Is an online copywriting course worth doing?
Posted by James, 5 March 2021 (3-4 minute read)
Thinking of doing an online copywriting course? You’ve probably seen adverts for them, as well as countless blogs giving you lists of potential options. But should you actually take the plunge and spend the few hundred pounds they usually cost? And ultimately, are copywriting courses even worth doing?
In today’s JW’s Thoughts of a Copywriter, I talk about my experience of completing an online copywriting course with the College of Media and Publishing. I consider pros and cons of the course in question, as well as whether these courses are actually worth the financial outlay.
Why do an online copywriting course?
I chose to do an online copywriting course because I wanted to solidify the writing skills I already had and apply them in a range of different scenarios. But there was also the opportunity to begin building a portfolio of writing examples and get advice when it comes to finding paid work as a copywriter (whether in-house or freelance).
Why I chose the College of Media and Publishing?
Unsurprisingly, there were lots of online copywriting courses to choose from. And I looked at the following:
They all had pros and cons (availability of information, website accessibility, etc.). And they all cost roughly the same – between £300 and £350.
In the end, I went for the College of Media and Publishing. Firstly, because of their aftercare promise (more on that later…). And secondly, the fact they had worked with a range of high-profile companies – including the BBC, Disney and John Lewis.
How the course worked
At the College of Media and Publishing, you basically complete the entire course in an online learning area. There were 19 lessons – most of which came with written assignments that had to be completed and passed before you could access the next set of materials.
The lessons were split into a number of key areas. The course started with the basics of the industry (e.g. what is a copywriter?) and included some of the terms you would be expected to know and use. Then it was on to specific disciplines – including newsletters, advertising content, social media and blogs.
The pros and cons
I really enjoyed the assignments. They ranged from writing copy for a leaflet, creating advertising content and producing stories for a newsletter. And the administration was excellent, with a fast turnaround of feedback from my tutor.
But because the course only ever required the writing element for these assignments, you never got to consider how your copy would fit into an overall framework (with images, formatting, etc.). On a few occasions, I actually tried to make the work look like it would in the real world, but was told this wasn’t necessary – which while technically correct, felt somewhat limiting.
One other slight frustration was the number of times I was emailed or contacted in an attempt to up-sell other courses with the College of Media and Publishing (proofreading, editing, SEO content writing). I appreciate the college is a business, but it did get a bit tiresome!
Would you recommend an online copywriting course?
If you have the £300 a course of this type costs (you won’t find many cheaper), then I think it’s worthwhile. I enjoyed the assignments and learnt plenty from the experience.
However, don’t expect too much in the way of aftercare, even if this is promised in brochures or prospectuses. Much of the advice is pretty generic and not particularly ground-breaking. For example, one bit of advice I got was ‘If you want to find paid copywriting work, you’ll find it’. Lovely sentiment, but not especially helpful!
I think it ultimately depends on what you’re after. If you want to learn a new skill, then I would definitely recommend it. But if you already have experience in copywriting (or perhaps even writing in general), you may find these types of online courses aren’t all that stimulating.
Let me know if you’ve had experience with an online copywriting course? Did you do yours with a different provider? Tell me in the comments below, get in touch on Twitter (@JWCopywriting) or direct message me on my Facebook page.
In a couple of weeks, I’ll be looking at copywriting advice written a long, long time ago…
Speak soon,
JW