Copy is an art form. While many of us can write, it doesn't mean you should - most people are lacking the information required to really optimise a website and make it perfectly adapted for inbound marketing.
A good copywriter is able to not just write good-looking copy for your site, but they're also able to research and assess the types of content that will do best. They can then optimise it so both the reader and search engines love it - resulting in more page hits for you, more inquiries for your sales teams, and the type of high-quality customers you really want to attract.
If you're tempted to hire a copywriter but still find yourself on the fence, let's take a look at the pros and cons to outsourcing your copywriting.
What is Inbound Marketing?
First, it's important to understand the importance of copywriting. Copy is not there just to look pretty - it has a purpose and a function. And one of the main purposes is inbound marketing.
Inbound marketing is about attracting the customer to you. Rather than spending thousands on outbound marketing - that's your social media ads, TV ads and magazine ads - you spend a fraction of the price on optimising your web copy to a point where customers can find you.
Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?
Believe it or not, your content can and will attract the right customers if done properly. Why spend so much time and money on outbound marketing trying to attract the customer to you, when the right customer is already out there searching for the very thing you provide. You just need tohelp them find you - and that's where strong content comes in.
But that's the thing. You can't just write randomly and hope for the best. It's only high-quality, optimised content that will boost your searchability on Google and put you in front of your dream customers.
How to Write Excellent Copy with SEO
Excellent copy depends on a variety of factors. You've more than likely heard of SEO - that's 'Search Engine Optimisation'. It's essentially how your copy ranks on Google.
Say a customer is looking for a dog trainer. They may type in 'dog trainers in Glasgow' (or wherever they are based). The most highly-optimised websites will rank at the time of the search bar - and as you likely already know from personal experience, these are the websites Google has deemed the most relevant to the search, and they are therefore the most likely to get clicked on. So basically, SEO is what makes your website rank higher on those Google searches.
So how do you use SEO to optimise your website? There are several factors to consider:
- High readability. This is where your professional, experienced copywriter comes in. Content needs to be easy to read - and this is typically easier said than done! Copywriters are essentially teachers. They are answering the question the audience/customer has asked. They also need to factor in the structure; for example, you don't want to answer a question too soon, or your reader will bounce straight off the page. You also don't want to take too long to get to the point, or you'll lose their interest... like I said, it's an art!
- Keyword research. You'll need to find what keywords your company is ranking for. From that, you can figure out which phrases are also relevant, and which questions.
- Backlinks. Backlinks are links that link back to your site. These are important because they suggest to Google that your website has something people want to know, as people are linking to it elsewhere. It gives your article/website credibility.
- Relevance. Your content MUST be relevant. There's no point going off on tangents, or writing articles that blow smoke up your company's... well, you know. Be honest and upfront!
- Build trust. The more you answer those questions, the more you will be seen as a source of trust - and the more likely people will be to share their hard-earned cash with you.
- Clarity. Are you being clear with your audience? Do you talk about prices upfront? Do you answer any questions they may have as a customer? All these questions need to be answered if you want your page to rank well.
Why Outsource Copy
With the above in mind, you'll now have a much clearer idea of why it's so important to use an experienced, professional copywriter to write your content. But why not hire an internal copywriter? Why outsource to an external writer instead? The truth is, hiring a full-time internal copywriter or content manager may be the better option for you. If you have the money and resources to have someone in-house, you'll likely need them!
But if you're a smaller company with a smaller budget, a freelancer may be the perfect answer. Even if you're a larger company with an already-established in-house writer, sometimes outsourcing is a great way to keep on top of copy and keep a high amount of good-quality content coming through the door.
Let's take a look at the benefits of hiring a freelance copywriter.
The Benefits of Outsourcing Your Copywriting
Hiring an external copywriting can have lots of advantages:
- You can focus on your clients. Writing copy is time-consuming. Writing GOOD copy is even more so. Hiring a freelancer frees you up to focus on your main priority - your customers. You can relax knowing your writer is sorting your inbound marketing for you.
- You can spend money elsewhere. Hiring a freelance writer to help with your marketing, as opposed to spending money on adverts, will save you money. You can spend that money elsewhere - like on product development, staff incentives and research.
- You can find freelancers who specialise in certain areas. As a copywriter, I have spent over 10 years working in the health & beauty field. That gives me a deeper understanding the products and audience, allowing me to further educate the audience, build that relationship of trust and optimise the website. If you work in a specific niche, hiring a freelancer who specialises in your area of business can be extremely beneficial.
- A freelance writer knows how to adapt their copy. All freelancers will have built their experience by working for an assortment of different companies. They may have written in different sectors, tone of voice, and to different audience types. Freelancers are able to adapt quickly and efficiently to meet their client's needs.
- It gives you flexibility. When you need to spend resources elsewhere, you can say goodbye to your freelance writer until the time is right to ask them back. You could also hire them ad-hoc, or have them on some sort of retainer - working with a freelancer gives you the flexibility to meet the demands of your unique business.
- They understand the importance of content. When funds get low, writers can be the first to go - and this is a mistake! Those in content are some of the most important people to your business because they're there to attract the customers that are right for you. They're a vital part of the sale journey - and your freelance writer knows this.
What do you think - do you agree with the above? I'd love to hear - contact me via the form!