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 terms '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, be aware that some of these labels are flexible - while there are different strands within copywriting, the distinctions between them aren't always so clear-cut as my headings imply, and folks might use these conditions in various ways.
The freelance copywriter
The freelance copywriter writes in any medium directly for clients, usually operating as a sole trader or one-person company.
Businesses and organisations need a broad range of stuff written: websites, brochures, case studies, item descriptions, consumer manuals, press releases, presentations, internal documents and more. While many only will use internal useful resource to find the writing completed, many change to a freelance copywriter to help them out.
Freelance copywriting is usually managed on an random, job-by-job basis, even though some clients do strike retainer arrangements or create longer agreements with freelances. Typically, the freelancer provides a price or proposal, really does the task, revises the copy in response to feedback, and submits their invoice on acceptance.
Freelance copywriting typically requires 'broad but shallow' copywriting abilities. For example, throughout writing a corporate website, the copywriter will dsicover themselves writing long copy for information web pages, snappy selling duplicate for high-profile webpages and journalistic copy for news web pages. Simultaneously, they might throw in a company tagline as well as perhaps name something 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 wide but shallow understanding of different business sectors, allowing them to control new customers' requirements very quickly. That is one region where older freelancers can regularly outdo their young counterparts - experience cannot be faked, nor bought.
Conversely, several freelances specialise on paper for a particular sector or sector - pharmaceuticals, charity and so forth. This may be because they previously kept a salaried position in that sector. It could be a deliberate choice, or it may just emerge as a result of the careers and referrals that come along.