The United States is the largest advertising market in the world.
It’s no wonder you may be considering a career in copywriting and advertising. Maybe you already work in this field and you want to deepen your career with training or widen your breadth of skills and knowledge.
The fact is that most schools offer courses about these topics. It can be tough to narrow down your options and pick which schools or courses are right for you.
That’s why we’ve compiled an essential guide of the top American ad schools to help you make an informed and confident decision.
Not only will these schools sharpen your skills, but they will also help you build a top-notch portfolio. This is essential for landing a good job or growing a clientele.
Read on to find out more about the copywriting and marketing and advertising business. Learn some of your best options to start or improve your career today.
Anyone can be a writer. Especially considering how much writing we do in our social lives, we’re doing it constantly. It’s a matter of finding the right advertising school in order to learn what makes for compelling copy and how to hone your abilities.
Prior to the coronavirus, it was projected that over 260 billion would be spent on media advertising.
As with many markets, those numbers took a hit because of the pandemic. Now, as the economy heals, the ad market is expected to stabilize and continue growing.
The average salary per year for a copywriter in the United States is $55,293. Some of the common perks of the job are being able to work remotely and make your own hours.
Copywriting skills include being able to write clear, concise writing, being able to write persuasive writing, research, and time management.
You can apply these skills to freelance writing, scriptwriting, comedy writing, public relations, online advertising, digital advertising, branding, and social media marketing.
Aside from learning these skills, attending a copywriting or ad school will also allow you to work on your portfolio.
A portfolio is necessary because it will show your range of abilities. It will also display your personal brand, which will leave a lasting impression.
Presenting your personal brand is essential. The copywriting world is competitive, your personal brand will help you stand out in a crowd.
It will make it clear what unique qualities you can bring to a project that others may not be able to.
It can be frustrating when you’re trying to break into this industry. Many jobs will not want to hire you without experience, but it’s also impossible to get experience without a job.
Taking courses in this field allows you to build that experience and show it off.
Now, let’s take a look at some of the best places to pursue these courses.
Whether you’re just starting out or already have a degree, there are options to choose from.
The Creative Copywriter Academy
The Creative Copywriter offers 8 courses that will teach you everything you need to know about writing powerful, successful copy.
You’re able to move through the courses as fast or slow as you’d like, so you can learn at your own pace.
Their classes cover everything from a basic introduction to copywriting to specific skills like how to set yourself up for a freelance career.
This is essential as not even some four-year universities will teach their students how to navigate a freelance career.
They also offer lifetime access to their community that offers daily content, peer support, and discounts on other courses from Creative Copywriter.
Additionally, there is a weekly opportunity for office hours where you can ask any questions you’d like.
The program also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee in case you try it out and decide the curriculum isn’t for you.
Once you finish the course you also receive a certificate of completion.
American Writers & Artists Institute
The AWAI offers copywriting training programs and networking communities to help get your career off the ground.
They also offer programs that cover real-world subjects like freelance writing success, resume writing, and graphic design.
AWAI’s board is also made up of trusted, successful people who have many years working in the business. People like Carline Anglade-Cole, who helped launch Oprah’s O Magazine.
Or Bob Bly, who has written over 100 books on copywriting and marketing.
This school offers basic courses, such as The Accelerated Program for Six-Figure Copywriting. For those just looking to sharpen their skills, there are refresher courses such as Writing Great Leads.
It will help you beat that first moment of writer’s block.
But it also specializes in courses like The Barefoot Writer. This course teaches a lucrative style of writing.
You’ll learn to earn a high income while still keeping the freedom that comes from being your own boss.
It also specializes in niche training. There are courses like Secrets of Writing For The Catalog, the Christian, or the Self-Improvement markets.
For those interested in making a difference in the world, they also offer a course on writing for the Nonprofit Market.
Finally, AWAI also offers access to writing support and communities.
The Professional Writers’ Alliance is an organization aimed at “cheering you on.” It provides information on news and changes in the industry and will educatees you on writing techniques.
This program also offers a 100% money-back guarantee if you decide to change your mind.
Successworks
This training program boasts being the first agency to focus on SEO content marketing and development and has been in business for over 20 years.
Successworks was started by Heather Lloyd-Martin, a marketing veteran that has been described as “the pioneer of SEO copywriting.” She has been featured in several professional publications and was voted one of The Top Women in SEO twice.
In the world of copywriting, especially for an online audience, the reality is that the techniques that worked a few years ago may not apply anymore in the ever-changing market.
Successworks offers up-to-date lessons on how to write rich copy that implements keywords and SEO best practices.
The course is made up of eight lessons, starting with ‘Why Smart Background Research Equals Great Copy,’ and ending with ‘Measuring Your SEO Copywriting Success.’
The course also includes 24/7 access to the training, videos, workbooks, and exercises.
You also gain access to training calls, email support, and a private Facebook group where all your questions can be answered by experts.
They also have a course specifically for B2B SEO Copywriting.
The San Francisco School of Copywriting
This training program was designed to help both aspiring writers and professionals.
For beginners, Copywriting 101 is designed to teach you the basics of effective copywriting and how to develop and maintain your writer’s voice and brand.
It will teach you the “three C’s of copywriting” (clear, consistent, and concise) and how to write for different platforms (like print, social, and email). It also covers how to write headlines, the best copywriting techniques and how to apply them, and grammar lessons.
After you’ve brushed up on the basics, their Copywriting 201 Masterclass will take these skills to the next level and is designed to be taught in just eight weeks.
In this class, you will learn advanced writing techniques. It also covers copy-stream management, audience, tone, and medium. It also covers topics such as freelancing, building brand strategy, and how to succeed in a competitive industry.
There is also a course in Direct Response Copywriting. This course will teach you how to write strategic copy that will create more demand for the products you write about, all while making you more money.
It’s no secret that web publishing is taking over the market while print slowly dies out. The 360 Degree Copywriting class is a six-lesson course. It covers everything you need to know about writing across every digital platform.
There is also a Comedy Writing online class. This class is suitable for anyone who has ever wanted to write for sketch shows like SNL or want to add a comedic edge to their writing.
The class is taught by former Nickelodeon copywriter and Comedy Central copywriter Amanda Caswell. You will learn a variety of compositional humor, techniques, and sketch writing.
By the end of the course, you will have written 5 pieces for your portfolio.
How Can I Start At an Ad School Today?
If you’re curious about jumping into the world of copywriting, now is a better time than ever to take a course at any of these ad schools.
At The San Francisco School of Copywriting, you can become a skilled, courageous copywriter. Its courses are taught by passionate industry leaders and its classes are designed to teach you in just a few weeks.
Contact them today to find out more information on how you can get your copywriting career started at this accredited ad school!
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