If you're thinking about using a copywriter (or becoming one), it is critical to realise that there is more than one type of copywriting and more than one type of copywriter.
Different writing projects require different skills, and writers evolve different skillsets, whether deliberately or simply as the natural result of their working experience. So the conditions 'copywriting' and 'copywriter', although simple-sounding, in fact encompass a variety of specialisations and features. This post lists a few of the most typical types of copywriting and copywriters.victor palandi
Note that a few of these copywriting disciplines have parallel job titles/descriptions, and others don't. For example, while 'SEO copywriter' is now a recognised work title, I've by no means noticed anyone describe themselves as a 'long-duplicate copywriter'. Also, remember that some of these labels are flexible - while there are different strands within copywriting, the distinctions between them aren't usually so clear-cut as my headings imply, and people might use these conditions in various ways.
The freelance copywriter
The freelance copywriter writes in virtually any medium directly for clients, usually operating as a sole trader or one-person company.
Businesses and organisations need a broad range of points written: websites, brochures, case studies, product descriptions, consumer manuals, pr announcements, presentations, internal files and more. While many will simply use internal resource to have the writing performed, many switch to a freelance copywriter to greatly help them out.
Freelance copywriting is generally managed on an ad hoc, job-by-job basis, even though some clients perform strike retainer arrangements or set up longer contracts with freelances. Typically, the freelancer offers a cost or proposal, will the work, revises the duplicate in response to opinions, and submits their invoice on authorization.
Freelance copywriting typically requires 'broad but shallow' copywriting skills. For example, in the course of writing a business site, the copywriter might find themselves writing long copy for details webpages, snappy selling copy for high-profile pages and journalistic duplicate for news webpages. At the same time, they might throw in a firm tagline as well as perhaps name a product range or two - in some cases, without also being asked, because the client may not have realised that they also need these things.
As a result of doing work for many different customers, the freelance copywriter also tends to develop broad but shallow understanding of different business sectors, allowing them to get a handle on new customers' requirements very quickly. This is one region where older freelancers can consistently outdo their youthful counterparts - experience cannot be faked, nor bought.
Conversely, some freelances specialise on paper for a particular industry or sector - pharmaceuticals, charity and so forth. This may be because they previously held a salaried placement in that sector. It may be a deliberate choice, or it could just emerge consequently of the jobs and referrals which come along.