If you’re looking to get your content written by a professional copywriter, UpWork is the best place to find one. Whether it’s for your website or blog, landing pages, or sales scripts, UpWork offers a huge pool of talented professionals who can help improve your business through their writing skills.
But with so many options available, how do you know which ones are right for you?. The answer lies in understanding what kind of writer needs and wants to work with each type of client. This post will cover:
Takeaways |
---|
1. Define your project requirements clearly |
2. Use specific keywords when searching for copywriters |
3. Review portfolios and past work samples |
4. Check client feedback and ratings |
5. Conduct interviews or ask for writing samples |
6. Consider communication skills and responsiveness |
7. Negotiate fair rates and payment terms |
8. Ensure the copywriter aligns with your brand and style |
9. Start with a small project to gauge compatibility |
10. Keep ongoing communication for successful collaboration |
Do Your Keyword Research
When you’re looking for a copywriter, it’s important to understand what is and isn’t working with your current website. If your site isn’t getting the traffic or conversions that you want, that could be because of a variety of reasons and one of them might be the quality of your content. In this case, it’s time to take a closer look at exactly what does work on your website and then determine how best to deliver more of those elements in future content.
To get started with keyword research, I recommend using Google AdWords Keyword Planner (AKP). This tool allows you to get an idea of which terms people are searching for when they come across your business online; AKP tells us both how many people are searching for these terms and how much competition there is around those terms so we can decide whether or not they’re worth targeting as part of our marketing strategy.
When freelancing, having a dedicated workspace is crucial for productivity. Learn how to set up a dedicated workspace to maximize your efficiency and focus on your projects.
Get Clear About Your Goals For The Project
The first thing you need to think about is why you need copywriting. What do you want to achieve with it? Think about the purpose of your copy what do you want readers to learn or feel after reading it, and how will that help them achieve their own goals?
This will help determine what kind of tone of voice and style you’re looking for in a writer. For example, if your goal is to encourage people to sign up for your online course in social media marketing (and they’re already familiar with content marketing), then something lighthearted might be appropriate. But if
You’re writing a guide on how parents can help their children cope with stress at school, then maybe something more serious would work better.
Review Copywriter Portfolios Carefully
When you’re reviewing portfolios, make sure the writer’s portfolio is relevant to your project. If you’re looking for a writer who writes about finance, but whose portfolio consists mostly of romance novels, that might be a red flag.
Also, look for samples of writing that are similar to what you’re looking for so you can evaluate whether or not it’s a good fit. If possible, avoid writers whose portfolios consist entirely of articles and blog posts; these will likely not be enough detail for your needs (unless these are sample pages from a book).
Create A Copywriter Position Ad That Will Attract Qualified Candidates
The next step in finding the right copywriter is to create a copywriter position ad that will attract qualified candidates. Here’s what you need to do:
Do your keyword research. When you’re looking for a specialized service, like SEO or book editing, you’ll want to ensure that your potential candidates are using relevant keywords when they advertise their services on UpWork (or other freelancing sites). To get started with this process, head over to Google and type in “SEO copywriters.” You should see various blog posts about how many words some of the top paid search results had and what kind of strategies were used by these companies.
Get clear about your goals for the project. Before any serious work can be done on your project, there needs to be a consensus between you and your chosen freelancer as regards why exactly this person has been hired in the first place.
So it’s important not only that both parties know each other’s objectives but also that both parties acknowledge that these objectives overlap at least partially with one another’s interests/goals/motivations/etceteras sorry we lost track there! Basically what we’re saying here is to make sure everyone knows where he or she stands before spending any money on someone else’s services…
Looking for a profitable career in writing? Discover the benefits of SEO writing and how it can open up new opportunities for your freelance journey.
Don’t Exclude Candidates Just Because They Don’t Have Feedback Yet
This is a common mistake. While it’s true that every project you hire someone to complete will also give that person a chance to leave you some positive feedback, and this can be a good indicator of quality, it doesn’t tell the whole story.
Think of it like this: would you hire your dentist based on how many 5-star reviews he has? I doubt it! You want a dentist who is skilled in performing procedures; one who knows his stuff and gets the job done right. The same goes for copywriters and other freelancers don’t let yourself be fooled by high numbers of positive reviews from previous clients (or even from yourself).
Instead, look at their portfolios see what kind of work they’ve done before, who their clients were, how long they’ve been in business…and then make your decision from there!
Give The Right People An Application Test
A good way to start is by giving the right people an application test. This will give you a sense of their writing style and grasp of your industry before you bring them on board for a large project.
If you’ve already written out the questions yourself, create a Google Doc or similar where applicants can leave their answers in the same format as they will be when writing for clients. If someone sends me a Word document full of bullet points with no paragraph breaks, that’s what I’ll get from them in my project if we work together and I’m not sure I want that!
Once this is done and you’ve received responses from all applicants (be sure to set up some kind of deadline), go through each response point by point and rate it using this scale:
Very Good: Appropriate language level; gets across the main message without losing focus; understands subject matter; good flow between sections
Good: Language level appropriate for the audience; the main message gets across; understanding of subject matter/focus apparent but not perfect (could use more examples)
Fairly Good: Language level appropriate for the audience, but sometimes loses focus or doesn’t explain well enough why something matters
Needs Improvement: Poor grasp of language level required for the audience or doesn’t quite understand the subject matter
Interview The Best Candidates To Weed Out The Great Match From The So-So Matches
Once you’ve identified the best candidates, it’s time to start the interview process. This is where you’ll be able to get a better understanding of how well they understand your project and what kind of fit they would be for your team.
The goal here is to find out whether they’re someone who can collaborate with others well, communicate effectively, listen carefully and take direction to create a finished product that meets all of your requirements. Here are some questions that may help: What do I need? (What information should I provide?), and How will this work? (Do they know how long it takes to complete tasks?).
Explain The Tone Of Voice You Want And Give Examples Of It In Action
The tone of voice, or how you want your brand to sound, is a crucial part of the copywriting process. The tone is more than just the words you write it’s also how those words are written. This means that it’s important to explain not only what tone of voice means in general but also how to explain it.
For example, if your ideal customer wants to feel like they’re talking with their best friend (or their counselor), then explain this by showing examples of tone that evoke feelings similar to those for which your customers are searching: a casual and friendly style, for instance.
If this isn’t clear enough from the examples above, try writing out how another copywriter would approach different kinds of projects and point out why each example works well in its way while still staying true to its overall goal.
Client feedback is invaluable for growing your freelance business. Find out how to effectively use Upwork client feedback to enhance your services and attract more clients.
Be As Specific As Possible In Giving Feedback To Your Writer
One of the best ways to ensure that your copywriter will produce high-quality work is by giving them clear, constructive feedback as soon as possible.
The sooner you can get in touch with your writer, the better. If they’re working on something while you’re sleeping or on vacation (or if they’ve had a bad day), it’s not fair to expect them to know what’s wrong with their work right away.
Be specific in your feedback; don’t just say “this doesn’t sound right” or “I don’t like this.” Instead, tell your writer exactly where they went wrong: “I think this line should be more punchy,” or “The image here should have more contrast.” This helps ensure that everyone is on the same page about what needs fixing and why — and prevents confusion later down the line when time is running out!
Ask Questions
If you’re just getting started with site content, ask questions to get clear on what you need. Asking questions is the best way to make sure you get what you want. A copywriter will want to know what your project is, and how long it’s intended to take. They’ll also want to understand the tone of voice, whether it’s formal or casual, or somewhere in between.
If the copywriter asks for more information about your business and its products or services, that’s great! It means they’re engaged in their work and are interested in getting it right for you and their reputation as well. To ensure that this happens:
- Ask open-ended questions (not ones with a one-word answer). This will give them room to expand on their answers if needed;
- Don’t assume that because something is obvious or easy for YOU (e.g., “Oh yes I know exactly why we need this new page of content”), then it should be obvious/easy for THEM too!
Give Deadlines And Expectations (Avoid “Asap” If At All Possible)
The next tip I have for you is to give deadlines and expectations. It’s important to keep the project moving forward with clear communication, so make sure you specify what your expectations are from both sides of the equation.
Don’t use “ASAP” if possible. This can cause unnecessary stress on both parties involved in the transaction. Instead, give yourself some time to think through what exactly needs to be done and make a timeline of when it needs to be completed. You don’t want there to be any confusion about whether or not your writer has finished their work!
Finally, provide feedback when needed and explain exactly how you want something done before asking them to redo it!
Want to know which freelance jobs offer the highest wages? Check out our guide on freelance jobs with the highest hourly wages to explore lucrative opportunities in the freelancing world.
Make Sure You’re Available To Provide Feedback When Needed
You need to be available to provide feedback when needed. This is a huge part of the process, and your copywriter must know you’re there for them. If they need feedback on how their writing is going, make sure they know they can reach out to you at any time. If you’re not busy with something else, try responding quickly!
You also want to be available when requested or asked for feedback. If your copywriter asks for some input on their drafts, don’t ignore it they may feel ignored and leave the project altogether (and then where would you be?).
When You Choose One Writer, Communicate Clearly About How To Work Together
When you choose one writer, communicate clearly about how to work together, who’s responsible for what, etcetera — and put it in writing! You should also make sure that your writer has a contract in place with you before you send any payment. This will help keep your finances secure, as well as protect both of your interests.
In terms of setting expectations and deadlines, it’s important to be clear about what is expected from the beginning so that everyone understands what’s going on. For example: if there is a due date for an assignment by 5 pm EST on Monday but then there are sudden changes made during the week that cause delays (and therefore affect the schedule).
This could lead to problems down the road because no one was prepared for such issues going forward…or worse yet – maybe they were already expecting them? That being said whatever happens, after those initial conversations matters too! Make sure everything is agreed upon before moving forward toward completion just like any other professional relationship would require.
Stick With One Writer As Much As Possible (And Be Willing To Pay For Their Expertise)
We recommend sticking with one writer as much as possible and being willing to pay for their expertise. If you’re looking for cheap quality, then yes, UpWork has plenty of options. However, if you want a copywriter who can guide your project from start to finish (and get results), it’s better to pay for expertise than pay for mistakes. You’ll likely get better results in the long run by working with the same writer over time rather than trying multiple writers at once.
Explain In Detail Exactly How You Want Something Done
If you’re not sure how to explain something, ask someone who is. If the thing you want doesn’t already exist, the writer will have to create it from scratch and will need as much information as possible. You can also give them free rein to come up with their ideas if there’s any doubt about what you’re looking for.
If you don’t know what you want in a project but still need some writing done on a tight deadline, this may be the best option for you. If you are going to use images in your article, make sure they are relevant to the topic and of high quality. The image should also not be copyrighted or too large/small. You will also want to make sure that the images are not too dark or too bright.
If you’re considering freelancing in the manufacturing industry, we’ve got you covered. Discover the steps to successfully work as a freelancer in the manufacturing industry and make the most of your skills and expertise.
Final Thoughts
It’s important to be clear about your goals for the project and specific requirements. This will help you find a copywriter who is a good fit for what you’re trying to accomplish. You can review copywriter portfolios carefully, but make sure they are up-to-date and relevant.
The ad that you post on UpWork should be specific enough so that only qualified candidates apply; don’t exclude any candidates just because they haven’t had feedback yet! You should also be clear about how much time or money you’re willing to spend on this project and what kind of deliverables you expect from the selected candidate (i.e., when do they need to hand over the final draft?).
Further Reading
How to Become a Copywriter: Learn the essential steps and skills required to start a successful career in copywriting.
How to Become a Content Writer: Explore the journey to becoming a content writer and the key aspects of the profession.
How Upwork Freelancers Can Add Additional Income with Copywriting: Discover how freelancers on Upwork can leverage copywriting to boost their income and attract marketing agencies.
People Also Ask
What If The Writer Doesn’t Follow The Instructions?
That’s why we have a comprehensive online work agreement that you will both sign before any work is done. The agreement outlines everything from payment terms, project details, and how to handle revisions. If your writer fails to follow any part of this contract early on in the process, they are likely not going to get the job done at all.
What If I Don’t Have A Copywriter?
If you don’t have a copywriter, then it’s time to find one. That’s why this article exists! If you don’t know where to start, here are some tips:
Post your project on UpWork (or another freelancer marketplace). You’ll be able to browse the profiles of hundreds of talented writers and leverage their experience with other clients to find the right fit for your business.
Find someone who specializes in content strategy or content marketing strategy. These industries are growing rapidly as businesses realize how important it is for them to tell compelling stories about themselves and not just any stories, but ones that cut through the noise and resonate with their audience.
If your company doesn’t have anyone like this on staff yet, consider hiring one part-time or full-time until they’re ready for permanent employment!
How Do I Find A Good Copywriter On Upwork?
The best way to find a great copywriter is by looking at their work. It’s no use asking for references or testimonials; those things can be faked, and it’s better not to take them seriously. Instead, look at samples of their past projects and decide if you like their style of writing. If so, then hire them! If not, keep looking until you find someone whose writing style suits your project needs perfectly.
How Do I Know If A Copywriter Is A Right Fit For My Project?
Once you’ve found some copywriters who seem like they might be right for your project, check out their portfolios to get an idea of their skill level and writing style so that it matches yours! Check out their samples and past work as much as possible this will help give insight into whether they could produce high-quality content appropriate to the needs of your business.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.