Copywriting Essentials
Copywriting Essentials is ideal for writers, ghostwriters and content creators who want to turn their words into a high-value skill – writing copy and content that converts, commands attention, and gets paid well.
It’s also for those who want to write for their own business, or confidently brief, manage and hold copywriters to account – knowing exactly what ‘good’ looks like and how to get it.
You’ll learn how to:
Write conversion-focused marketing copy – emails, social campaigns, video scripts, websites and ads across all platforms
Write in someone else’s voice with clarity and consistency
Write long-form and thought leadership content – blogs, LinkedIn articles, newsletters, speeches and personal branded content for business owners, CEOs and personal brands
Adapt your writing style across different personalities, industries and platforms
Understand audience psychology and what drives people to take action
Use creative briefs to streamline the process and think like an agency copywriter
Craft words for every stage of the marketing funnel from awareness to call to action and beyond
Write feature/benefit driven copy that converts and gets results
Use SEO principles to get websites on page one of Google!
Use AI tools to write better copy and create stronger first drafts in a fraction of the time
“I loved the breakdown on how to write great copy, from headlines to creative brief to SEO, and then combining it all by writing long copy in the last module. Video lessons were easy to follow, and handouts were very informative. I learnt more relevant info in the SEO copywriting module than I ever did in my three-year marketing and PR course at uni!”
– David Giangiordano, Copywriting Essentials graduate
See more reviews
| Key information | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key information: | |||||
This course is for those who want to become a copywriter, ghostwriter for thought leaders, content writer – or a combination of all three. It gives you the core skills to move across different types of work and clients with confidence.
Whether you’re crafting a corporate campaign for a business or ghostwriting for a CEO, founder or thought leader, the same principles apply. You’ll learn how to capture someone else’s voice, structure their ideas, and turn their thinking into clear, compelling content that builds authority and drives results.
This course is ideal for:
- Novice writers looking for a creative process that guarantees an exceptional result every time, without reinventing the wheel.
- Existing copywriters who want to expand their services into ghostwriting for CEOs, founders and thought leaders and add a premium, in-demand skill to their offering.
- Marketing working with clients who need to capture a specific voice, write to a brief, and deliver both high-performing copy and consistent content.
- Aspiring writers who want a future-focused skill set that combines copywriting, business ghostwriting and AI-enabled writing.
This course is designed for writers who want to write for corporate brands, as well as write for leaders, founders and personal brands, and get paid for both.
Master the art of writing conversion copy and high-value ghostwritten content for businesses – and use AI to do it faster
There is no doubt that AI has changed the world of writing. But it’s the writers who understand the principles behind great copy and great content who are thriving.
Because, whether you’re writing for a brand or ghostwriting for a thought leader, the same rules apply: structure, strategy, psychology and voice.
To truly harness the power of AI, you need more than prompts; you need a framework.
Without it, your writing will sound generic and interchangeable. With it, you can:
- guide AI to produce stronger first drafts
- refine tone and voice to match a brand or an individual
- turn rough ideas into clear, persuasive content
- produce both conversion copy and thought leadership at scale.
This course will reshape how you think about writing and give you the structure, strategy and skill to write for brands and for people, so you can create work that stands out, resonates and delivers results.
Course creator, Bernadette Schwerdt, talks about Copywriting Essentials
Copywriting Essentials gives you a clear, repeatable 7-step process for writing any piece of copy or content, for any medium. You’ll learn how to build customer avatars, write on brand and on brief, and apply structure and strategy so you’re never starting from scratch. No waiting for inspiration. No reinventing the wheel. Just a proven framework you can use every time.
You’ll also learn how to apply this same framework to corporate ghostwriting – capturing someone else’s voice and turning their ideas into clear, compelling content. That includes books, speeches, thought leadership pieces, LinkedIn newsletters, blogs, articles and media content.
You’ll also learn the art and science of using AI tools to write quickly and cleanly, while retaining the human touch.
And once you nail this for your client (or yourself), you can train your own AI tool to support your workflow. For creators, this means writing promotional copy, captions, campaigns and brand collaborations more quickly and strategically. For corporate ghostwriters, it means shaping interviews, notes and rough ideas into polished content at speed.
Imagine being able to sit down, follow a process, and produce strong, persuasive copy or high-quality ghostwritten content on demand, every time, in minutes. You’ll have a formula to increase conversions, strengthen brand partnerships, and create ongoing content streams that build authority and generate income.
This is a complete foundation in modern copywriting and ghostwriting for thought leaders/CEOs, with a clear focus on process and structure, audience psychology, positioning, and tone of voice.
It covers writing for every medium – websites, emails, social media, blogs, videos, ads, branded content, and personal brand assets such as LinkedIn content, newsletters, speeches and long-form thought leadership.
Created by copywriting dynamo Bernadette Schwerdt – who has also ghostwritten seven books, and written three of her own award-winning and bestselling titles – Copywriting Essentials is a hugely popular course that has helped thousands of writers, creators and marketers increase conversions, write faster, win more work, and earn more from their words across both copywriting and ghostwriting.
Your individual mentoring session with Bernadette Schwerdt
As part of your enrolment in the Copywriting Essentials course, you’ll receive a 45-minute one-on-one coaching call with course creator Bernadette Schwerdt. It’s a dedicated opportunity to ask questions and get tailored guidance on how to reach your copywriting goals. Please note the call must be redeemed within your 12-month access period.
More than copywriting
In a world where creators, brands and individuals are paid to produce content that converts, Copywriting Essentials teaches both the art and science of high-performing copy and content. You’ll learn how to write faster, stay on brand, speak to a clearly defined audience, and understand the psychology that drives people to act.
You’ll also learn how to apply these same skills to corporate ghostwriting – capturing someone else’s voice and turning their ideas into content that builds authority, influence and trust. Whether it’s LinkedIn posts, blogs, newsletters, articles, speeches or books, the same core principles apply.
Our proven 7-step framework maps audience psychology directly to your writing, giving you one clear process you can use for every project – from marketing campaigns to thought leadership. It works across social media, websites, SEO, long-form content and more.
You’ll learn how to stop the scroll, write strong headlines quickly, and create benefit-led content that solves problems and drives action. Whether you’re writing short-form copy or long-form ghostwritten pieces, this framework removes guesswork and speeds up production.
If you want a streamlined way to write content that connects, converts and builds authority – backed by practical strategies, templates and tools, including how to use AI effectively – this is it.
Check out the feedback this course generates and discover why so many students love Copywriting Essentials – and why you will too.
Reviews of Copywriting Essentials
“This course is absolutely unrivalled for quality, cost, time and ease of access. I learned many new skills that I put to use immediately and have relied upon in a variety of contexts since. AND, I so enjoyed it! Thank you AWC, Bernadette and Mark!”
Amy Dewhurst
“I really enjoyed learning the seven steps to selling and also about search engine optimisation. It was all a really great insight. I honestly don’t think that there is anything more that Bernadette could do to improve this course. It’s perfect.”
Nick Burdeu
“Mark was very friendly, approachable, and eager to share his insights. From the get-go I realised that he knows the industry inside and out. Overall, this amazing course has given me confidence to seriously pursue copywriting as a side career. “
Lorylene Anne Tayler
“The course provided a complete toolkit to enter the workforce as a copywriter. It was super practical, the information was generous and well-delivered, and left me at the end feeling like I could make the step into paid work.”
Megan Ralfe
What you’ll learn
Writing clear, creative and clever copy is the holy grail that clients look for in a copywriter. Whether you’re writing for a brand collaboration, a large corporate or your own company, using proven formulas and streamlined systems takes the guesswork out of creating conversion-focused copy.
By combining copywriting fundamentals with sophisticated AI tools, and understanding why the copy works and how to improve it, you’ll know exactly what to do every time you sit down to write. Writer’s block, blank screens and scrolling through screeds of endless (and soulless) AI content, is a thing of the past.
You’ll discover:
- The principles of persuasive writing
Learn what copywriting and business ghostwriting actually are – and what set them apart from other forms of writing. You’ll discover the psychology behind why people take action, how to write with intent, and the key principles that guide all effective copy. - How to understand your audience
Great copy doesn’t start with words – it starts with research. You’ll learn how to get inside your reader’s head, identify what they really need, and position your product or message as the solution.
- How to capture someone else’s voice
You’ll learn how to ask the right questions to uncover a client’s goals, ideas and point of view, then translate them into clear, consistent content. Identify their unique selling proposition, beliefs, values and principles, and shape an authentic voice across every piece. - How to turn ideas into compelling stories
Turn interviews and rough ideas into structured, engaging content. Build clear narratives, tell meaningful stories, and create LinkedIn posts, articles, speeches and newsletters that reflect your client’s thinking, build authority, and drive engagement. - Proven copywriting formulas
You’ll be guided through frameworks – powerful formulas used by professional copywriters to structure persuasive content. These are tools you’ll return to again and again. - How to write across multiple formats
From website homepages and product pages to EDMs, flyers and social media copy – you’ll learn how to apply copywriting skills across a range of platforms, with practical examples and templates to guide you. - The craft of writing compelling headlines
The headline is your first (and sometimes only) chance to get attention. You’ll discover techniques to create clear, clickable, benefit-driven headlines – without resorting to hype or gimmicks. You’ll be equipped with over 20 tried, tested and proven formulas just waiting for you to use. And the Top 20 ‘Power Words’ that make people buy. - Editing techniques to make your copy shine
Learn how to self-edit your work with a critical eye, tightening every sentence for clarity, energy and impact. You’ll pick up the habits of strong professional writers – and learn what to leave out. - How to shape tone and voice
Whether you’re writing for a brand or ghostwriting for a thought leader/CEO, you’ll learn how to match tone to audience and purpose – capturing a distinct voice with the right level of warmth, authority or urgency across every piece.
BONUS MODULE: How to start your copywriting business
Discover what you need to do to get started and find clients. You’ll learn how to build the right foundation as a freelance copywriter so that you can thrive. This bonus module will give you the confidence and framework in your new venture.BONUS BOOTCAMP: Your 30-day Copywriting Essentials Bootcamp
Upon completing the course, each participant will receive privileged access to our Copywriting Essentials Bootcamp, a 30-day program that will help you take what you’ve learnt and apply it to fast track your copywriting goals.Every day, for 30 days, you’ll receive a Daily Action Tip via email that, if applied, will see your dream of becoming a paid copywriter turn into reality. Created by the course writer and tutor Bernadette Schwerdt, it’s a ‘companion piece’ to the course and will give you step-by-step instructions for building a successful copywriting business. These bite-size goals are designed to be ‘diarised’ so that you know exactly what you have to do each day.Valued at $297, this Bootcamp is FREE for graduates of Copywriting Essentials – perfect for those who love learning and want extra support once the course is over.FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Who is this course for?
A: This introductory course is really for anyone looking to dip their toe into these waters and see if this life suits. More specifically, it is brilliant for creative writers who want to earn some regular income from their writing. Also journalists and freelance writers looking to add copywriting to their suite of corporate services. It’s also really useful for entrepreneurs and business owners – to control their message and communicate it strongly.
Q: Can I make good money?
A: This is one of the few writing areas where we can quite confidently say that it’s possible to make good money being a copywriter. (Well, being a good copywriter.) As your confidence grows, you can charge your clients top dollar for the work you create.
Q: I see you also offer another course called How to Build a Successful Freelance Copywriting Business. Which should I do first?
A: Good question! If you’re doing both, it doesn’t matter which you do first, as there is almost no overlap – just try to do them within a year of each other. Both are created by Bernadette Schwerdt.
Q: What’s the difference between the Copywriting Essentials and How to Build a Successful Freelance Copywriting Business?
A: Copywriting Essentials (that’s this one) gives you the skills to write great copy, while How to Build a Successful Freelance Copywriting Business will help you get lots of clients and make money!
You can complete Bernadette Schwerdt’s online copywriting courses in any order. They are designed to complement each other and doing all three will make you a copywriting superstar!
We are Australia’s leading provider of short writing courses. Our world-class presenters are actively working in business and will ensure your training is relevant, up to date and fun! GET PAID FOR YOUR WORDS with Copywriting Essentials.
| Key information | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key information: | |||||
Duration 1
Online self-paced course with tutor feedback
Duration:
Your 12 months' access begins straight away Learn at your own pace
Feedback:
One-on-one coaching call with Bernadette Schwerdt
With: Bernadette Schwerdt $595 | |||||
