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Best YouTube Channels for Copywriters

Best youtube channels for copywriters

 

With my oldest kid, I hear YouTubers Tanner Fox and Jake Paul in the background at my house almost daily. From my youngest, it’s Blippi and Titi Toys.

The voices are familiar (albeit grating, at times) background noise around here.

 

Now, we all have our “thing” we consult YouTube for. And every YouTuber has their “thing.”

Vloggers have their vlogs.

Cross-stitchers have their Flosstube.

And copywriters?

We need a name for what we have, doncha think?

CopyTube, anyone?

 

Anyhow, you have to do a little digging to find some really great YouTube channels for copywriters. Thankfully, I’ve come across some really excellent ones through my involvement in the copywriting world, research, or pure serendipity.

Based on my own findings and some good recommendations, I’ve cultivated the most relevant, informative list of copywriting YouTubers worth paying attention to.

[Remember what I said about competition? I guess theoretically, all of these people are my competition in some way, but I don’t do competition.]

Cue up your playlist, because you’re going to be inside it for awhile.

 

 

8 Best YouTube Channels for Freelance Copywriting Advice:

 

Alex Cattoni

Cue the Alicia Keys, “This girl is on fiyah.” K, now that I got that song is stuck in your head, let me tell you why I recommend Alex. Her channel is a binger. You can tell Alex is at the top of her game, both with copywriting and video strategy. This is the type of channel you want to bookmark for future reference, so make sure to subscribe.

 

Alex Cattoni Best Copywriting Youtube Channel

Can I make a recommendation? How to Become a Freelance Copywriter and Get Your First Client

 

 

Ashlyn Writes

I came across Ashlyn via another YouTuber’s recommendation and I just really love what I found. Ashlyn has a very sweet, generous heart and freely shares some of her most valuable copywriting tips. She now has a video content strategist on her team and posts regularly, so you can count on her to post really high-quality videos every week.

 

Ashlyn Writes best copywriting youtube

Can I make a recommendation? How to be a Copywriter + Own Your Niche

 

 

Jorden Roper’s Creative Revolt

Jorden’s YouTube channel came on the heels of her fabulous blog success. Like her long-form blog posts, her videos are packed full of value. She’s very candid about how she makes money and the strategy behind running a successful freelance business. Just a side note, this channel is NSFW or little ears. Swear words get dropped regularly.

creative revolt youtube channel

Can I make a recommendation? How I Made $5,000/mo Freelance Writing in Just 4 Months

 

 

Elna Cain

Another blogger-turned-YouTuber, Elna has recently upped her YouTube game with some great writing videos. Her advice is more geared toward beginners or anyone that wants to get back to the basics: how to find clients, how to make your first $100, how to create a portfolio, etc. Elna runs several writing blogs, so check out Freelancer FAQ’s and Elna Cain for some really valuable information.

Elna Cain Best Copywriting Youtube channels

Can I make a recommendation? How to make your First $100 as a Freelance Writer

 

 

Courtney Johnston

Courtney has a really stellar YouTube channel with a regular posting schedule. She offers both business building and copywriting tips, with the occasional productivity hack, in her videos. She makes you feel like you could be best friends with her and she makes everything sound totally doable (it is!). Her playlists are the binge-able kind, so cue ’em up.

 

Courtney Johnston best copywriting youtube channel

Can I make a recommendation? How to Get Your First Paying Client

 

 

The Cult of Copy Show with Colin Theriot

Colin really runs his cult on Facebook, but his audio and videos are pure gold. Colin is a little “out there” for some people at first, but every single thing he posts or podcasts is worth paying very close attention to. He offers advanced copywriting and business-building strategy. He’s learned how to hack the copywriting world by becoming a guru, and making as much money as possible doing as little work as possible.

 

Cult of copy best copywriting youtube channel

Can I make a recommendation? The Virtue of Laziness and Slouching Toward Success (not that I condone laziness, but he makes some really provacative points.)

 

 

Kopywriting Kourse

If you haven’t been properly introduced, I want you to meed Neville Medhora. Neville is a leader in the copywriting world and creator of the Kopywriting Kourse. If you’re looking to break into copywriting, he has some great starter videos. For people a little further along, he breaks down some of the best copywriting formulas for various strategies to improve your copywriting. Dude’s branding game is strong too with his little stick drawings and illustrations, which are part of all his platforms.

 

Neville Medhora best copywriting youtube

Can I make a recommendation? Getting Your First Freelance Writing Jobs

 

 

FlashFit Trainer, Jessica Collins

Hey, that’s me. I had to put a little plug in here. I’ve been working on upping my own YouTube game, and I’ve been putting out a lot of helpful information that I wish I would’ve known when I started my freelance journey and what I’ve learned as I continue to hone my business. Many of my newer blog posts have Youtube videos associated with them so you can either read or watch. Come on over and subscribe so you don’t miss any great updates!

flashfittrainer best copywriting youtube channel

 

Can I make a recommendation? Breaking Into Freelance Writing Out of Nowhere

 

 

I hope you’ve found some interesting channels to check out on this list.

There is a wealth of copywriting resources right here.

And, if you’re anything like me, once you see what’s possible to accomplish, you won’t ever be able to forget it.

Once I saw the amazing things other copywriters were achieving, and knew it was possible, it niggled at me until I couldn’t shake it anymore.

If it’s possible for me or any of the copywriters above, you can be daggone sure it’s possible for you.

 

 

Want more copywriting advice?

Check out my FREE 7-Day Email Series about how to make the leap from corporate to freelance, starting with just 1 hour a night. You’ll see just how doable this really is!

 

 

How about you?

Any other amazing Youtube channels for copywriters we should be aware of? What videos did you find especially helpful?

6 Obscure Places to Find Freelance Writing Clients

Find freelance writing clients

 

 

Every prospective freelance writer has the very same question at the beginning of their journey:

How do I find Freelance Writing Clients?

 

Maybe you think you’re supposed to wait until they find you.

Perhaps you search freelance writing jobs on Google every once in awhile.

Or you check the basic job boards and set up a profile on a content mill

 

While you might luck out with one of these strategies, you’re probably not going to make a profitable business out of your endeavor if you sit back and don’t do some proactive legwork on your own.

And that means cold pitching.

 

While there are a cashamillion places you could possibly pitch, I wanted to focus today on some more obscure places to pitch–ones you probably haven’t thought of yet.

 

{Don’t worry: if you want a master list of places to pitch–we’re talking a list so comprehensive you’ll never run out in your lifetime–I’ve gotchu! Check out my Ultimate “Where to Find Clients” mini course}

 

So, since cold pitching is one of the most effective ways to win you some new clients, step right this way to figure out who to pitch.

Watch the video and read the lowdown below!

 

 

 

6 Obscure Places to Find Freelance Writing Prospects

 

#1: Magazines:

Both mainstream and trade magazines are great places to find prospects to pitch. Think about the experts who are interviewed in the articles, products that are featured, and the advertisers at the back of the magazine.

For example, let’s say you write copy for cosmetic physicians (lots of money in that). You could look at who’s being interviewed for articles about laser treatments in a women’s magazine. I write health and fitness copy and I might notice a previously-unknown yoga bag designer mentioned on a page about fitness fashion. If they’re about to get some major traction because of the magazine mention, I could help with that!

Check out who’s advertising in the back too. Your Olay’s and Cover Girl’s in the front already have world-class marketing agencies working for them, but the businesses in the back might not. Pitch them!

 

#2: Niche directories

Type “your niche + directory” in Google.

Look, a list of hundreds of people to pitch!

Again, for health and fitness, I could easily look at a list of NASM personal trainers, a health club directory, companies who belong to IDEA Fit, etc. If you’re a real estate writer, you could easily find a directory of real estate firms in your area or a big city near you.

Find a directory of businesses in your niche, start at the top of the list, and pitch your way down.

 

#3 Twitter

Twitter is a great place to find prospects and warm them up.

[If you decide to use Twitter, don’t miss my guest post over on Make a Living Writing about how to use to Twitter to find clients]

Here again you can type in “[your niche] + business” in the search bar. Create a new “list” on Twitter (I call mine my “watch list”) for freelance prospects. Go through your search results and add relevant businesses to your list. By the way, your prospects will receive an email notifying them that they’ve been added to your list, which could pique their interest.

Next, check your list every few days and start interacting with these companies. Comment on their posts, share articles, and add value. As your name pops up repeatedly, you make yourself familiar to them.

At some point, you may decide it’s appropriate to pitch them. The cool thing is, this time it’s not a cold pitch, it’s a warm pitch.

 

#4 Organization members

See if you can find a directory of members who belong to niche-specific organizations.

For example, if you write for alternative education methods like Waldorf and Montessori, look up organizations related to these teaching methods. A quick search for “Montessori organizations” came back with results like the American Montessori Society.

All you have to do is click on their website and check out their member directory to find some really great places to pitch.

 

#5 Comments section on niche sites

Think about the blogs and websites your ideal client reads regularly. For example, say you write marketing copy for restaurant owners and managers. What blogs might restaurant owners be reading? What websites might they be consulting for advice?

A quick search leads me to the Modern Restaurant Management website, which is a goldmine of articles and advice. All kinds of experts and brands are featured in these articles. But think about who’s in the comments section of these articles. Likely restaurant managers, right?

 

Who better to pitch?

 

#6 Presenters and booth owners at conventions

Just like there’s a blog, an organization, a magazine for every niche, there’s also a convention. And who’s at those conventions? Why, people in the industry who are invested in their marketing, of course.

So, do a quick search for [your niche + convention]. Then, pull up the website for any conference that looks important. Then, search for the list of booths or presenters at that convention.

Lookie there, a list of potential prospects!

Going back to our restaurant management example, it sounds like the Restaurant Facility Management Association Annual Conference is the place to be.

Click up there on “Exhibit & Sponsor” to find a list of exhibitors and sponsors. Click on sessions and events to find the speakers. Think any of them have content needs? (trick question: they all do).

 

 

I hope this list gives you a great starting point and gets your wheels turning to come up with even more places to pitch, so you always have a nice, long, fresh list. Really, you could probably use the list above and be set for a lifetime.

 

So then, your next question might be:

How do I pitch these places?

>>Well, my dear friends, I happen to have the art of pitching down to a science <<<

And you can find my entire pitching process and swipe file in my brand new freelance resource library/course,

 

FREELANCE FREEDOM FROM CORPORATE

 

I say resource library/course because it’s kinda a mesh of both. It’s basically a full library of resources you can refer to at any time, whenever you need it. But you can also follow it in a step-by-step course format if you still have a day j.o.b.

We’re in the beta testing phase right now, which means just 20 participants can get in the course for a cutthroat rate for a short time. After that, the price will at least quadruple for good.

But even if you sign up for the beta round, you still get access to updates for life. And I plan to make updates as the industry changes, as new developments happen, and as I test new techniques.

If you want a comprehensive freelance course anyway, you might as well jump on this chance now, before the beta opportunity closes.

 

Love hearing from you…

Drop a comment and let me know which idea on this list you’re going to try first.

Break into Freelance Writing from Nowhere: 4 Essential Strategies

Breaking into freelance

Hey you,

You want you want to break into freelance writing with ZERO:

  • Writing Experience
  • College Degree
  • Relevant Background
  • Credentials?

I want to wrap my arm around you, pull you close, and reassure you that:

You absolutely can break in! From nowhere!

 

For one, copywriting, content marketing, and all facets of running a business can be taught. None of them are beyond your reach.

For two, your clients don’t give one rip what type of education you got or what your GPA was. You can start at zero.

The only thing they care about is: HOW YOU WRITE!

 

With that being said, you do need to pass a few required prerequisites before moving forward. You need to:

  1. Be a decent writer with a good grasp on grammar, mechanics, and flow. If you’ve always been told you’re a great writer and writing well just comes naturally to you, chances are you can make this work. If writing isn’t your strong suit, there’s probably something else that is (go after that!)! Copywriting can be taught, but it’s probably not for you if you don’t like writing or suck at it.
  2. Have an insatiable desire to make this work: if you tend to quit at the first sign of trouble, this will never work for you. You have to work through trouble and errors and setbacks to get good at it. However, if you’re determined to make it work no matter what, it will.
  3. Be teachable: don’t jump into this freelance business with preconceived notions about how this is going to work. You have to be open to learning and be adaptable to the ever-changing best practices. If you tend to think your first idea is genius or have trouble with criticism, you’re more likely to get discouraged and quit.

 

If you pass your prerequisites, let’s move on to the 4 best ways to bust into freelance writing from ground zero:

 

By the way, here’s the video version, if you’d rather:

#1 Put together relevant niche-specific writing samples

You need to have a portfolio of compelling writing samples in the niche you want to write for.

 

Do not send prospects your senior paper with your feminist criticism of Virginia Woolf’s literature because it’s sooooo impressive.

No one wants to read the flash fiction you submitted for publication because it shows how adaptable your writing style is.

The advice article you wrote for your local newspaper isn’t going to help you (unless your niche is advice columns).

 

Only send decent, relevant, niche-specific writing samples to your prospects.

What does that mean?

If you choose to write in the personal finance niche, write a sample article about paying off college debt before the age of 30.

If you want to break into the real estate writing market, put together samples like 13 Free Ways to Market Your Real Estate Business or How to Spot a Winning Real Estate Client From a Mile Away.

You need to put together samples that showcase your best work in the exact niche that you want to be writing for. Try to come up with topics that appeal directly to your desired audience.

 

Now, you can put together these samples in one of several ways:

  • On spec: write an example article that hasn’t been published anywhere
  • Volunteer: write example website copy for someone you know
  • Your blog: publish a niche-specific article on your own blog, if it fits
  • Pitch: pitch some ideas around and try to get a piece published to use as a sample

 

There are other ways too, but the easiest is to just “make one up” on spec and use that.

Your samples are your gateway to breaking into the freelance writing world!

 

#2 Own it!

If you want to break into freelance writing, call yourself a copywriter or content marketer and just own it.

This doesn’t quite mean “fake it till you make it.” You’re not faking anything, you’re assuming the identity of something that’s already inside of you.

You might be a less experienced one, but you ARE a copywriter.

I want you to know that no one coronates a freelance writer in a fancy sword ceremony.

Every copywriter just calls themselves one, identifies as one, and just becomes one.

The same happens to you.

If you decide to be a freelance copywriter, call yourself one, act like one, update all your professional profiles to reflect the change, and start practicing as one. Just step right into the identity. You belong here.

Becoming a freelancer is a mindset.

 

#3 Always be Learning

In order to be a freelance writer, or be a better one, you need to be in a constant state of learning.

Strategies and platforms change constantly, and you need to keep pace.

Many of the underlying principles of copywriting don’t change, but how you apply them changes all the time. You need to be ready.

I would recommend front-loading your learning. Do a ton of learning at the beginning to wrap your mind about what copywriting is, learn the fundamentals, and practice. Then, dig deeper.

Keep digging deeper still. Always.

Read books, listen to audiobooks and podcasts, take courses, read blogs, any/all of it. Books on writing, books on copywriting specifically, marketing literature, social media blogs, business podcasts…you get the picture.

I take about 10-15 minutes every morning to learn something about my craft as part of my morning routine. Read Bible, read copywriting material, journal, brush teeth, work out.

Being an information sponge is a great way to help you break into freelance writing.

 

#4 Take a Course

The fastest way to learn a trade is to take a course. You get all the material in on place from someone who’s accomplished what you want to accomplish. You could piece a bunch of information together from the internet and books, or you could get it all compiled in one place, all organized and summarized for ya.

I recommend taking a course in business, copywriting, and/or marketing. A single course that teaches you specifically how to start, run, and market your freelance business is ideal. Online courses from someone actively involved in the field tend to be more relevant and up-to-date than books and college courses.

I’m re-reading The Copywriter’s Handbook (required reading <<affiliate link) right now and, though the principles of copywriting are the same, the information about digital copywriting is quite outdated. If social media copy is your jam, for example, a course from a current Facebook ad manager about ad copywriting would be way more applicable and relevant.

If you want insider information on what’s happening right now in the freelance world, with ninja tricks and of-the-moment advice, I recommend a freelance writing course.

*********

And you’ll never guess where this leads me…haha.

I have a course exactly like that coming out shortly, after a long and arduous creation process. It’s ready to go and officially launching on Mon, Sept 30. But the first round is only going to be open to 20 people at more of a beta price so I can flesh out any kinks.

 

[You can see some of the mini courses that will be included here]

 

You’ll learn exactly how to build your own freelance writing business from the ground up, whether you have experience or not, even if you’re working full-time right now. Every step.

 

If you want to be the first to know when it’s live or secure your spot right away, leave me a comment or message me at JessicaM(dot)Collins(at)hotmail(dot)com right away.