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The 7 "Why's" of Copywriting

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Copywriting is writing material for the purpose of advertisement, marketing, or publicity. Its goal typically aligns with increasing brand awareness or encouraging readers to take a specific action. Blog posts, emails, advertisements, and many other materials fall within the umbrella of “copywriting.” If you’ve considered pursuing copywriting as an occupation, you may have asked yourself… why should you start, and what are the benefits?


1. Self-imposed workload “Have you ever wanted to be your own boss?” Wait, I promise this isn’t a pyramid scheme. Writing copy is often a freelance form of writing. This means that as the copywriter, you pick up various clients who need writing projects completed for their businesses. Ultimately, you have the final say in projects you do or don’t take on. Do you like the client, their business’s mission statement, and the work they want you to do? Great! Get paid. Is the business model one you don’t agree with? Is the writing request unclear? Is the client just plain rude? Also great! Move along. With freelance copywriting, you only commit to the work that you can handle. It fits around other jobs and commitments exactly how you need it to. After all, the number one business you must look out for is your own.

2. The market is huge In the words of Malcolm in the Middle tritagonist Dewey Wilkerson, “The future is now old man.” It’s the digital age my friends. Content is good, and more content is better. And more and more and more… The “indexed web” is made up of over 4.4 billion pages, and the number changes daily. Worldwide, over 333 billion emails are sent and received every day. Facebook has nearly 2 billion daily users, LinkedIn has over 700 million members, and Instagram has 1 billion users that are active monthly. Both businesses and consumers make up these statistics. Each company is fighting its hardest to wade its way through the noise of the internet, social media platforms, and competitors to get their content in front of consumers. I promise you, the ability to write well and communicate powerfully are skills these entities need. If these are skills you have, then the market for your work is immense. 3. Topic variety The copywriting field was made for people who have varied interests. Law firms, Ph.D. level scientists, thinktanks, and many more entities need strong writers to communicate the services that such groups and individuals offer. In my time as a copywriter, I have written about high-level cancer research, theoretical mathematics, child psychology, personal injury law, and the “metaverse.” I have been compensated for poetry, personal essays, and more. The range of writing that you can do is hard to really put into words. I have a soft spot for “vast,” personally. The many topics and styles of writing keeps the work interesting and rarely repetitious. Vast like the ocean and space, the sectors you can write for and the topics you can cover are essentially limitless.

4. Full-time options In addition to freelance options, there are numerous employment opportunities for individuals who want full-time employment. Copywriting full-time for a single business or entity comes with benefits as well. As with most positions at larger companies, copywriting positions can include PTO, healthcare, opportunities for personal advancement, and other benefits. The trick to pursuing such a position, however, is building a strong portfolio of work.

5. Developing a portfolio Often, companies hiring for copywriting positions are less invested in your resume or where you went to school. Instead, they will ask for a professional portfolio of your work. In today’s virtual work, that means (most often) a website that hosts information about yourself as a writer and the work you have done. This will usually include some of the emails, blogs, essays, or other writing projects you have worked on. Pulling together such a portfolio takes time, and completing freelance works serves as an incredible method for collecting those professional examples.

6. Live where you want Have you ever gone out to eat with a friend, asked them where they would like to eat, and received the dreaded answer “Oh I don’t know?” So, you ask what type of food they feel like getting in general, and they respond, “Oh I don’t know.” Repeat, ad nauseum. As self-managed work, copywriting is generally remote. This means that the only thing limiting where you live is your own preference. Deciding where to live might cause a lot more stress than deciding where to eat out with a friend, but the freedom to relocate wherever you want without jeopardizing your job is a gift that so many other professionals never get. 7. You love to write and are a strong writer At the end of the day, this is the benefit that matters the most. I’m sure that I’m not the only one who grew up hearing, “find a job that you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” Full disclosure, I can’t say I fully believe that saying. Still, writing is my passion and working as a copywriter is one of the most entertaining and fulfilling avenues of work I have performed. There are still days where it feels like work, but those are few and far between. Copywriting remains a rare, high-demand opportunity for writers to make a stable living while carrying out our passions. So, if your interests are wide and varied, and you love writing, then diving into the field of copywriting is a leap you won’t regret.

These are just a few of the perks from pursuing work as a copywriter. If you’ve considered giving copywriting a try, I hope my experiences benefit your decision.


Author: CJ Nielsen, contributing Copywriter for Influential Writings

A creative writer at heart, CJ received his MFA in poetry from Texas State University in 2021. He is experienced in copywriting and technical writing, and he has a background in education and editing for both English and Creative Writing spaces. In his off-time, CJ continues to follow his creative writing passion. His poems and articles have appeared in Gingerbread House, Porter House Review, Infrarrealista Review, and Write on, Downtown.



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Influential Writings by Heather Macaulay, LLC
PO Box 1362 Kannapolis, NC 28082
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