In 1996, Bill Gates proclaimed that “Content is king” and his prediction couldn’t have been any more accurate. Over the past few decades, we have transitioned into an information economy, successfully replacing industrialization. Although this new economy has brought tremendous benefits to the world, it has created an abundance of both good and bad information – useful and useless content – all through its backbone, the internet. This is why it is more important than ever to put out top-notch content as you are now competing with the world manyfold.
Jennifer is a Berlin-based freelance copywriter. She loves writing about food, language, technology, and culture.
But there is no cause for alarm! The information age has also opened a new world of opportunities where you can create something of value fairly easily, as long as the right measures are taken. This is why one of the most important steps any company will take is in deciding what type of content to put forth. First impressions mean everything – your content included. And sometimes the best way to ensure quality content is by hiring content professionals also known as copywriters. Here are some big tips on how to find your dream copywriter.
Find someone with experience across multiple industries.
The most informed copywriters – professionals who’ve held different jobs across different industries – are ideal because they’ve experienced both sides of the coin. They have previously worked as either a journalist, in Public Relations, as a salesperson or even held completely different job titles – perhaps as a teacher or lawyer. One of the most important things a copywriter should understand is that individuals are often unique and cannot be thought of as merely part of a whole. A varied professional background is a surefire way to guarantee your copywriter will be able to better communicate with your audience.
Hire a storyteller.
What are most services and products trying to accomplish anyway? Even before one can think about revenue numbers, you need to know and subsequently sell a story or an idea. A story or an idea on its own can be fantastic, but if it cannot be communicated effectively, it is worthless. So find someone who has a creative mind, who is able to get an idea across both seamlessly and beautifully.
Find someone with a fresh perspective.
This is especially true for a company that has been in business for longer than a few years. It is important to always stay attuned to the ever-evolving world out there and the most foolproof way to make sure you aren’t left behind is to find a copywriter with a fresh perspective. This could mean hiring someone who is not a native speaker of your language but has learned your language after mastering their own mother tongue. Or perhaps hiring someone who has worked in different countries around the world, who has a vast set of experiences in life to draw from to make your content more unique and less trite.
Find a copywriter who has worked across different teams.
In today’s world, companies often possess multiple teams such as development, sales, business development, marketing, not to mention much more. Excellent communication between teams is crucial to a company’s success, therefore your copywriter should understand how to work with people in vastly different positions. Copywriters will often need to consult with development, particularly because more and more copywriters are also responsible for UX writing. Read more about UX writing here.
Find someone who is passionate about your cause.
Copywriters are most effective when they are writing from the heart. Try to find someone who is very excited by whatever it is your company is trying to accomplish – whether it is in software development or shoes sales – there is always someone out there just as interested in representing and driving your cause.
