Bartering, or trading, your copywriting services can be a great way to acquire things you need (design, website development) without having to lay out any cash. But just as with anything else, there's a right way and a wrong way to go about it. Ready for the right way? First of all, whether or not it's okay to barter your copywriting services is completely up to you. No one … [Read more...]
4 Places To Find Photos for Your Spec Ads
When you're creating spec ads, whether on your own or with a design partner (recommended!), whether it's for a job interview or to build your portfolio, you'll need to find images to use. And, since it's bad karma to steal other people's pictures, you'll need good places to find them. Now, obviously, you can do an images search on Google and get tons and tons of results in … [Read more...]
Why You Need to Separate Copy and Content on Your Portfolio Site
Most non-industry people don't understand the difference between content and copy. And it's true that, as a copywriter, you'll probably get paid to write content at least a few times. But it's also very important that you demonstrate that you know the difference between the two. Here's why. A few weeks back, I was randomly website hopping. I found myself on a copywriter's … [Read more...]
As a Copywriter, Do You Need Your Own Newsletter?
Every single (successful) company has an email list of people who have opted in to receive information about them. As a one-person company of your own, someone whose job is to both write copy and find people to write it for, this begs the question: Do you need a newsletter of your own? First, you need an online portfolio. Then, you need to make sure your online … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Instantly Improve Your Copywriting Portfolio Site
As you know (at least partially because I say it again and again) it's crucial to have an online copywriting portfolio. You need a place to send potential employers and clients before they meet you to prove how good you are at what you do. Your portfolio site has two main jobs: 1) to display your work and prove that you're good at what you do and 2) to set you apart from … [Read more...]
Why Every Copywriter Needs a Standalone Portfolio Site
As a copywriter you need an online portfolio. But, if you put your work up on Behance, do you still need your own site, too? Short answer? Yes. Longer answer? Yes, yes, yes. Keep Prospective Clients Focused on Your Work With so many great sites out there dedicated to hosting your online portfolio, you might be asking yourself why I'm so adamant about you creating … [Read more...]
Why You Need an Online Portfolio
When a lot of people first try to get into copywriting, their first steps are to spruce up their resumes and cover letters and then apply to jobs. And these people (usually, by the way, the ones who tell you that it's "so hard to get into copywriting"...see more below) never get called in for interviews. Why? Because they haven't put together online … [Read more...]
5 Questions to Make Your Spec Ads Even Better
Writing spec ads—in this case, we're talking about "fake" ads for companies, not the other kind of spec ads—is one of the most common ways for new and aspiring copywriters to build portfolios. And, because they make up so much of your portfolio, it's important that they be the best that they can be. First, you need to work with a designer on some spec ads or find a place … [Read more...]
Do You Need to Go to Copywriting Portfolio School?
Breaking into copywriting can seem hard: You need experience to get a job, and you need a job to get experience. Well, it turns out this isn't quite the case, and one of the ways that people have found to get around this seeming catch-22 is going to advertising school or copywriting portfolio school. But, like any school, ad school is often expensive and time-consuming. So, … [Read more...]
Copywriting Q&A: One Tactic to Set Your Online Portfolio Apart
You already know that having an online portfolio is non-negotiable—if you want to be seen as a professional, you have to have a site to which you can direct prospective clients or employers. And you know that you need a bio, contact information and, of course, images of your work. But what else can you do to set your online portfolio (and yourself!) apart? Read on for one … [Read more...]