Today, thousands of good copywriters have emerged in the copywriting industry. From this population, only a few hundred are really impressive. These few are your go-to when your brand needs enticing headlines, epic email campaigns, and enthralling product descriptions. To get your hands on a decent copywriter, you should focus your attention on more than a fancy resume. This text will help you to filter mediocre copywriters in your vetting process.
What you should consider when hiring a copywriter
The following steps have been proven to yield better results.
Know what you want
One of the biggest mistakes that people make when looking for a copywriter is to go for an individual who claims they can write about anything. You should know that great copywriters have specialties. That said, you must pick a specific copywriter who specializes in an area of your interest. This means you should first know what services you’re looking for before you begin the scouting process.
To narrow your search, you can create a list of priorities you want your potential copywriter to take once they are hired. It will help if you highlight all the ideas and types of content you want them to work on.
Choose the level of skill that works for you
By the way, it’s not all copywriting projects that demand first-rate copywriters. If you have done your research well and learned what you want your copywriter to write about, you can know whether what you’re offering is a high demanding job or not.
If you want help with a one-time project, consider getting a freelance copywriter. The advantage of going for freelancers is that you choose the specific person you want to work with as opposed to an agency. That way, you have a good chance of capturing a perfect (specific) candidate for the job.
In the case where you need services for an ongoing project, there are two options available. Either you hire a full-time copywriter. This copywriter will become even better as they familiarize with your brand’s identity, although they may be expensive. Or, you can onboard someone on staff with a monthly stipend.
Avoid asking writers about analytics
Remember, copywriters are simply writers; they are not in the business of analyzing data. Please do not ask them about A/B testing results, or conversion rates, etc. And also, you should know that copywriters may not have specific data to support everything they claim about their work. Point number 5 below reveals a possible way you can use to learn about your copywriter’s proficiency.
Don’t fall for an SEO Pro
It’s better to hire a seasoned copywriter with ample SEO knowledge than to pick a self-proclaimed SEO writer. What you want is a good copywriter who is not blinkered on keywords but can produce good content. SEO specialty is now a thing of the past. If you want to add keywords to your articles, inform your writer to add them, it’s that simple.
Ask the copywriter for their previous work
It makes sense to take a glimpse over the work that your potential writer has done before.
NB: Be reminded that we are not talking about requesting statistical data revealing how their work boosted sales of a particular product, etc.
The copywriter can show you the work they have done for some clients. They can highlight their contributions which made the brands they worked for even better. This will demand the writer to do some digging to give you convincing information about their work.
Carry out two tests
The 1st test
You should give your potential copywriter a test task that resembles what they may be doing for your organization. That’s right, the test tasks don’t need to be many, and they don’t have to be random. And also, they shouldn’t be super taxing or complex.
If you’re looking for a copywriter who will specifically handle email campaigns, don’t waste time giving them tests on product descriptions. Instead, find unique product names and make them write a copy that can be put on a homepage banner. When you do that, you can better understand their prowess.
The 2nd test
To find a great copywriter is good, but to find a great copywriter who is also a collaborator and an editor is plausible. To see whether your potential copywriter has the last attributes, read their completed work, and give them feedback. Let them go back to the test task to fix their mistakes and improve according to what you suggested.
From this exercise, you will learn whether the copywriter is responsive to constructive feedback.
Conduct interviews
It’s important to know that copywriters come in various shapes and sizes. Some are interested in storytelling, while others love writing scripts for videos. You may be surprised that there is also a group that is knee-deep into analytics.
To conduct meaningful interviews, which allows you to know intrinsic information about a writer, you should have an interview cheat sheet. This should have exciting questions that will enable the copywriter to fully express themself. Avoid classic lockup questions in a bid to maintain professionalism. Some of the questions you can include are:
- While working for other clients, have you ever thought of a headline or story that you perceived as fascinating but the organization you worked for didn’t like?
Many copywriters have been through something like this. As they explain their story, you learn how passionate the writer is with their work and how the writer could perform without too many constraints.
What inspired you to get into copywriting?
Although this question seems ordinary, it’s actually interesting to the writer. And also, it helps you to understand what motivates the writer to do their work. You may find that some individuals got into writing out of passion. They would have picked interest at a very young age. You would want that writer as opposed to one who is motivated by money. Not that it’s terrible to do it for the money, but at least they should love what they do.
What would you consider as your favorite brand for inspiration?
Most copywriters have brands they have always dreamed to write for. A follow-up to that question should be; what other brands do you think to produce great content and do their copywriting well? As the writer responds to these questions, you can learn more about their writing style and what they are likely to produce. And also, it will tell you whether they are all-in-into the copywriting business or to them, it’s just a part-time gig. Individuals who are not seriously into the copywriting business would not have special copywriting models.
What product category would you prefer to write for?
This is an interesting question from which you will get surprising answers. You can get answers like women’s or men’s fashion, or entertainment, e.g., music. To be honest, these categories are not so easy to write. In some instances, you will find writers who say they prefer to write product descriptions. These writers believe they can make a buyer realize how much they need a particular product.
What’s the catch here? Having the writer to tell you what they enjoy writing will help you to know how much heart they can put into your official business. If the writer’s interests are more aligned with the project at hand, it means both parties will significantly benefit from the contract.
Why go through all this trouble to hire a copywriter?
In this modern-day, storytelling and content is the quickest route to customers. It is vital for the success of any business. If you found an impressive writer, they will easily and quickly get an audience for you. Subsequently, the excellent copywriter will engage this audience and make them buy whatever you’re selling.
This is precisely what your business needs. The irony of the matter is that you only have to pay the copywriter once for their job, but the copy created will get you, customers, perpetually for as long as you’re in business.
How to get copywriting applicants
Knowing what you should look for when hiring a copywriter is great, but before getting there, you should get applicants. You can post your job offer on various platforms such as LinkedIn or eCommerceFuel Job Board, etc. On these platforms, there is a lake of experienced copywriters who are always looking for work. In addition to professional platforms, you can use social media e.g. Facebook and Twitter to find copywriting candidates.
Bottom line
A great copywriter is not very hard to find, i.e., if you follow the above pointers. The process of hiring the copywriter should be done without haste. Patience should be exercised, and due diligence must be conducted. After learning all you can about your potential candidate, allow the writer to also learn about your organization and your expectations. This will enable the writer to maintain professionalism regarding punctuality, work quality consistency (especially for long term contracts), and rate of response to feedback, etc.
