There comes a time in the expansion of every business that some outside help is needed to advance the overall marketing strategy. A copywriter can step in to craft engaging social media copy, drive thought leadership through blog posts or accelerate sales with snappy product copy. Don’t leave your copywriting as an afterthought – instead, look out for these traits as you search for the copywriter your business needs.
1. They listen and ask questions
While you want your copywriter to be an expert, you don’t want them to dominate your meetings by telling you how you should be doing things. A good copywriter listens to your needs, your product, your business goals and more, then provides thoughtful suggestions. They should also ask you a series of questions to properly ascertain your copy requirements, such as your audience breakdown, how formal or informal you want the copy to be, and what you are wanting the copy to achieve.
2. They get your voice
Every brand, including yours, has a voice. This could be approachable, authoritative, witty or anything in between. A skilled copywriter should be able to adhere to the existing voice of your brand, or craft a new voice if you are wanting to steer your brand in a different direction.
If you are still working out what your voice is, provide the copywriter with samples of other writing you like, such as a competitor’s. If you are the face of your brand, simply have a conversation with the copywriter to give them an idea of your tonality, word choice, sentence structure and the like, which they can use to inform their copy.
3. They focus on content, not keywords
While SEO is important, it should not dominate your copy. Steer clear of copywriters who only concern themselves with keywords, as you will likely end up with copy that feels robotic and awkward to read while providing zero value to the reader. A good copywriter should be able to seamlessly integrate keywords into copy that is also engaging and beautiful.
There’s a few different ways you can ensure you nail a qualified copywriter that ticks all these boxes. Recommendations are one of the most reliable avenues, so try asking around your professional network to see who has helped them with their copy. There is also a plethora of copywriters online, but make sure to avoid low-quality content mills and find reputable writers on platforms like LinkedIn instead.
Finally, remember that good copy is worth the financial investment. An offshore writer or unpaid intern might save you money, but likely won’t take your business in the direction it needs to go.
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About Hania
With an education in Creative Writing and three years’ experience in content marketing, I have the skills necessary to write content that is both beautiful and effective.
I look to inject personality and artistry into all the work I do, with my technical knowledge tying it all together. The end result is beautiful content that engages and converts.
I provide a full suite of content marketing support, from SEO landing pages and blog posts to lead generation magnets and social media copy.
My creative writing done on the side has been published in Voiceworks, Farrago and The Financial Diet.
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