chance to stay up to date with current industry trends and also learn from more experienced copywriters.
8. Get reviews and build your portfolio (include case studies)
By now I believe you have started getting some luck finding a few clients. Now it’s time to make use of the work that you’re doing.
Ask your clients to give you feedback and reviews for the work you’ve done. The more positive the reviews are, the more attractive you will be to potential clients.
As you continue working as a freelance copywriter and do more work remember to add your work samples to your portfolio so that clients can see how good you are at what you do.
How to Become a Highly Paid Copywriter (Advanced Level) in 2023
My first client was a bootstrapping local startup that I’d covered once as a reporter. I knew how their call-center software business worked, and they wanted me to write blog posts and articles for their website.
These assignments were similar to the articles I’d been writing for local magazines and trade publications. They handed me all the sources, and paid $700 per article. I felt like a prospector hitting a gold vein.
Think big.
That startup was client one. My second client was a global insurance consultancy, where I billed $2,000 a month or more every month for more than two years.
My in? My dad sold insurance, so I had a general idea what it was. They were so excited to get someone who knew the difference between term and whole life!
Takeaway: Don’t think you have to toil in the mines for decades to move up — once you’ve got a few samples, pitch companies where you have some knowledge, and go for it.
Listen.
Rather than worrying about all the stuff I didn’t know about copywriting, I adopted this approach: A client would ask me to write something I’d never done before. I’d nod my head, say, “Sure,” and then start asking questions.
Why did they want this piece? Who was the audience? I took lots of notes. Then, I told their story in their voice. Listen closely, and the company will tell you everything you need to know to deliver a piece they’ll love.
Research.
Many new writers imagine they’re supposed to spin straw into gold with whatever initial scraps of information the company tosses them. That doesn’t work. Instead, I asked to interview more people on their team. I asked to interview their customers.
I found out what they liked and didn’t like in their marketing, and checked out the competitors’ sites they envied. I read research papers about trends in their industry to understand the context of my piece. It might be an extra hour or two you spend, but it’s worth it. That background really pays off in more sophisticated copy.
Write concisely and conversationally.
One of the big reasons companies hire pro writers is that they have trouble summing things up — they know too much about their business. They also tend to write like stiff robots.
Use contractions, shorten up your sentences, and cut to the chase. Clients will be blown away.
Learn new formats.
Once you’ve got in the door writing informational Web content or advertorial articles, look for opportunities to write higher-value projects. Once a company knows you, they’re often happy to take a flier and give you your first clip in a new area.
That’s how I wrote my first special report, white paper, press release, and case study — clients who were impressed with my blogging or Web content needed more sophisticated marketing pieces, and let me write them.
Get referrals and testimonials.
Once you’ve got a business client, make sure the whole world knows about it. Get a nice testimonial on your writer website and on LinkedIn, and ask if they’d refer you if they hear of any colleagues who need a writer.
Make your clients more money.
It’s worth noting that I built my business-writing business without breaking into the area that’s the most reliable high payer — writing persuasive copy. Everything I wrote was informational content!
If you can write sales copy, your earning potential is truly unlimited. It’s one of many things that you’ll learn when becoming a freelance writer. Businesses may tighten their belts, but they never cut the writing that leads directly to more sales.
How to Build A Recurring Leads Channel
There are four primary options for copywriters seeking to build out their own recurring leads channel:
- SEO
- High-End Guest Blogging
- Paid Advertising
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
The goal of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is to get Google to send leads to your website monthly, weekly, and even daily. You accomplish this by getting your site to rank for search terms that are relevant to your business.
In my personal opinion, nothing currently beats SEO as a leads channel. It’s how I built my own business, and once I figured out how to do it right, I was able to achieve reasonable results fairly quickly, good results within a year, and incredible results over a handful of years.
LinkedIn Audience Building
LinkedIn has always been an intriguing platform for business lead generation, but up until a year ago, it wasn’t really the type of place where someone could build a profitable following.
That all changed last year when LinkedIn revamped its algorithm and suddenly, organic engagement was alive and well. I noticed the same types of posts attracting tons of engagement, so I decided to see if I could play the game and make some content go viral.
High-End Guest Blogging
High-end guest blogging as a recurring leads strategy essentially means that you are frequently publishing guest posts on high profile websites.
When I say “high profile”, I mean that if you were to mention the website to 10 people in your niche, between 7-10 of them would immediately recognize the brand or publication.
Paid Advertising
Last and decidedly least, we have paid advertising. Theoretically, if you can make SEO work for you, you can make paid advertising work for you.
That said, I have never met a single copywriter who uses paid ads as their primary lead channel, and nobody I know can think of anyone doing this.
Well, I suspect that just like most ad writing tends to be done by PPC specialists, the type of people who manage to make Google Ads or Facebook Ads work for them tend to simply become PPC specialists.
As we will discuss in future blog posts, the big money in marketing comes from offering fully managed marketing campaigns, rather than a la carte services.
You Now Know How to Become a 8 Figure Copywriter!
Yes, it takes a while. Yes, some of the parts are scary (especially applying for jobs!). And, yes, there’s still lots for you to learn — here, I just gave you the big picture.
But you’re on your way. You now have a roadmap to guide you through all the steps you need to take.
Eventually, you’ll get there.
Again, this won’t happen overnight, so be patient and persistent.
But when it does happen, you’ll be thanking yourself for putting in the necessary work.
