Nice one! We asked a brilliant copywriter we know, Rachel Smith, to help us answer this one. Rachel can be found at RS Copy + Content and she’s also the founder of Rachel’s List, a leading jobs board that connects job-posters with copywriters, content producers, journalists and other creatives.
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There are lots of different types of writers out there – from journalists to PR writers, content writers to copywriters. To find the right type of writer, you’ll first need to ask your client about their specific goals. Put simply, what type of copy or content do they need, and what are they trying to achieve with it?
In a nutshell, content writing is designed to educate, entertain and build trust. Copywriting is designed to persuade someone to buy or take a specific action.
There can be some crossover between these two, but it’s important to figure out which one your client needs to save time and money. Let’s break it down.
Your client needs a content writer if…
… they have a content marketing strategy in place and they want to educate customers, build a rapport with them or position the brand in a positive light. Content writing / content marketing is about adding value and being helpful – less salesy, more about informing the customer, with the idea that customers who trust a brand will hopefully return to buy.
If your client needs a content writer, they might want blog posts or social media teasers written, and they will almost certainly want a writer who’s experienced in SEO and can insert keywords and write metadata. These types of writers may be called content writers or content marketing writers.
Your client needs a copywriter if…
… they want a landing page or email sequence written. Or, they may need a series of Facebook ads, a lead magnet, a sales brochure or digital copy that drives conversions. If your client’s goals are to advertise a product, boost sales, or compel a customer to take action in some way, they’re likely to require a copywriter with specialist skills.
While many copywriters can write all sorts of copy, some do specialise. There are launch copywriters who only work for clients who are ‘launching’ a product or service. Direct response copywriters are adept at driving conversions and getting an immediate response, whether that’s via website copy, email marketing campaigns or pop-ups. SEO copywriters are usually experienced in doing keyword audits and optimising copy so it ranks higher on Google. And technical copywriters might work on complex white papers or technical copy, making it easier to read / digest. That’s just for starters, but you get the idea!
Where can you find a good copywriter?
You could post on Facebook or LinkedIn, but if you’re short on time and want to target only professional writers, it’s worth placing an ad where copywriters are likely to hang out – such as a specialist jobs board (Rachel’s List is one of these).
You’ll need to write an advertisement that includes the following information, so chat to your client to get the details first:
- An overall summary of the project
- The client’s objectives for the copy
- The scope, deliverables and timeline
- The type of skills and experience required (ask for examples of previous work)
- The budget (our pay rates report has rates for junior, mid-level and senior copywriters)
- The location (hint: you’ll get more applications if you let the copywriter work remotely)
- Who to contact to apply for the gig.
Head over to www.rachelslist.com.au to find all kinds of writers – fast! And talk to us if you’d like advice on finding a copywriter or want us to write your ad for you to give you a better chance of getting great responses.