In 2009, I tried to organize a free copywriting seminar for my readers. I had been writing about sales letters on the blog and figured a live webinar from a professional copywriter would be valuable. I even joked about trying to get Gary Halbert, the legendary direct response copywriter, to do it. That particular seminar never came together, but the impulse behind it, helping people learn to write persuasive copy, was one of the best instincts I had as a blogger.

Copywriting is the one marketing skill that has only become more important since 2009, not less.

Every Marketing Channel Runs on Copy

Think about every marketing tactic that has come and gone since 2009. Article marketing, dead. Social bookmarking, dead. Keyword stuffing, dead. Blog commenting for backlinks, dead. But every single marketing strategy that replaced them still requires you to write words that persuade people to take action.

Email marketing requires subject lines that get opened and body copy that gets clicked. Social media requires posts that stop the scroll. YouTube requires titles and descriptions that drive clicks. Podcast show notes need compelling descriptions. Landing pages need headlines that convert. Even AI-generated content needs a human who understands persuasion to prompt it effectively and edit the output.

Copywriting is the foundation under everything.

The Legends Were Right

I mentioned Gary Halbert in that original post. He passed away in 2007, but his newsletters and teachings remain some of the best copywriting education available. Dan Kennedy, who I also mentioned, continued teaching direct response marketing for years. The principles these masters taught, understanding your audience's pain points, writing compelling headlines, building desire through benefits rather than features, creating urgency, crafting irresistible offers, are unchanged.

If anything, these principles are more accessible now than ever. You can find Gary Halbert's entire newsletter archive online for free. Dan Kennedy's books are on Amazon. Courses from modern copywriters like Joanna Wiebe, Eddie Shleyner, and Harry Dry are available at every price point.

How to Start Learning Copywriting in 2026

Study what works on you. Start a swipe file of emails you open, ads you click, and landing pages that make you reach for your wallet. Reverse-engineer why they worked.

Write every day. Copywriting is a craft, not a theory. Write headlines. Write emails. Write social posts. The more you write, the better you get. There are no shortcuts here.

Read the classics. “Scientific Advertising” by Claude Hopkins, “Breakthrough Advertising” by Eugene Schwartz, and “The Boron Letters” by Gary Halbert will teach you more about persuasion than any modern marketing course.

Get feedback. Share your copy with other marketers. Test it with real audiences. The market will tell you whether your copy works. Your opinion of your own writing does not matter. Only results matter.

I wish that 2009 copywriting seminar had come together. But the underlying message remains the most important advice I can give any internet marketer: learn to write copy. It is the skill that makes every other skill more effective.