The Impact of Marketing Copywriters
You might think that snagging a copywriter for your business is as easy as finding one whose rates match your budget.
Not so fast. You need someone who can do more than just churn out copy daily. Your perfect copywriter must create compelling content that can turn your target audience into paying customers. Ideally, they are a pro at writing all sorts of stuff, from snappy marketing emails to engaging blog posts and impeccable website copy. Plus, they must understand your brand inside out and make it shine for readers.
In other words, you can’t find the right copywriter for your project unless you know exactly what you are looking for. Thankfully, we have you covered. In this article, we will run down the essential skills you’ll need in a marketing copywriter and give you some pointers on how to find the wordsmith of your dreams.
The Role of a Marketing Copywriter in Business
A marketing copywriter helps develop and reinforce your brand’s voice and tone in all your marketing copy. The copy should resonate with your target audience and show them the benefits of using your products or services while differentiating you from your competitors. Ultimately, the copywriter’s primary goal is to get your audience to take a desired action — from making a purchase to signing up for a newsletter to filling out a form — and boost your business’ revenue.
Marketing copywriter responsibilities go beyond just creating original content. According to a 2023 Semrush study:
- 18.77% of copywriter jobs surveyed required writers to collaborate with other teams
- 11.88% needed to research new ideas
- 7.47% had to understand a company’s marketing plans.
Increasing your website’s visibility in online searches is also an important role for a marketing copywriter. Copywriters knowledgeable about SEO principles can incorporate relevant keywords and phrases into their copy, optimizing your content for search engines and making it easier for potential customers to find you online.
Essential Traits of a Marketing Copywriter
Hiring a skilled marketing copywriter means you need to look for several key traits in your candidates, including:
Strong Writing Skills
Your candidate’s writing samples should offer persuasive copy that engages your target audience. Be wary of writing examples demonstrating significant grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors, as this could cost you considerable time editing a writer’s copy.
Understanding of Marketing Principles
Does your marketing copywriter candidate understand concepts such as target segmentation? Value propositions? Customer journey mapping? All these marketing principles and strategies will affect the copy they need to craft for your marketing campaigns, so your copywriter needs to understand these concepts.
Creativity and Innovation
Generic copy that reiterates what dozens of other blogs have already shared gets overlooked online. Your copywriter should be able to write articles that answer Internet users’ questions — and other business websites aren’t addressing them. They should be able to highlight the unique selling points of your products or services, differentiating your brand and making your business stand out from the competition.
Excellent Research Skills
Copywriters who spend time researching your industry, target market competitors, and relevant trends gain valuable insights into what’s being covered in marketing materials and what areas still need to be explored. Not only does this allow them to write more accurate copy, but it also lets them know what additional topics they can cover to keep their audience better informed.
Collaboration and Communication Skills
While many marketing copywriters work remotely, they still need to collaborate with other team members, including designers and project managers, to help you meet your business goals. Find candidates with a history of accepting and incorporating feedback into their work.
Recruiting a Marketing Copywriter: How to Identify These Traits
Once you begin interviewing potential candidates, how can you be sure they’re a good fit for your company’s work culture? Here are some strategies to help you assess your marketing copywriter’s potential:
Examining Portfolios and Past Work
Every professional marketing copywriter should have a portfolio highlighting their best work. Ask to see your candidate’s portfolio and assess their writing samples to see how well they match up with your business goals. Do you need someone who specializes in writing web content? Social media posts? Marketing emails? A copywriter’s portfolio will show how well-versed they are at producing such content.
Evaluating During Interviews
Ask prospects about their familiarity with your industry and your competitors. Inquire how they gather research material before beginning a project to assess their problem-solving skills and adaptability. Request examples of times they came up with innovative solutions for past clients. All this helps reveal if a copywriter’s communication style and work approach fit in with your business dynamics.
Checking References
Reach out to a candidate’s references and former employers for more valuable insights into how well a marketing copywriter will work with your team. Ask about your candidate’s work ethic, ability to meet deadlines, collaboration skills, and the overall quality of their writing.
Setting a Trial Project
Assigning marketing copywriters a trial writing project is an excellent way to see if they can produce content relevant to your business. Give them a brief and ask them to write a social media post, blog article, or marketing email under a deadline. Assess their writing based on creativity, adherence to guidelines, and how quickly they completed the assignment.
Where to Find Qualified Marketing Copywriters
So, where can you find marketing copywriters with the right traits for your business? Common sources for qualified marketing copywriters include:
- Freelance Platforms: Websites like Freelancer.com let you browse through profiles, portfolios, and client reviews to find a copywriter who suits your needs.
- Professional Networking: Work colleagues and industry contacts can refer you to qualified professional copywriters.
- Social Media and Online Communities: You can post about your copywriting needs on networking sites like LinkedIn and find copywriters open to work. You can also join online communities such as Facebook writing groups and find professional copywriters there.
- Job Boards: Indeed and LinkedIn Jobs have listings for marketing copywriters where you can post job listings, review resumes, and reach out to potential candidates.
- Copywriting Agencies: Content agencies like ClearVoice provide access to a pool of vetted professional copywriters with different specialties and experience levels.
- Copywriting Associations and Directories: The American Writers & Artists Institute (AWAI) and the Professional Writers’ Alliance both provide resources and directories of copywriters, including the copywriter’s specialties, experience, and contact details.
Selecting the Right Traits in Your Marketing Team
Finding marketing copywriters who can produce the content your business needs requires understanding exactly what a content writer brings to your organization. Take the time to determine if they possess the skills, experiences, and work ethic to help convert clients and build brand awareness for your business. Or work with an agency like ClearVoice to gain access to a coterie of vetted writers, editors, and designers that can help you hit the ground running.
