Want to be a Freelance Beauty Copywriter? Read This First
Did you know that I’m a beauty copywriter? It’s true. Before I started coaching freelance writers, I was a full-time freelance beauty copywriter. In fact, I still work with beauty brands on a part-time basis!
Many newbie freelance writers want to get into beauty copywriting. If you’re one of those newbies, listen up! In this blog post, I will answer all your questions about beauty copywriting.
WHAT IS A BEAUTY COPYWRITER?
A beauty copywriter writes marketing materials for beauty brands. These marketing materials include blog posts, product descriptions, website copy, and packaging copy. Any time a beauty brand conveys words to customers, they use a beauty copywriter to write those words!
Beauty brands rely on marketing and packaging to differentiate their products. Why? Because most beauty products are the same. Cleansers cleanse, moisturizers moisturize, and conditioners condition. While there are variations in formulas, those variations are limited. That’s why beauty brands need beauty copywriters to tell stories about each product.
Have you ever bought a face cream to “diminish fine lines and wrinkles”? Purchased a shampoo to “cleanse hair without stripping it of its natural oils”? Congratulations! You’ve fallen for the tricks of a beauty copywriter.
Of course, keep in mind that all copywriters work to sell products and services. But the beauty industry is unique because it depends on marketing and branding. A company’s choice of beauty copywriter can make or break a product or brand’s launch.
And great beauty copywriters are hard to find! For that reason, a great beauty copywriter can make bank.
Beauty copywriters are important! A company’s choice of beauty copywriter can literally make or break a product or brand launch.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF BEING A BEAUTY COPYWRITER?
So, what are the benefits of being a beauty copywriter? There are many:
If you love beauty, it’s fun to learn about new products and formulations. Plus, you’ll enjoy helping brands to create a story to sell those products.
You get to try a lot of products, some of which haven’t gone to market yet. My linen closet is full of free samples that I received from clients!
The beauty industry is recession-proof. There’s always plenty of work to go around even when times are tough.
The beauty industry is thriving, and new brands are launching every day. All those new brands need beauty copywriters!
HOW DO I BECOME A BEAUTY COPYWRITER?
Unfortunately, the competition to become a beauty copywriter is high. A lot of people are interested in beauty. When my beauty content agency was hiring, I received over 300 applicants in two days.
But like I said, a great beauty copywriter is hard to find. So if you want to make it as a beauty copywriter, you need to position yourself as an expert and find a way to stand out.
Here are a few things I recommend:
Learn everything you can about copywriting. Read books. Take a course. Practice copywriting on your own. Hire a writing coach.
Learn everything you can about the beauty industry and product formulations. Read Beauty Business Journal. Listen to The Beauty Brains podcast. Keep an eye out for the coolest new beauty brands and trends.
Start a beauty blog or YouTube channel. This will help you to learn more about the beauty industry. Plus, your content can serve as samples of your work for prospective employers.
Keep a swipe file of awesome beauty copywriting to draw inspiration from. Start to pay attention to what works and what doesn’t work. Examine the copywriting that has made you buy beauty products in the past and try to replicate it.
Beauty copywriting is a competitive field, but there are certain things you can do to stand out and position yourself as an expert.
HOW DO I FIND BEAUTY COPYWRITER JOBS?
Finding beauty copywriting jobs is much like applying for other writing jobs (read: “How to Get a Writing Job”). Here’s how to do it:
Use Canva to create a gorgeous, eye-catching resumé. Put together a portfolio of beauty copywriting samples. If you’ve never worked as a beauty copywriter in a professional capacity, then create samples on spec. Make sure to include your blog or YouTube channel in your application materials.
Create a job alert for “beauty copywriter” on your favorite job application website. Competition for beauty copywriting jobs is steep, so you want to be one of the first applicants for a new job. If a job is more than 48 hours old, you’re already too late.
As soon as you receive a notification about a new beauty copywriter role, apply! When it comes to beauty copywriting, the early bird gets the worm.
Prep for interviews. Hint: interviewers will ask you about your favorite beauty brands. For your sake, have a more exciting answer prepared than Glossier or Drunk Elephant.
In the meantime, continue to work on growing your beauty blog or YouTube channel. You can also take on freelance beauty copywriting gigs to grow your chops.
HOW DO I BECOME A FREELANCE BEAUTY COPYWRITER?
Some beauty copywriters (including me, obviously) prefer to be self-employed. The good news? You can become a freelance beauty copywriter without any professional experience.
All you need is an amazing freelance writer portfolio. If you can prove that you can create incredible, sales-worthy copy, you can write your own paycheck.
First, you’ll want to create a freelance writer portfolio. You can either create projects for existing brands or make up a brand. (Make it clear to potential clients that you completed these projects on spec). Write the copy for your project, then hire a graphic designer on Fiverr to create designs based on your copy. Ask for PDFs of the designs, then place them in a Google Drive folder.
Then start cold pitching! Connect with beauty marketers through Linkedin or email their customer service team. Tell them how you can help them, link to your Google Drive portfolio, and then ask if they’d like to chat more. It’s that easy.
WHAT ABOUT A FREELANCE BEAUTY WRITER?
Freelance beauty writers write editorial pieces of publications rather than brands. Think Into the Gloss rather than Glossier.
If you want to be a freelance beauty writer, create a portfolio that shows off your editorial skills.
Most publications have a page where you can pitch article ideas. Get a list of publications and ideas together, then start pitching! Hint: every publication has different submission requirements. Make sure you follow them to a tee to avoid having your submission thrown out.
Do you have any questions about what it’s like to be a freelance beauty copywriter? Leave a comment below or DM me on Instagram!