SEO TIPS: Know Your Copywriter!

How well do you know your copywriter? When times are tight, heck even when they aren’t, people look to save a few bucks here and there however they can. Unfortunately, one of those areas tends to be what webmasters are willing to spend when it comes to hiring their SEO copywriter. It isn’t an uncommon sentiment among many webmasters that one copywriter is as good as another, but those are usually the same webmasters that will spend time and money revising copy from cheaper “copywriters” as well as a ton of wasted money trying to recover from every algorithm update. What should you be looking for in a copywriter?

1. They can actually write in the language you need fluently. There are some good foreign copywriters out there, but you want copy that “sounds” right in your readers head rather than something that while it may be grammatically okay sound wrong. This even comes into play with spelling – just because it is spelled one way in the UK and another in the US, for instance, doesn’t mean it doesn’t immediately register with your readers. If you are buying copy for your deep south barbecue joint, do you really want copy with euro-style spelling?  Copy needs to fit your site, not the other way around.

2. Does your copywriter really have experience? Everyone says they do, but do they have their own site and a real registered business or do they just bid jobs on freelancer sites? There is nothing wrong with that, but if someone has gone to the lengths of establishing their own business, it does tend to lend credence to their abilities. You should still vet them, but it’s often better than someone with a random profile on a third party site.

3. Do they outsource? A lot will lie and say no, but when you get your copy you notice it just isn’t what you expected. Article farmers are all over the place. They bid all the jobs they can using one good piece of sample content and then turn around and outsource to the cheapest bidder or their in-house team. There are cases where people have paid $50/page only to find out that the actual writer of their content wound up being the $5 bidder that took the job when it was re-posted by the bid winner. Watch for article spinners too – they are everywhere!

What  can you do to ensure you get the best copywriter for your budget and SEO needs? Talk to them! It is that easy. A reputable, established, copywriter will make contact with you to discuss your needs. They understand they are expensive by comparison to the hacks, but they also understand their craft and can explain how they will help you. You won’t get that from the fakers. If the price seems too good to be true, it likely is and the content you get will have little to do with the word “good.” Ask yourself this – is it better to do the job right the first time or do it several times over while your entire site has to be put on hold?