Why Do I Need a Web Copywriter?
My Top Five Reasons to Hire a Professional Website Copywriter, in 2023…
It’s a new year, and a fresh start for many business owners looking to get ahead of the competition in 2023.
Brand new, or improved web copy may well be at the top of your ‘to do’ list, and while it’s tempting to write it yourself (after all, these are tough times, budget cuts must be made, and you’re a decent enough writer with a GCSE English pass under your belt), it’s vital that you STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING IMMEDIATELY, and consider working with a professional website copywriter, instead of taking the DIY approach.
‘Sure’
You’re thinking.
‘She’s a website copywriter. And she may well be a good one’
(I am…)
‘But writing web copy for businesses pays her mortgage – she would say that hiring a website copywriter is the only way to achieve results like driving traffic to my website, getting visitors to stick around, and helping them understand what makes my offer unique, all with the ultimate goal of generating new business, building long-term relationships, and making more cold, hard cash.
And you’d be 100% right, dear business owner.
It is in my interests to ensnare you in my web copywriting web, after all, I make my living writing engaging, impactful, clear, and concise web copy for a range of companies, each looking for a distinct tone of voice that feels genuine, and sets them apart from their competitors.
But I also believe wholeheartedly in the capacity of well-written web copy to turn your website into the lean, mean, lead-generating machine you need – after all, I’m willing to bet on the fact that you’ve (sensibly) invested funds in a site that’s well designed, and handles like a dream, so why let yourself down buy stuffing it full of clumsily written copy, that will confuse rather then engage your reader, and have then clicking away to someone else’s site, rather than picking up the phone.
I make a great living from writing web copy (amongst text for other marketing materials), simply because there are a lot of sensible, and super clued up business owners out there who understand the value of working with a professional web copywriter, and consider the process a worthwhile investment (some describe it as the best money they’ve ever spent on their businesses, and who am I to argue with that?)
Not convinced? Read on…
Here are my top five reasons to work with a professional web copywriter
You’re too close to your own business to be impartial
Ever tried to write your own web copy, accurately describing what makes your business special, and why clients or customers should pick you over your competition? It’s difficult, isn’t it? Hell, I’m a freelance web copywriter, and I found it almost impossible to write the text for my own website. You’re so close to your own business, that it’s often hard to be impartial when writing web copy, to pick out the most important points, and to find a tone of voice that feels authentic to you.When it comes to writing web copy, my clients often describe knowing what they want to say, and have all the words in their heads, but are unable to tease them all out into text that reads well.
As an experienced web copywriter, it’s my job, and my superpower, to take the tangled mass of thoughts in your head, smooth them out using my tried and tested process, honed over decades, and turn them into web copy that SOUNDS as if you wrote it, without you actually having to go through the stress of physically doing so.
You’re welcome.
We work faster, and smarter than you can
Many of my web copywriting clients are fantastic writers, and I don’t doubt that you have at least a basic grasp of the English language, if not an A* at GCSE (your Mum was super proud). But being a good writer doesn’t necessarily mean that you can write great web copy – it’s a distinct skill, and one that I’ve mastered through working with hundreds of web copywriting clients, over more years than I’d care to mention.
Writing for copy websites means you’re often writing within tight wordcounts too, often within a set design, and must capture and hold the attention of the reader in mere seconds – this isn’t a chapter of your biography, or a thank you letter to your Auntie Pat after Christmas – no waffle, no flowery word choices, no room for error. You need to write web copy that’s fun to read, and easy to understand, offering the right information, in the right order, and speaking directly to your target audience, using a tone of voice that resonates with them.
And while you may well be more than capable of writing your own web copy, but you’ve got a business to run. Alongside your day job, do you really have the time to sit down, plan your web copy, and hash out a couple of (hundred) drafts? And when you’re done, how will you know that you nailed it? Do you have the time, and patience to painstakingly pick through your web text, looking for typos? Or will the process be hit and miss, trial and error, head scratching and balled up sheets of paper under the desk?
A skilled web copywriter can tease out the right information, structure it, assemble a first draft, develop a killer
tone of voice, write copy that compels, tells, an sells, and ensure it’s error free, all within a matter of weeks. Outsourcing the process of writing web copy can’t fail to save you time, money, and headaches, with results you can be proud of, and confident with, rather than second guess. So may business owners that come to me for help with web copy have written their own in the past, and gone back to it again and again, endlessly making changes but never feeling like they’ve nailed it. Sure, working with me on your web copy won’t be cheap, but it will put an end to the never ending process of pulling it apart ,and putting it back together. Do it once, do it right, and get on with the business of making money.
Get the right tone of voice – and use it.
A web copywriter won’t just slap some words on paper and hope for the best. As I’m also a skilled tone of voice copywriter, I’ll not only help you write web copy that contains the right information to help your visitors make buying decisions, I’ll also think about achieving a distinct brand voice that makes your business instantly recognisable – think about the likes of Innocent Smoothies, Brewdog, and Oatly – each brand has its own unique voice that resonates with the right audience, and makes waves on social media for all the right reasons, giving it the edge over its competitors, whose voices all blend blandly together.
As part of my web copywriting service, I’ll help you think about tone of voice copywriting – how your business would sound if it were a person, language choices and what they say about your brand, how to align your voice with your values, and how to stand out from everyone else who’s doing what you’re doing, with web copy that sings like a canary, rather than fizzles like a wet firework.
And once this brand tone of voice is established, whether you decide to work with me on an official set of tone of voice guidelines, or simply build some decisions about tone of voice copywriting into your web copy, you can apply this learning to all of your other marketing materials, so that you’re delivering a coherent, consistent message.
Prompt your reader to take action
You may be able to write well about your business, describing your product or service accurately, but are you calling your reader to action, with clear CTA’s that prompt them to take the next step (whether that’s giving you a call, booking a consultation, sending an email, or something else…)
My web copy isn’t just ‘nice to have’, it serves a purpose, taking your reader on a journey where they’ll learn about your business, align themselves with your values, and begin to engage with your brand – they may not make an instant purchase, but they’ll begin a relationship with your business, and start building trust, so that in the long term, they’ll become a loyal customer – isn’t that work crafting copy carefully rather than dashing it off?
If you’re not thinking hard about how your web copy can take your web visitor through the buyer journey, you need to speak to a professional web copywriter today – otherwise, you’re simply lining up pretty words on paper, rather than building a hard-working website that will serve you in the long term.
A fresh perspective on your business
Working with a professional website copywriter will bring a brand new set of eyes, and a brand new (whirring, highly creative) dose of brain power to your business. So often, my web copywriting clients come to me with no real idea about how to talk about their own brand – even in the most basic sense.
The questions that I ask about your business will be probing, and you’ll have to do some groundwork in teasing out your offer, and the benefits you bring to your customers, or clients, but the process of working on your web copy alongside a pro web copywriter is invaluable in learning how an outsider perceives your business, and in identifying common mistakes in the way you talk about it, that might be alienating, rather than attracting the right audience.
I won’t just arrive, bash out some words, and wave goodbye – I’ll get to the heart of your business, discover what makes it tick, and help you clearly articulate your offer. Your web copy will sing about what makes you successful, more than this, you’ll have learned how to sing about it too – that’s invaluable for your business, and something you simply won’t get when writing your own web copy.
So there you have it, five great reasons why you need to work with a web copywriter, and why you should be reaching for the phone, or popping me a quick email, and starting the process for achieving wonderful (not passable) web copy in 2023.
It’s difficult to spend money on your business when times are tough, but my web copywriting clients all realise that it’s a sensible long-term investment – just check out the testimonials on my homepage, they’ve never looked back, and neither will you!
