Finding a copywriter worth working with
Hiring a copywriter for the first time can feel surprisingly difficult. There are a lot of people offering this service, the work can be hard to evaluate before you’ve actually seen it, and it’s not always obvious what questions you should ask or what you should look for.
This post is for small business owners who are thinking about working with a copywriter and want to feel confident they’re making the right choice.
Start with their own writing
The most reliable indicator of a good copywriter is their own writing. Not their list of services or their client roster, their actual words. Read their website carefully. Does it sound like a real person with a clear point of view? Is it specific and direct, or does it feel a bit generic and templated? If their own website doesn’t make you want to keep reading, it’s worth asking whether they’ll be able to do that for yours. The way a copywriter presents themselves is a preview of how they’ll approach your work.
Look for someone who asks good questions
A good copywriter wants to understand your business before they start writing. They should be curious about who you are, who your clients are, what makes your work different, and what you want your website to achieve. If someone is willing to start writing before they’ve asked those questions, that’s probably a red flag.
The best working relationships tend to start with a conversation rather than a brief. Someone who takes the time to understand your business before putting words to it will produce work that actually sounds like you.
Consider their area of focus
Copywriting covers a lot of ground. Some copywriters specialise in advertising, some in long form content, some in email marketing. For a small business looking to build organic visibility online, someone who understands both website copy and SEO is going to serve you better than a generalist who does a bit of everything.
It’s worth asking directly: do you have experience writing for small businesses? Do you understand how copy and SEO work together? The answers will tell you a lot.
Think about how they work
Some copywriters work at high volume with fast turnarounds. Others take a slower, more collaborative approach. Neither is inherently better, but one might likely be a better fit for you.
If you want someone who will take the time to understand your business properly, ask questions, and produce work that genuinely reflects what you do, look for a copywriter who works that way. Their process should be evident from how they talk about their work and how they respond to your first enquiry.
Trust your instincts
You’re going to be sharing a lot about your business with this person and trusting them to represent it in words. If something feels off in the early conversations – if they seem disinterested, rushed, or like they’re not really listening – that feeling is probably worth trusting.
The right copywriter will make you feel understood before they’ve written a single word. That’s a pretty reasonable thing to expect, and a good sign when you find it.
If you’d like to get a sense of whether we’d be a good fit, I’d love to hear about your business. Get in touch whenever you’re ready.
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