Want to earn some extra scratch this year?
If so, I’ve got fantastic news for you…
Copywriting is one of the best side hustles in 2024.
However, you can’t walk into copywriting and expect to “get rich quick” without brains, talent or hard work.
Like with anything in life…
It takes time, effort and energy to build this skill and earn good money from it.
That being said…
Once you understand how to write effective copy and know where to find clients, you can earn thousands each month, during your spare time.
Plus…
If you enjoy copywriting, you can quickly turn your copywriting side hustle into a 6-figure+ business.
In this post, I’m going to cover what a side hustle is, if copywriting is still a good side hustle in 2024, what types of copywriting are in red-hot demand and a simple 5-step game plan to start a copywriting side hustle ASAP.
What is a Side Hustle?
It’s simple.
A side hustle is a secondary job (or business) that you earn money from while still working your 9-5 (main job).
Side hustles are used to supplement your main income.
But, you can also start a side hustle to build a new skill, pursue a passion, “dip” your toes into entrepreneurship or see if another career is right for you before going all in.
Unlike a full-time job, side hustles are often part-time and are usually flexible in terms of schedule.
Side hustles can take various forms, such as freelancing, consulting, selling products or services online, gig work, tutoring, or any other entrepreneurial venture.
The rise of the gig economy and the availability of online platforms have made it MUCH EASIER for people to partake in lucrative side hustles.
The concept of a side hustle has gained popularity in recent years as people seek additional financial stability, personal development, and the opportunity to turn their passions into profitable careers.
Is Copywriting Still a Good Side Hustle in 2024?
Despite what you hear about AI, copywriting as a side hustle is one of the best options available.
Not just for 2024…
But FOREVER.
Copywriting ain’t going anywhere, anytime soon.
Businesses always need to generate more leads, win more sales and grow.
Plus, with more businesses going online, and utilizing websites, social media and online advertising, copywriting is more in-demand than ever before.
Here are 5 main reasons you should STRONGLY consider a copywriting side hustle:
- Work from anywhere – freelance copywriting is 100% remote. Meaning: you can write from anywhere your juicy buttocks desires.
- You can earn a FORTUNE – copywriting is an extremely sought-after skill. If you can boost response (sales, leads, etc.) for companies, you can earn a fortune (there are hundreds of 6-figure and 7-figure copywriters)
- You set your own schedule – as a freelance copywriter, you are a business owner. You set your own schedule: decide when you work, how long you work, for whom you work with, etc.
- You can start earning money FAST – you don’t need a college degree, internships or work your way up a crooked corporate ladder. You can realistically start taking on work in a few weeks from today.
- It’s fun – if you like to write, copywriting can be extremely fun and rewarding. You get to choose what topics you write about and write for brands you love.
What Does a Copywriter Do?
A copywriter is a professional who writes “copy” for companies to help them improve their advertising and/or marketing.
The goal of copywriting is to persuade and engage an audience to take a specific action, such as purchasing a product, subscribing to a service, or clicking a link.
Copy can be found in various forms, including advertisements, websites, email campaigns, product descriptions, brochures, and more.
Companies hire copywriters to help them grow their business.
The primary objective of writing copy for companies is to help them boost leads and sales.
Successful copywriting often involves creativity, a deep understanding of human psychology and salesmanship and the ability to tailor messages to specific demographics.
What Types of Copywriting are Most in Demand?
Equality does not exist in copywriting.
Some types of copywriting pay muy bueno, others pay muy terrible’.
If you decide to start a copywriting side hustle, make sure you offer one (or more) of these services:
- Social media copywriting
- Landing/sales page copywriting
- Email copywriting
- Blog/seo copywriting
- Direct response advertising copywriting
- Website copywriting
- UX copywriting
- B2B copywriting
- B2C copywriting
To learn more about the different types of copywriting, see this detailed blog post.
5 Simple Steps to Start a Profitable Copywriting Side Hustle
#1. Learn the Basics
The first step to starting a lucrative copywriting side hustle is to LEARN HOW TO WRITE COPY.
Companies aren’t going to pay you a red cent if you can’t get them results.
You must be able to provide your clients value.
But don’t worry.
Because learning copywriting can be quick and painless.
Here’s how to learn copywriting extremely fast…
Read these top 10 copywriting books:
- The Boron Letters by Gary Halbert
- The Adweek Copywriting Handbook by Joseph Sugarman
- How to Write a Good Advertisement by Victor O. Schwab
- Scientific Advertising By Claude Hopkins
- The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy
- Ogilvy on Advertising By David Ogilvy
- Tested Advertising Methods By John Caples
- Cashvertising By Drew Eric Whitman
- The Copywriter’s Handbook By Bob Bly
- Kick-Ass Copywriting Secrets of a Marketing Rebel By John Carlton
Strive to read 25 pages, each day.
As you read these books…
Practice your copywriting skills by completing the copywriting practice exercises found in this handy guide:
How to Practice Copywriting for Free (5 Exercises to Improve Your Skills TODAY)
In 2020, I decided I wanted to become a full-time copywriter. I spent three months learning and practicing copywriting. However, if you just want to use copywriting as a side hustle, then start with The Boron Letters, Scientific Advertising and The Copywriter’s Handbook and practice the exercises each day while you learn.
After reading these 3 books and practicing your skills, you should be good to go after a month or so (few weeks if you’re a fast reader).
Then, after you’ve learned the basics, you’ll be ready to start making money.
#2. Get Your First Handful of Copywriting Clients
I’ve created a detailed blog post for naked-new copywriters to get their first bunch of copywriting clients…
How to Get Copywriting Clients in 2023 With No Experience (Get New Clients TODAY)
These methods are quick n easy.
But the 2 fastest ways to get freelance copywriting clients are…
Simply create an offer and post it to your feed.
I got my first copywriting client doing this - within 24 hours.
It works extremely well and takes about 10 minutes to whip up.
Again, see my blog post for step-by-step instructions on how to do this.
Create a Fiverr account and post gigs.
This is another way to get clients within days.
I’ve gotten dozens of freelance clients from Fiverr within my first few months as a copywriter.
IMPORTANT:
When just starting your copywriting side hustle, the goal is to get lightning-fast experience.
You want to write for a wide variety of clients (in different industries) and also write for the most popular types of copy (emails, landing pages, blog posts, ads, etc).
Limiting yourself to a specific niche or a specific type of copy (when starting out), will severely handicap you from making fast cash.
You should write a LOT of copy for paying clients, for a VARIETY of different industries & mediums.
AFTER you’ve gotten a lot of experience writing for different niches and types of copywriting services….
Choose a niche.
Why?
If you desire to earn maximum profits in minimum time, you MUST choose a freelance copywriting niche.
You will never earn much money by staying a generalist.
#3. Choose a Copywriting Niche
Once you’ve gotten experience under your pants and can demonstrate your expertise to potential clients, you’ll be ready to choose a copywriting niche.
I’ve written over 3,000 words on how to choose a copywriting niche, with step-by-step instructions, in this ultimate guide – The 10 Highest-Paying Copywriting Niches in 2023 (How to Pick the Best One for YOU).
Read this post before choosing a niche.
After you’ve chosen your niche, you’ll be ready to move on to the next step in your copywriting side hustle journey…
#4. Create a Copywriting Portfolio
After you gotten a bushel of copywriting samples and testimonials, you’ll want to create a copywriting portfolio.
Once you’re ready to create a freelance copywriting portfolio, follow this step-by-step crash course here.
This method is perfect for beginner copywriters because it’s free, takes 10 minutes to create, and doesn’t require ANY tech or design skills.
#5. Get Higher-Quality Clients and Grow Your Copywriting Side Hustle
After you’ve picked a copywriting niche and have created your copywriting portfolio, you can start making REAL money.
There are 2 main ways to get high-quality niche clients:
The best ways to prospect are through networking, cold email outreach and LinkedIn outreach.
I cover these 3 ways to get freelance clients in great detail here.
Prospecting will get you clients ASAP – in as quick as 24 hours.
However…
Prospecting sucks.
There’s no other way of putting it.
And there’s a limit to how many clients you can get because it requires time and energy.
If you aren’t reaching out to new clients frequently, you won’t be earning too much money.
Luckily, there’s another option:
In the beginning of your copywriting side hustle venture, you’ll need to pitch, apply and network to get work.
It requires a lot of time and energy.
And you need to keep doing this until you get steady repeat business and referrals (which can take a while).
However, while you do this work to get immediate clients, you should also invest some time and energy into content marketing.
This can include:
- Blog posts
- YouTube channel
- Podcast
- Social media: Facebook, Insta, Twitter, TikTok
This is a long-term strategy.
But once you do build momentum, it builds upon itself.
You can get so many clients over time that you’ll never need to prospect again.
Conclusion
If you want to earn extra skrilla this year while keeping your day job, copywriting is the way to go.
Yes, you’ll need to learn how to write.
Yes, you’ll need to find clients to write for.
But once you get past the stinky beginner phase, you can earn as much or as little as you desire, while writing about topics you enjoy.
Use this guide and the supplemental blog posts (in blue) to quickly launch a successful copywriting side hustle.
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