One thing I think all entrepreneurs struggle with at some point is writing content for their website that attracts and converts visitors. You want to pack a punch with words and build your brand voice that connects and supports your website. Right?
But… crafting website copy (at least, good copy) can take some time and talent unless you’re well-versed in that arena. Now, if you’re gung-ho to knock it out, be my guest – but if the idea of writing out your website copy from scratch makes you want to scratch your eyes out, worry not. There is another solution to this painful dilemma.
Namely? Hiring a copywriter. Now I know hiring a copywriter can be an investment, especially for new businesses. After all, you need to hire someone who is willing to explore your business goals, craft a core message that engages and converts, and tells your story in a way that resonates with your ideal client.
Are we getting ahead of ourselves? Do you really need to hire a copywriter? Or can you write our own copy? There are definitely pros and cons to both. Let’s explore the value of working with a copywriter, when you should hire a copywriter and what to consider when looking for a copywriter.
How important is copywriting for your website?
I won’t lie, investing in a copywriter was a big decision and investment for me and my business. I had decided to rebrand and dedicated a significant effort into clarifying my brand and creating a design to elevate my brand. I needed compelling copy that would align with the aesthetic of my brand, connect with my audience and build the trust and authority that I needed to convert them into clients.
I had a lot of ideas on how to identify my clients' needs, show empathy, and convey the solutions I provided. I knew what my brand essence was. But I just didn’t know how to pull it all together in a structured cohesive manner that was succinct, natural and genuine. And I certainly did not know how to distill that down into a core message that I could weave throughout my website.
This is what I learned from working with a copywriter.
Copywriters help you discover your natural tone of voice that connects with your audience
Although I was aware of my brand essence when I worked with the copywriter, I needed help distilling it down into something simple and concrete. My copywriter captured my essence in a meaningful and delightful way. It felt true to me and I knew that it would help me attract more of the clients I loved to work with and connect with them in an authentic manner. She incorporated words that I love to use and that my clients often use as well so they naturally resonate with my content. This naturally builds trust with my visitors and starts them on their buying journey with a sense of ease.
A copywriter is an expert at crafting persuasive content that converts
Your core messaging is important in that it not only addresses your client’s felt need, it explains how the solution you provide goes beyond that need and positions you as an expert problem solver for your client.
For example, your client may come to you because they want to lose weight. What they don’t realize is that by following your expertise, they will also have more energy, sleep better and have better mental clarity.
A good copywriter will explore the problems you solve and the results you create for your clients and craft your message so that your visitors can sense the excitement of working with you. When your visitors believe that you can deliver the results that you promise, they get excited about working with you and can picture how their lives will be better after working with you.
More time for you to focus on your natural talents and growing your business
Let’s be real here – getting that first word or sentence down on paper can be brutal. You toil and agonize over every word, the tone, and the intent of the paragraph so that every single word has impact. Is the content engaging and captivating? Does your audience feel like you understand their struggles? Do they get excited about the results you share?
You could spend hours and days trying to get it right. And even if you do manage to get the words down on paper, is it generating the leads that you expect? Is it converting into the clientele you’ve been dreaming about working with?
Or you could hire an expert to take the burden off your plate and focus on what you do best. Working with clients and transforming lives. Now that’s what I call ease!
A copywriter helps build trust and position you as an expert
How many of you are comfortable delivering your elevator pitch to new prospects? If you’re anything like most of my clients, you are very humble and just want to serve your clients so they can experience life in the best way possible. Boasting about your super-powers is not something you are comfortable doing at the best of times, never mind in a stressful situation where you feel like you need to prove yourself.
Copywriters have a natural super-power of uncovering your unique gifts and strengths that your clients appreciate.
They can craft your core message so that it highlights your best skills, positions you as an expert and builds the trust that you can deliver the results that you promise, all without sounding like a sleazy salesmen.
A professional copywriter can succinctly capture your services in a way that delights and compels your visitors
I don’t know about you, but I can tend to get overly wordy trying to convey what I do and how I help. Visitors can get lost in the sea of words, confused and jump ship to another website that is clear, simple and compelling. Yes, ease!
This is where a professional copywriter comes in and creates ease in your life! They are experts at crafting customer focused copy that clearly conveys the value of your service and the results your clients can expect.
A copywriter can help you get found online and bring in more clients
A good copywriter will explore what problems your clients are experiencing, the solutions you provide and the results your clients can expect. A great copywriter will determine the keywords that will attract your ideal clients and strategically inject them into your content so that your website converts. This will improve your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) so that Google lists your website pages as authorities in your field.
Higher visibility leads to more clicks which leads to more of the clients that you are so passionate about helping.
A copywriter provides messaging that complements your website design and elevates your brand
Have you ever noticed how you feel when you visit a website? What emotions it evokes? A cohesive website will have images and content that complement each other and elevate your brand.
When you combine great website design that supports your core message, you will create a memorable experience for your clients. Showing empathy through images and words shows people that you understand their pain. Your audience feels heard. And when people feel heard, they are more open to the solutions you provide and are more likely to become your client.
People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel.
~Maya Angelou
When should you hire a copywriter?
This may not be the right time for you to hire a copywriter. Maybe funds are tight. Or you don’t have the time to work with a copywriter. And that’s OK. But before you decide, ask yourself these questions:
Are you pressed for time?
Trying to squeeze in the time and rush through writing content can end up driving visitors away from your website. You’re most likely very busy working in your business and spreading yourself too thin so that nothing is getting done well. If that’s the case, it may be a good time to hire a copywriter so you can focus on your clients and help them get the results they are looking for – after all, great results translate into great testimonials which leads to more clients.
Is writing difficult for you?
We’ve all met those people where the words just flow, copiously, onto the screen. They know exactly what to write to captivate their reader and keep them engaged, weaving in stories that compel and inspire. If you’re not one of them, you may need to look at your return on investment. If it is taking you hours and days to write content, then your time may be better spent on your clients and pay a professional to do what they do best.
Do you know what your brand voice is?
Have you ever tried to carry on a conversation as if you were someone else? It’s exhausting. I know because I worked in High Tech for over 20 years with Software Designers who were mostly introverts. Containing my enthusiasm and repressing my feelings was very draining. When I discovered my voice (i.e. my brand voice) and how I could use it to inspire and bring out the best in people, my energy and career improved.
A good copywriter will help you uncover your brand voice and leverage it to attract more of your ideal clients.
They will coach you on how to write conversationally and yet still sound professional. An authentic brand voice will resonate with your audience and will automatically create a connection and a sense of trust which brings them one step closer on their buying journey.
Do you know how to write effective copy for your website?
It doesn’t matter how great your product or service is, if your audience doesn’t understand the value you offer and how it will transform their lives, then you’re wasting their time and yours. An effective copywriter will create a consistent compelling messaging across all your marketing material. They will know how to entice your readers using your brand tone that resonates with your ideal client and compels them to start their buying journey.
Do you know how to optimize your copy for Search engines?
Search engine optimization (SEO) can bring on a new level of challenges to your copywriting activities. What keywords or phrases should you include? What do you want to be known for? How do you include them in your content without sounding spammy?
Copywriters can create a simple strategy for you to incorporate relevant keywords into your website and follow through into blogging so you can free your brain up for what you do best and have your prospects find you online.
What to consider when hiring a copywriter for your website?
When I hired my copywriter, I already knew her through a group Bootcamp that she coached. From our experience together, I already knew how brilliant she was with words and how she always asked the right questions to ensure she understood what you were looking for so she could provide you with the information you needed. Bottom line, I knew she was a great fit to work on my copywriting for my website.
Michelle Hunter is a brilliant copywriter who listens, explores and delivers the content you need so that you can elevate your brand and delight your clients. She has a plethora of extremely valuable content on her blog that can help you with your marketing and attracting more clients.
Michelle provides great tips on what to consider when hiring a copywriter so I would encourage you to read her article:
https://michellehuntercreative.com/what-to-consider-when-hiring-a-copywriter/
Do you have the time and/or expertise to write your own website copy?
Hiring in a copywriter can be a significant investment and it’s more than just time versus money. If you’re struggling with writer’s block, how much is that really costing you given that you’re not working with clients and creating future referrals.
It was a big decision for me as well and I am thrilled that I took the leap. My website copy forms the tone and inspiration for my blog posts and social media content. The messaging resonates with me and my clients and is the foundation that I base all my marketing material from. It has given me the confidence and clarity to talk about my business with ease.
That’s what I want for you – core messaging that makes you easy to relate to, connect with, along with a compelling story that builds trust with your audience and guides them on their buying journey.