What A Web Copywriter Can Do For Your Business That A Freelance Writer Can’t

Choosing the right writer for your marketing needs is crucial to the success of your business. As someone who’s looking for cost-effective alternatives, you probably think that the lowest priced freelance writer would naturally be the one for you.

I’m not saying that you CAN’T get powerful copywriting from a writer who charges low fees. But it’s highly likely that if you don’t do your homework, you could end up with a large volume of cheaply-written Web site content that isn’t doing diddly for your sales.

When you’re out shopping for an expert to begin communicating on behalf of your business, pay attention to the titles that writers choose for themselves, and select the right one for your purpose. You have copywriters, Web copywriters, and you have freelance writers.

What is a Copywriter?

A copywriter creates on behalf of the advertising industry. Thus, the sole purpose in everything they write is to SELL something. Copywriters advertise products and services, sure. But they also market ideas, and ideals. Thus, persuasion factors in strongly with the copywriting world — and not every freelance writer is trained in this technique.

Facts about persuasive copywriting:

It’s psychological.

It’s subjective.

It’s strategic.

It’s energizing.

Your goal is to get people to buy a product, sign up for a newsletter, and brand your business in the best possible light. So if you need help with the writing required to accomplish this, you’ll get your money’s worth from hiring an experienced ad copywriter.

But if you’re doing all of the above on the World Wide Web, then your best bet is an experienced Web copywriter who knows how to drive results.

What do Web Copywriters Know that Other Freelance Copywriters Don’t?

People who go online are generally very impatient. They won’t spend any more time at a site than they have to. While someone might take a few minutes to read a printed ad or brochure, Web surfers have a habit of clicking on a page, and then literally flitting away in seconds if whatever they just saw doesn’t please them.

(Can you imagine that? You have mere SECONDS to capture the attention of your future customers and then keep them interested).

The sole purpose of a Web copywriter is write something utterly magnetic that will draw in readers for you and then keep them captivated. To do this, your copywriter needs to have mastered the technique of packing a meaty message into a tight space, using as few words as possible.

In other words: lots of freelance writers can rattle off a bunch of fluff, and then pass that off as copy for your Web site. But if they’re missing the boat on how to be bold and succinct, then it doesn’t matter how many words you’re publishing.

A weak and flimsy message is not going to do the job it was intended for. Trust me, this is how you waste money on marketing and end up kissing your potential clients goodbye.

Good Web copywriters know that the visual presentation of the copy is just important as the words themselves. Large blocks of unbroken text turn most Web readers away. So do headlines that blend too easily with the rest of the writing.

(I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been BORED TO DEATH by some people’s marketing headlines.)

Finally — good Web copywriters are aware of the importance of SEO — or search engine optimized content. SEO helps your Web site get discovered by people who use search engines to locate what they need. Search engine optimized copy needn’t sound like it was written by a robot. You also don’t have to destroy the grammatical correctness or flow in your prose, to create copy that can be found on the engines.

The more your Web copywriter is familiar with Web page building techniques, and the more they are aware of the strategy that goes into creating a single page of optimized content — the better chance you stand of having them help your Web site become an authority in your niche and ALSO convert sales.

In other words: finding a Web copywriter who understands how to format Web copy AND pack a powerful message is vital to your site being read by Web surfers.

So, what’s a Freelance Writer, then?

Most freelance writers serve as general practitioners. They write articles, feature pieces, press releases, marketing copy and even technical copy. Some are great at the grammar part, but completely miss the “soft sell.”

(Soft sell has to do with subtle persuasion that you manage to slip in as you’re sharing information with your readers. Only the best Web copywriters know how to tuck this into just the right spots so readers “get the effect” without really noticing what you just did to them.)

There are freelance writers who specialize in writing Web copy, while others stick to print marketing. And there are also people who call themselves Web copywriters who actually have no idea what they’re doing!

(In other words: there are a lot of hacks out there. So watch out!)

What’s best for your business?

Obviously, if you’re hoping to do any kind of selling or persuasion online, then you need to find a good Web copywriter. With more and more Web-based businesses entering the fold everyday, competition is fierce. Your company needs to become highly visible and take an authoritative stance — and that’s what a Web copywriter with real talent can help you accomplish.

Remember, not all writers are created equal. The success of your online business hinges on the selling strategies you use. Select the right copywriter for the job, and begin to know real profit.

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