What questions should I ask a copywriter?
Working with a copywriter isn’t as simple as just giving them a brief and hoping they can work their magic. A copywriter needs time to understand your business, your target audience and the message you are trying to portray to current and future clients.
Any copywriter serious about writing for others will book some time for a discovery call or visit your offices. Ask for a portfolio of your copywriters’ previous work, find out their ideal writing style or voice and whether they have worked on similar projects. You will also need to know lead times for your writing project and what you can expect to get from the budget that has been set.
How do I prepare for a copywriter meeting?
Have a clear goal in mind of what you would like to achieve with your writing project, and try to map this out as much as you can. Who is your target audience?
Do you have a brand pack to hand, and when would you like to see your copy published? Your copywriter will work closely with you to identify these points and many others, but it will be a great starting point if you have a few ideas about the above.
How is content writing different from copywriting?
Content writing
Generally, content writing is aimed much more at describing a service, product or industry-related piece of news. Content writing is an excellent way of communicating with your clients regularly and can show that you are an expert in your industry.
Copywriting
Copywriting is perfect for adverts, clips and product launches. A piece of copywriting is aimed at selling your brand, services or products. This way of writing is much more persuasive as the ultimate goal is to get existing clients to stick around and new clients to buy from you.
How do I find a great copywriter?
This is a difficult question to answer as there will never be a one-size-fits-all content or copywriter. Often, you will get the first impression from their website or portfolio but may not be able to decide after you have met.
Your decision should be based on the copywriter’s skills and style as well as their personality and how they may work with your team. Your chosen copywriter may have excellent skills, but they might be a dragon to work with – and nobody needs that!
Can you be both a copywriter and content writer?
Absolutely – you can apply your skills to be both a copywriter and content writer. The trick is to understand the brief and project inside out to identify what the client is looking for. You can then decide on the style and tone of voice that will set you up to either write copy or content.
This may also interest you:
Five reasons your staff may need content writing training from an Aylesbury Copywriter
What can writing white papers do for your business?
Five successful persuasive writing techniques from your local copywriter
How do I test an Aylesbury content writer?
If you are still not sure you have made the right choice with your Aylesbury content writer, you may need to give them a trial piece to see if this works for you. However, I would always advise you to do this with an open mind.
It can take time for a content writer to understand your business, and during the first stages, you may find that you need to make more changes than you may do in the future. Always be open and honest with your Aylesbury content writer and provide constructive feedback they can work with. If you still find after a couple of months that it isn’t working, it may be time to try someone else.
Why is content writing important for my business?
Yes, as an Aylesbury Content writer, I will be biased about this particular question. But I cannot stress the importance of good content writing on your website or any digital/print platform.
Content writing should be used to keep in communication with your existing and potential clients. Content writing explains your business, services and industry expertise clearly and consistently. Blogs are brilliant for information sharing, and content writing should not be skirted.
How do you decide what tone to use with particular writing pieces?
This is very much a question you and your Aylesbury content writer would decide on during a discovery call. It will all depend on the type of piece you are writing, who you are trying to communicate with, and whether you are trying to sell your services, give advice or simply share your news.
Can I do content writing myself?
Of course you can! Whether you have never written before and need some guidance or just need to find the time to write your content, you can do this yourself, and you may be surprised at the results. However, if you don’t have the time or the inclination to write, we can support you by doing this on your behalf.
At Content Clever, we offer content planning packages to get you started and provide ongoing support by proofreading writing pieces or checking in periodically to see how you are getting on. Get in touch today to see how we can help.
Why is SEO content writing so important?
SEO – Search Engine Optimisation means making your online presence strong and competitive with other business competitors in your industry. SEO content writing forms part of a broader strategy aimed at writing around targeted keywords that support your rankings on search engines, meaning you are easier to find online.
