Are you weighing up the pros and cons of hiring a copywriting to take your brand to the next level of growth? Or debating the benefits of an in-house writer vs a freelancer? Learn everything you need to know about hiring the right copywriter for your business and getting maximum value from their expertise.
What is a professional copywriter?
A professional copywriter is a wordsmith. They’ll be experienced in creative writing and many copywriters specialise in certain industries, business types, or copywriting services.
A copywriter may produce everything from website copy to direct mail leaflet copy.
Discover the difference between copywriting and content writing.
Freelance or in-house?
One key decision to make is whether your needs are best suited to a freelance writer or an in-house employee.
There are pros and cons to both and it depends on your situation, budget, requirements, and various other factors.
For example, hiring a junior copywriter to your internal team may be the most cost-effective solution, but they will require training. A senior internal copywriter will be expensive but good, and you’ll need to ensure you have enough work to keep them busy and may the most ROI from their salary.
Many businesses assume an internal copywriter will have the best understanding of their business, but that’s not necessarily true.
Experienced freelance copywriters are highly skilled at diving into a business, understanding it and often offering a fresh pair of eyes – it’s sometimes difficult to spot things when you’re inside a business.
And while freelancers may seem more expensive in terms of day rate or project, you only pay for the writing services or time you need and don’t have the responsibility of a full-time salary and benefits.
OK, so I may sound biased here: but from my 20 years’ experience, freelancers tend to be at the top of their game and it can be the same investment as a junior employee minus the babysitting, and they’ll often achieve much more to a significantly higher standard. All the benefits of a senior on a junior budget.
The cost of hiring a freelance copywriter
As we touched on above, it can be a highly cost-effective solution for your business’s growing needs, but what does it actually cost?
Truthfully, it varies massively.
Some copywriters charge a standard day rate and track their time. I usually charge a project fee rather than time, as this reflects best value for both my clients and for me due to my two decades experience.
According to ProCopywriters, the average day rate for a copywriter in 2024 was £440. However, junior may be around the £250 mark and senior copywriters might charge £1k+ for a day thanks to their experience, qualifications, and the value they know they bring to the table.
What can a great copywriter do for your business?
There’s a range of copywriting services available – for example:
- Website copywriting
- Blog writing
- Email campaigns
- Long form writing like e-books and whitepapers
- Social media content creation
- Advert copywriting (online or print)
- Brochure writing
Personally, I’ve done it all in my time and now I specialise in website copywriting and blog writing. This is where I know I can bring maximum value to you and your business.
I’m experienced in keyword research and search engine optimisation, and I combine these technical skills with my creative flair for producing wording that reflects your brand and gets results.
How to find the best copywriter for your business
There’s no such thing as “the best copywriter”, but there’s a perfect copywriter out there for you.
It’s worth asking similar business owners or marketing managers you know for recommendations, and also doing some research on Google and LinkedIn to get a feel for the different people out there and how they could fit in with you.
People often ask me if it’s essential to hire a copywriter who specialises in your niche business area, and honestly it depends. If it’s highly technical work you do and you’re talking to a highly specialist audience, then yes, probably. If not, it can be refreshing to get a fresh pair of eyes on your business and work with someone who has a varied experience in helping different kinds of brands grow.
I believe it’s a lot to do with the chemistry: so, book calls, read portfolios and see who shares your values and vibe. Especially if it’s going to be a long-term collaborative partnership, you need to feel connected and like they’re a true part of the team rather than a distant, anonymous supplier.
Tips on getting the most from your chosen copywriter
A few tips on getting the best value once you’ve chosen a copywriter to work with:
Give good briefs – the more information we have, the more we can achieve.
Be clear on your goals and audience – if you don’t know what you want or who you’re talking to, we’re unlikely to be able to reach and connect with them.
See them as a collaborator – trust your copywriter as an expert and be open-minded to their ideas.
Bring them into the team – introduce them to key team members to build relationships and cohesion and avoid any tension.
Have a broader marketing strategy – great copywriting works best as part of a wider marketing strategy, so don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Build a long-term relationship – the best partnerships get better over time as your copywriter learns every in and out of your business and you learn how best to work with them, so see it as a long-term relationship if possible and invest in it accordingly.
Give feedback – please don’t be afraid to give us constructive feedback, it helps us improve and understand you. As long as it’s delivered in the right way, we welcome it and we’re used to it.
Don’t sweat the small stuff – having said that, try not to be overly pernickety – spending hours poring over a blog isn’t the best use of your time and, on balance, the odd word or punctuation change isn’t worth it as long as you’re seeing the results you want.
Find an SEO copywriting expert to grow your business
Ready to outsource the words needed to grow your business to an expert?
I’m Ali, an SEO copywriter based in Lancashire who works with growing businesses and creative brands across the UK.
Book a free, no pressure 15-minute chat with me and let’s explore if we’re a good fit to work together to grow your visibility, traffic, and enquiries through the power of the written word.