Small business owners wear many hats within a business, which makes sense given start-up budgets and financial constraints. But hiring a freelance copywriter could help with reducing the time you spend on administrative tasks. And it could improve your marketing’s effectiveness to generate more business.
Once you have the money to do so, it’s wise to hire a freelance copywriter. Freelancers don’t have the large price tags that agencies do and you’ll find that a freelancer can become like an extension of your team without the expense of paying for benefits and putting them on a salary.
10 Benefits of hiring a freelance copywriter
Here’s a look at some of the benefits of hiring a freelance copywriter.
1. Content marketing strategy from a freelance copywriter
Many freelance copywriters are also content marketers, which means they can aid in building out your strategy for how all your content comes together to build a relationship with a prospect to convert them to a customer.
Ultimately, you want your brand to be consistent across all marketing channels. A content marketing strategy ensures that and more! With content marketing, you maximize the usefulness of every piece of content you develop so that it aids in email marketing, social media, SEO, and your blog.
Every tactic works together in your marketing strategy to reach people and an experienced copywriter and content marketer knows that.
2. Freelance copywriter SEO expertise
If you’re creating content for your company’s online presence, you should hire a freelance copywriter with SEO expertise. SEO blogging for small businesses is an important strategy for growing awareness of all that you have to offer.
While your main goal for your content might not be SEO, it should be a consideration. And without a copywriter who understands the basics of how to write content that ranks on search engines, you’re missing out on an opportunity. Don’t wait around and think you’ll optimize that content later when you can hire an SEO expert. Start now with good baseline copy that both engages readers and ranks on search engines.
3. Fresh, original content with minimal effort from you
If you’ve sat down multiple times to write the same piece of content and feel stuck, it’s time to hire a freelance copywriter. Hiring a freelance copywriting means you get fresh ideas and original content with minimal effort from you.
Instead of wasting your valuable time trying to write the content, hire it out. If you follow the tips below for how to hire an experienced copywriter, you’ll be glad you paid the money for an expert.
Want help finding topic ideas for your blog? Read the blog: How Can We Find Good Blog Topics.
4. Affordable hourly rates so you can focus on your small business
While spending money in the early days of your business can be hard, you have to remember that your time is extremely valuable. Your know-how is what sets your business apart from your competitors.
Put your time to good use and enjoy the affordable rates of a freelance copywriter. What’s reasonable to pay for a copywriter? Well, that depends on the content and how in-depth it is. For U.S. based native speakers, you can expect to see hourly rates from $25-150 an hour. The sweet spot is somewhere in the middle.
You can find a good copywriter for $50-$75 an hour that gets the job done well. The lower brackets are generally individuals who are just starting out. And while they certainly deserve a chance, consider carefully your goals and whether or not you have the patience to work with them as they learn the ropes.
The more expensive copywriters are generally those who have many years of experience and are focused on a niche. They might have in-depth knowledge about a topic, such as medicine, that other writers struggle to write about. These more expensive copywriters provide deep industry knowledge for those who need more technical writing. Many small businesses don’t need to worry about this type of writing in the early days of their business so look more for the mid-range copywriter.
5. Offer customers something your competitors aren’t
Publishing content frequently will help you edge out your competitors. And that’s not just because you’ll have great SEO. You’ll also be delivering high-quality, relevant information that guides them toward a purchasing decision.
Or maybe they won’t purchase with you right now, but they’ll see you as relatable, helpful and worth staying in touch with.
Regardless, you’ll stay top-of-mind and edge out your competitors for that space within your target market.
6. More time for you to focus on your business
You’re an expert in your field. That’s why you started your business in the first place. So why would you spend your valuable time writing content?
Instead, it’s far better for business experts to write some bullet points of key information they want included in a post and leave it to the writer to do the rest. Now you can spend more time doing the things that will have the greatest impact on your business while allowing an expert to handle your copywriting.
7. Freelancers know how to find topic ideas
One of the most time-consuming aspects of copywriting for many businesses is finding topic ideas. Clients often ask me, how can we find good topic ideas? Topic ideas are all around you, but you’ll need to know how to look for them.
A freelance copywriter knows the common places to find content ideas and how to cover the content in a customer-centric way.
8. Copywriters are skilled at drawing readers in
When people who work for the business write for the business, it can be challenging for them to pause and think like a customer. They know the nitty-gritty details that make their business so great and staying out of those weeds can be challenging.
A copywriter knows how to write content that customers will love. And how to do so in a down-to-earth manner that makes your brand seem friendly and approachable.
9. There’s a copywriter out there with expertise in your industry
Zippia estimates that there are more than 4,500 freelance copywriters offering their services to businesses just like yours. And with that many copywriters in the world, you should be able to find one who specializes in your industry. You might even find one who previously wrote for a competitor or who writes for an industry publication that you respect.
Finding the best copywriter for your business takes time and might require a little trial and error. Not every copywriter is as good at their craft as they claim to be. That’s why you might need to test out a few to see who is really skilled at their craft.
10. Copywriters are nimble and quick with developing content
Have you ever had an idea for a great piece of content and then it takes months to develop and is not nearly as relevant as it was at first? Having a nimble and quick copywriter you can call upon to write content at any time will help you react to customer needs and win more business.
It shouldn’t take months to develop a simple piece of content. Instead, you can work with your copywriter to complete the work in a week or less. Now you’ll have lead magnets, automated email journeys and more to deliver what your potential customers need.
How to set yourself up for a successful freelance copywriter project
Take some time to carefully outline what you’re looking for. Don’t just post a job out there saying you need a copywriter. Consider what skills you want the copywriter to possess and what’s most important to you.
Timelines are also helpful for finding the right copywriter. Set timelines and make those clear when reaching out to potential copywriters.
If you’re looking for website copywriting, be prepared to outline the goal of each webpage and key messages you want to convey to your consumers on those pages.
Setting up your project for success means providing your freelance copywriter all that you can at the start of the project. If you have competitor analysis, provide that information to your copywriter as well. Brand guidelines that outline voice and tone can also be helpful for your copywriter if you have such documents.
What to look for when hiring a freelance copywriter
One of the hardest parts about being a small business owner is finding employees and partners who are good at what they claim to be good at. The gig economy is ever-growing but with that comes some difficulty in finding those who are truly skilled at what they claim to be skilled at.
Here’s how to find a freelance copywriter who is good at what they do.
1. Experience in your industry or a similar industry
Background knowledge about the challenges your industry faces or what motivates consumers within your industry is always helpful. This is certainly not a requirement for hiring a copywriter because many copywriters are skilled in learning about a topic quickly to get up to speed.
2. SEO expertise
Freelance copywriters who are also well-versed in SEO are extremely helpful. Check their portfolio for content where you can see a clear target keyword for the copy without it being stuffed into every sentence on the page.
3. Clean grammar and the ability to follow a brand style guide
Grammar is one of the first impressions you’ll give off to your potential customers. You want copy that is clean and easy to read. Ask for samples of work to ensure that the copywriter applying for your work knows their stuff. And if you see typos in their cover letter or email exchanges, look elsewhere.
4. Digital marketing know-how
If you’re hiring a copywriter to develop content for your website, blog, email marketing, social media or other online presence, ask about their digital marketing experience. Each communication channel has nuances and hiring a writer who gets that is very helpful.
5. Timeliness and respect for deadlines
Nothing is more frustrating than having freelancers who miss their deadlines hold up your project. Set very clear deadlines in your communication and planning with the freelancer and hold them to those deadlines. Failing to meet deadlines is a good reason to look for a new freelance copywriter.
6. Interviewing abilities to capture your thoughts and sentiments
Freelance copywriters who know how to interview an individual and ask the right questions is invaluable. That’s because these freelancers make for the best ghostwriters. They can capture what you’re thinking and what you’re trying to convey clearly.
7. Ask to see previous work
It’s so important that you see samples of work for a freelance copywriter you’re considering hiring. Ask for relevant industry experience as well to see content from those industries if that’s important to you.
Hiring a freelance copywriter can free up time for small business owners to focus on building their business. If you’re looking for a skilled copywriter, you’ve come to the right place. Bridge the Gap Communication offers clear and concise content that resonates with your target audience and delights them to turn prospects into customers. Contact us for a project estimate.
FAQs
Learn more about why you should consider hiring a freelance copywriter from these commonly asked questions from other businesses just like you.
Is Hiring a Copywriter Worth It?
Copywriters draft content in your brand voice and matching your voice and tone. You’ll find working with an expert helps you develop a personality that matches your brand and the medium you’re posting on.
What Does a Freelance Copywriter Do?
Freelance copywriters are professionals who work with clients on an as-needed or contract basis to develop content that resonates with your target audience.
When Should I Hire a Copywriter?
You should hire a copywriter when you’re poised for business growth and search engine optimization. A copywriter can write website pages that speak to your target audience and build a content plan for publishing SEO blogs that will drive continuous traffic to your website.