Buyer’s Guide to Finding the Perfect Website Copywriter

Finding the perfect website copywriter for your business may seem daunting. The world is filled with writers, right? But how exactly do you determine which among them is the perfect website copywriter for your business? And where do you look for website copywriters in the first place?

Buyer’s Guide to Finding the Perfect Website Copywriter for Your Business

First, a few key points about what separates website copywriters from other kinds of writers (like journalists and novelists):

1. Website copywriters know how to convey a complete, and often complex, message in the context of a website. Effective websites are structured so that your clients can find what they need quickly and easily. Once they find what is important to them, the copy on that page must be concise. This means that, unlike a journalist writing a magazine article that builds a story from beginning to end, a website copywriter tells your company’s story in many small chunks that together (regardless of the order in which they are read) make sense to your target audience.
2. Speaking of target audiences, website copywriters are experts at creating a tone of voice that resonates with your ideal client. Again, unlike even specialized journalists (such as financial writers), website copywriting must appeal to a very specific group of people about a very particular set of products and services. So, a website copywriter will take the time to fully understand not only what your company offers, but the way your company delivers it (your brand), and the personality and desires of your target customers. He or she will use this information to inform the vocabulary used, the sentence structure, and even the organization of information.
3. Finally, and this may be the item that most people think of when they think about websites, website copywriters are skilled at weaving “keywords” and “key phrases” into copy so that your website is search engine optimized. Search engine optimization means that when someone Googles for a product or service, your website has a greater chance of being among the top results. For example, if your company offers customized financial planning for small business owners, then key phrases may include “customized financial planning for small business owners.” A skilled website copywriter then knows that getting creative and using the phrases “tailored financial planning” or “entrepreneurs” to mix things up actually doesn’t serve your needs and doesn’t help your website build your business.

Next, the search for the perfect website copywriter for your business must include some review of the writer’s understanding of your industry. Ask for samples of writing they have done for other companies in your industry. When you review them, remember that your brand position may be very different from the brand position of the company in the sample. Look for evidence that the copy has the elements listed above—strong structure, a clearly told story, and consistent use of keywords or key phrases. You can also ask the writer to offer their insights about the marketing and branding challenges facing your industry. While your job is to provide an excellent product or service, the copywriter’s job is to convey information about it to potential customers who may be comparing you to your competitors. The copywriter should have an opinion about the ways in which your message can effectively stand out from the competition.

The copywriter’s job is to convey information about your product or service to potential customers who may be comparing you to your competitors.

Finally, where should you look for a high-quality website copywriter?

The ideal resource is the creative marketing and branding agency that will be designing your website. Some agencies have writers on staff, and many have relationships with a roster of independent copywriters with various areas of specialization. As the client, you will be well served when your writer has a working history with your creative marketing and branding agency. Together, the agency and the writer can ensure that the project schedule stays on track and that the writing, visual aspects, and functionality of your website are seamlessly integrated.

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