Are you struggling to find the right words for your website? Do you spend hours putting prompts into ChatGPT, only to find the end result just doesn’t sound like you? If so, it might be time to consider getting some help from a freelance copywriter.
The right freelance copywriter can help you craft compelling content that resonates with your audience. They will help answer your customer’s queries and ultimately drive results for your business. But what are the benefits and when should you hire one? Spoiler alert: it’s not always right now… Here I look at the benefits of hiring a freelance copywriter and how to find the right one for you.
What do freelance copywriters bring to the table?
1. Professional Writing Skills
Well obviously, this is the main one. Copywriters spend their days writing so have a deep understanding of language, grammar, and writing techniques. Depending on their area of expertise, they can help you understand what blogs you might need, where to put in a call to action on your webpage or why your sales page isn’t converting. They can simplify your writing to make sure it makes sense to your audience.
2. A fresh Perspective
As a business owner, it’s easy to get caught up in the weeds of your business. When you’re living and breathing your business, sometimes you can lose sight of your brand’s messaging.
When you bring in someone new like a copywriter, they can help you see your business from a new angle. They can bring new ideas and creativity to your content and help you stand out from your competitors.
3. Time savings
As a business owner, your time is valuable. You should be spending your time on the tasks that need your expertise not on trying to master micro copy or write an email campaign. By hiring a freelance copywriter, you can save time and focus on other aspects of your business while still having high-quality content for your website, marketing materials, and more.
4. Money savings
Hiring a full-time copywriter can be expensive, especially for small businesses. Freelance copywriters offer a cost-effective solution, as you only pay for the work you need. This can be especially beneficial for businesses with fluctuating content needs or those on a tight budget.
5. Expertise in SEO
Search engine optimisation (SEO) is crucial for businesses looking to increase their online visibility and attract more customers. Many freelance copywriters are well-versed in SEO best practices and can help you optimise your content for search engines. This can lead to higher rankings, increased website traffic, and ultimately, more conversions.
When should you look into getting copywriting services?
So you might be surprised that it’s not always right now. Depending on where you’re at, you might not have the budget or you won’t be ready for a freelance copywriter. Some common scenarios include:
1. Right from the beginning
If you’re not a strong writer, don’t enjoy it or are just too busy building your business, you might want to get a copywriter on from the beginning. If you have the budget and you’re pretty sure about what your business is about and who you’re targeting, this can be particularly helpful. You can explain what you’re doing and they can help craft your messaging to make sure it hits the mark. The copywriter will probably need to do plenty of research into your industry and they will need to be agile as things might change.
You might want someone who can help with a range of areas. They might write website content, do SEO research, write social media posts, help set up your email marketing or create social media ads.
2. When you need a revamp
When you’re launching a new business, unless you’re Elon Musk, it’s very common to not have any extra budget for a copywriter. That’s why often new business owners write their first websites by themselves or use an AI tool to help. That can work fine for the beginning when you just need something out there.
However often, after a year or two, businesses need a refresh of their marketing materials. Perhaps you’ve had a few sales and can afford a new website. Perhaps your business has evolved as you’ve grown and you need a more professional tone to refine your messaging. Perhaps you need to speak more to your audience so need to introduce blogs or social media.
Whatever it is, a copywriter can help you revamp your website copy. They can make sure it accurately reflects your brand and resonates with your audience.
3. You’re launching a new product or offering
Launching a new product or service is an exciting time for any business, but it also takes a lot of work. You often have one chance to make a big impact when you launch and you need to make sure everything is ready.
An experienced freelance copywriter can help you create compelling product descriptions, sales pages, and other marketing materials to promote your new offering. They can help you consider other ways to promote your new product such as linking you up with promotions or PR teams. You might also consider getting someone on board to write social media ads to help generate buzz and attract more customers to your business.
4. You could do it but you don’t have time
You’ve done pretty well in the past, you’ve written lots of the marketing material for your business and you know what works. But these days, you just don’t have time. You’re trying to keep up with 50 emails an hour from all the stakeholders in your business and you barely get time to eat lunch let alone think formulate a content plan and actually write the blogs.
This is super common and you’ll be please to know that freelance copywriters can help take this task off your to-do list. If you want to improve your website’s rankings, attract more organic traffic and actually eat lunch before 3pm, hiring a freelance copywriter could be a game-changer.
5. You need specialist skills
If you need something specific, you might consider hiring a copywriting with a particular skillset. This might be skills like SEO, email marketing or journalism. Or you might need someone who knows the rules and regulations of marketing for your industry such as the medical, law or accounting industries. Sometimes it just makes sense to hire a person who has a specific skill set.
How to find the right freelance copywriter
This is important, you need to find the right person to help you with your business. And although I’m writing this blog, I may not be the right copywriter for you. I have my areas of expertise and interest which may not align with what you need. Here are some things to think about:
What do you need?
Before you start searching for freelance copywriting services, it’s important to work out what you need. Some questions to ask yourself include:
- What type of content do you need?
- Do you need a copywriter that understands your industry?
- What is your budget?
- What is your timeline?
- Do you want someone for an ongoing relationship, or do you want them to just do the one job?
- What skills should they have? Different copywriters have different skills so think about the kind of skills you want your copywriter to have.
Ask for recommendations
One of the best ways to find a reliable freelancer is to ask for recommendations from your network. Reach out to other business owners or colleagues and ask if they have worked with a copywriter they would recommend.
Do a search
If you can’t find anyone through word of mouth, you might need to search online. You can use Google search to find specifically what you’re looking for. For example, you might search for ‘aged care writer’, ‘email copywriter Melbourne’ or ‘sales page copywriter’.
You could also search LinkedIn. Look through a few copywriter’s posts to see whether they resonate with you and connect with a few people. Take a look at their recommendations either on LinkedIn, their google profile, or testimonials on their website. This can save you time and help you find a copywriter with a proven track record.
Review portfolios and samples
When considering a freelance copywriter, ask to review their portfolio and samples of their work. An experienced copywriter will have this easily accessible on their website. This will give you an idea of their writing style, tone, and overall quality of their work. Look for samples that are similar to the type of content you need to make sure they have experience in your industry.
Book in a chat
Once you’ve reached out to a few copywriters, make sure you have a chat over the phone. It’s important that you get along well and have a good rapport with a copywriter before you make the final decision to work with them. This also gives you a chance to ask questions and discuss what you need and when you need it.
Hiring a freelance copywriter can be a game-changer for your business. As a freelance copywriter and journalist, I write about topics from baby care to aged care and all the aspects of healthcare and education in between.
If you’re an organisation, brand, or not-for-profit that really cares about your customers and community, get in touch with me to find out how I can help.