Every business can benefit from online copywriting, but not every business has someone that can write. More and more consumers are going online to shop, look for reviews or simply to research the organizations they plan to work with, so you can’t afford to not have professional, well-written copy on your website and in your mailings.
Looking for a writer to do this work can be tough, though. There are a lot of writers out there advertising their services, but how do you choose one? Here are several qualities you should look for.
Command of the English Language
This may seem like a no-brainer, but many online writers don’t actually write with correct grammar, punctuation and spelling. When you start looking for writers, examine the way they present themselves in their bios and in their email correspondence. If you are finding a lot of typos and other mistakes, you can be sure that these same mistakes will show up in the articles that they write for you.
You don’t want to waste your time having to do extensive editing and re-writing of the work you have already paid for, so take the time to do your research and to find a writer that is a master of the English language.
Weed Out the Plagiarists
It’s a sad state of affairs, but many online writers today are thieves. They steal their content from other websites and present it as their own. When you start looking for a writer for your business, make sure that you ask to see examples of the writer’s previous work. You can then check these with online tools like Copyscape. This is a website that will search the internet to find if the material has been plagiarized
If you’re going to pay good money for online copy, you want to make sure that it’s fresh and original. Not only will this convert more of your readers into customers, it will also keep you out of any lawsuits for posting material that has been stolen from others.
Find a Team Player
Most online copywriters are freelancers. They usually set their own schedule and work from home, and they usually have an independent streak. This can translate to some incredible writing with a lot of style, but it can also mean that these writers aren’t always open to suggestions.
When choosing a writer to work with your company, you need to make sure that the writer will be a team player. He or she has to be willing to take your advice on what kind of copy you want or to make changes in the tone and direction of the copy. You have to work out this spirit of cooperation ahead of time, too, because a bad apple won’t be interested in hearing about it after he has already been paid.
Copy that Converts
After you have chosen a copywriter and used or posted his written work, make sure to check back at your “web stats” occasionally to see how that copy is doing. When readers find your writer’s articles, do they actually end up calling in to your company or buying your product? This is known as “conversion.” You want your copy to actually convert readers into customers.
If your online copy isn’t converting, work with your writer to point it in a direction that will get those customers in the door. While you may like the work that you’re receiving, at the end of the day those conversions are what matter! Work on them until they do.
If you do that you will see not only an increase of site traffic but an increase of customers.
