In today’s digital age, understanding a copywriter’s job description is vital for hiring a skilled copywriter to boost your business’s online presence and effectively engage its target audience.
Statistics indicate that many businesses face challenges related to low website traffic, underscoring the importance of bringing in a proficient copywriter.
However, finding the perfect copywriter is a challenging task, as it encompasses going through resumes and conducting interviews.
This comprehensive guide will take you step by step through hiring a copywriter, providing insights into what you need to know to help you find the perfect wordsmith for your business.
Responsibilities & Role of a Copywriter
A copywriter’s expertise can profoundly impact your business’s online presence, branding, and customer engagement. Understanding their role is essential before you embark on the hiring journey.
Let’s delve into some key responsibilities and roles of a copywriter:
- Compelling Content Creation: Your copywriter will be responsible for crafting persuasive and engaging content across various mediums, including website copy, advertisements, blog posts, and social media content, all designed to captivate and resonate with your target audience.
- Brand Storytelling: They play a crucial role in shaping and conveying your brand’s narrative, building trust and credibility with your audience.
- SEO Optimization: The skilled copywriter will ensure your content is optimized for search engines, boosting your website’s visibility in organic search results.
- Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO): The person will focus on creating content that encourages website visitors to take desired actions, such as purchasing, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a contact form.
How to Hire a Copywriter
Hiring the right copywriter requires a strategic approach.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you find the ideal candidate:
1. Know Your Copywriter Requirements
Defining your business needs is crucial before you dive into the hiring process.
Look at factors such as:
- Understanding Your Brand’s Voice: This will help you narrow down the type of content you require (e.g., website copy, blog posts, product descriptions).
- Defining Clear Objectives: Know the specific goals for your copywriter. This will make the hiring process smoother.
- Budget Constraints and Expectations: Make sure you understand the market price for a quality copywriter before you start hiring.
Determine whether you will hire a full-time, part-time, or freelance copywriter to handle your content needs. These insights will serve as the foundation for your hiring strategy.
2. Search for The Top Talent
Explore various avenues to find skilled copywriters:
- Industry-Specific Job Boards: Post job listings on copywriting-focused job boards such as MediaBistro and Behance.
To hire part-time or freelance copywriters or copywriters hourly, you can find them on freelancing platforms like Fiverr and Upwork. With our job description below, your job posting will stand out. - Networking Events and Referrals: Attend industry-related events and seek recommendations from colleagues and contacts in your network. The best employees sometimes come from recommendations, so do not hesitate to ask.
These platforms come with a cost; hence, we have provided a breakdown of the general cost of hiring further in the article.
3. Assess Professional Credentials
When reviewing candidates’ resumes and portfolios, pay close attention to qualifications like relevant experience in copywriting and candidates with a track record of producing high-quality content in your industry or a related field.
Ensure that candidates understand the importance of SEO and have experience optimizing content for search engines.
- HubSpot Content Marketing Certification: HubSpot’s Content Marketing Certification covers content strategy, creation, promotion, and analysis. It’s a valuable certification for copywriters who work in digital marketing and is definitely an asset to look for when hiring.
- Google Analytics Individual Qualification (IQ): Understanding analytics is crucial for measuring the success of your copywriting efforts. Having a copywriter who can take an analytical approach to their work is highly beneficial for your business.
Assess candidates’ familiarity with your niche, as industry-specific expertise can be a significant asset.
4. Review Their Work Experience and Portfolio
Use the resumes to review the work experience and assess the ones relevant to your industry. Ask candidates for samples of their work or a link to their portfolios. This will help you evaluate their writing skills and focus on examples that align with your business goals and style preferences. Look for evidence of their ability to craft engaging and persuasive copy.
Copywriters, like professionals in other fields, need software for organization and to make their work easy. Software such as ClickUp, Ahrefs, Answer the Public, and Copyscape can enhance content and boost website traffic.
5. Conduct In-Depth Interviews
During the interview process, delve more profoundly than the typical interview questions. Ask questions about their approach to crafting persuasive content and their strategies for creating compelling narratives and driving action.
Structure your questions using this interview guide.
Inquire about their knowledge of SEO best practices and ability to incorporate keywords effectively. Request writing samples demonstrating their ability to adapt their style to different industries and topics.
Look for candidates who can write excellent copies and communicate your business needs through words.
6. Background Checks and References
After conducting interviews, contact the provided references to gain insights into candidates’ work ethic, professionalism, and ability to meet deadlines. A thorough background check can help you hire a reliable and trustworthy copywriter.
Questions you should consider asking during a reference check are:
- How effectively has the copywriter conducted research for past assignments?
- Was the copywriter familiar with SEO practices, and how did they integrate them into their content?
- How reliable was the copywriter in meeting deadlines? Were there instances when they missed a deadline, and how did they handle it?
- How does the writer respond to feedback and revisions?
About 40% of applicants admit to lying on their resume, especially about their education. Ensure that you don’t skip any process during the background checks.
Copywriter Job Description
Making your job titles short and easy to understand increases application rates; using fewer symbols in the ads also decreases application rates.
When writing your job descriptions, remember that they are more than just a list of responsibilities and requirements. The description impacts your candidates’ perception of your company and determines their likelihood to apply.
Job Title: Copywriter
Company: [Your Company Name]
Location: [Location]
Job Type: [Full Time / Part Time / Contract]
Salary: [Salary / Competitive / DOE]
About Us:
At [Your Company Name], we’re more than just a business; we’re a community of passionate individuals committed to [mention your company’s mission or values, e.g., “driving innovation in the tech industry” or “empowering sustainable living”]. Our dedication to [mention any unique aspects of your company culture, e.g., “collaboration, creativity, and sustainability”] defines who we are.
The Opportunity:
As a Copywriter at [Your Company Name], you’ll step into a dynamic role that allows you to showcase your creative talents and make a significant impact. You’ll be able to craft persuasive content that resonates with our target audience, driving engagement and trust. You’ll be at the forefront of our online visibility strategy, collaborate with cross-functional teams and join our marketing and design teams to deliver campaigns that captivate and convert.
What You’ll Do:
As our Copywriter, you’ll play a pivotal role in creating content that informs, inspires, and drives results. Your responsibilities:
- Content Creation: Craft compelling and SEO-optimized content for various platforms, including website copy, blog posts, social media content, and marketing materials.
- Brand Storytelling: Develop and maintain our unique voice, ensuring consistency across all channels.
- Collaboration: Work closely with our marketing and design teams to conceptualize and execute creative campaigns that engage our audience
- Research: Stay up-to-date with industry trends and conduct thorough research to produce accurate and relevant content.
What You’ll Bring:
We’re looking for a Copywriter who brings creativity and expertise. The ideal candidate will have:
- A strong portfolio showcasing your copywriting skills and successful projects in various industries.
- Understanding of SEO best practices and effectively incorporating keywords.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to adapt your style to different audiences and channels.
- Creative thinking to bring fresh ideas to our content strategy.
- HubSpot’s Content Marketing Certification will be appreciated.
Our Ideal Candidate is Someone Who Has:
In addition to the above qualifications, our ideal candidate may possess:
- Experience in email marketing.
- Proficiency in video scriptwriting.
- Certifications in content writing and marketing.
Benefits and Perks:
Working at comes with a host of benefits and perks designed to support your well-being and professional growth:
- Lucrative salary.
- Competitive compensation packages.
- Creativity and learning.
- Career growth.
- Advancement and mentorship programs.
- The flexibility of remote work.
- Supportive work environment.
- Health and dental insurance.
- 401(k) matching.
- Paid time off.
- Retirement plans.
- Team outings.
- Social events.
- Collaboration on personal projects.
- A network of industry professionals.
How to Join Us:
If you’re ready to make an impact with your copywriting skills and be part of our dynamic team, please send your resume, a cover letter detailing your qualifications, and any other supporting documents to [email address] with the subject line “Application for Copywriter Position – [Your Name].”
In [Your Company Name], we value diversity and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status. Discrimination based on disability will not be tolerated.
Closing Date: [Insert closing date for applications]
Note that only selected candidates will be notified. Thank you for your interest in [Your Company Name].
Note: Customizing this template to align with the precise requirements of your company and the unique characteristics of the accountant position you intend to fill is crucial. While this template provides a comprehensive framework, adjustments may be necessary to accommodate specialized roles.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Copywriter?
When hiring a copywriter, it’s essential to consider associated costs to plan your budget effectively. Knowing these costs will help you better plan your hiring process, ensuring you get the best candidate at the most efficient hiring cost.
Here are some potential hiring expenses that hiring managers and businesses would likely incur:
Recruitment Costs
Recruitment costs involve advertising job openings, engaging recruitment agencies, and conducting pre-employment background checks. These costs can vary depending on the chosen methods, with external agencies typically charging a percentage of the annual salary.
For internal HR teams, the expenditure may take time to be quantifiable but often entails a substantial time commitment by HR personnel and managers, with the specific amount dependent on factors such as company size and hiring complexity.
Hiring through freelancing platforms like Upwork comes with fees. Clients may encounter payment processing fees of around 2.75% to 5%. Upwork offers a premium membership for clients wanting enhanced features starting at $14.99/month. While rates vary significantly, freelancers on Upwork can charge anywhere from $5 to $200+ per hour or task.
Salary and Benefits
The most substantial cost when hiring a copywriter is usually their salary. The average annual salary for copywriters is around $26 per hour, which can vary based on experience, qualification, and industry. This consists of a base salary and, in some cases, additional annual pay, such as bonuses or commissions.
In addition to the base salary, consider the cost of providing employee benefits such as health Insurance, paid time off (PTO), retirement plans, and other perks (e.g., flexible work arrangements, gym memberships, wellness programs). These benefits are essential for attracting and retaining top copywriting talent.
Training and Onboarding
If you hire a junior copywriter or someone new to your industry, you may need to allocate funds for training and onboarding. This could include providing tools and software necessary for their role or arranging expert training.
On average, the cost of training an employee is $103 per hour, with an employee potentially needing between 32 to 35 hours of training. These costs can vary depending on the complexity of the training program and the resources required.
Equipment and Software
Copywriters use specialized software and tools to create captivating content and meet deadlines effectively. Go over the expenses associated with providing them with essential equipment like laptops, licenses for copywriting software, and any other tools necessary for their role.
Software licenses require monthly subscriptions, and they vary depending on the tool you get. Monthly subscriptions for tools like Grammarly, SEMrush and Adobe Suite can range from $10 to $100 monthly.
