How do you know if you need a copy writer? Well, there are some signs you can look out for that will allow you to assess the quality of your current content.
Often your content is the first interaction potential clients have with your brand. This means it’s crucial for introducing your business and telling people about who you are and what you’re good at! Anyone can start writing content but sometimes it helps to have an expert eye to make sure it’s as brilliant as it can be.
Here are our top tips to help you assess if you need a copy writer!
1. Plot out your time
Content marketing can take up a significant amount of your time. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to start with an honest assessment of your time if you’re not sure whether or not you need a copy writer.
A time/cost analysis will help you to assess if you realistically have the time to produce the high quality content you need for your content marketing. If you are just getting started, you might have fewer clients and more time to write. You might also not have the funds to employ a freelancer. On the other hand, if your business is a bit more established or you know that time is really tight, a copy writer might be just what you need! Take a look at your schedule before you look at your content!
2. Check your SEO knowledge
As well as writing your content and freeing up your time, an experienced copy writer will also be able to help you with SEO optimised content. SEO is vital for helping your site rank in search engines so if you’re not already working on SEO, or you only have a basic knowledge, it might be time to get help from someone who has experience in the field.
Be aware that not all copy writers are SEO experts however! If you’re looking for help with your SEO, make sure you hire a copy writer who has the skillset you need. A content marketing agency is usually a good place to start.
3. Listen to your brand voice
One of the things that makes a brand stand out is the strength of its brand voice. Your brand voice is the tone you take in your writing and the kind of words and phrases you use. It helps make your content recognisable as you!
If writing is not your strongest skill then outsourcing your content writing can be a huge plus for your brand. A copy writer can help you to strengthen your brand voice by adapting their writing to suit your brand personality. This will help to make your content more engaging for visitors to your site and generate more interest.
4. Ask for feedback
If you find it difficult to evaluate your own writing, it can be really helpful to get another perspective. Asking for feedback from friends, family and colleagues is a good place to start. You can also ask for feedback from customers using an online customer survey.
Honest, constructive feedback can help you to assess whether or not your content is hitting the mark. It can also be one of the best ways to make an informed decision on whether or not you need to hire a professional copy writer.
5. Consider your content strategy
Ultimately, your content strategy should inform your decision! If you have created a content strategy (which we really recommend!) you will know what content you want to produce and when. If there are topics in your content plan that are going to take a significant amount of time to write, you might want to consider hiring a copy writer to help.
Similarly, if you know you’re going to struggle to stick to your content calendar, outsourcing your content creation will make sure you do! A copy writer will be dedicated to producing the content you need and keeping to every deadline. They can even upload it directly to your site so all you have to do is give it a read through and publish.
By cutting down on the time for research, content creation and editing, a professional copy writer can help to deliver on your content strategy, allowing you to hit your targets on time and deliver content to your audience consistently. This in turn will help to strengthen your brand and generate new leads. On the other hand, a dedicated copy writer may not be right for every business. These 5 steps should help make the decision a little easier.
For more information on content marketing, head over to our Ultimate Guide to Content Marketing!