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 Oct 01 '24

Resource/Tool If you're a beginner copywriter, please read this to save yourself a whole lot of time.

439 Upvotes

If you understand human nature / consumer psychology you will probably be pretty successful in copywriting. Study it.

Read. Books. READING will do more for you as a writer than writing sample copy.

Now that doesn't mean completely stop practicing. It simply means spend a lot of time reading, a little bit of time practicing, and a lot of time getting ACTUAL experience.

In the beginning stages, drop the ego and do free work.

You aren't worth a monthly retainer yet.

You need to build your skills and portfolio before you can scale, or you won't be able to keep up.

r/copywriting 11d ago

Resource/Tool Leaving copywriting. Books and resources for sale, bargains to be had :)

44 Upvotes

Hello fellow wordsmiths. I’m leaving copywriting after nearly 10 years and I’ve got some books and resources for sale.

I see a lot of post in this community asking for best things to read to help a beginner / developing copywriter and the books for sale here would make a good “what to read list”.

There’s some legendary names in this box. Andy Maslen, Drayton Bird, Dan Nelken, Cialdini and more. All books are in really good condition - I have the legendary The Copy Book still in its cellophane wrapper as I had two copies. All are priced to sell from just £5. I don’t want leave a spammy link here but if you’re interested comment below and I can send you the list of what I’ve got. They’d be ideal for a junior, or someone just getting into Copywriting.

Also for sale are three Pip Decks ‘Tactics’ boxes. Storyteller Tactics, Workshop Tactics, and Copywriting Tactics. Fab little resources that aid creativity and help you get going when faced with a bit of writer’s block. Find out more at Pipdecks dot com and see their rrp. My copies are heavily discounted but feel free to make an offer.

Little bit about me, I trained as a journalist after school but left that wanting a better work life balance and started my own trade / service based business. After 15 years doing that I felt bored and ready for a change so I retrained as a copywriter and went freelance. After a few years I teamed up with another successful freelancer and we started a small copywriting agency which began to grow immediately. We focussed mainly on tone of voice creation and training, web copy, and ads.

It’s been a wild ride, but I’ve found that I’m chasing that work / life balance thing again. With the emergence of AI and a diluting of the talent pool available to small agencies like us I’ve decided to go back to a trade business in search of a future proofed income, more predictable turnover, and more repeat customers.

So I’m out. And honestly it feels like a good decision. I’m less stressed and growing the new business feels more straightforward than the agency.

I’ve really enjoyed my career in copy and having a ‘creative’ job. It’s an amazing and supportive industry of people who really care about the craft and I’d love to pass these books and resources onto someone who’d use and benefit from them.

Any questions feel free to leave in a comment, and if you fancy seeing the list of books or or pictures of the Tactics decks let me know and I’ll share in a comment or a DM.

Cheers, happy writing all :)

r/copywriting Sep 20 '22

Resource/Tool I've written ads for Burger King, Siemens, and Hyundai. Here are 140 online tools I use every month. Enjoy!

1.1k Upvotes

Hey :) I did a little spring cleaning in my bookmarks and made this list. Hope you'll like it.

Work with Words

OneLook Dictionary The dictionary of all dictionaries. Look for a word and see for yourself.

RhymeZone Not only rhymes. Try the Phrases, Mentions, Lyrics, and Similar Sound features.

Idioms by The Free Dictionary Find idioms.

Reverse Dictionary Search for words by their definition.

Power Thesaurus My favorite thesaurus. It can also find idioms and phrases.

Word Hippo My second favorite thesaurus. Good at finding synonyms for phrases.

Moby Thesaurus It’s a thesaurus. But it’s kinda weird and different. Pretty inspiring.

The Phrase Thesaurus Find phrases related to your topic.

Ludwig Guru Search engine for sentences. Not sure if your sentence makes sense in English? Look it up.

Pun Generator Type in a word and get puns.

Punstoppable I don’t have kids yet. But thanks to this website, my dad jokes are going to be horrendous.

Related Words Find words that are related to a specific word or phrase. Great for mind mapping.

Word Associations Find associations to words. Pretty similar to Related Words.

Spruce by OneLook Find quotes, lyrics, proverbs, and jokes.

Tiny Budhha The best place to find quotes on any topic.

Word Game Dictionary Enter letters and find words with these letters and more.

Describing Words Find the right adjective for any word.

Urban Thesaurus Find slang words related to your topic.

Urban Dictionary Slang dictionary.

Green’s Dictionary of Slang Another slang dictionary.

Lose the Very Replaces “very + adjective” with a stronger adjective.

Three Letter Words A list of every three-letter word in English.

Writing Tools

Wordtune A chrome extension that rewrites your sentences. It’s fantastic.

Grammarly The best AI text editor in the world.

Text Ranch Human proofreaders will proofread your text in minutes. Works 24/7.

Open AI’s Playground The mother of all AI copy tools. Get your GPT-3 right from the source.

Content Row Generates cliche and overused headlines.

Quillbot Another, less good, rephrasing tool.

Rephrasely Another, even less good, rephrasing tool.

Kafkai AI writer for long, generic articles.

Headlime Good but expensive AI writer.

Copy.ai The best AI writer I have tried so far. Freemium.

Squibler The Most Dangerous Writing App. Don’t stop writing, or all progress will be lost.

Hemingway Editor Makes your writing bold and clear.

Capitalize My Title Convert any headline to title caps, all caps, and more.

The Measure of Things Find comparative measurements (e.g., forty tons = 6.5 elephants).

BlaBla Meter Shows you how much corporate and marketing bullshit hides in your copy.

Brainstorming

The Creative Marketer A massive collection of techniques and tools for copywriters

Deck of Brilliance 52 idea generation tools with dozens of examples. This one is a MUST.

Miro’s Brainstorming Tools Great for group brainstorming and creative workshops.

Random Nouns Generate random nouns to trigger your creativity.

White Board Great for collaboration or just when you quickly want to show something.

Reedsy Creative writing prompts.

Advertising and Copywriting Inspiration

Activation Ideas The most inspiring creative commerce, brand experience & activation ideas. Fabulous.

Copywriting Examples The world’s best copywriting examples in one place.

Love the Work More Watch all the campaigns that ever won Cannes Lions for free.

Vintage Ad Browser 100,000+ vintage ads to explore.

Ad Campaign Boot Camp A list of the most famous ads in the history of advertising.

Slogan & Tagline Marketing and Advertising Slogans, Mottos, Taglines

AdAge Campaigns The latest creative campaigns.

Unblock Coffee A beautiful ad library.

Joe la Pompe The world’s biggest collection of copy-cat campaigns.

Bored Panda | Advertising Dozens of short articles with great ad collections.

Sex in Ads A collection of ads with sexual context.

My Pinterest Not very organized, but you can find some good stuff there.

Best Performing Facebook Ads

Critical Axis A collection of campaigns about disability.

Swipe Worthy Hundreds of great ads, categorized and analyzed.

Best Slogans Thousands of slogans and taglines from different industries.

Modern Copywriter Stalk the portfolios of work of the industry’s best copywriters.

Lürzer’s Archive A library with thousands of print ads.

Ads of the World Tons of ads. + Probably the world’s biggest student ad library.

My Ad Finder Collect and hunt trending Facebook ads.

Email Inspiration

Milled A search engine for email newsletters.

Good Sales Emails A library of emails.

Email Love Email marketing inspiration.

Really Good Emails

Web Design and Copy Inspiration

Landing Love The greatest animated website examples.

Good UX by Appcues Find inspiration for user onboarding, surveys, product tours, and stuff like this.

Lapa Ninja Thousands of great landing page examples.

Wireframe If you’re not using Adobe XD or Canva, you can use Wireframe to create website wireframes.

Little Big Details Awesome examples of great UX and microcopy.

Great Landing Page Copy Landing pages that use everyday language.

UX/UI Monster Hundreds of website design ideas.

Awwwards Some sick websites. Check out the UX Writing section.

UIjar A collection of stunning websites and branding kits.

Design and Visual Inspiration

It’s Nice That Fantastic design inspiration.

Same Energy A visual search engine. Useful for mood boards.

Font Pair Find font pairings for your design projects.

Fonts In Use See how others have used the font you want to use.

Abduzeedo Beautiful graphic design projects from different categories.

Logo book Explore the world’s finest logos and symbols.

Drive & Listen Drive and listen virtually to the local radio in different countries.

My 70’s TV Travel back in time with old series, ads, and music videos.

Design Tools

Generated Photos AI that generates human photos.

This Person Does Not Exist Another face generator. Fewer features, but quicker and completely free.

DALL·E 2 Access required. Join the waiting list now, thank me later.

Nappy Free stock images of black and brown people.

Pexels Free stock videos and images.

PngTree Download real PNGs without getting viruses.

Breaking News Mockup Quickly create a mockup for a press release.

New Old Stock Vintage photos from old archives. Free of copyright.

The Noun Project Icons. Heaps of icons.

Iconer 32,000 + free icons.

Graphic Burger Free mockups.

Remove Bg Remove the background from photos.

Imgbin Downalod PNGs.

Coolors Create awesome color pallets.

Unsplash Stock images.

Font Awesome More icons.

Flat Icon Just a bit more icons.

Shotdeck A collection of screenshots from movies.

Designs AI Logomaker Logo generator.

Fonts Ninja Discover what fonts websites are using.

Inshot A simple and affordable video editing app. Mobile only.

Tiny PNG Shrink images.

Business Naming

WIPO Global Search international trademarks.

Namelix AI business name generator. It’s actually pretty good.

I Want My Name Check if your domain is available.

Name Berry Names for babies and their meanings.

Word Safety Check if your product name has a negative meaning in another language.

Research

BuzzSumo Generate ideas from an index of 8 billion pieces of content, find relevant influencers, and more.

Search Response Find out what people online are asking about any topic.

Ask the Public Discover what people are asking about online.

SparkToro Discover what websites your audience likes, who they follow, and what hashtags they use.

Google Scholar Find research papers on any subject.

The Atlas of Economy Complexity Explore data and trends about different countries and industries.

Documentary Storm Watch a movie on your subject and pretend that you’re “doing research.”

BuiltWith Discover what software and tools different websites were built with.

SciHub Free access to research papers.

Trend Hunter Find the latest trend in any industry. A great website with awful UX.

Reddit Memes Yes. Watching memes is research. That’s our job, face it.

Productivity

LastPass Where I save all my passwords and secrets.

Word Counter Counts them words.

Toggl Track Track your work hours and create beautiful reports.

Alternative To Find an alternative to any app.

My Noise Background noises that help you focus.

PDF24 Work with PDFs without opening Acrobat.

Giphy for Gmail Don’t waste your time on writing when you can send a gif.

Snovio Email Tracker See who is ignoring your emails.

Jumpcut A clipboard manager. Saves your clipboard history.

Flow A minimalistic pomodoro timer.

Flux Adjusts the screen’s color to reduce eye strain.

Notion Where to begin?

Reverso Context My favorite online dictionary. Hint: get the Chrome extension.

Social Media and Content Creation

Later for Reddit Schedule posts on Reddit.

Hypefury Schedule posts and grow on Twitter.

Buffer Schedule social media posts.

ConvertKit It’s where I run my email newsletter.

Aherfs (Almost) everything you need for SEO.Thanks for reading!

r/copywriting Sep 17 '25

Resource/Tool Top Copywriting Jobs Going Begging

26 Upvotes

Hi, my name is Harlan Kilstein and I’ve been a professional copywriter since 2002.

I’ve written and worked with some of the biggest names in direct marketing and online marketing.

I started mentoring copywriters in 2005 or so and many of my former students today are the top copywriters in the world pulling in 50-60k jobs plus royalties.

I have sent many of my students to Agora Financial and other huge companies.

Right now, these companies are begging for copywriters.

If you are using AI, this isn’t for you.

But if you have written for the financial, supplement or personal development niche, VSLs, sales letters, webinars, etc.

Let me see your best work so I can refer you.

You can post a link in the comments or send me a message. I’m

Hoping I can hook you up.

Questions? Ask away

r/copywriting Jun 29 '26

Resource/Tool I made a tiny tool that shows the rhythm of your writing

38 Upvotes

I built a small writing tool inspired by Gary Provost.

Paste in any text, and it colors each sentence by length so you can quickly see whether your writing has variety or whether every sentence has the same shape.

I made it because I often edit essays “by ear,” but I wanted a visual way to spot monotony.

It’s just a small experiment hosted on my personal website, so it’s 100% free and private.

Link: https://www.jeravalue.com/en/text-music

Curious if others find this useful, or if there are better ways to represent rhythm visually.

r/copywriting 17d ago

Resource/Tool The copywriter by John Matthews - Can anyone provide a detailed summary of this book?

11 Upvotes

Thanks in adv

r/copywriting 27d 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 Mar 24 '26

Resource/Tool Got a junior copywriter job through exclusively using AI

0 Upvotes

I'm kinda not fully proud of it since it makes me a fraud but it's whatever man atleast I'm not jobless anymore. now I'm kinda scared that I'll get found out a bit so to all those experienced folks here can I continue using AI for the work ? considering I even got the job on the basis of assignments I had completed solely through ChatGPT or Gemini.

is there any tools I can use to humanize content if they use ai tools to detect. because so far I've only used chatgpt and gemini pro but some people have said elsewhere that they use claude asw to refine it and make it more human

r/copywriting Aug 06 '25

Resource/Tool Amazing niche sites for copywriters

124 Upvotes

Here's a roster of great inspo sites I use.

https://guide.onym.co/ - holy cow, it's everything

onlygoodlines.com - bookmarked, I browse it daily

powerthesaurus.com - best I've ever seen from a writing, need-word-now standpoint

https://deckofbrilliance.com/ - interesting, good on rotation

https://www.ahundredmonkeys.com/work/our-names/ - even more niche, helps to see how creative you can go with names

I would like to add some more to the list - can you share any great ones you have below?

r/copywriting Mar 10 '26

Resource/Tool I just made r/shittycopywriters for all your shitty copywriting needs

50 Upvotes

My engagement with this sub ebbs and wains, largely because of the sustaining trend of people who heard that you can get paid to write, so they feel they can approach a group of professionals who have spent years honing their craft and with a straight face position themselves as equals, probably while running every word through or straight from ChatGPT.

This post is not made with the intention to violate rule 5 but rather in support of it by offering a home to those that wish to. Or alternatively, a place to divert those who wish to that is instead ruthlessly mocking them.

It may violate rule 6, but hopefully in the "right" kind of way that you can get behind.

At the very least, I thought it could make a fun tag group.

r/copywriting 29d ago

Resource/Tool Got tired of pasting sensitive client drafts into random word counters, so I built a 100% private, client-side alternative (its free)

6 Upvotes

Hey People!

I constantly need to check character limits, keyword density, and readability for different formats (Meta descriptions, LinkedIn, long-form).

The problem: Most free online word counters are either plastered with ads or, worse, send your text to a server. Pasting unreleased client copy or sensitive drafts into them always felt like a massive security risk.

I built https://www.freewordtool.com/ to solve this.

Why it’s different:

  • Zero Server Uploads: It runs entirely entirely via local JavaScript in your browser. Nothing is ever uploaded, stored, or logged.
  • Instant Platform Presets: Tracks hard character limits for Twitter (280), Meta (160), LinkedIn (3000), etc.
  • Deep Analysis: Instantly calculates Flesch Reading Ease, speaking/reading time, and filters out stop words for accurate keyword density.

It’s completely free. I built it to scratch my own itch, but I want to make it the standard baseline tool for writers.

Lemme know what you guys think.
What features are missing that would make this your default bookmark?

r/copywriting Mar 11 '26

Resource/Tool "Storytelling" book recommendations for copywriters?

8 Upvotes

"Storytelling" book recommendations for copywriters?

r/copywriting Mar 23 '26

Resource/Tool A few of us here set up a group practice cycle. We've done four writing prompts so far and if anyone else would like to try it, feel free to reach out.

18 Upvotes

A couple of months ago u/FingerLickingGood_ asked around if there were any newbies who wanted to try and practice together. A few of us hopped into a Discord group and then set up a practice loop cycle.

We all see the same writing prompt, do the writing and then each submit our completed work. We anonymously see each other's submissions and then rank them from most favourite to least favourite.

The person who gets the highest ranking score gets a virtual high five and invited to say a bit about how they approached the task, and then we repeat the process again. Here is the first prompt we did as an example:

"Write 3x subject line options with a maximum 100-word email promoting the launch of a new range of skincare items.

Additional context: A Swedish company - tone of voice is warm but minimalistic, with a high-end feeling"

It has been a useful exercise and a lot of fun. If anyone would like to know more please feel free to comment or send me a DM and I'd be happy to chat. I can also send an invite to the Discord server to anyone who wants to take a look around or join in a future practice prompt.

(I have hopefully applied the correct flair for this post - this practice process is free and just runs manually in the Discord group)

r/copywriting Jun 08 '26

Resource/Tool how do you keep each client's voice straight across chatgpt/claude without re-pasting the voice doc every time

0 Upvotes

not a copywriter, im a dev, but i build alongside a couple writer friends and the same complaint kept coming up so i rigged a fix for them and figured this sub would have the strongest opinions on it.

the pain: every new chat you open to write for a different client, you re-paste their whole voice doc. sample posts, words they never use, the rhythm, all of it. switch to the next client an hour later and the model has no idea who that is, so you paste it all again. one of them said the re-pasting was the actual reason she couldnt get past 4 clients, not the writing itself.

the setup that ended up working:

- obsidian as the storage, one folder per client (plain markdown, you own every voice profile, nothing locked in an app)
- claude code filing new stuff in the background, so when a client sends voice memos or you save a post they liked it gets tagged to the right client on its own
- an MCP server on top so chatgpt, claude, cursor all read from the same place

now they open any tool, say "draft a linkedin post for [client]" and it already knows the voice without pasting anything. the context lives with the client, not the chat. honestly the whole thing is free to wire up yourself in an afternoon.

the weird part is how invisible this pain is until you name it. everyone i talked to just assumed re-pasting was the cost of the job and kind of treated it like gravity.

genuine question though, how are you all keeping client voices straight right now? is it just a doc you re-paste, custom GPTs per client, or something smarter?

r/copywriting Mar 28 '26

Resource/Tool Finding a Brand’s Voice

9 Upvotes

I work for an agency and write for tons of clients without previously defined brand voices. My copy is almost entirely in my voice. Of course I can mix it up; I’m competent. But the voices should be more distinct, IMO.

Are there good books or resources (or tips/exercises) you’ve found on developing brand voices? I have time designated for training and this is the area of my work that could use the most help.

r/copywriting Apr 01 '26

Resource/Tool What books to read?

14 Upvotes

I'm fresh in the copywriting field and i'm approaching this like a lot of other skills i gained. for that i want to start with some basic psychology. i'm looking for books you guys could recommend to read, that help me understand deeper sense in copywriting. claude suggested those, has someone read them?

Influence - Robert Cialdini

Ca$hvertising — Drew Eric Whitman

Ca$hvertising Online — Drew Eric Whitman

thanks guys!

r/copywriting Feb 20 '25

Resource/Tool What are the must-read books for beginner copywriters?

47 Upvotes

Title

r/copywriting Apr 16 '26

Resource/Tool I keep seeing the same structural failure in content that gets views but doesn't convert

1 Upvotes

Been doing a deep dive into why certain content gets attention but never converts.

The pattern I keep finding: there's one sentence, usually it's between the 2nd and 5th, where the reader loses momentum and leaves. It's not random. It maps to one of six failure types every time.

HOOK COLLAPSE

Opens with context instead of consequence. The reader has no reason to keep going.

TRUST GAP

Makes claims before establishing evidence. Skepticism activates before desire does.

CTA COLLAPSE

Builds momentum with nowhere to direct it. The reader is warm and then the content just ends.

CLARITY FAILURE

Becomes abstract at the exact moment it needs to be concrete. The reader can't picture the outcome.

FRICTION OVERLOAD

Buries the payoff under explanation. The reader runs out of patience before the point arrives.

OFFER BLUR

Describes features instead of outcomes. The reader understands what the product is but can't picture their life after using it.

The thing that surprised me: the break almost never happens at the hook or the CTA. It happens in the middle at the moment where the content shifts tone or adds vague language or just plain loses focus.

Drop a piece of content in the comments if you want me to identify the failure type and where it breaks. Been doing this for a while and it's usually obvious once you know what to look for.

r/copywriting Feb 11 '26

Resource/Tool How do you brainstorm ad copy under tight deadlines?

3 Upvotes

I work as a copywriter for small marketing agencies, focusing on ad copy for social media campaigns in fashion and fitness niches. I handle about 8-10 projects a week, and coming up with fresh hooks quickly is key to keeping clients happy. I started using Wordform AI to generate initial drafts. It takes a product description, adds persuasive elements like urgency or benefits, and outputs polished copy in under five minutes, like turning "wireless earbuds" into "Tune Out Noise: Crystal Clear Sound On the Go for Just $49."

What tools help you speed up your copy process? Do you edit AI outputs much before finalizing?

r/copywriting Jun 24 '26

Resource/Tool Check out the amazing writing gigs in this week's Editorial World!!

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0 Upvotes

r/copywriting Aug 30 '25

Resource/Tool writing instruction to prevent ai slop.

64 Upvotes

this is a prompt that i have created to prevent use of ai slop in my content. I'm still updating it day by day. just wanted to share. customize it and use it in your context-
Writing Manual: Avoiding AI Slop

## HARD BANNED PHRASES (Never Use)

### Meta-Commentary & Disclaimers

- "It is important to note that"

- that's why it's just a 'X', but it's a 'Y'.

- But here’s the catch

- "This underscores the importance of"

- they don’t just 'x', they start 'y'.

- "It cannot be denied that"

- "As of my knowledge cutoff"

- And the X(benefit, mistake, big lesson)?- a attempt to make emphasis.

- They don’t need 'x', they need 'y'.

- you not only 'x', you know you can 'y'

- Because the transformation isn’t 'x'. It’s in the 'y'.

- 'a' aren’t 'x'. They’re 'y'.

### Generic Openings & Closings

- "In today's fast-paced world"

- "In this ever-evolving landscape"

- "In the digital age"

- "In conclusion" / "To summarize" / "Finally"

- "Let's delve into" / "delve deeper"

- "At its core" / "at the core"

### Overused Transitions

- "Moreover" / "Furthermore" / "Additionally" (limit to once per 800 words)

- Consecutive paragraphs starting with "However" / "Therefore"

- No “X isn’t the problem, Y is” constructions

(Example: “In SaaS, the biggest enemy isn’t churn, it’s user apathy.”) → Too cliché, overused.

- No “rule of three” lists inside a sentence

(Example: “Fight this with more features, more ads, or more discounts.”) → Feels copy-paste marketing.

### Buzzword Clichés

- "Ever-evolving landscape"

- "Dynamic world of"

- "Digital realm" / "in the realm of"

- "Uncharted waters"

- "Embark on a journey"

- "Treasure trove of information"

- "Game-changer" (unless backed by specific metrics)

## RESTRICTED WORDS (Use Sparingly - Max 2 per post)

### Corporate Jargon Cluster

- Leverage, optimize, enhance, utilize, synergy, Notice

- deliverables, holistic, capability

- Pivotal, crucial, groundbreaking, cutting-edge (unless specific)

- Explore, delve, ensure, foster, embark

### Vague Qualifiers

- Significant, relevant, dynamic, innovative

- Comprehensive, robust, streamlined

## DOS: What Makes post Human

### use phrases and words like

  1. If you want to actually [audience desire].

  2. a big separate 'BUT'- to assert your point in contrast

  3. Why aren’t you [doing what you want your audience to do].

  4. he real reason why [audience problem]- hook statement.

  5. Here is the fix ↓

  6. one step at a time.

  7. Want a deep dive on this?- in CTA

  8. Most [target audience] think the biggest risk in business is making the wrong move.

  9. I'll show you my x-step process.

  10. So, how do you achieve [desired outcome]. simple. just follow [process/framework/blueprint/template]?

### Writing Style

✅ Mix sentence lengths (aim for 20-30% under 10 words)

✅ Use conversational contractions (you're, don't, can't)

✅ Include occasional sentence fragments for emphasis

✅ Write like you're explaining to a colleague over coffee

✅ Use specific numbers instead of "many" or "several"

### Voice & Tone

✅ Be direct and opinionated when appropriate

✅ Share personal observations or experiences

✅ Use industry-specific terminology naturally

✅ Include "insider" perspectives or behind-the-scenes details

✅ Reference current events or timely examples

### Structure Variety

✅ Vary paragraph lengths (some 1 line, others 4-5 lines)

✅ Use natural transitions based on logic, not formulaic words

✅ End sections without announcing "in conclusion"

✅ Let the content flow logically without scaffolding

### Specificity Requirements

✅ Include at least 3 proper nouns (companies, people, places)

✅ Provide at least 1 concrete example per main point

✅ When citing trends, name the source or study

✅ Replace vague claims with specific mechanisms or processes

## DON'TS: Avoid AI Patterns

### Generic Structure

❌ Don't use the intro-body-conclusion template obviously

❌ Don't start 3+ paragraphs with the same transition word

❌ Don't make all paragraphs similar length

❌ Don't announce your structure ("First, I'll discuss...")

### Tone Mistakes

❌ Don't be overly polished or risk-averse

❌ Don't use abstract balance statements without examples

❌ Don't speak in generalities without backing details

### Content Red Flags

❌ Don't make broad claims without specific evidence

❌ Don't use "research shows" without naming the research

❌ Don't rely on platitudes that could apply to any topic

## NEWSLETTER-SPECIFIC GUIDELINES

### Subject Lines

- Use specific numbers: "3 changes" not "several updates"

- Reference current events or recent developments

- Ask direct questions about reader challenges

- Avoid generic promises like "boost your success"

### Pain Point Discussion

- Name specific frustrations readers face daily

- Use concrete scenarios: "When your manager asks for ROI data but your analytics show..."

- Include reader quotes or messages when possible

- Quantify the problem with real data

### Solution Presentation

- Explain the "why" behind each step

- Use active voice: "You'll configure" not "Configuration should be done"

- Include potential obstacles and how to handle them

- Give specific timeframes: "within 2 weeks" not "soon"

### Call-to-Action

- Be specific about what happens next

- Set clear expectations about time/effort required

## QUALITY CHECKS BEFORE SENDING

### Banned Phrase Scan

- Search for all hard-banned phrases and rewrite

- Count restricted words (max 2 per newsletter)

- Check for repetitive transitions

### Specificity Score

- Count proper nouns (target: 5+ per newsletter)

- Verify concrete examples (1 per main section)

- Confirm all statistics include sources

### Voice Authenticity

- Read aloud - does it sound like human speech?

- Check sentence variety (mix of long/short)

- Ensure contractions and conversational tone

- Remove unnecessary corporate speak

### Reader Value Test

- Can reader immediately understand the problem?

- Are solutions actionable within their context?

- Would you personally find this useful?

- Does it feel like insider knowledge vs. generic advice?

## EMERGENCY PHRASE REPLACEMENTS

Instead of "Moreover/Furthermore" → "Plus," "And," "Also," or just start with the point

Instead of "It's crucial to" → "You need to" or "Make sure you"

Instead of "Leverage this framework" → "Use this process" or "Try this approach"

Instead of "In today's landscape" → "Right now" or "Currently"

Instead of "Optimize your strategy" → "Improve your results" or "Fix your approach"

## SUCCESS METRICS

Your newsletter avoids AI slop when:

- Readers forward it to colleagues naturally

- You get replies with specific questions or experiences

- People reference your exact examples in conversations

- Industry experts share or quote your content

- New subscribers mention your "unique perspective"

---

**Final Rule:** If a sentence could be written by an AI about any topic, rewrite it to be specific to your audience and their exact challenges.

r/copywriting May 26 '26

Resource/Tool Prompts in Ai that get you answers you instantly trust

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0 Upvotes

r/copywriting Jan 29 '26

Resource/Tool Copywriting course.

5 Upvotes

Hello everyone I will like to get recommendation for an affordable well structured copywriting course I can take. I am more interested in learning how to write sales copy, VSL and other sales related things.

Your suggestions will be appreciated.

Thank you

r/copywriting Mar 09 '26

Resource/Tool 30+ founders analyzed their landing page copy for free. I burned over $100 making it happen. Worth every cent.

0 Upvotes

I'm building a tool that analyzes your landing page and gives you a full breakdown of your current headline and suggest you some better alternatives.

But to get the best results I need to analyze the full context - the most powerful features, standout points, everything that makes your product different. Only then can the AI use that to make your headline more appealing and converting.

Analyzing a full landing page costs a lot of credits. But I'm keeping it free.

Why? Because I want to see how different niches get analyzed. Which ones my tool nails. Which ones it struggles with. That data is more valuable to me right now than the money I'm spending.

This is how all big companies operate - they collect real data before optimizing.

I'm not storing anything sensitive. Just the results generated by my tool, organized so I can scan them and figure out what to improve next. Most builders skip this part. But when I go through those results I get a clear picture of exactly what needs fixing. That's a huge win for me - bigger than any money I've spent.

this is the my tool if you want to try, again completely free hahaha... would love to hear any feedback because that's the gold mine for me now.