7 Tips for Hiring a Copywriter

Hiring a copywriter is a must if you want professional content for your website. Whether you’re looking for a captivating home page that nails your intentions to the mast and converts browsers into buyers, or you’re looking for a deep-diving blog post that informs while cementing your SEO authority, a great writer can deliver.

Professional copywriters are everywhere, and the fact that most are remote workers means that you can hire someone from the other side of the world if their experience and price match your project’s needs. You’ll find freelance networks, social media groups, and jobs boards all over the internet geared toward matching clients with writers.

So, with so many writers to choose from, how do you know you’re hiring a good one?

In this guide, we’ll share some top tips for recruiting freelancers and talk about what you should be looking for when you hire a great content writer.

What Is a Copywriter?

Before we address what you should be looking for in a copywriter, we need to discuss what they do. Often, the term is used interchangeably with ‘content writer’.

Fundamentally, copywriting is the act of creating content for marketing purposes. This may include:

• Website content – Sometimes referred to as web copy
• Blog articles – Either promotional or informative with the added value of enhancing a website’s SEO
• Email newsletters – Usually using direct selling to promote products or services
• Social media content – Crafting perfect posts for social platforms

Copywriters may also be employed to write slogans, ad copy, and promotional scripts.

Some copywriters work directly for a company, while others will work on a freelance basis either picking up work through agencies or directly from a variety of clients.

1. Find a Copywriter That Works In Your Niche

Many people erroneously believe that they can hire any old copywriter to craft the perfect content for their website. The notion that every writer is equally capable of writing in any style, and on any topic is a tad crazy,

Back when I started out as a content writer a few years back, I wrote for an agency that provided web copy and blog posts to a wide array of businesses, as well as link-building guest posts. As writers for this particular content mill, we had no say in what material we were expected to write.

This resulted in me writing about everything under the sun from kitchen sinks to the best surf spots in Southern California. I’ve never plumbed a tap in my life, I have little desire to step onto a surfboard, and I’ve barely even left Europe, let alone visited the U.S.

Earning less than a penny and a half a word, I cut my teeth pretty quickly, developed my writing style, and found out exactly what I hated writing for the most. Thankfully, those days have passed for me, and I have the luxury of being somewhat selective about the work I take on.

This experience of writing everything for everyone meant I quickly learnt that I enjoy certain niches and will gladly devour research in these subjects, and don’t even mind writing about the exact same topic over-and-over while keeping it fresh every time.

Niches I enjoy writing include:

• Dental – Yes, especially dental implants, weirdly
• Pets – Quite understandable, I am a pet lover
• Search engine optimisation and digital marketing – Technically, I work in this field, so I have insider knowledge

It’s important that you find a writer that likes writing about your topic. When the passion isn’t there, you may end up with regurgitated copy with less life than a battered haddock.

2. Personality Is Paramount

When you hire a writer for your website, they’re going to be a voice for your brand. The last thing you’d want is to hire someone that doesn’t have the personality that gels well with your brand persona.

Writers are individuals with their own passions, sense of humour, and unique outlook on the world. While most semi-skilled writers should be able to adapt their writing style to match the tone of your existing content, it would be naive to assume that their own personalities won’t play a part in the pieces they contribute to you.

Before you hire a copywriter, make sure you spend a bit of time talking to them to find out whether they’re a good fit for the project.

Personality in writing is fundamental if you want to ensure you don’t end up with content that reads as if a machine has written it. A great writer will know when to use the tools they have up their sleeves such as storytelling, alliteration, onomatopoeia, and rhymes to create dynamic content that reads well.

3. Check Out Portfolios When Hiring a Copywriter

The great thing about hiring a copywriter is that their work is often publicly visible for all to see. Unlike hiring a plasterer where the work is hidden in previous clients’ homes, most content is available online.

Of course, a lot of web content isn’t attributed to the actual writer, and they remain nameless making it harder to find on a routine Google search. That said, many copywriters keep a catalogue of their previously published work that they can share with potential clients.

In other cases, a portfolio with a few carefully curated examples will often be available on the writer’s website or professional networking profile.

Take the time to glance through their portfolio. Look at their style of writing, their attention to detail, and their passion for the subject matter. This is possibly the best indication of whether they are the writer for you.

4. Set Deadlines and Be Clear With Your Expectations

Due dates decrease problems getting your content uploaded on time. When you’re setting deadlines, add a couple of days leeway in at your end before the copy is due to be published or passed onto your web developer. This will ensure if there are any unavoidable delays, it won’t harm your plans.

Having a clear deadline in place will let the writer plan their schedule better. If you offer up a vague hand-in date, you may wonder where your piece is when it hasn’t reached your inbox within a couple of weeks. It will also ensure there is enough time for any revisions to be made before you need the piece.

Setting clear expectations about what you’d like from the content will ensure your writer knows what they’re doing. It may be helpful if you share a few examples of content that you’ve enjoyed elsewhere. This will give the writer a taste of the type of writing you’re looking for.

5. Interview Potential Writers

I hate interviews. I spent several years on the opposite side of the interview desk asking the questions, but when the tables are turned – I freeze up, stumble over my words, and ramble my way into irrelevance. That said, interviewing your potential freelance copywriter will ensure you’re hiring the right person for the job.

While I don’t necessarily relish the experience of being interviewed, as a writer, I welcome the opportunity to talk about what I do and to sell myself.

Of course, you’ll be likely to be hiring a writer on the other side of the world (two of my current regular clients are based in the United States). Set up a Zoom call. Chatting face-to-face will help you get a good idea of who you’re hiring.

When you only talk via email, details get lost in communication. A video call will ensure you’re both on the same page in terms of your expectations for the project.

6. Ask Around for Recommendations

If you know of a business with well-written copy on their website or blog, ask about the writer they use. Word-of-mouth is often the best way to find great writers.

Social proof is a powerful tool. If you know that someone else has had a great experience with a writer, you’ll be more inclined to follow their lead. This saves you the hassle of hiring a writer that doesn’t work out for you. It’s almost as though you’re getting someone else to pre-vet your chosen freelancer.

7. Find a Freelancer Close to Home

The ability to work across continents with creatives is fantastic, and the internet opens up the talent pool to individuals you wouldn’t ordinarily be able to connect with. There are plenty of reasons for hiring a content writer closer to home though.

If you run a British business, pairing up with a UK-based copywriter will mean you’re getting someone that knows the lay of the land. It also helps if you want nuanced local-centric language or colloquialisms that really hammer home your connection to your customers.

For instance, companies looking for a copywriter in South Wales may choose to hire me because I have a strong grasp of the crazy Welsh placenames. There’ll be no spelling mistakes when I write for plumbers in the North Wales town, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

8. Have Management In Place

Just because you’ll usually outsource your copywriting work doesn’t mean you wouldn’t need someone to oversee the work being done. At a minimum, you’ll need someone to serve as a point of contact between you and the copywriter. While that could be you in many cases, sometimes it’ll be your marketing manager or someone else.

Make sure you have the right person in place for this when you’re hiring a copywriter. You should even get them involved in the hiring process. The trick is to make sure the manager can work well with the copywriter. Don’t just focus on the person you’re hiring when you’re doing this, though.

You’ll have to make sure your manager is actually capable of the job, too. If they’ve recently been promoted, it’s something you’ll need to focus on. Nobody wants toxic management to be part of their company, so go out of your way to avoid it, and things will go smoothly.

Hiring a Copywriter

There are many ways of hiring a copywriter. But you may be tempted to go with a large agency that has numerous writers on their books. These can be great places, however, some have little regard for the quality of the content they are producing.

To get the content you deserve, try and work directly with the writer as this will give you greater control of the material that is produced. It’s easier to set your expectations and manage any content revisions needed.

Start off by Googling ‘copywriters near me‘ and get to know the names of writers operating in your area. Failing that, head to UpWork or FreeUp and advertise for writers before thoroughly vetting them.

Find the Right Writer for Your Content

Hiring a copywriter is easy if you know what you’re looking for. Dealing directly with a writer will ensure you get the best quality content that matches your brand persona and converts.

Need help with your content? Get in touch today to discuss how I can help.

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