“Nobody reads ads. People read what interests them. Sometimes it’s an ad.” – Henry Gossage

Copy is an essential part of any successful ad campaign. Making sure your copy is up-to-date, grammatically correct and relevant to your audience plays the biggest role in your success as a copywriter. The easiest way to stay on top of what’s going on in the world of copywriting? Constantly checking out copywriter references! 

Here are six copywriter references that you should check out.

Copywriting Websites

copyblogger.com

Copyblogger is a site that is dedicated to copywriting for content marketing purposes. Their blog is a great resource for both beginner and experienced copywriters with articles that help writers build their foundation and dive into specific topics such as SEO and writing copy for landing pages. Make sure to sign up for their community to get their content straight to your inbox, plus access to their ebooks and webinars.

In addition to their free resources, Copyblogger also offers master classes and seminars that dive deeper into topics like how to find the right hook that will grab your audience or writing for email marketing campaigns.

copyediting.com

Being able to effectively communicate with your audience is equal parts good writing and good editing. Copyediting provides resources for copywriters and copy editors alike that cover topics like querying, in-depth investigations into commonly misused words, and making the most of tools like spell check. They also send out a free weekly newsletter with the latest industry news and copy editing tips.

Additionally, Copyediting offers individual and group master classes and mentoring groups for editors and writers of all skill levels.

Copyhackers

Written specifically for marketers, Copyhackers is undeniably my favorite copywriting resource as it is solely focused on the kind of words I work on every day. The site cover topics such as writing better email copy, how to write for conversions on Facebook and enhancing the copy on websites. They also have an abundance of information on how to best communicate with clients about your work, time management and other strategies and skills necessary for being an effective and successful copywriter.

As with Copyblogger and copyediting.com, Copyhackers offers both free and paid courses to enhance your copywriting. I suggest checking out their free Conversion Copywriting 101 course. It covers writing meaningful copy, best practices for enticing headlines, copy for AdWords campaigns and other must-know topics.

Copywriter Books

The Elements of Style

Well known in the writing community as the definitive manual for the principles of the English language, The Elements of Style is a resource that should be on every copywriter’s desk. Covering topics ranging from the rules of usage to the principles of composition, this is a must-read for anyone who writes for a living.

McGraw-Hill Handbook of English Grammar and Usage

Need to brush up on grammar? Even if you don’t think you do, I highly suggest picking up the McGraw-Hill Handbook of English Grammar and Usage (I thought I was a grammar expert before I read this… but it turns out I am not). It covers the most common mistakes and easy tips on how to fix them, examples of incorrect and correct usage and easy to remember memory aids to avoid mistakes in the future.

Copywriter Podcasts

Hot Copy Podcast

Ready to listen and learn? Then Hot Copy Podcast is your new best friend! The podcast is hosted by two seasoned copywriters and dives into topics like writing copy for AdWords campaigns that will convert, the tools and resources they suggest for successful copywriting and interviews with copywriters working in a variety of industries. They also share information on how to find and manage clients and other practical advice for freelance copywriters.

Did we miss any of your favorite copywriting references? Let us know in the comments below!