An Essential Guide To Working With A Copywriting Agency
We don’t need to tell you about the importance of words. Every successful modern business utilises language in a smart way. It’s how you make your message heard. The digital age demands tip-top content, and there are numerous ways to get it; one prime example being a copywriting agency.
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work with a quality content provider like Making You Content? Wonder no more. Here’s what we do and how we do it…
How a copywriter can help
There are a number of ways in which copywriting can give your business a boost. Here, we break them down for you in a bit more detail, using some of the common questions we’ve heard over the years as inspiration.
“I’m not sure what copywriting actually involves…”
You’re not alone. We’ve observed our fair share of blank stares since the business started back in 2014. Whilst copywriting is one of the most integral arms of modern marketing, people aren’t always familiar with it. This is partly because copywriting parades under multiple titles: content writing, blogging, and content management to name a few.
A basic definition of copywriting is “writing for marketing purposes”. Essentially, most of what you read outside journalism and your night-time novel is bundled into the copywriting bracket. As you might expect, this leaves a lot of different examples, including:
- Award entries
- Blogs
- eBooks
- Editing
- Ecommerce descriptions
- Email marketing services
- Guides
- Newsletters
- Press releases
- Product descriptions
- Proofreading and editing
- Scriptwriting
- SEO content
- Web content
- Whitepapers
“I know all about copywriting. I do it myself.”
That’s great! Writing is an art. As far as we’re concerned, the more scribblers out there; the better.
But if you’re a business owner, writing is one task on a list of hundreds. And it takes time. Having a pro copywriter by your side means you can get on with your day-to-day revenue-generating duties and have supplementary pieces of writing on hand to support what you’re trying to say.
The more you tell; the more you sell. And writing lets you tell a whole lot… in an exciting variety of different ways.
Why you should use a copywriting agency
You deserve to know what you’re getting when you use a copywriting agency. There are many different types of copywriters out there, and this section is dedicated to answering some of the questions surrounding distinctive content producers.
Which areas of my business can benefit from copywriting?
Time. Growth. Personality. Exposure. Communication. These are five of the main business issues that copywriting can help resolve.
It’s crucial to get out there among clients and customers to deliver a smartly crafted spoken message, but even the greatest orators remain shackled by limited reach.
As much as you’d like to be, you can’t be in more than one place at once to spread your brand message by mouth.
Great writing, on the other hand, follows you around wherever you might go. Put an article online, and it’s omnipresent. You’re always saying something even when your mouth isn’t moving. A copywriting agency can make sure this message is a good one.
With quality copy behind you, you can communicate with consistency, ensuring a strong tone of voice resonates across multiple formats (including web copywriting and mobile copywriting) for maximum exposure.
“I’ve only got a bit of writing that needs doing. Should I use a freelance writer?”
Making You Content know the freelance world well. Our team has its roots in freelance writing, so we understand all about the benefits and drawbacks of hiring writers for one-off jobs.
There are, undoubtedly, some fabulous freelancers out there, but finding the right fit for your company can prove a real headache. They all have their own ways of working and whenever you pass on a new project to a new freelancer, you’re forced to take an initial risk.
Will they meet deadlines and hit quality expectations? You simply can’t know. For all their writing talent, they may lack skills you’re looking for – like SEO expertise, email marketing copy, or industry knowledge. A good writer and good copywriter are not the same thing.
A copywriting agency however, will boast a content hub full of work you can look back on, with specially written pieces ready to view at a moment’s notice. All it takes is a quick glance at their copywriter portfolio, and you’ll know whether they’re the right team for the job.
“I already know of some good marketing agencies. They can do my copywriting, can’t they?”
Most marketing agencies or departments will have copywriting listed among their services. It’s become standard procedure. Like a cappuccino without chocolate sprinkled on top, a marketing agency that doesn’t offer copywriting is an anomaly.
But that’s not to say that a marketing company is the way to go. Many don’t have skilled, dedicated copywriters that work in-house, often passing copywriting tasks around different people in the team. Failing that, they may outsource to a freelancer – which means you might as well have gone the freelance route yourself in the first place.
When you use a copywriting agency, you get dedicated specialists creating all your words for you; scribbling meaningful, eye-catching content that surpasses your expectations. These guys don’t just write though; they live and breathe your brand.
“What sort of businesses work with copywriting agencies?”
All sorts! As you can see from our client portfolio, we’ve collaborated with all kinds of brands. Our scalable services work for everyone. From a handful of blogs to a full year’s worth of content, our copywriting agency can help.
If you have ambition to grow and expand as a business, teaming up with an agency is always in your best interests. Instead of depending on a sole freelancer to complete a huge pile of projects, or hiring in-house, you can hand over these tasks to a team of copywriters – meaning the work gets done in half the time.
After a while, copywriting will become more important to your company, especially as you move up a level and earn increased industry recognition. Copywriting agencies grow with you, functioning as an extension of your business and producing work from a pool of writers who are as passionate about the brand as you are.
“How do I pick the right copywriting agency?”
When searching for a copywriting agency that’s right for you, you need to consider three key attributes: communication, adaptability and passion.
A communicative copywriting agency lets you know where you stand. In any collaborative relationship, frequent and effective back-and-forth is paramount to success; but especially so with copywriters. You need to be on the same page.
Adaptability is equally important. A flexible copywriting agency that operates as an added branch of your business is exactly what you need. Demands can change as fast as a snap of the fingers, and you need a team of writers who can adapt to new circumstances.
And then, of course, there’s passion. Your writer must like words, and they must believe in your business idea just as much as you do. It’s easy to separate content produced by impassioned writers from reluctantly written copy. Choose right and stand out.
The 6 steps to creating great content
Creating content that sells might sound like a tough ask, but here at Making You Content, the process comes down to six steps…
- Know your brand
This is a highly-recommended step for new clients. A brand discovery day can help you determine who you are, what you’re looking to achieve, and why you decided on these goals in the first instance.
Our team love conducting these sessions, and the excellent feedback we’ve received has shown our clients thoroughly enjoy them too – recognising workshops as both insightful and instrumental.
- Know your audience
To sell in the right way, you need to understand the people who buy your product. This is something we explore together with the client, ensuring the content we produce is relevant and engaging.
- Build a plan
Working alongside the client, we put a plan of action together for the coming days, weeks, and months. Using our industry knowledge and writing experience, we’ll create something you’re sure to love.
- Get things off the ground
The fourth step involves completing the first piece of the project. From the very beginning, we make your business our business, channelling our passion for words into every task whilst sticking to the agreed plan.
- Check and review
Next, we check and review the content in question, consulting with the client upon completion to determine whether it falls in line with their expectations and standards.
- Refine and repeat
Once you’re happy with the content, we’ll push forward with the rest of your strategy, whether that’s wrapping up web content or continuing with a stream of articles.
As a thriving content agency in Manchester, Making You Content is perfectly placed to meet the needs of any company in the North West. We’ve been helping a diverse range of brands from all walks of life revolutionise their websites and spin their copy into gold.
Get in touch with our award-winning copywriter team today. There’s always one of us about at Binks Building, Northern Quarter, scrawling away on a project. We’d love for you to drop by at some point during the working week – we’ll have the kettle on ready.
Give us a call on 0161 660 9206 or drop us a line on [email protected] at any time. We can’t wait to hear from you.