What's Inside the Blog
There’s no denying that a stellar digital marketing strategy is a must for a modern business.
But creating compelling content or copy for our businesses can often be daunting. Maybe there’s simply not enough time in the day to do it all. Maybe your interest in writing blogs or creating digital content for your brand just seems mind-numbingly boring. Maybe you don’t have the confidence in your writing skills to tackle this kind of task.
Whatever the case may be, most brands come to a point where their content marketing needs grow, and their ability to tackle those needs shrinks.
That’s where freelance writers come in.
Sounds simple enough, right? Sure, in some ways. Here’s the problem, though–hiring the right freelance content writer or copywriter can feel just as daunting as trying to tackle the digital content work yourself.
How can you tell that you’re making the right choice?
How are you going to be sure a specific writer makes sense for your brand?
What are the right characteristics to look for in a solid freelance writer, anyway?
Good news–you’ve found the right corner of the internet to answer all those questions (and more). Keep reading for the inside scoop on how to tell if you’re working with your perfect-fit freelance writer.
Did You Hire the Right Pro Copywriter?
Why Your Brand Needs a Pro Copywriter
First things first, if you’re struggling with the question of whether or not you should hire a freelance writer at all, I highly recommend you take a peek at this blog about why hiring a pro copywriter is the right business move.
I won’t spoil the whole thing here for you, but essentially, that blog walks you through the undeniable benefits of outsourcing your content and copywriting needs to a pro.
Essentially, a professional writer can help you:
- Create better, more meaningful connections with your target audience
- Save you time to focus on doing what you do best (running your business)
- Attract new audiences
- Keep audiences interested and engaged
- Create a customer experience that’s fluid and consistent
- Strategically encourages customer action
Is that the end-all-be-all list? No way.
A professional copywriter can help you clean up your brand voice, fine-tune your messaging, enhance your SEO efforts, and basically help you appease the search engine algorithm gods, so you show up higher on SERPs.
10 Signs You're Working with the Right Pro Copywriter
I’ve spent a lot of time cultivating and perfecting my client relationship strategy alongside my freelance writing techniques.
I’ve also spent a lot of time working with, evaluating, and learning from other freelance writers.
To put it simply, I’ve seen what makes a good copywriter.
And unfortunately, I’ve seen what makes a not-so-good copywriter, too.
Determining the best copywriter for your brand is tough–but these signs can help point you toward your perfect-fit freelance writer.
But you can’t just hire any old writer, cross your fingers, and hope for the best.
If you want to see results, you need to hire a qualified, top-notch, exceptional copywriter who’s the right for your brand.
So, how can you tell if the writer you’ve hired is actually the right freelance writer for your needs?
Keep reading–I’ve shared my whole checklist with you.
They'll Insist on a Brand Voice Consult (Or Something Like It)
At Boundless Copy, we don’t take on new clients unless they agree to an hour-long brand voice consultation call.
Is this some sort of power trip? Nope. Am I just trying to make a quick buck? Not at all.
A brand voice consult for new customers is a critical part of the intake process. If I don’t know a client’s brand, their brand voice, their goals, or their customers, how could I possibly write custom, targeted copy that’s going to get them the results they want?
The answer is pretty simple–I couldn’t.
If your freelance writer has never taken the time to insist on a sit-down that divulges all your brand’s info, then that’s a major red flag. They need that information to write effective copy, reach your target audience, and curate your enhanced brand voice.
Your copywriter gets bonus points if they’re routinely following up with you on your feelings about your evolving brand voice.
Their Skills Go Beyond Great Copy
Being a highly-effective copywriter or content writer isn’t just about writing. I know, kind of shocking, right? Obviously, being a solid writer is part of the deal, but you’d be surprised how many other skills are part of the mix.
Relentless researching, nit-picky copyediting, finely tuned people skills, exceptional time management, adherence to boundaries, and even investigative interviewing talents are all big elements in the equation.
When I first started copywriting, I was transitioning from a journalism career that I had worked incredibly hard at. I was in my early 20s and had tons of clips from newspapers all over Florida. I was positive that the quality of writing in those clips was going to land me any job I wanted.
But honestly, my writing had very little to do with it. Clients liked how I was able to get sources to talk so openly about tough topics. My interview skills were the main takeaway–and that’s ultimately what got me hired.
If you’re working with a top-notch copywriter, you’ll recognize that the appeal of their work is about more than just how they write–it’s about all the other skills they bring to the table.
Constructive Criticism is Part of the Process
Copywriting and content writing are not linear processes. If your content writer turns in work that needs edits or changes, that’s not a red flag–that’s just part of the copywriting process. Because, newsflash, perfect copy isn’t actually possible!
Revisions are normal, requests for changes are normal, and asking your copywriter to review your notes is normal, too.
Offering constructive feedback to your freelance writer is normal. Having your writer receive that constructive feedback in a professional way is also normal. But if you’re dealing with a writer who doesn’t take criticism well, won’t make changes, and refuses to revise based on your requests, that’s likely not the right freelancer for you.
A good freelance writer and client relationship is built on a professional and respectful back and forth.
Your freelance writer shouldn’t take personal offense to criticism or edit requests, and ultimately, they need to understand the main idea is to get you what you want. If constructive feedback isn’t palatable for them, they’re probably not the right fit for your brand.
They Pitch to You How to Better Your Brand
Whether you knew it before this blog or not, a big portion of freelance writing is brainstorming, content creation ideas, and pitching to clients. A top-notch freelance writer is going to understand that even if you, as the client, have a vision or a long list of topics to tackle, it’s their job to pitch new ideas to you, too.
A great freelance writer is going to have a ton of ideas and won’t be afraid to share them with you. A great client is open and receptive to these ideas, always willing to talk them through and be direct with their freelance writer.
If you’re working with a content writer who’s always making you pitch ideas, isn’t bringing anything new to the table, and is essentially waiting on you to assign work, it’s possible they’re not the right fit for you.
They Also Acknowledge & Consider Your Ideas
Pitching content is a must for freelance writers–but they need to be receptive to your ideas, too. A great content writer understands the give-and-take balance of sharing their audience and considering yours–there’s value in all of it.
Consider the content creation road a two-way street. Everyone should share their insight, pitch topic ideas, and be receptive to each other’s thoughts.
They're on a Never-Ending Quest to Reach Your People Better
A good copywriter will touch base with you about your audience every so often to ensure what they’re delivering is reaching the right crowd. A phenomenal copywriter is on an endless journey to ensure everything they write targets exactly who they intend to target.
Your brand’s messaging, brand voice, and goals should be a big part of your customers’ full journey through your sales funnel–and that means everything your writer creates needs to target that audience head-on.
A top-notch copywriter is going to know this. And more than that, they’re going to relentlessly chase this goal without being asked. Solid copywriters know that anywhere you’re communicating with your audience is an opportunity to target them to the best of your ability.
They Get its a Balance Between Customer Service & Creativity
Great copywriters and content writers are creative–but they’re also focused on customer service. That’s because freelance writing isn’t just about flexing creative muscles; it’s about getting a customer what they want.
The freelance writing industry is inherently a creative one. But primarily, it’s about providing a service to a customer and ensuring that they’re wholly satisfied with that service.
If you’re working with a copywriter that allows their own vision to get in the way of what you’re looking for, they might not be the right fit.
SEO-Optimized Content Goes Without Saying
Anytime you have a writer creating something that’s going to live online it should help you perform better in search engines’ algorithms.
Does that mean every piece of content your writers create needs to be solely focused on SEO? No way–in fact, if you really want to improve your SEO rankings with a content marketing strategy, you’ll focus mostly on delivering value to your customers (not appeasing the SEO algorithms).
But well-written digital copy and content–by nature–are going to boost your rankings. Ensuring that you have a freelance writer who understands that and knows how to write effectively for online platforms is a big component of success.
Your content writer–even if they’re just tackling your weekly blog–should understand the fundamentals of SEO writing.
This way, you’re not just getting a brand-voice-first blog that offers your readers valuable information; you’re also getting a brand-voice-first blog that’s specifically optimized for better rankings.
They Get Content Writing vs. Copywriting
There is an enormous difference between content writing and copywriting, though they do overlap. If your freelance writer doesn’t understand the distinction between the two, that might be a red flag.
Does that mean they can’t be a reliable, great writer for your business? Nope, not at all. But it does mean that they might not understand the difference in messaging, intent, and how to reach your audience best.
Ultimately, I’d double-check with your writer and get their take on what they think the difference between content writing and copywriting is–their answer is important.
Communication is Never an Issue
If you’re opting to work with a freelance copywriter, the odds are they don’t work within your company.
There are lots of benefits to hiring a contract worker to outsource some of your work, but there’s always the risk that because they’re not on the payroll directly or physically down the hall, you might have a tough time getting ahold of them.
A great freelance writer will be responsive and communicative, all within certain boundaries. No, a freelancer isn’t at your beck and call whenever you reach out to them, but they’ll get back to you in a timely manner, never leave you wondering how to reach them, and they’ll certainly never ghost you.
Even if you don’t have a current project you’re working on together, a fantastic freelance writer will check in often, pitch new ideas to you, and make sure they’re always on your radar.
The Right Pro Copywriter Can Make All the Difference
Run through that checklist for a moment. Does your current freelancer meet all (or most) of these guidelines?
Ultimately, only you can know who’s the right fit for your company. But after years of experience, I do think that these elements are most important for a successful client-freelance relationship.
On the hunt for your own perfect-fit freelance writer? Boundless Copy is here for you. Schedule a call with our team ASAP to learn more about how our professional writers can boost your business, enhance your brand voice, and reach your audience the right way.
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