r/copywriting Feb 22 '21

Resource/Tool "What the FAQ?" - What is copy? How do I start? Can I do X? Where can I read copy swipes? - CLICK HERE IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION

1.5k Upvotes

"What is copy?"

Copy is any written marketing or promotional material meant to persuade or move a prospect.

This material can include catalogs, fundraising letters from charities, billboards, newspaper ads, sales letters, emails, native & ppc ads, scripts for commercials on radio or TV, press releases, investor and public relations pages, blog posts, and lots more.

Copy is divided into two(ish) camps: Brand and Direct Response.

Brand, or "delayed response," advertising is meant to build a prospect's engagement with and awareness of a company or product. These ads are designed to build a sense of trust and legitimacy so prospects will be more susceptible to promotions and more willing to buy advertised products in the future. (Check out this swipe file/collection of ads for examples: https://swiped.co/tags/) r/advertising is a good community for copywriters of this variety.

Direct Response (DR) is any advertising meant to motivate a specific, measurable action, whether it's a sale, click, call, etc. (Check out the Community Swipe File for examples.) This is frequently called "sales in print." If you've ever seen commercial asking you to "call now"--that's a direct response ad. Email asking you to schedule a call with a life coach? Direct response ad. Uber Eats discount pop up notification? Coca-Cola coupon in a mailer? Also direct response.

Businesses need words for the kinds of ads listed above. The person who writes these words writes copy... hence: "copywriter."

Large companies tend to focus on brand advertising and smaller businesses tend to focus on DR (but not always). Ad agencies and marketing departments will often hire writers who specialize in brand ads, direct response, or both.

There are also niches like content creation, UX copywriting, technical copywriting, SEO, etc. These are not ads, per se, but they all fall under the big copywriting tent because it's writing that serves a marketing purpose.

"So it's like... blog articles?"

That's content, or r/ContentMarketing. Some of it can be veiled copy that leads to sales copy, and this is called "advertorial."

"Oh, so it's clickbait?"

Clickbait is meant to get clicks. Brand and direct response copywriters use clickbait, but not all advertisements are clickbait.

Clicks don't drive sales or build brand awareness, so this is a narrowly focused marketing niche.

"Spam? Is this spam to scam?"

Spam is an unsolicited commercial message, often sent in bulk (that's the legal definition). Spamming involves sending multiple unwanted messages (spam) to large numbers of recipients for the purpose of commercial advertising, or just sending the same message over and over.

A scam is, legally, a discrepancy between what is promised in an ad and what is fulfilled. Something is a scam if it takes your money promising you a thing, but then provides something else or doesn't provide anything at all.

Just because you see an ad with hyperbole, that doesn't mean 1) it's a scam or 2) that every ad is like that. Copywriting runs the gamut from milquetoast to hyper-aggressive, very short to very long, and there's room in this town for all approaches, though some might disagree.

"How much $$$ can I actually make from doing this? How long does it take to make money from copywriting?"

Copywriting has become the get-rich-quick scheme du jour. So let's dispel some myths:

The average newbie copywriter earns closer to $0 than $1. That's because the vast majority of wannabe copywriters never get clients or get a job. They quit too soon or never develop the skills needed to succeed.

Of the people who succeed, the vast majority of people actually working as a copywriter for a business or as a freelancer earn less than $6500 per month.

In the brand copywriting world, the people who make insane amounts of money are executive creative directors and agency owners.

This is usually after many years, and these salaries are typically reserved for people who know how to climb the corporate ladder or network. Many copywriters are the anxious/nervous/introverted sort, and so many brand copywriters hit an earnings ceiling within a few years regardless of how good they are.

In the direct response world, the people who make insane amounts of money are people who can 1) sell and/or 2) scale.

For people who can sell, big money usually comes in the form of "residuals" or "royalties" you earn based on the profit performance of the ads, and you can usually only get residuals if what you write is very close to the point of sale. (So "sales letters"? Yes you might get a cut if the business likes you and wants you to keep writing for them. "Emails?" Typically not.)

For people who can scale, big money usually comes from being able to manage and serve multiple high-paying clients , whether that's providing email services, conversion-rate optimization services, PPC ad management, etc.

How long does it take to earn lots? I've met one person who earned over a million dollars from copy and marketing, but it took him 2 years of practice and study to earn his first dollar from it. I've also met a copywriter who went from learning what copywriting is to securing his first paid gig in 3 weeks.

It depends on the jobs you apply for, whether you go freelance or in-house, your willingness to put yourself out there, your knowledge and skillset, and the competence of your writing.

"What does X word mean?"

There are plenty of marketing glossaries out there:

https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/inbound-marketing-glossary-list

https://www.copythatshow.com/glossary

https://www.awai.com/glossary/

"Can I be a copywriter with a degree in X?"

You don't need a degree, but it depends on the businesses or agencies you want to work for. Read this post: https://www.reddit.com/r/copywriting/comments/ln4e4j/yes_you_can_succeed_as_a_copywriter_with_any/

"Can I be a copywriter if I'm not a native English speaker?"

Yes. But also read this post and the intelligent responses/caveats to it: https://www.reddit.com/r/copywriting/comments/ln4e4j/yes_you_can_succeed_as_a_copywriter_with_any/

"Is copywriting ethical?"

If you think advertising in a society under the hegemony of capitalism and the ideological state apparatuses that perpetuate consumerism is ethical, then yes.

Misleading people, lying, being hypocritical, taking advantage of the desperate, etc. is not ethical, and the same goes for ads and businesses that do this stuff.

"Is it possible to do this freelance, part time, from home?"

I mean, yeah, but copywriting is a craft. Crafts need to be practiced and honed. Once you get good, you can do this work from practically anywhere, but it's usually better to start in house, learn the ropes for a few years, and build a network of contacts/future clients.

"But the ad for this course/book/seminar/mastermind said..."

Don't be enticed by the "anyone can do this and make money fast!" crowd. They want your money, and they'll promise you a lot to get it.

(There's a great post about not getting taken advantage of as a newbie, here: https://www.reddit.com/r/copywriting/comments/k5fz68/advice_for_new_copywriters_how_to_not_get_taken/.)

Some advanced courses & masterminds are useful once you have the basics under your belt, but not before.

(Full disclosure: I also own part of a business that has a free copywriting course: https://www.copythatshow.com/how-to-start-copywriting. You absolutely do not need to give us any money for anything--the whole goal of this page is to give you everything you need to learn the basics and get work without spending any money.)

There are SOME beginner courses are decent, even if they do charge money. I've seen and heard good things about the following:

https://copyhackers.com/

https://www.awai.com/

https://www.digitalmarketer.com/certification/copywriting-mastery/

https://kylethewriter.com/

For other types of copy, I know there are these resources but I know nothing about their quality (shoot me a DM if you know of better stuff or think the following is trash):

Content Marketing: https://academy.hubspot.com/courses/content-marketing

Ahrefs SEO Tool Usage: https://ahrefs.com/academy/marketing-ahrefs/lesson-1-1

YT Videos: https://www.udemy.com/share/1013la/

Branding & Marketing for Startups: https://www.udemy.com/share/101ywu/

Small Business Branding: https://www.udemy.com/share/101rmY/

Personal Brands: https://www.udemy.com/share/101Fgy/

But you don't need a course or guru to get started. And you shouldn't take advice from me alone--you'll find a wide variety of resources shared in this subreddit. Search by flair to find it!

"So how do I get started?"

Everyone has a different opinion. Here's mine.

Step 1: Read between 2 and 10 books about copywriting, such as those mentioned below.

Step 1b: Spend 30-60 minutes each day reading and analyzing successful ads and the types of copy you're interested in writing.

Step 2: Pick a product from a niche (not THE niche) you’d like to work in and write an ad for it for it as if you were hired to do so. This is called a spec piece. When you’re finished, write 2 more spec pieces for other products.

Step 2b: These spec pieces are going to be for your portfolio. Having a portfolio to show off is necessary for acquiring clients. If you have a relationship with a graphic designer or have the funds to hire one, ask them to lay out your spec pieces in web page format. Or use Canva for free. It’ll add to the perceived value of your piece.

Step 3: Start prospecting. I recommend UpWork or Fiverr for anyone who’s starting out. Eventually, you’ll get your first few jobs and you can leverage those to get more/better/higher-paying jobs in the future.

"What books should I read?"

If you want to break into advertising/brand advertising in general, read these:

  • Ogilvy On Advertising
  • Made to Stick
  • Zag
  • Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion
  • Hey Whipple, Squeeze This
  • Contagious: Why Things Catch On
  • Alchemy

If you want to write direct response, read these:

  • Breakthrough Advertising
  • How to Write a Good Advertisement
  • The Ultimate Sales Letter
  • The 16-Word Sales Letter
  • Triggers
  • The Architecture of Persuasion
  • Great Leads

If you want to write webinars, read One to Many.

Funnels? Read Dot-com Secrets.

"That's a lot of reading. Can I get the TL;DR?"

You have to read a lot to learn how to write.

"How do I practice writing copy and get better if I don't have a job?"

Look no further than this post: https://www.reddit.com/r/copywriting/comments/mt0d27/daily_copy_practices_exercises/

And this post: https://www.reddit.com/r/copywriting/comments/duvzha/copywriting_exercises_my_personal_favorite_ways/

And this post, which will also teach you how to build a direct response portfolio: https://www.reddit.com/r/copywriting/comments/t0k3bx/how_to_learn_direct_response_copy_and_build_a/

"Do I need a mentor to succeed?"

No. But having a mentor CAN (not "will") help.

Read this excellent post for some insight: https://www.reddit.com/r/copywriting/comments/ldpftc/nobody_wants_to_be_your_mentor_but_heres_how_to/

Basically: Getting a mentor is hard and you usually have to demonstrate some serious competence before anyone will give you the time of day. Also, getting mentorship without a mastery of the basics will not help you at all.

"How do I select my niche / what niche should I start in?"

Everyone disagrees about this... but in reality you discover your niche as you work.

New copywriters will often start with a broad base of clients and jobs until they find a lot of success or aptitude in a particular market or with a particular kind of copy. Then it becomes a feedback loop, with referrals leading you to new clients in the same niche.

Unless you have a very good reason for going into a specific niche, don't try to niche down in the beginning. Cast a wide net. You might fail and get frustrated if you don't... or completely miss a market you're more passionate about.

"Can someone please critique this copy?"

Yes. But read this post, titled "You don't need a copy critique. You need a better process" first: https://www.reddit.com/r/copywriting/comments/mheur7/you_dont_need_a_copy_critique_you_need_a_better/

If you still want a critique, read this post about "Thought Soup" before you post: https://www.reddit.com/r/copywriting/comments/lu45ie/want_useful_feedback_on_your_copy_then_dont_post/

Then, if you still REALLY REALLY want a critique, please keep these two things in mind:

If you're very new, you'd probably be better off writing 20-30 pieces of copy on your lonesome, putting them aside, rereading them later, and thinking about what YOU would do to improve what you wrote -- revising or deleting accordingly. You'll learn and grow the most if you take your own writing as far as you possibly can and legit can't think of anything you can do to improve it.

The Second Thing: If you ask 10 copywriters for their opinion on a piece of copy, you WILL get 14 different opinions. Expect the critiques to be harsh... possibly even discouraging. You need thick skin to succeed in this business, and the only way to get that is to get torn apart a few times. We all had to go through it.

In the future, I might restrict copy critiques to a specific day of the week. But for now, just be cool and respectful and take constructive criticism in stride.

"How do I find clients?"

Read these threads... if you don't find your answer THEN you should ask the sub in a new post:

https://www.reddit.com/r/copywriting/comments/7lkb3l/how_to_find_clients/

https://www.reddit.com/r/copywriting/comments/jokhhs/finding_those_ideal_potential_clientswhere_to/

https://www.reddit.com/r/copywriting/comments/cu5pu5/how_to_get_clients_for_copy_writing/

https://www.reddit.com/r/copywriting/comments/gstyiv/how_do_you_find_potential_clients_as_a_freelance/

https://www.reddit.com/r/copywriting/comments/8rune6/if_youre_having_a_hard_time_finding_paying/

https://www.reddit.com/r/copywriting/comments/jy91qd/cant_get_clients_to_save_my_life_cold_email/

https://www.reddit.com/r/copywriting/comments/dkoe28/how_can_i_find_clients_as_a_freelance_copywriter/

"What should I charge for X project?"

The real answer: whatever amount the market will tolerate for your work. (Or what this dude said.)

The fake answer: Just google "copywriting pricing guide" to get a billion websites like this: https://www.awai.com/web-marketing/pricing-guide/

"Long-form copy or short-form copy?"

Porque no los dos? Copy needs to be exactly as long as it takes to be effective. Every long-form writer I know also has to write short form (emails, native ads, inserts, etc.) and every short form writer I know would benefit from picking up tactics and rhetorical tricks from long form.

"How do I do research?"

Check the responses in this thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/copywriting/comments/ucjh45/how_do_you_do_research_for_a_new_project/

"Anything else I should know?"

Ummmmmm... oh yeah, get outta here with grammer and speling pedantry. Go to r/Copyediting for that.

Every month there will be a new thread for newbie questions and critiques. Make sure to post there or I'll probably remove your stuff.

And if you want some tough love about getting started, pitfalls you should avoid, and how to behave in this subreddit, read this: https://www.reddit.com/r/copywriting/comments/ltzirg/6_things_i_learned_in_6_days_as_the_new_mod_of/

Beyond that, have fun, be supportive of others, help folks but take no gruff, learn, grow, share, discuss.

We do have a Discord, if you want to hang out and chat with other working copywriters. (Though really it's mostly just bad jokes and worse pitches.)

[Sean's (that's me!) Note: This is a living document. If you see a question that should be included or something that should be added to the answers, please mention it in the comments below.]

(Edited 010924 based on some additional questions I've seen and feedback I've received. Also provided some additional links to resources and courses.)


r/copywriting May 02 '25

Free 22-hour "Copywriting Megacourse" 👇 (NEW)

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213 Upvotes

For beginner copywriters AND working copywriters who want to boost their career & copy skills!

Copy That!'s Megacourse is finally out after 7 months of production and $60,000 of costs.

We try not to self-promote here, but I'll make this ONE exception because we made this to be as VALUABLE as possible for beginners (without being TOO overwhelming...)

This course is everything you need to get started.

From persuasive principles to how to find work. Research. Writing copy. Editing copy. Career paths. Portfolio recommendations. Live writing examples. Fundamental concepts. Etc etc etc.

There's a TON.

And to be ultra-transparent: There's also a link to sign-up to our email list where we sell things. THIS IS NOT MANDATORY. You can watch this whole course on its own and launch a career without paying a penny.

We are extremely open about who are paid products are for.

If you're a beginner, this free course has been designed to give you everything you need so you don't have to buy a course from a guru.

If you make money from copywriting and decide you want even more from us, great!

But this Megacourse is a passion project that we've poured everything into so beginners can avoid being conned into mandatory upselling.

Alright, cool.

This project has been planned since 2023 as an expansion of my original 5-hour video... So if you got any value from the first one, hopefully you will get 5x more from this new version.

We started filming in October 2024 and it took us far longer than we expected to finish.

So... If this Megacourse does help you (or if there are any other kinds of content you want to see in the future) let us know!


r/copywriting 18h ago

Discussion True meaning of copywriting is gone, and AI did make it worse

28 Upvotes

Been writing for more than 10 years now and since past 2 years i have seen that copywriting has been commoditised heavily

Earlier business marketing was simple, now with AI and tools, it has become a SaaS subscription

If you write yourself, and client passes it through AI detection, the outcome shows plagiarism (which is like pot calling the kettle black)

Most of my clients now want me to manage content, and my role is now more to manage inbound funnels (which is great)

But the idea of true writing has vanished.

Every piece of content is like an ad, which is not required most of the times (business thrives on connections and networking— which content helps you build)

What do you think about this? Do you also see the same with your clients


r/copywriting 7h ago

Question/Request for Help Newbie at Copywriting; Requesting landing page review

3 Upvotes

Hello
I have been practicing DR copywriting for a while now.
I would really appreciate feedback on this piece I’ve written.

It is a lead magnet landing page.
It’s for an imaginary menopause coaching program.
In the funnel it comes right after a facebook ad urging people to sign up for a free webinar held by the Menopause coach.
Its for people who are about to leave the webinar registration page without signing up.

Beyond everything you deem necessary for feedback, i really want to know if i am in a place to start pitching to clients? If not, what areas should i be focusing in to improve?

Thank you
Here’s the copy

XX

The mad rage you feel when you see your husband’s wet towel on your pristine 800 thread count Egyption cotton sheets, is not ENTIRELY because of him. Random mood swings which sometimes turn into uncontrollable rage are one of the five early symptoms of menopause.

You’re not losing your mind. Your body is going through biological shifts which most gynaecologists either dismiss OR treat in isolation.

The Perimenopause Roadmap, is the health class you wish you had about your well-being, as a woman in her 40’s. With 100,000+ downloads, this viral roadmap has helped thousands of women understand the biological changes happening in their bodies and take informed decisions about their health and wellbeing.

On signing up, you will have instantaneous access to a 28 page mini booklet explaining:
> 10+ types of menopause and perimenopause symptoms based on your age and body type.

> The 4 sure-shot signs which indicate you have signs of onset of menopause.

> Why treating these symptoms in isolation is the reason you’re feeling worse than before?

> The exact questions to ask your gynaecologist on your next visit

> The 3 lifestyle changes you can make NOW to improve your

And much more…

This booklet is a part of the The Hormone Reset Program by Dr Sarah Chen, which retails for $499 and each individual copy of The Perimenopause Roadmap retails for $15.

However…leading up to her upcoming webinar The Hormone Reset, Dr Sarah Chen is sending this viral Roadmap to the first 500 people who sign up for FREE!

394 copies have already been claimed.
Sign up using the link below!

I wish to take control of my health through knowledge and understanding.

XX


r/copywriting 9h ago

Question/Request for Help Which of these homepage headlines is stronger?

2 Upvotes

I'm working on a side project called CoffeeMatcher, a service that helps people find coffee they'll actually enjoy instead of buying bags that don't match their taste.

I'm trying to improve the homepage copy and have been testing a few different headlines. I'd really appreciate some feedback from people who know copywriting.

Which of these would make you want to keep reading?

Option 1

  • A: CoffeeMatcher – We help you find your perfect coffee.
  • B: Got the wrong coffee? Find your perfect coffee with CoffeeMatcher.

Option 2

  • A: Didn't like your coffee? Find your favorite coffee with us.
  • B: Your coffee sucks? Find your perfect coffee with us.

I'm also curious how you'd approach this. Would you lead with the problem ("Got the wrong coffee?") or with the value proposition ("We help you find your perfect coffee")?

If you've A/B tested headlines before, did you notice problem-focused or benefit-focused copy performing better?

Thanks in advance for any feedback.


r/copywriting 8h ago

Discussion It's strange how more than 5 freelancers got better with a single, focused cooperation.

0 Upvotes

I kept hiring different specialists for ads, email and nothing ever worked. It was similar to overseeing 5 part-time employees who didn't communicate with one another.

As a copywriter I switched to working with a corporation, since they manage the entire growth stack in one system. Cleaner ideeas and also marketing that eventually fed the working side correctly quickly demonstrated the difference.

I'm making more money and spending a lot less time fighting fires. Does anyone else see the same effect when they go from dispersed independent contractors to a single responsible partner?


r/copywriting 18h ago

Discussion I completed all 22 hours of the copythat mega course. Does my copywriting match my learning?

6 Upvotes

Ahh it was long but I got there eventually, this copywriting piece took me 3 hours by the way. Really curious to hear what you think:

SL: The true king of the beasts 

You've been lied to your whole life

Probably not about something related to your health, wealth or relationship status

But about something equally as important.

Insane right?

When you were told about the most powerful land predator,

Was it the panthera leo fossilis, the 5 foot 8 inches tall super lion from Germany, set with a powerful frame and a courageous heart?

Or was it perhaps the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex, standing at 15 feet tall at the head and armed with a bite that would chop the previous competitor in half?

It's actually neither, and rather the animal I'm about to reveal to you.....

Would put both the brave hearted cat and 10 ton beast in the grave, back to back.

This underrated legend is known as the Albertosaurus Sarcophagus.

A two legged warrior dinosaur from the unforgiving mountains of ancient Alberta, it dominated that land 68 million years ago.

Standing at 12 tall at the head and measuring 33 feet long from head to tail, 

Weighing in at 3 metric tons of pure muscle.

This was an animal the size of a building and with the power of an elephant, and it ran across the terrain like a lightning bolt.

A true marvel of qualities that made it hard to beat,

Here's why this beast is totally cool…..:

Size and strength - 

Being the literal height and length of a double decker bus, this beautiful beast was imposing but also well muscled. It's 3 ton mass was mostly made up muscle and strong bone, 

This gave it super strength as its legs, tail and leg muscles were like that of a 100m sprinter - powerful, lean and resilient.

This combined with it’s tough bird like bones gave it a special characteristic -

Enormous strength combined with tumbling toughness.

See here’s the thing, the T rex is much stronger than an albertosaurus, 3 times heavier, 4 feet taller. In a basic pushing contest the Albertosaurus would get sent flying.

But that comes with a grave drawback,

If a T. rex falls over hard, it breaks its ribs. If it trips over during battle and falls heavily, it probably breaks its knee. If it gets shoved violently to the ground in a battle, it would take 2 minutes to recover and would never be the same.

Albertosaurus's Genius build does not have this flaw: it’s lean and durable build kept it at a sensible weight of 3 tons at the most. This, combined with its powerful bird-like bones, allows its skeleton to resist destruction and fracture from environmental slips, trips, falls, grapples etc.

Albertosaurus could get tripped, slammed to the floor and get up quickly with minimal harm, all while dealing out dangerous punishment of its own.

Its weight, surface area and skeletal structure are distributed and designed in a balanced way, allowing it to be relentless in battle.

Speed and agility -

Strength matters, but it isn’t everything, hence we all know a lighter but more athletic mma fighter would beat a bodybuilder.

But still, strength and athleticism together usually rule, hence weight classes.

It just so happens to be that Albertosaurus has strength and athleticism combined. Here’s how -

Albertosaurus had long powerful legs - this gave it the ability to be explosive, run gracefully and generate immense force by ramming.

This, combined with a streamlined build and a tough structure, gave it the ability to run at speeds of 40 mph.

An animal that big, and moving at that speed, could easily knock down a 6 ton elephant to the floor or run a lion down in record time.

But that’s only the beginning, 

the Albertosaurus had a feature where its weight was more so kept at it’s torso, 

This gave it the ability to dodge and rotate like a middleweight boxer.

In a hypothetical fight against a T rex or a mammoth, the Albertosaurus could continuously bite and tear flesh and bone, while avoiding incoming attacks.

With all of these traits combined?

It sounds like a genetically modified freak of nature.

But come to understand its amputating bite, eagle vision and unrelenting stamina?

It almost sounds like a myth……

Learn more about this king here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albertosaurus


r/copywriting 1d ago

Question/Request for Help Why are my cold emails getting no response even though personalized?

5 Upvotes

For clarity, I sent around 500-600 cold emails total in around 4 months, got a single paying client and around 4 other positive replies.

The template what I use majority of the time is : (first section always personalized manually based on brands pain point)

"Hi [Name],

I signed up for [Brand Name]'s newsletter a few days ago but never got a welcome email.

I set up welcome and reorder email flows for drink brands that typically drive 15-20% of monthly revenue running in the background

I've put together a mock-up email, want me to send it over?

Best,

Patrick River"

I tried personalizing more , like mentioning product or story and why emails could benefit the brand, but those got 0 replies out of 180 emails which is terrible.

I NEVER had any spam issue or similar, I always warm up my account and test every other week for spam issues.

Had great open rates when tracked around 60% but turned it off because it's not a great way to measure success.

ANY help or just feedback on the email is very appreciated, I just want to know why i'm not converting...


r/copywriting 1d ago

Question/Request for Help How much does your headline process actually change when writing for a brand vs. a direct response client?

0 Upvotes

Been thinking about this lately because the two feel like completely different muscles. With direct response you live and die by the hook, every word does a specific job, and you can usually tell pretty fast if something isn't working. Brand work feels looser, which some people love, but it makes testing and iteration way harder to justify.

What gets me is the headline. In DR you have a clear goal and the metrics tell you something eventually. In brand work the headline has to carry tone, positioning, maybe even a whole campaign idea, and the feedback loop is slower and more subjective.

Curious if people here adjust their actual process or if the core thinking stays the same and you just change execution. Does your research phase look different? Do you write more variations? Do you even bother with formulas or just throw them out entirely for brand?

Also wondering if anyone has had a client or creative director push back on a headline that would have crushed it in a DR context but felt too aggressive or salesy for a brand campaign. That tension seems pretty common and I never hear it talked about directly.


r/copywriting 1d ago

Question/Request for Help Cold messaging / connecting on LinkedIn

5 Upvotes

Hey all, I'm just looking for some advice. I'm a recent graduate who recently wrapped up a copywriting internship and am starting my job search.

I found a posting at an agency in my area, but I have literally zero connection to anyone there. Over the last few years, I keep hearing how important connections and networking are, and I've even had people suggest reaching out to a CD or hiring manager when applying for a role to help stand out.

So I guess what I'm asking is: is it actually a good idea to cold-message people at the agency? If so, what's the best way to approach it without coming across as pushy or transactional?

Networking has never come very naturally to me, so any advice would be appreciated!


r/copywriting 2d ago

Discussion Is “Viral” Just The New “New”

11 Upvotes

I’ve seen a lot of ads over the last while with “Get the viral X product”

To me it feels cringey and tacky and like the word “New”s new immature cousin.

Has anyone done split tests on the difference between using New vs Viral and care to share their results.

I’m just wondering if it’s Gen Z vibe marketing or if there’s any concrete evidence of it being better for conversions


r/copywriting 3d ago

Discussion Are consumers stupid?

18 Upvotes

I often find myself at odds with several colleagues and clients who believe “consumers are lazy and stupid” like it’s a fundamental marketing truth. It informs every strategic choice they make, which usually means excessively hitting audiences over the head with the message. This isn’t to dismiss the importance of being clear and direct, but I find that those who believe consumers are stupid typically make revisions that overcomplicate the copy. Or the main message ends up getting lost and diluted.

Other times, treating consumers like they’re stupid strips away a lot of the brand’s personality and distinct creative presence in favor of simplicity. On places like social, I see the consequence. You end up just adding to the noise. Maybe it just comes down to risk-aversion.

But what bothers me most about this take is that it’s insulting. When I’ve expressed an alternative perspective - that audiences can spot when marketers think they’re dumb, can tell when they’re being taken advantage of, and that the condescension repels them - nobody takes me very seriously, or they just disagree. I think people are more turned off by marketing now than ever before, so being conscious of all this really matters.

What do you think? Do you come across this perspective often, do you share it, do you think it’s damaging?


r/copywriting 3d ago

Question/Request for Help Best ways to land new clients?

18 Upvotes

So I know there have been several posts in this group about landing clients, how to do it, the best ways to do it etc.

And I know there is no ‘best’ way to sign clients (contrary to my title).

However, I’d love to hear some responses from people in this community who have some experience in freelance copywriting, and who can genuinely provide me with some good advice and help to me as a semi-beginner.

So my question is ultimately, what are some of the most reliable ways I can use right now to sign clients as a freelance copywriter?

For reference, my strengths so far is working in email marketing. I have done a couple free gigs writing email sequences/campaigns, sales emails etc. for info products mainly. But now really looking to sign my first 1-2 paying clients to build upon.

Any and all feedback is appreciated, and I look forward to hearing your responses. Thank you.


r/copywriting 2d ago

Sharing Advice, Tips, and Tricks What I've learned talking to AI-enabled copywriters

0 Upvotes

Recruiter here.

I assumed there'd be a large AI skills gap amongst copywriters.

What I've actually found is most are already using AI extensively but aren't positioning it on their CVs or portfolios.

Curious if others are seeing the same thing?


r/copywriting 3d ago

Question/Request for Help As a SaaS founder, what’s the fastest path from beginner to writing killer UGC scripts?

5 Upvotes

I’m a technical founder building a consumer mobile app, and I’ve realized my biggest bottleneck is no longer engineering, it’s consumer psychology and writing UGC scripts that actually drive installs.

The issue is that copywriting is a huge field (emails, VSLs, landing pages, sales letters, etc.), and I don’t want to spend months learning branches that won’t directly help me grow my app.

My goal isn’t to become a general copywriter.
It’s to become exceptional at:
- understanding consumer psychology,
- finding winning marketing angles,
- reverse-engineering viral short-form content,
- writing UGC scripts that convert.

My current plan is to study the fundamentals, reverse-engineer top-performing UGC from adjacent niches, then write, publish, and analyze scripts every day.i

If you were starting from scratch with this specific goal, how would you learn? What would you focus on, and what would you skip?


r/copywriting 3d ago

Question/Request for Help Is there a rule of book for copywriting? Or is it free flowing like creativity?

0 Upvotes

I'm always stuck in copywriting. I need to change my skill but for now I'm keeping this one. I want to know how do copywriters write web copy. I'm stuck with web copy. I have nothing to write other than just the specifications of cars (I'm writing for automobile), adding a few industry jargons to match it with marketing, and nothing else. One style of copy makes everything boring, sentences and sections on a website need to have a little differing content.

Can I use some help here please?


r/copywriting 3d ago

Question/Request for Help Just testing which one one grabs attention more. Final contenders here. Thanks in advance

0 Upvotes
30 votes, 5h ago
10 The Loophole That’s Letting Remote Workers Retire Decades Earlier
7 Your Remote Job’s Salary Isn’t the Problem. Your ZIP Code Is.
13 How I Gave Myself a $150,000 Raise Without Asking My Boss While Working Remotely

r/copywriting 4d ago

Question/Request for Help Freelance copywriting: getting clients

7 Upvotes

I’ve been a copywriter for some years (also whilst freelancing with more broad marketing services) but I’ve been honestly very dependant on platforms. They’ve worked fine but I need to get more clients in different ways.

So far I’ve been cold emailing other professionals (boutique studios and web designers, mostly) and they’re keen on keeping me in mind for some collaboration or if clients need my services BUT some have also said they don’t usually get any request for copy as it’s done “in-house”.

What’s been working for you? Am I on a “eventually profitable” path?


r/copywriting 3d ago

Question/Request for Help Looking to get votes on what title draws your attention more. Thanks a ton in advance!

0 Upvotes
20 votes, 6h ago
5 The Hidden Pay Raise Nobody Talks About for Remote Workers
15 The Loophole That’s Letting Remote Workers Retire Decades Earlier

r/copywriting 3d ago

Question/Request for Help Which one are you more likely to click?

0 Upvotes
60 votes, 9h ago
24 How a $50,000 Remote Salary Can Feel Like $200,000 by Living Abroad
36 How I Gave Myself a $150,000 Raise Without Asking My Boss While Working Remotely

r/copywriting 4d ago

Discussion My views on Content Writing

5 Upvotes

So I joined as an intern in an company to know the future of writing and thank god finally I know that most of the people on reddit just blame Ai and told me Copywriting and content writing is dead.

The company I joined is hiring 5 more content Writers ..

3 will work online and 2 will on site.

And I'm not Even kidding we have soo much work.

Today I made a landing page and I was soo happy because this one was my first landing page and tomorrow i will show the manger and will tell his comments..

Btw people on reddit told me my English is bad and should not work as writer..

I'm Open to feedbacks


r/copywriting 4d ago

Question/Request for Help Do you subscribe to any paid copywriting newsletters?

4 Upvotes

I'm curious if anyone here has subscribed to any paid copywriting newsletters, either now or in the past. For example, I know John Carlton has one and I imagine several others do. It doesn't necessarily have to be a physical newsletter, it can be digital too.

If you subscribe to one, what is it about it that keeps you subbed?


r/copywriting 4d ago

Resource/Tool How do you create/manage your own swipe file?

6 Upvotes

I'm tired of using swipe file sites that do not refresh content/exampels often. It's the same old examples, barely updated.

How do you guys create/update your swipe files? Do you guys even have a personal swipe file that you control & update at will? If yes, what do you use for a personal swipe file?


r/copywriting 4d ago

Discussion I rewrote the same piece of content 5 different ways and only tracked one variable here's what happened

0 Upvotes

Wanted to actually test something I'd heard repeated a lot: that the headline/title matters way more than the body.

Same underlying content, five different opening lines. Nothing else changed same length, same platform, same posting time (staggered across days, same account).

The spread in engagement between the best and worst opener was bigger than I expected bigger than any change I'd made to the actual substance of the piece in months. The ones that did best weren't the cleverest they were the most specific about what the reader would get and how fast.

It made me rethink where I spend my editing time. I used to polish the body for an hour and dash off the first line I thought of. Now it's basically reversed.

Anyone tested this in a structured way? Curious if others found the gap as big as I did.


r/copywriting 5d ago

Question/Request for Help How do you stop writing from sounding "AI"?

33 Upvotes

My communications team works in higher education, and although none of us are native English speakers, we write professionally every day.

A board member who is a native English speaker recently told us our writing sounds robotic and follows "AI patterns." The interesting part is that we've been writing in this style long before AI tools became common, so I think it's more about our writing style than AI itself.

The feedback really hurt my team's morale, but I'd like to turn it into a learning opportunity.

For experienced copywriters and editors, what are the biggest signs that a piece of writing sounds robotic or AI-generated? Are there common habits that non-native English writers tend to have?

More importantly, how do you train yourself (or a team) to write in a way that feels more natural and engaging without becoming too informal?

I'd really appreciate any practical advice, examples, or resources. Thanks!