Copywriting: getting started

Aims of the course

• To explore a range of copywriting styles and techniques and how these can be applied across mediums such as websites, blogs, emails and social media pages.
• To develop students’ abilities as effective and engaging copywriters.
• With a focus on multiple, short writing exercises, the course will give students the opportunity to learn and apply the fundamental techniques of copywriting.

Course content overview

• This online course introduces the craft of copywriting, with a focus on techniques that can be applied across a range of channels and formats.
• Participants will be taught the principles of writing clear and compelling copy via a series of weekly short writing exercises. Feedback from the tutor will be available throughout the course.
• This course will examine the threats and opportunities posed by generative AI and will explore the human copywriter’s role in the business of the future.
• Participants will be taught the basic principles of search engine optimisation (SEO) and how these apply to digital copywriting.

Target audience

• People who are looking for their first job in copywriting.
• New copywriters who want to improve their skills.
• People who are interested in becoming freelance copywriters.
• People who are working in related disciplines (e.g. marketing, journalism), and want to add copywriting to their skill sets.
• Career changers who wish to explore copywriting.

Welcome week (Week 0)

Purpose:

• personal introductions
• introducing the course
• useful reading
• personal objectives

Learning outcomes:

By studying this week, the students should have: 

• become familiar with navigating around the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and from VLE to links and back
• test your ability to access files and the web conferencing software and sort out any problems with the help of the Technology Enhanced Learning team
• learn how to look for, assess and reference internet resources
• contribute to a discussion forum to introduce yourself to other students and discuss why you are interested in the course and what you hope to get out of your studies 

Teaching Week 1: Writing for readability and accessibility

Purpose:

This week will introduce the principles of readability and accessibility, and to explain why these are the starting points for writing user-friendly copy.

Learning outcomes:

• to understand the need for copy to be easy-to-read, and accessible to a wide audience
• to learn about using short words, in short sentences, in short paragraphs
• to practise using some readability tools.
• to explore the role of text formatting in making copy accessible
• to read several best practice copy examples and discussed with the group
• to complete a short readability exercise (around 300 words), with feedback from the tutor

Teaching Week 2: Writing words that sell

Purpose:

This week, we will look to understand the role of copy in driving sales and other user actions, and to explore a range of copywriting frameworks.

Learning outcomes:

• to understand the difference between sales copy and editorial content
• to work through a range of copywriting frameworks designed to motivate users
• to consider the impact of tone and style
• to explore the role of power words and verb phrases in writing sales copy
• to practise writing clear calls to action
• to write a website landing page (around 400 words) with editorial feedback from the tutor

Teaching Week 3: SEO copywriting

Purpose:

This week we will learn the basic principles of search engine optimisation (SEO) in order to write copy that ranks for relevant search terms.

Learning outcomes

• to learn about how search engine algorithms rank web pages
• to understand the principle of topical authority, and how web content needs to be organised to reflect this
• to practise researching and grouping keywords
• to explore the structural elements of pages that rank well in search results, including meta title and description
• to complete a page optimisation exercise

Teaching Week 4: AI: friend or foe?

Purpose:

This week, we will explore the impact of the recent explosion in generative AI technology on the art form of copywriting. We will consider and discuss the role of the human copywriter in an increasingly AI-powered business world.

Learning outcomes

• to learn about the threats and opportunities posed by generative AI
• to explore ways in which ChatGPT and other tools can assist in research and idea generation
• to examine the limitations and risks of generative AI and discussed with the group
• to complete an AI-editing exercise (around 500 words) and discussed the process with the group

Teaching Week 5: Multi-channel copywriting

Purpose:

This week, we will explore how to apply the principles of good copywriting across a range of channels and formats.

Learning outcomes:

• to learn how to match a message to its audience
• to consider which channels are best suited to which audience groups
• to explore how to tailor a message to resonate with the right people, in the right place, at the right time
• to consider how written copy, imagery and video can all work together to communicate a message
• to create a mini-campaign to promote a product or service via a web page, email, and social media post (around 600-700 words in total), with editorial feedback from the tutor

Week 6 - what next?

• assessment of student learning
• assessment of student satisfaction
• encouragement of further study

This course is open to everyone, and you don’t need any previous knowledge or experience of the subject to attend.  

Our short courses are designed especially for adult learners who want to advance their personal or professional development. They are taught by tutors who are expert in both their subjects and in teaching students of all ages and experiences. 

Please note that all teaching is in English. You should have near-native command of the English language to get the maximum benefit from the course. 

Each week of an online course is roughly equivalent to 2-3 hours of classroom time. On top of this, participants should expect to spend roughly 2-3 hours of self-study time, for example, reading materials, although this will vary from person to person. 

While they have a specific start and end date and will follow a weekly schedule (for example, week 1 will cover topic A, week 2 will cover topic B), our tutor-led online courses are designed to be flexible and as such would normally not require participants to be online for a specific day of the week or time of the day (although some tutors may try to schedule times where participants can be online together for web seminars, which will be recorded so that those who are unable to be online at certain times are able to access material). 

Unless otherwise stated, all course material will be posted on the VLE so that they can be accessed at any time throughout the duration of the course and interaction with your tutor and fellow participants will take place through a variety of different ways which will allow for both synchronous and asynchronous learning (using discussion boards etc).

Fees

The course fee includes access to the course on our VLE, personal feedback on your work from an expert tutor, a certificate of participation (if you complete work and take part in discussions), and access to the class resources for two years after your course finishes. 

Concessions

For more information, please see our concessions information page. 

Alison Fordham Bursary

University of Cambridge Professional and Continuing Education is proud to offer the Alison Fordham bursary, which is awarded to students who wish to study on one of our short online courses via our VLE, reducing the fee paid by 50%. The bursary is limited to a single award for each set of online courses. 

Application criteria:  

• applicants should set out their personal learning motivations since priority will be given to those who are returning to learning after an extended break, or have not previously engaged with fully online learning, or are seeking to use the online short course as a bridge towards undergraduate award-bearing study
• applicants who can demonstrate financial need 

For more information, please see our bursaries information page. 

A certificate of participation and a digital credential will be awarded to those who contribute constructively to weekly discussions, exercises and assignments for the duration of the course.