Quality written content on websites, blogs, brochures and the like sells products and services for all types of businesses. It’s an incredibly effective way of marketing to current and potential customers, but most business owners don’t have the time to create their own content, or know what to write. Many also don’t have the skills to craft quality copy – which is where the copywriter comes in.
Copywriting is a skill acquired through years of training and relentless writing. A good copywriter is a master of their craft, just like any other professional in their field. However, just like any other profession, the copywriting field grows writers with varying levels of experience and skill and ultimately, you get what you pay for.
For those business owners who want to communicate more effectively with their customers and provide content which is useful, interesting and of good quality, the copywriter is key.
So – how do you hire a copywriter?
Ultimately, the most important thing to consider when hiring a copywriter is this:
Can they actually write well?
It’s amazing how many people skip over this step in favour of looking at the cost of services. Then, when the badly written copy comes in and they’ve spent their money, they become wary of hiring a copywriter for the next job and lose faith in the industry. Anyone can claim they’re a writer after all, so it makes sense to find out a bit more about the person you want to work with before taking them on.
The second point to note is that big is not always better. That is, many copywriters work on a freelance basis, as sole traders, so going to a big company doesn’t necessarily guarantee better quality work or indeed, better rates. On the other hand, lots of people can call themselves writers online, so it pays to check out their website and speak with them to find out more about what they offer.
The copywriter’s website should show testimonials from previous clients (though it should be noted – ghost writers can’t always share links to certain projects), as well as demonstrating the writer’s own writing abilities. It should also give some background information on their previous work history and training. Are they someone who’s just decided to start offering writing services out of the blue, or have they actually completed a journalism qualification, worked for local media and businesses, and built up a quality reputation in their trade?
The third point to note is this: Every copywriting project differs, so it’s more important to hire a good copywriter who can tackle a range of subjects, rather than an expert in your industry who can’t write compelling content.
Blogging is the perfect example. Today, blogs saturate the internet, with all sorts of people sharing their personal passions online as well as promoting their businesses and creating great informative content for customers. However – anyone can set up a blog and call themselves a blogger. Many do it as a hobby, or in return for reviewing products for big companies. They choose a niche – perhaps beauty or food blogging – and they only blog about those things.
However, a professional copywriter doesn’t necessarily stick to the one industry if they write blogs for other people. In fact, the sign of an experienced and reliable writer is one who can write blogs for any industry, and for any business. Journalists aren’t experts in everything they cover, but through research and by interviewing their sources, they create factually correct and relevant articles. A good copywriter is the same and indeed, should relish the challenge. A good copywriter could be writing a blog or a website for a construction company one day, a hairdressers or a restaurant the next, and so on.
The secret to hiring a copywriter is finding someone who has the skills to create easily digestible content that’s written specifically for your target audience – whoever that may be. If they can write content that’s useful, interesting and relevant to your industry, then you’ve hit gold.
Of course, some writers choose to specialise in one particular field, but refusing to hire someone to write your beauty blog because they don’t write beauty blogs every day isn’t the answer.
Meanwhile, with websites, blogs and any online content, a copywriter who optimises for SEO should stand out above the one who simply writes without intent. SEO content will include keywords relating to your business/subject area, and help drive more traffic to your site by making you more visible in online search engines.
If your copywriter creates content with the following characteristics, then you’re onto a winner…
Copywriters save businesses hours and hours of time by creating written content that engages their customers and helps to promote their brands. If you want to invest in the services of a professional copywriter you can trust however, think quality every time.
So – where do you find copywriters?
You’ll rarely find professional writers listed on sites which make them bid for work at cheap rates, as this is demeaning to the writer and devalues the profession. Copywriters are professionals who deliver a high-quality and valuable service to their clients and, just like any other professional, they deserve to be paid respectable rates.
A simple online search should help you identify copywriters in your area and, if you know of any already, or have a business card, then just look up their website. It’s amazing what you might find if you hunt out those business cards you picked up at the last networking event you attended and have a sift through them… Also, check out Twitter business hours to see who’s active, ask around (word of mouth referrals are great), and do some research. As with anything you’re going to spend money on, it usually pays to do some digging. Happy hiring!
If you’d like to find out more about how the copywriting services at Claire Savage Editorial can help your business, just drop an email to: claire@cseditorial.co.uk