Choosing The Right Web Content Writer - 8 Qualities to Look For in a Freelance Copywriter

The explosion of e-commerce has not only seen a tremendous and ever-growing demand for Copywriters, but has also made the role of the Copywriter a complex and technical one. Many internet retailers have realized the hard way that who they hire for writing their content, today, will have a huge impact on their business, in the short-term as well as the long-term. In the complicated world of internet marketing, choosing the right content writer has emerged as a Herculean task. The following are some important factors you need to look for in a Copywriter:

1)      A Copywriter with a Professional Education in Content Writing, Advertising or Marketing: An educational background in these fields ensures a well-rounded understanding of marketing principles and practices.     

2)      A Copywriter with Errorless Writing, Every Time: While even the best ofbrains are known to sometimes err with the written-word, the truth is that no copywriter ever should! If you have spotted errors in a copywriter's written correspondence more than once, it's probably a sign that you should run away, and run away fast!

3)      A Copywriter with Relevant Work Experience: Web content writing requires a deep understanding of internet marketing writing, search engine optimization writing (SEO writing), search engine marketing writing, social media marketing methods and practices, etc. Many Copywriters from traditional advertising agencies that deal only with print, radio and television advertising are not familiar with these concepts. Make sure the writer you hire has relevant experience and expertise.

4)      A Copywriter with a Substantial and Impressive Portfolio: It is expected that you ask for samples from your prospective freelance content writer's portfolio. Any established content writer will be able to point you to at least some work on-line. If you like a majority of the work, it's likely you have already found a Copywriter who will work out well for you.

5)      A Copywriter Who Is Not a Plagiarist: Makesure that the writer you are about to hire is not a plagiarist! If the Copywriter sends you live links from reputed article marketing websites like ezine, you can be quite sure that he owns complete copyrights to the work. If he points you to his personal website, that's probably fine too. Otherwise, do a background check to make sure the writer is not claiming other people's work as his/her own. There are many software programs available on the internet, which can be used to check for duplication of content on-line, in order to detect plagiarism.

6)      A Copywriter Who Is Open to Suggestions and Enthusiastic About Your Project: Does your prospective content writer seem like a closed-minded person? If so, it's better you find out before you close the deal! While you should respect your propspective Copywriter's ideas as that of a knowledgeable professional, he / she should accord you the same respect. After all, no one knows your business better than you. The truth is that while you literally "interview" your prospective writer, he / she should have as many questions about you, and your business. Remember, the final say for business decisions rests with you. So, if your freelance Copywriter is not open to your suggestions, you might want to suggest that he / she look elsewhere for his her next assignment!

7)      A Writer Who Offers Good Value for Money: Today, there arewriters who "charge the moon", and some who sell their services for the proverbial "song". Find a content writer who fits your budget. But, remember, you get what you pay for! So, instead of looking for a bargain, look for someone who offers you true value for a fair price. Otherwise, you'll be pound-foolish, and will very likely be paying heavily with your bottom-line!    

8)      A Web Content Writer Who Has a Record of Accomplishing Good Conversions: Writing well is one thing, but converting visitors into buyers is another – Strangely, it is a rare talent even among internet content writers! Believe it or not, some content writers don't even bother to think about writing in a way that converts visitors. In fact, Copywriters who are new to internet content writing are likely to be stumped when you ask them for conversion statistics. If the writer does not have access to this data, do evaluate his / her work with ‘conversions' in mind as the ultimate goal. Remember, if your Copywriter is not thinking about converting your visitors into buyers, there'll simply be –very few conversions!