Before I start I had better introduce myself (if I still remember how to do that from pre-lockdown). My name’s Sophie and I started working at Pop as a UX copywriter in July last year. As it’s now been a few months of working here, I thought I’d share 5 things that I’ve learnt so far. 

1. How to talk the talk

Because I’d never been around a digital agency before, even the jargon my colleagues were using meant that they might as well have been speaking Mandarin. I’ve learnt to not be afraid to ask questions, so the first few weeks were spent creating my own dictionary. It turns out a landing page isn’t to do with aeroplanes, CTA doesn’t stand for ‘Call The Ambulance’ and Shopify isn’t a (big) mistype of Spotify. I didn’t believe I’d pick any of it up but sure enough I did. I think my family pull the same faces as I used to whenever I talk to them about work now. 

2. How to do a successful Google Hangouts meeting

This may sound like a simple task for every other functioning human, but technology and I… don’t tend to mix. We’ve had many fallings out over the years and I think we’re past the point of reconciliation to be honest. When it was time for my first video call with a client, somehow after ten minutes of testing my headset prior to the meeting to make sure everything was in order, I still got hit with my first: ‘Um Sophie, I think you’re on mute?’. I’d somehow disconnected the headset… A great first start but the good news is that it hasn’t happened since (famous last words).

3. Why good copy is crucial to a website

I never thought about how the words we see on websites, adverts, Facebook or even the back of a pamphlet have had one or even a team of people working on the perfect way to phrase it. I think I’ve turned into a bit of a nerd about it now without even realising. I’ll read something on the side of a lorry when I’m driving past and think ‘that’s too cliche’ or ‘but where’s their USPs?!’. Although, the majority of the time I find myself writing notes in my phone because I’ve read something great. Not only have I learnt what copy actually is, but I’ve learnt what information is crucial to include and to make it concise and clear.

4. How to adapt to new situations

After six months of working here, three months of those have actually been working from home. Like so many other businesses, we’ve had to adapt our regular work routine and switch the office desk to the dining room table. At first I was a little apprehensive (with being so new) and I was worried I’d struggle with the change. However, with weekly group calls on Slack, keeping in touch with my colleagues and still getting so much feedback on my work, I’ve learnt to take it in my stride and somehow make it work (minus the excessive biscuit eating, but we’ll forget about that part).

 

5. How to collaborate with a team effectively

After three years in university, apart from the occasional group presentation, I haven’t had to ‘collaborate’ in a team before. Each member of our team has different strengths, so I find it has been incredibly useful to get other people’s feedback on something I’m working on. It’s also great when we have a big project which will involve the account manager, developers, designers and UX colleagues all to pitch into the process. In past experiences, working in a ‘team’ has meant more work for me in the long-run, but when everyone is enthusiastic and has lots of ideas to input, it’s actually a lot of fun.

I know it’s cliche to say (and I shouldn’t say it after just expressing my dislike for them above), but I feel like I do learn something new everyday. Although I’ve learnt so much already, I’m still only a beginner and 2021 will be another year of growing and understanding more about the world of copywriting and a digital agency as a whole.