8 signs you should hire a copywriter for your website (and 3 reasons why you shouldn’t).

Your website is a valuable piece of online real estate for your business. (It’s like your digital brick-and-mortar.) 

Ninety-four percent of your buyer’s journey occurs online before they ever inquire, which means your site has some heavy lifting to do in terms of getting them to take action. (Accenture)

And where most business’ websites drop the ball? Is with their copy.

Cheap, DIY, or templated website copy is the quickest way to lose your visitor’s attention, interest, and desire. And without those three things, you miss out on the most important thing of all: their action toward working with you.

Below are eight reasons why your website might be ready for a refresh and how a copywriter can help. 

(Plus, I’ve listed three reasons why you shouldn’t hire a copywriter—because not everyone is ready.)

1. Your website copy feels awkward, stiff, or vaguely “off.”

When you can’t put your finger on exactly what’s not working with your copy, it usually means your brand voice isn’t yet dialed in. 

Inconsistencies in tone, style, and grammar can lead to your copy feeling wishy-washy, robotic, or generic—not what you’re after. 

How a copywriter can help: A copywriter will help you define your brand personality and tone of voice. 

They’ll ask questions like: Is your brand more casual or formal? Witty or serious? Down-to-earth or aspirational? Give your answers some real thought, because they’ll guide the direction of the copy.

The result will be website copy that feels natural, on-brand, and unique to your business. And it’ll finally articulate your unique value proposition.

2. Your business has evolved or your offers or audience have changed.

The first version of your website won’t be your last. As your business evolves, so will your messaging. That means at some point, your website copy will probably become outdated.

If the messaging on your site doesn’t match what you’re talking about on social media, your visitors will quickly become confused. And a confused mind doesn’t stick around. 

In fact, the average website visitor will spend no more than seven seconds scanning the page to see if you’re the solution for them. You can’t rely on them to figure it out.

How a copywriter can help: A copywriter’s job is to understand your business and the transformation you offer your clients or customers. 

During the copywriting briefing process (a strategy call to kick off your project), they’ll ask you about your goals, services, and target audience and either update or rewrite your copy to reflect your new direction.

They’ll write copy that makes what you do and who you’re for unmistakable.

3. Your website isn’t converting visitors into leads.

Assuming you have web traffic to begin with (and your design isn’t atrocious), if no one is filling out your contact form or signing up for your lead magnet, then it’s clear you have a copy problem.

How a copywriter can help: Your website should be a lead generating machine for your business. 

A copywriter can audit your existing copy for clues as to why your site isn’t performing. If it’s not something obvious like a broken link or missing call-to-action, then it’s a messaging problem. 

Your copy needs to tap into your target audience’s pain points and desires, articulate your unique value proposition, and paint a picture of the transformation you offer your clients. 

That’s what a copywriter does for you.

4. You’re not 100% confident sharing your site.

If you cringe at the thought of sharing your boring, bad, or outdated website, it’s a sign your copy, design, or both are due for an upgrade.

How a copywriter can help: Have you ever visited a website where you ate up every word? That’s the feeling your website should give your ideal client.

A professional website copywriter can help you update that amateur, DIY messaging and craft copy that makes visitors a little bit obsessed with your brand.

When your messaging is on point, you’ll be excited and proud to direct people to your site.

5. You’re rebranding or updating your website design.

Your brand isn’t just your visuals. It’s also your messaging, which is expressed through your copy. 

Visual branding alone can’t make up for subpar website copy. (Any designer who’s been around the block will tell you the same.) When it comes to rebranding—or beautifying your website—go all the way, because as Donald Miller says, pretty websites don’t sell things. Words do.

How a copywriter can help: Ideally, you’re working with a copywriter who specializes in branding, so they can help you on the messaging side of your rebrand, then execute the copy.

Work with a copywriter before you work with a web designer. The copy informs the design—not the other way around.

6. You sell high-ticket or premium offers or services.

The more your services or products cost, the more selling they require. 

Copy = sales. So don’t skimp and write your own sales page. Unless you were a copywriter in your last career, chances are you’ll miss some key elements of an effective sales page.

How a copywriter can help: Using ethical principles of psychology and research on your target audience, they’ll help you tap into the desires and challenges your target audience has that makes them seek out your help. 

They’ll also address the questions, fears, or objections your target audience has about working with you so you can overcome those hesitations and show them now is the time to take action.

A copywriter can help make your website a sales machine. You just need to seal the deal once you get the client on the phone. (If that’s part of your process.)

7. You want to grow your email list.

No one wants to sign up for your newsletter anymore. These days, you need a compelling (and usually free) offer to capture email addresses. 

That’s what a lead magnet or freebie is for. 

A lead magnet is the number one tool for growing your all-important email list, and it belongs on your website so you can capture visitors who are still in the research phase and aren’t yet ready to take action toward working with you.

Why is it so important to get them on your list? Because you can build that know/like/trust factor with your subscribers, which leads to more sales.

How a copywriter can help: A copywriter who specializes in lead magnets can help you develop your idea for a lead magnet and write the copy for it, whether it’s a downloadable PDF, email series, video script, or something else.

Don’t forget about your automated “welcome” email sequence. Welcome emails have an average 91% open rate—four times the standard open rate for regular marketing emails. (Campaign Monitor)

They’re highly valuable, and based on your goals and lead magnet, your copywriter will be able to determine how many and which types of emails are necessary for your sequence.

8. You want to improve your Google SEO ranking.

If you’re looking to increase search-driven web traffic to your site, you’ll want to work with an SEO copywriter or a copywriter with some basic SEO experience.

Three out of four people searching on Google never scroll past the first page. And 61% of B2B marketers say that SEO and organic traffic generate more leads than any other type of marketing. (Intergrowth)

That’s something you should want to get in on.

How a copywriter can help: Not all copywriters are SEO copywriters, but it’s standard these days for any online copywriter to have at least foundational SEO skills. 

They’ll often look to your analytics and to basic SEO research to see which keywords you (and even your competitors) currently rank for. They’ll weave those search terms into your website copy, which over time can improve your Google ranking and result in more website traffic.

When NOT to hire a copywriter.

While professional copywriting is almost always worth the investment (usually paying for itself many times over), not everyone is ready for it. 

Here are three reasons not to work with a copywriter—at least not yet.

1. You haven’t defined your offers or target audience.

A copywriter can help you articulate the benefits and transformation of your offers—but they can’t help you create them. 

You’ll either want to wait to hire a copywriter until you’ve tested and refined your offers with several ideal-fit clients, or you’ll need solid research on your ideal customer and the pain points your offer addresses if you’re brand new to the market.  

Same goes for your audience. The more you know about them, the better you can target them with your messaging. 

Many young businesses try to appeal to the masses. But when you try to speak to everyone, you speak to no one. (Unless you have Apple’s marketing budget, then by all means.) You’re also more likely to attract clients who are unsatisfied, doubt your value, or can’t actually afford you when you cast too wide a net. 

Do the work of defining who your offer is for. Your copywriter can ask the in-depth questions to get to know them better.

2. You’re not invested in marketing your business.

Good copy alone can’t grow your business. You must be actively, consistently putting out content that resonates with your audience and drives people to your website.

If your efforts are erratic, unclear, or all sales and no value, your message will fall on deaf ears. That means your website will get fewer eyeballs. And a website without eyeballs is no better than a business card at the bottom of your purse.

Your marketing doesn’t have to be perfect, but you do have to be committed to it for your investment to pay off.

3. You’re unwilling or unable to participate in the process.

Working with a professional website copywriter usually involves completing a detailed questionnaire, talking about your business in-depth during a strategy call, and providing timely and thoughtful feedback on drafts of copy.

A good copywriter isn’t merely a work-for-hire, but a collaborator in your business. Even the best, most experienced writer won’t be able to help you if you can’t give them what they need.

Copywriting requires you to play the game. If you’re not in a position to make it a priority, don’t hire a copywriter.

Ready to make your website work for your business?

When you work with Mettle & Tonic, you’ll get potent copy that makes your dream clients obsessed with you.

Schedule a free, no-obligation discovery call to see if we’d be a good fit.