Creative writers such as novelists need to build their brand, and they often use social media as a key part of their brand-building strategy. Even Stephen King’s fairly active on Facebook.

Copywriters should do the same.

Why? Because we’re creative professionals. Whether you’re freelance or part of a company team, you are still your own brand. A one-person company that needs to keep it’s own Marketing Department running.

Incorporating a social media platform or two can help. And it’s not nearly as painful as a lot of my fellow writers think.

I can say that freely because most of those fellow writers don’t read my blog. This is what they get; used as examples.

1. It’s accessible.

If you’re freelance, your social media page gives your clients a way to keep in touch with you even if they lose your email address. It also gives your prospects a way to research you. The more they learn about you, the more likely they’ll be to feel comfortable hiring you.

If you prefer working as part of a team or company, it gives prospective employers a way to research you, thus increasing the odds of your getting an interview. I know from experience how infuriating it is to try researching a candidate and not being finding an online presence besides LinkedIn. With the rapid pace of today’s job market, employers need to learn about you—fast.

2. It doesn’t take a lot of time.

“I don’t have the time” is one of the biggest excuses I hear (from my immediate circle) of why copywriters don’t start their own branded social media pages.

I call shenanigans.

Shenanigans, I say!

If you can set up a Facebook page to keep up with your family and friends, or an Instagram page to post pictures of food, or a Pinterest page to collect recipes… If you can do any of that, you can set up a social media page for your own brand.

Setting up a basic page takes minutes. My Twitter page (@JustDuckyWriter) took me less than 30 minutes to set up, and it works just fine.

Caveat: If you want to set up multiple, stellar social media pages that intimidate newbies and go viral because they’re just so amazing and eventually break the Internet and other people’s spirits before they even begin, that will take more time. Proceed with caution.

3. It helps you establish yourself in the industry.

I’m not an industry leader. But I am an industry participant. And that’s important.

Having a social media presence, no matter how large or small, shows that you care about your craft and what you do. It shows that you put yourself out there to connect with others. It adds to you professional credibility and gets your name out there.

4. It’s easier to grow your audience than you think.

If you do choose to set up multiple pages, you can post the same thing to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Which makes it easier to maintain a steady stream of content on multiple platforms without spending a whole lotta time. This gives you a stronger presence and a bigger reach to grow your audience via their favorite social media sites. The more sites, posts and followers you have, the stronger your brand’s presence.

Before you know it, you’re part of something larger…

5. If you live it, do it.

If you’re a copywriter in this day and age, you need to know how to write for social media. And companies need to know you know. The best way to accomplish both is to build and own your own social media pages.

6. It lets you connect with like-minded people.

Have a question? Or a bad day? Reach out and tweet someone. Connect with someone who shares your interests and can help you explore new opportunities. Ask questions. Answer other people’s questions. Chit chat over the latest cat meme.

If you’re an introvert, social media makes it easier to connect with people (including fellow introverts) than talking face-to-face during a stifling, crowded networking event.

7. It’s another research tool for your toolkit.

Search hashtags and topics on Twitter. Save links to posts on Facebook. Connect directly with other people who might have the answer and info you seek. If you have a branded page of your own, they’re more likely to answer you because you look legit.

8. It’s free.

Few social media platforms are cost-prohibitive. You can set up a Facebook page, Twitter page and even a LinkedIn profile without paying. You can even start a basic WordPress blog for free.

There’s no price barrier to entry.

So there you have it.

Let me be clear: Social media isn’t the solve-for-everything, get-you-a-job way to build your brand. It’s a way to help build your brand, but it is not (not) a must-have or the answer to all of your woes. I know a lot of successful creatives who don’t use social media; they do exist and you might be one of them.

But I do strongly encourage it because of all the reasons I just mentioned.

Coming up, I’ll dig a little deeper into which social media platforms are best for copywriters.