UK Copywriters Should Look East

With the UK copywriting market struggling, it seems that the hapless British copywriter must look elsewhere if he wants to keep the wolf and the door apart.Just a few years back, there were rich pickings available for UK copywriters who simply had to switch on Google Adwords to get the best of the UK copywriting market. Copywriters could pick and choose their favourite work. It seemed the glory days would never end.But then came 2008 and the UK copywriting market imploded. Generalist PR and marketing people found themselves clutching redundancy cheques and looking for alternative employment. Having dabbled in copywriting, a little bit of freelancing seemed a logical option.Then came something called 'content'. Content breezed in from Bombay, determined to wreck the UK copywriting market with its cheap-and-cheerful, $2 a page word-farmed rubbish.The UK copywriting market was suddenly on its knees. It still is.But the government is telling us all to export to countries not as badly affected by the recession as the UK. And exporting words seems a pretty easy thing to do.A quick spot of research brings up the BRIC countries - Brazil Russia, India and China. We can rule out India right away - any nation that's selling us web content by the yard is unlikely to want a reciprocal agreement at £50 an hour.China hasn't fully embraced the idea of copywriting. So what about Brazil? Brazil is booming. Inflation is at an all-time low, it's rich in minerals and oil and has just landed the next World Cup and Olympics. Good times indeed, especially as Brazil just surpassed the UK as the world's sixth-largest economy.But Brazil's copywriting market is tied up with American nationals using the country's close proximity to the US to make hay.No, a far better bet for the UK export copywriter is Japan. The country has a desperate need for good copywriting. Content for major corporations is currently farmed out to anyone who can put together a half-decent English sentence, including local translation agencies.The best way to become an honorary copywriter in Japan is to write a specific Google Adwords advert and aim your Google account at Japan. Alternatively, write a page about being a copywriter in Japan for your website. Or you can look for Japanese companies advertising their PR and marketing vacancies. They're sure to need some quality copywriting.So, disgruntled UK copywriters, pick up your pens and head East - without leaving your desks. Good luck.