Types of Copywriting Niches - Copywriting Tips for Beginners

We use affiliate links and may receive a small commission if you decide to shop and buy from them. However, we would never recommend products or services that we wouldn’t use ourselves.

Copywriting is everywhere. Ads on TV commercials, words on websites, email newsletters, and YouTube scripts are all examples of “copy,” hence the term “copywriting.” 

But those who are new to the world of copywriting may be wondering what types of copywriting are available and which ones they’ll excel at the most. 

If this sounds like you, you’ll want to continue reading to learn everything there is to know about the different types of copywriting you can do to launch a career in this exciting industry.

What is copywriting?

Copywriting is the act of writing content that intends to sell a product or service. Professional copywriters often work as freelancers or employees for big brands who need content for their websites, social media, TV ads, email campaigns, YouTube videos, and much more. It’s a diverse skillset with plenty of opportunity for new copywriters.

Copywriters work in a number of different industries for companies of all sizes. Every company with an online presence needs highly skilled copywriters to engage their potential customers and persuade them to buy the products or services.

The demand for copywriters is higher than ever. With more industries starting to become saturated, one of the only ways businesses can stand out is through high-quality copy and content marketing. This makes skilled copywriters very valuable– which means they can sometimes charge over $100 per hour for their services. 

Some successful copywriters, like Alex Fasulo, make over $300,000 per year writing for clients who need copy for their online presence. Using the freelancing website Fiverr, Alex was able to scale her copywriting business to six figures in under 2 years.

Copywriters also have the ability to work from anywhere in the world with the flexibility to work when they want and with who they want. The freedom of location independence as a copywriter is what attracts many people to the profession.

While the competition among copywriters is fierce, there is still plenty of opportunity to get started as a new copywriter today. However, you’ll need to become an expert at one or more types of copywriting to differentiate yourself from the competition. 

Copywriting vs. copyright

Those looking to get involved with copywriting as a profession must know the difference between copywriting and copyright.

Copywriting is everything we’ve talked about so far. Copywriters typically get paid based on the length of the content they write or at an agreed-upon hourly rate. 

Most freelance copywriters don’t do the job full-time. In fact, the majority of copywriters don’t make enough income to sustain their business and end up quitting before they ever see success.

On the flip side, copyright deals with intellectual property rights related to creative works like logos, music, and writing. Someone with a copyright on their creative works has protection from people copying, stealing, or claiming that the content is theirs.

What do copywriters do?

Copywriters often have diverse skill sets and do many different things. The main thing copywriters do, of course, is write content for their clients or current company. 

While you may think of copywriting as something that is often done on a beach while drinking a martini, some copywriters work normal hours in an office and have a typical corporate lifestyle. However, copywriting does offer you the ability to work from anywhere you’d like if you decide to be an independent freelance copywriter.

When working as a copywriter, you’ll inevitably need to write on topics that you’re unfamiliar with. This is why copywriters spend a large chunk of their time researching new and emerging topics in order to provide a fresh perspective and gain a comprehensive understanding of the topics they are hired to write about.

Search engine optimization (SEO) is another big part of a copywriter's job. SEO is the ability to get discovered on Google by your target customers searching for the products or services you or your clients have to offer. 

Most copywriters have a basic understanding of how SEO works. However, copywriters that are SEO experts can often charge more for their services since they provide additional value by being able to rank their client's website on the first page of Google.

Most copywriters tend to specialize in one area or industry. For example, plenty of copywriters are experts at writing content for websites, while others may only write articles and blog posts for their clients. 

Additionally, some copywriters may only write about certain topics that they have extensive knowledge of. You’ll find copywriters specializing in areas like real estate, law, finance, fitness, beauty, cryptocurrency, sports, LGBTQ rights, and much more.

4 different types of copywriting

If you want to be a copywriter, you need to decide which type of copywriting you’ll focus on. Some of the skills needed for copywriting may overlap with each other, such as SEO and social media skills.

SEO copywriting

SEO copywriting is, in our opinion, the best type of copywriting to get into. Learning the basics of search engine optimization is a marketable skill that allows you to charge more for your services and stand out from other copywriters who don’t know SEO best practices.

This type of copywriting is different than generic content writing since it intends to sell a product, as opposed to only hoping to get visitors to a website without the intention of purchasing something.

Learning the basics of SEO

To be an SEO copywriter, you’ll need to know how to do SEO and use the tools that SEO professionals use on a daily basis. This means learning about keyword research, backlinks, keyword density, parent keywords, search volume, and many other SEO terms that any SEO copywriter must be familiar with.

While there’s a ton of learning needed to be done to become an SEO copywriter, the good news is that all the information you need is available for free online. 

We highly recommend watching Adam Enfroy on YouTube, as he is one of the top digital marketers in the world and regularly makes over $300,000 per month with his online business that involves SEO copywriting. That’s right–$300k per month!

There is no doubt that you’ll need to prove yourself as an SEO copywriter before you can do it as a full time career, but those that take the time to learn SEO and how to rank content on Google can make a lot of money as a successful copywriter.

The best SEO tools for copywriters

Regardless of the type of copywriting you choose, quite frankly, you need to know how to do SEO. Why should someone hire you if you can’t get them discovered organically online? 

If you’re lucky enough to land a few clients, you need to ensure you get them the results they need to grow their business and continue to pay you on a monthly basis for the value you provide.

You’ll also need to use the tools that the pros use to do SEO copywriting. This means budgeting at least $200 per month for SEO software. 

We highly recommend the following tools if you want to be a professional SEO copywriter:

• Moz

• Ahrefs

• Surfer SEO

• Jasper.ai

• Google Workspace

Keyword research

We are a big fan of Moz for their Keyword Explorer tool that lets you do in-depth keyword research to discover emerging search terms and the terms that people are searching for the most on Google.

With keyword research, you can see the number of monthly searches for the keywords that your audience is searching for. You can also see the difficulty of ranking on the first page of Google for these keywords.

For example, if you’re a real estate agent in New York City, one search term you may want to rank for is “real estate agents in New York City.” However, this is one of the most competitive keywords since there are many real estate agents who hope to be on the short list of top results that come up on Google.

By doing keyword research, you can get your website ranked on Google and attract organic visitors to your site to buy the products or services you have to offer.

Website copywriting

The second type of copywriting we’re going to discuss is website copywriting. 

This type of copywriting is used for writing content for websites, landing pages, product descriptions, about pages, mission statements, and nearly everything in between.

The goal of website copywriters is to keep users on their website for as long as possible to eventually make a purchase. Their mission is to persuade their audience about the effectiveness of their products or services and influence them to make a purchase decision.

Website copywriters also use the basic principles of SEO to ensure their website ranks for relevant search terms online.

The importance of website copywriting

Every business with a website needs content to fill the pages on that website. This means that good website copywriters are in high demand, and those with proven track records and client testimonials can charge astronomical rates for their services.

In fact, the top website copywriters often work full-time for some of the biggest brands in the world. Companies like Apple, Netflix, Amazon, Google, and even McDonald’s need effective website copy on their home pages and product descriptions to entice customers to buy from them.

The above image was taken from Apple’s home page. Believe it or not, the phrase “Pro. Beyond.” is an excellent example of website copy. It’s short, sweet, and creates a sense of desire for you to purchase the latest and greatest iPhone.

Some websites have thousands of pages, and to get discovered on Google organically, those pages must have SEO-friendly writing that also encourages the audience to make a purchase.

How much can you make with website copywriting?

Most website copywriters work full-time in traditional corporate settings. However, more and more people are trying to break into website copywriting as independent freelancers.

This means, unfortunately, that the competition is very high among aspiring website copywriters. You’ll need to differentiate yourself from the other copywriters if you want to make it as a website copywriter.

New website copywriters shouldn’t expect to make much when they first start. Unless you have an advanced English degree or a significant track record as a writer, you’ll probably need to charge under market rates to acquire your first few clients and get some experience under your belt. 

However, those that can break into website copywriting in their respective fields stand to make a lot of money. 

One of the top freelance website copywriters is Georgia Austin, who makes over $500,000 per year running a copywriting agency primarily on freelancing websites like Fiverr and Upwork. Georgia started on Fiverr in March of 2020, built her business from the ground up, and is now a top-rated seller on Fiverr. 

Social media copywriting

Social media copywriters write content for brands and individuals to use for their social media accounts.

Social media copywriting is one of the best types of copywriting to get started with because anyone can do it. Especially if you’re a young person, older business owners may be willing to hire you if you can convince them you’re an expert in various social media networks.

Social media copywriters should know how to grow an audience on social media and how to craft content that is native to each social media platform. This means creating content that is meant for a specific social network, since posts on Twitter are much different than content you see on YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

While social media copywriting is one of the easiest types of copywriting to start with, it’s also one of the most competitive since the barriers to entry are so low. Anyone with a phone or computer can attempt to market themselves as a social media copywriter.

Those that are serious about social media copywriting should have a basic understanding of how social media algorithms work and how they prioritize content. You should know what type of content performs well on each social network and how to craft your strategy for each platform in particular.

Social media tools

Most social media copywriters use various tools that help them do their job more efficiently. These tools help with scheduling social media posts and writing trending content that people are actively searching for. This means researching relevant hashtags and spotting industry trends to capture what’s hot at the moment.

While some social media copywriters may only write the content for social media posts, most copywriters act as social media managers as well. This means they are involved in maintaining content calendars and also have the ability to schedule posts for each platform.

Social media copywriters that can offer social media management in addition to copywriting can charge higher rates for their services since they provide additional value being able to manage social media accounts for their clients.

Technical copywriting

Technical copywriting is one of the most difficult types of copywriting to break into. Without technical knowledge about a specific subject, you won’t be able to market yourself as a technical copywriter.

Since technical copywriting is a highly-specialized skill, these writers can also charge a pretty penny for their time. Whether they get paid at an hourly rate or for the number of words contained in their content, technical copywriters are in high demand and can easily make over six figures per year.

Some of the most popular industries that need technical copywriters include:

• Engineering

• Education

• Technology

• Finance

• Construction

• Information technology (IT)

• Environmental and clean energy

Technical copywriters may work on projects that involve writing case studies, white papers, instruction manuals, website copy, sales emails, proposals, and many other technical areas. 

You should expect to be able to prove your skills as a technical copywriter if you want to break into this industry. However, those that can get their foot in the door with technical copywriting can often pursue a lucrative career writing for clients on a number of different technical topics.

How to get started as a copywriter

Now that you know some of the most popular types of copywriting, you’re probably wondering how to actually get started in this exciting field. Luckily, now is the best time to get started with copywriting because the demand is so high. 

Freelancing websites

Plenty of new copywriters get started on freelancing platforms. This is a great way to get your feet wet working with clients for real pay. Freelancing websites give you the opportunity to work with clients from around the world while you hone your skills as a copywriter.

Fiverr

Fiverr is one of the best places to launch your career as a copywriter. The platform is becoming more and more popular and is no longer the place where people go for cheap logos or other services for $5. 

Fiverr takes care of marketing for their freelancers, so there isn’t any direct outreach required to acquire clients on Fiverr. However, those that invest in marketing their Fiverr profiles may find more clients than those who just sit back and hope that clients come to them.

Copywriters looking to get started on Fiverr may find that there is a lot of competition among freelancers on the platform. Since anyone can sign up and become a freelance copywriter, it may be difficult to get your first few clients in this crowded space.

Sign Up for Fiverr

Upwork

Upwork is another freelancing platform that is drawing in beginner copywriters around the world. Upwork is usually seen as a platform that attracts high-quality freelancers that can charge a lot of money for their time.

One downside of Upwork is that you have to actively apply to jobs and hope that clients accept your proposals. When I started my copywriting journey, I didn’t have much success with Upwork and focused my efforts on Fiverr.

Final thoughts

The purpose of this article was to educate you on some of the most common types of copywriting that you can get started with as an aspiring writer. Those that want to make a career out of copywriting may find that it allows them to have location independence and flexibility that corporate jobs don’t allow for.

However, breaking into the world of professional copywriting is difficult for people just getting started. New copywriters should expect long hours and low pay if they try to acquire clients without much experience.

Do you want to get your career started as a copywriter? Check out our YouTube channel for more free resources on becoming a copywriter and making a career out of this lucrative profession.

Interested in learning more about partnering with us to grow your business? Contact us today to find out how to advertise with us and grow your business organically with the power of SEO.