What to Do When You Hire a Copywriter: The Ultimate Prep Guide

If you’re looking to hire a copywriter, you’re already making money moves. Hiring a skilled & trained copywriter can save you time, boost your search engine rankings, help you consistently deliver ICONIC content, identify and maintain your brand’s voice, take content marketing off your plate, keep you on the pulse of what’s happening in the industry, better serve your audience, and save you money.

Yes, saving money is facts. Compared to hiring an in-house copywriter who you’d have to give sick leave and holiday pay, a freelancer is a lot more cost-effective. And when you consider the fact that the average ROI you get when you hire a copywriter is $3 for every $1, it becomes pretty clear that it’s a worthwhile investment.

But the most important benefit of hiring a copywriting is that you’ll have more persuasive and compelling copy. Obviously you want to sell your stuff, but without that gross sales-y speak that businesses are known for. When you hire a copywriter, you’re hiring an expert that can help you connect with your people, build trust, put the focus on them, and sell your stuff.

The industry-standard cost of copywriting

“What’s the damage?” That’s your main concern, and I don’t blame you! You want to make sure you’re getting a good bang for your buck.

Every copywriter will have different rates based on their experience, expertise, and the scope of work. But here’s a baseline:

• Website copy: $1,500-7,000
• Emails: $250-2,500 per email
• Blog post: $250-$800 per post
• Social media management: $1,000-$5,000 per month
• Short video script: $500-1,500+
• Landing pages: $350-1,500
• Ad copy: $75-350 per ad

Find more fee ranges for the top 80 copywriting projects in AWAI’s 2024 Copywriting Pricing Guide>>>

Your pre-copywriter prep list: everything you need to bring to the table

1. Everything about your target audience

Listen, your target audience isn’t just “women 25-45” — we need the JUICE:

• Where do they shop?
• What makes them like, engage with, and share content?
• What keeps them up at 2 AM?
• Which influencers are they obsessed with?
• What makes them hit “add to cart”?

Pro tip: According to Cintell, brands with detailed customer personas generate 71% more revenue per customer.

2. Your social proof

Your wins are our writing fuel. We need:

• Every glowing testimonial
• All those success statistics
• Press features (yes, even that small blog feature)
• Awards and certifications
• Facts and figures that make you the obvious choice

According to Power Reviews, 91% of consumers are more likely to buy from brands with ratings and reviews.

These are like currency for a business — and sometimes the only thing standing between your dream client and the “Book” button. So if you have this social proof, make sure to put it all in one place. If you don’t have any yet, it’s time to start gathering it now.

3. All the tea about your products and services

Break. It. Down:

• What’s included?
• Who’s it perfect for?
• What’s the investment?
• Timeline details
• Features AND benefits
• What makes you, and your offers, special

Not only do we need this information to write about each offer, but it gives us a birds-eye view of how to approach your copywriting and prioritize messaging overall.

4. The deliverables you need from your copywriter

Be specific about what you need:

• Website pages
• Email sequences
• Social content
• Lead magnets
• Blog pages
• Video scripts
• Landing pages
• 404 Error pages
• Confirmation pages
• CRM copy
• Other launch materials

Pro tip: Not sure what you need? Start with what you know and you and your copywriter can strategize the rest together.

5. Your objective

What’s the end game for your copy? Tell your copywriter the:

• Specific actions you want people to take
• Must-have messaging points
• Non-negotiable brand elements
• Conversion goals

6. Your definition of success

Get S.M.A.R.T. with your goals:

• Specific numbers you want to hit
• Measurable metrics that matter
• Achievable benchmarks
• Relevant growth indicators
• Timebound objectives

Businesses with clearly defined goals are 376% more likely to report success. So, help us help you!

Do you want a 20% average increase every quarter? 2x the annual revenue? A sold-out event? It gives your copywriter a great benchmark to reach for, and helps you determine if the copy made good on its investment.

Wrapping it Up

The last thing you want after finding a copywriter, saving the money to hire them, and signing all the paperwork is for things to drag on because you haven’t given them everything they need.

The only way your website copywriter can write amazing copy that connects you to your people, convinces them you’re THE SHIT, and gets them to take action is by having all the information they need first.

Anyone who has worked with me knows that I go IN with the questions right at the start of their website copywriting project because I want to be prepared before I start writing.

Writing an entire website is a BEEFY thing to do, and your copywriter wants to make sure that you’re happy with the end result, and feel confident that you spent your money wisely.

But we need your help to do that.

That’s why I created the Website Copy Prep Workbook: your readiness kit filled with copywriter-approved prompts to help you gather all the necessary information you’ll need.

This is basically the brand questionnaire I’d send to my website copywriting clients, and I leave no stone unturned, so you’ll be able to prepare everything your website copywriter will need before your project starts.

Everything about your brand voice and personality, your offers, your target audience, your website goals, and more.

Whether you hire me, hire another website copywriter, or write your website copy yourself, you will need the information this resource prompts you to prepare, and nothing less.

Grab the Website Copy Prep Workbook >>>

That being said, I would LOVE to write your website copy for you!

If you’re new here, hey! I’m Jemilla — Messaging Strategist, Conversion Copywriter, and Founder of Storytella Studios©. I help women-owned & BIPOC-led small businesses find their voice, stand out, and sell their stuff with brand voice development and copywriting that’s compelling, conversational, and cultured af.

With 55+ clients in 15+ different industries, I’ve been able to help a bunch of businesses get results. And I’d love to do the same for you.

Inquire now for my 1:1 website copywriting services >>>

If you’re planning a website launch or rebrand for 2025, want to sound ICONIC everywhere you show up, and are ready to create content that actually converts, let’s work together >>>

Because when you hire a copywriter who gets you (and has all the info they need), magic happens. ✨