Between accountants, web designers, and business consultants, working with other professionals to get your business off the ground can be expensive. Copywriters sometimes fall to the bottom of the priority list – after all, most business owners can write well enough to get a basic website set up.

But copywriting is about more than just writing a half-decent homepage for your site. A good copywriter will help your website rank well in Google, and convince your website visitors to pay for your services. They’ll have strong SEO knowledge, an adaptable tone of voice, and a portfolio of work to back it up.

That said, hiring a copywriter may not be the best option for your business – it all depends on your unique situation. Find out if your business needs a copywriter below.

When Should You Hire A Copywriter?

There are some clear-cut situations that demand a professional copywriting service. If any of the following apply to you, you should seriously consider hiring a copywriter for your business:

  • You’re overhauling the look and feel of your brand
  • You’re not sure how to communicate with your customers
  • You find it difficult to get your message across in writing
  • You don’t know how to improve your SEO
  • You want your business to appear more professional
  • You want to establish a strong, unique tone of voice for your brand
  • You don’t have time to regularly update your blog

When Don’t You Need A Copywriter?

In some cases, you may not need to hire a copywriter. For example, if you:

  • Have lots of great ideas for your own web copy and blog posts, and the time to research, write, and edit them
  • Need someone to write a privacy policy, or another small-print-style document
  • Have a website that generates plenty of sales
  • Have a website that ranks consistently well across all your targeted keywords

Still Not Sure If You Need A Copywriter?

It’s not always obvious if your business would benefit from hiring a copywriter. You may not be sure if it’s your entire content marketing strategy that needs an overhaul, or just your web copy.

If you still have questions about whether or not you need a copywriter, make sure to book a free consultation, so you can discuss your needs and ensure you’re spending your hard-earned cash wisely.

Hiring An In-house Copywriter Vs. Freelance Copywriter

If you decide that hiring a copywriter is the way to go for your business, the next step is deciding whether to hire a full-time, in-house copywriter, or hire a freelance copywriter. This largely depends on the scale of your business, and the scope of your upcoming projects.

If you’re a sole trader, or you’re running your business solo, you’re unlikely to hire full-time employees – but freelance writers can make a big difference to your business. Agree a project cost with them in advance, so you’re both on the same page regarding the project spend.

For small businesses with a few employees, you’ll need to weigh up the potential return on investment of hiring an in-house copywriter. Hiring a freelance copywriter, at least initially, will allow you to see how a copywriter can impact your sales without committing to a salaried member of staff.

For larger businesses, you’ll need to decide whether a copywriter fits into your business strategy. If you’re focusing on inbound marketing and SEO-driven sales, hiring a copywriter could be invaluable to you. However, if your strategy focuses more on outbound sales, a full-time copywriter could be surplus to requirements.

Discuss your requirements with a freelance copywriting consultant for an honest assessment of the work you need to be completed. This will help you decide whether a freelance or in-house copywriter would be best for your business needs.

The Hallmarks Of A Great Copywriter

If you’ve decided to hire a copywriter, it’s important to know what to look for when you’re choosing a good fit for your business. Here are 5 things to consider when hiring a freelance copywriter:

  • Their portfolio. Have they worked in similar sectors to yours before? Have they worked for a direct competitor? Does their tone of voice match the tone you’d like to project for your business? The answers to these questions go a long way to helping you decide whether they’re a good fit for your business.
  • Their testimonials. Are they vouched for by other businesses? Testimonials and referrals are a great way to be sure you’re hiring a skilled copywriter who gets results.
  • Their communication. Once you’ve made contact with them, do they reply regularly and professionally? A copywriter who remains in contact with you is more likely to make you feel at ease, particularly if you’re planning a long-term partnership.
  • Their attitude to feedback. Before you commit to working with a copywriter, try to gauge their attitude to receiving comments and feedback on their work. If they’re open to it, that bodes well for you – you’ll be able to make changes and suggestions so you get the results you’re looking for.
  • Their results. If they’ve repeatedly got results for other clients, chances are they’ll do the same for you. Don’t be afraid to ask for any anecdotal or analytical evidence of what they’ve achieved for other clients.

Book Your Free Copywriting Consultation

Your consultation is your chance to find out more about how I can help you bump your site up in Google, convert more visitors into customers, or overhaul the professional tone of your website.

Find out more about my digital copywriting services here, and get in touch to book your free consultation.