7 Tips for Finding an Online Copywriter You'll Love!
by Heather Lloyd-Martin
So, you've reached the point when you need to outsource your online copywriting.
Maybe your business has boomed and you don't have time to create your own killer marketing prose. Or, you're launching a new site, service or product - and you need to be exactly sure everything is done perfectly.
Enter the copywriter, the busy businessperson's best friend.
Many small business owners have valid concerns about letting another person create their Web site copy and opt-in email. After all, this is your business - and your image is crucially important. However, a copywriter can see your business in a new light and communicate that excitement to your prospects. Knowing another person brings that expertise to the table (especially for the time-challenged entrepreneur) can be a wonderful, freeing thing.
However, not every online copywriter is right for every client. And, some copywriters are better than others. If you're ready to hire a copywriter for a one-time or an ongoing project, here are seven tips on how to choose and work with your new online copywriting expert.
- Check their online writing experience. The way you write for the Web is different than writing for print, so online writing experience is crucial. You need someone who can switch hats on the fly, write in a Web-friendly manner, integrate call-to-action hyperlinks and think about usability issues. Sure, writing for the Web isn't rocket science - but if you hire someone with straight print experience and no online background, they'll be learning the Web on your dime.
- Get online writing references. This sounds like a no-brainer, but checking your copywriter's references is extremely important. There's nothing worse than hiring a new writer and then find out that they regularly blow off deadlines, don't answer your emails and turn in shoddy work. Most good copywriters have a fan list of satisfied clients, so getting a reference should be a snap (and if it IS a problem, run away fast.)
- Be prepared to pay for quality. Good copywriting does not come cheap. Experienced copywriters can charge anywhere from $50-$150 an hour, and they are worth every penny. Just as your attorney protects your legal assets, your copywriter is fiercely protective of your Internet image. Think about how many Web sites you've left because the text was so bad, you couldn't tell what they were selling. Or, you noticed so many grammatical typos that you couldn't seriously buy from that business. Why pay low-dollar for that kind of "quality?"
- Give your new copywriter plenty of information to work with. Once you've signed on the dotted line, your copywriter will probably want to interview you and other key personnel about your business. From a copywriting perspective, this is a crucial step - in order to write about your business, your copywriter needs to understand all the ins and outs. Asking for business plans, demographic studies, focus group results and click-thru ratios is not uncommon. If you block their every move and say that's "proprietary information," they won't get a good feel for your business - and the copy will show it.
- Plan ahead - and avoid dumping "rush jobs" on your copywriter. No matter how wonderfully talented your writer is, first writing drafts generally suck - and that's what you're getting when you order a rush job. Strong copywriters are perpetual copy-tweakers, needing time to figure out the right writing angle and create killer benefit statements. Would you dump your income taxes on your accountant on April 14th and say, "I'll need that done by tomorrow morning." No way! Don't do that to your copywriter unless you want bad results.
- Appoint one person as your copywriter's contact person. One way to drive your copywriter slowly insane (and cost you more money) is if five people on your staff all have a different idea of how the Web page should read - and they all want a separate revision. Figure out the salient points before you talk to your copywriter and have one person handle all communications.
- Tell your copywriter what they did right - and wrong. Copywriters have writing egos of steel, and are used to constructive criticism. No, you will not hurt your copywriter's feelings if you don't like a particular headline - feedback like that is incredibly useful. On the flip side, if you love their work, tell them about it. You'll make your copywriter's day.
Outsourcing to your Web-savvy copywriter provides you expertly-written, persuasive copy (and you don't even need to write a thing!) Finally, you can stop trying to find time to rewrite that Web page and focus on what you do best - taking care of business.
This article originally appeared on the Content Exchange website, and was also mentioned in Danny Sullivan's Search Engine Update Number 81.
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