Are you looking to hire an advertising copywriter to improve the quality of your ads?

Unfortunately, getting a good one can be challenging if you don't know what to search for. 

• Advertising copywriting is a specific category that focuses on creating written content for advertisements.
• The job requires a unique skill set, making it challenging for individuals to identify the essential qualities of a proficient advertising copywriter.

This post will review five things a good advertising copywriter does and what to look for when hiring one. By understanding the essential qualities of a successful advertising copywriter, you can make an informed decision when choosing a copywriter for your ad campaigns.

Who Is An Advertising Copywriter?

An advertising copywriter is a professional responsible for crafting written content for advertisements. They create slogans, catchphrases, audio and TV scripts, and social media ads that grab the attention of potential customers and promote products or services effectively. 

In today's digital age, advertising copywriters are in high demand in almost every industry. However, writing copy for digital adverts in the social and political atmosphere right now is a difficult skill that requires experience and expertise. 

5 Things Every Good Advertising Copywriter Does

Successful advertising copywriters assist businesses in accomplishing their objectives by providing information to customers and compelling them to sign up for something like promotional emails, request a quote, or make a purchase. Whether signing up for promotional emails, getting a quote, or purchasing a good copywriter, it can guide the customer toward a positive outcome. 

Here are five key things that every effective advertising copywriter does:

They Communicate Effectively

One of the most important traits an advertising copywriter should possess is the ability to communicate effectively in both written and verbal form. They must be able to engage with clients without hesitation, ask questions, respond clearly and concisely, and easily carry on conversations.

Moreover, the ability to communicate in simple terms is critical. Copywriting revolves around establishing a strong connection with the target audience and effectively communicating the value and benefits of a product or service. Using technical jargon, idioms, or advanced vocabulary may translate poorly in some industries. However, a skilled advertising copywriter can write easily understandable content for various audiences.

They Can Research

In today's world, where consumers are well-informed and take their time to research brands and claims, an advertising copywriter must conduct their research before developing copy that resonates with the target audience.

Research is a crucial part of the copywriting process. An advertising copywriter must investigate the market, target audience, competitors, and products or services they are promoting – this may include scientific studies related to the products they are writing about.

A skilled advertising copywriter must be an excellent researcher, capable of quickly gathering all the necessary information for the prompt. Writing without context can lead to work that exceeds the desired results. 

They Have a Great Work Ethic

A successful advertising copywriter should be able to work independently and collaboratively. This means they can contribute to group projects while executing their ideas individually. Although advertising copywriting can be a solitary job, it is not solely an independent field.

Coming up with ideas, writing and rewriting, editing, and researching are often independent jobs that a copywriter does alone. On the other hand, market research, user engagement and conversion analysis, and brainstorming are jobs that other people do. Often, a copywriter has to work with other team members to produce copy for an advertising project.

Working well alone with minimal supervision is a great plus for an advertising copywriter. Nonetheless, they should also be able to collaborate well in a team and with others.

They Have Knowledge of Different Mediums

Today, there are countless advertising mediums available. As an advertising copywriter, it is essential to have basic knowledge of each medium. For example, writing ad copy for radio differs from writing it for podcast platforms like Spotify or Apple, even if they seem similar.

Likewise, writing copy for websites is different from writing for social media. Gaining a comprehensive understanding of how each advertising medium operates and the specific rules of engagement is paramount for a copywriter to craft compelling and effective copy.

A good copywriter understands the different mediums and is interested in growing their knowledge. Taking an interest in continuing education and staying up to date on trends and algorithms is what sets a good advertising copywriter apart from a great one.

They're Highly Organized

In the fast-paced advertising industry, attention to detail is crucial for a copywriter to succeed. Without it, the copy may contain errors or miss the mark, leading to lost revenue or opportunities.

This is especially important in social media advertising, where trends can quickly come and go. Therefore, a good advertising copywriter should be able to work quickly without sacrificing quality, allowing them to capitalize on trends before they fade away.

Strong organizational skills are also essential for an advertising copywriter. They should handle time effectively, prioritize tasks, and track their progress on multiple assignments. This level of organization prevents mistakes, saves time, and ultimately leads to better results.

Here's how you can find a conversion copywriter who isn't completely horrible.

What To Look for When Hiring a Professional Copywriter

As a hiring manager, finding the right copywriter for your organization can take time and effort. However, here are the essential qualities to look for when hiring a professional copywriter:

Passion

Passion is an important aspect that influences job performance. Whether it's a passion for the task, the field, or the final result, it can significantly impact the outcome of a project. Professional copywriters passionate about writing and copy bring more to the table and can provide more value to the organization.

A great copywriter doesn't have to like writing but must show a passion for it. This means that they should offer a desire to create a good copy that provides your company with the best outcomes. Furthermore, their love should not be limited to specific topics but to copywriting. 

To gauge a potential copywriter's passion, ask them, "Do you write just for the sake of it?" This could involve blogging, freelancing for exposure, or even journaling. The point is that they take time out of their day to write down ideas and shape them into readable content.

An Education

Having a degree isn't a requirement to become a copywriter. In fact, many successful copywriters are self-taught. But it never hurts to have some education or training under your belt.

When evaluating potential candidates, look for individuals who have attended short courses, webinars, or earned certifications. Pairing these educational experiences with relevant work experience demonstrates a commitment to producing quality copy.

It's essential to remember that the digital world is constantly evolving. Strategies that worked yesterday may not work today. That's why it's crucial to find a copywriter dedicated to consistently enhancing their copywriting skills.

Education doesn't have to be formal, either. For example, attending a three-day copywriting boot camp or taking a copywriting-for-advertising short course online can provide valuable skills. Alternatively, earning a digital marketing or advertising certificate with a copywriting component can also show dedication to the craft.

Another way is learning through social media platforms from other industry professionals who share ways to improve your copywriting. Any of these options shows a dedication to continuous education in the copywriting field.

A Portfolio

Having a portfolio website filled with recent writing samples is a great way to gauge a copywriter's skills and the types of projects they've handled. However, while not having a portfolio isn't a deal breaker, it is cause for concern. 

When considering a copywriter for your team, they must have a few writing samples. This shows they understand the role of copywriting and are committed to perfecting their craft.

Remember, having a passion and dedication to becoming the best copywriter in the industry is critical. However, it's important to note that some copywriters can't share their recent work due to NDAs or selling the rights to their work. You can ask them to write a sample or two on relevant topics in such cases.

Some Testimonials

As a hiring manager, you want to look for someone with a proven track record of success. Unless your company invests in training new copywriters, you need one with relevant experience. Testimonials are solid proof that a copywriter knows their craft.

Testimonials can be from their website, LinkedIn, or social media. A copywriter's previous work can also be their testimonial. Ask them to show any content they have written and its performance analytics. Ranking on Google, sales conversions, subscriptions, or engagements are the best metrics to judge the performance of a copywriter's work. 

During the interview, ask how many ads they helped previous clients launch. Like any other professional, copywriters track their best-performing work. So they'll have the metrics at the forefront of their minds for an interview.  

Good References

A professional copywriter fosters and maintains strong relationships with past clients, recognizing the importance of client satisfaction, ongoing collaboration, and potential referrals. Reviewing their references is essential when you want to hire a copywriter for a project or a contract employee for your organization.

Be bold and ask the copywriter if there are any past clients you can talk to about their work. While they may already have reference letters, it's always beneficial to hear directly from someone who has worked with them before. 

Knowing that the copywriter you are considering working with has a good reputation with past clients is essential.

A Process

Good copywriters have a process they follow to create a copy. When looking to hire one, ask them how they make new copies. They are not qualified for the position if they offer an unclear or haphazard process.

A good copywriter can walk an interviewer through the process from beginning to end. Then, they use the process for every project to ensure they deliver a good copy on time. They may even use tools to help them.

Humility and Resilience: Handling Feedback and Revisions

A copywriter's ability to handle feedback is vital. Critical feedback is sometimes given, and a copywriter must revise or rewrite content. 

As a hiring manager, ask any potential copywriter how they deal with feedback on their work. Are they keen to listen? Do they ask for clarification? Do they strive to understand the client's point of view and goals? Are they willing to change work they deem perfect if a client rejects it? 

How a candidate answers these questions lets you know much about their personality. 

Being humble enough to take criticism and level-headed sufficient to respond without causing a scene is a needed trait in copywriters.

Understand Performance Metrics

Professional copywriters must understand how their work's success is measured. If a copywriter doesn't think beyond writing copy and how it performs, they're unlikely to improve. 

You should expect copywriters to have a different knowledge of performance metrics than marketers and advertisers do. However, they should show a basic understanding of performance goals. A copywriter who writes copy with performance goals in mind and follows up to see how the content performs is committed to improvement. 

Creativity

Writing copy is a skill that relies on creativity. Finding new angles and writing content from a short prompt is flexible. Nevertheless, a creative copywriter is a significant asset to a company's advertising and marketing teams.

When interviewing potential copywriters, look for the ability to think creatively. Copywriters need to deliver surprising and fresh copy every time they write. Ask them how they come up with ideas or if they need help translating briefs into actionable documents.

Good Communication Skills

Effective and proactive communication is vital for a successful relationship with a copywriter, regardless of the hiring arrangement. So, when looking at potential candidates, finding those who know how to communicate effectively is essential.

To evaluate a copywriter's communication skills, ask how they communicate with clients regarding deadlines and clarifications. 

A good copywriter knows how to approach clients when they realize they can't meet a deadline. First, they ask questions to clarify a client's guidelines, objectives, audience, and success metrics. Then, they can get their concerns addressed and their points heard easily.

The ability to communicate effectively is critical to having a successful working relationship with the copywriter(s) a company chooses to hire. 

Self-Management and Organization

This is a complex trait to interview for. But, copywriters who successfully work as freelancers have decent self-management skills. As a hiring manager, if you see a copywriter whose resume is filled with freelancing roles or who has a website where people can hire them, chances are they can manage themselves.

Another way to tell if a copywriter can self-manage is to check if they're organized. For instance, some copywriters use software and applications to plan better and manage their work and projects. Others use planners and diaries. 

Be mindful of copywriters who need to plan or organize their work. This could indicate that they are used to someone else preparing their work. 

Persuasive Skills: Crafting Compelling and Convincing Copy

The critical difference between content writing and copywriting is that copywriting aims to convert audiences to sales. Before hiring a copywriter, you should ensure they have the persuasive skills to write good advertising copy.

Check their writing samples or portfolio for persuasive writing. You can also have a practical interview question that involves a copywriting project. This is best when you have whittled down your list of potential candidates. 

Ask your top choices to write advertising or marketing copy for an imaginary situation for your company. Their submissions make you want to take action, like buying a product or subscribing to a service. 

Learn the 7 rules of persuasion here.

Stay Well-Informed

A professional copywriter stays up-to-date on the latest happenings and trends. Writing copy for ads or marketing requires knowledge of the current environment. A good copywriter is well-informed on each week's politics, business, regulations, and other miscellaneous happenings.

Staying on top of social media trends is also a big plus for a copywriter. While a copywriter doesn't need to be heavily involved on social media, knowing what is trending and the unrest happening on each platform for different audiences helps them write better copy. 

When interviewing a potential copywriter, ask whether they follow news or events relevant to their field. Inquire whether or not they use social media and if they follow trend cycles and read or watch news items.

Ability To Work With Others

A copywriter should have a good record of working with others. For example, in marketing and advertising, copywriters work closely with account executives, specialists, managers, digital marketers, etc. 

Writing advertising copy is a collaborative job. It requires the input and guidance of many others in making an ad campaign work. Therefore, a copywriter who is a loner or struggles to integrate into a team can be a liability.

As a hiring manager, ask the copywriters you are interviewing how they work with others and if they see the importance of doing so. Ask for specific examples of times when they worked with other people to create good copy and what the process was like for them.

Efficient and Effective Time Management 

When looking for a professional copywriter, you want to find one who consistently delivers on time. This is a desirable skill because you know you can trust them to complete the task by the deadline you set, keeping your business running smoothly.

It would be best to remember that sometimes deadlines cannot be met for various reasons. But, as long as the cause is communicated beforehand, it shouldn't impact your trust in your copywriter's time management skills.

Good Research Abilities

When hiring a professional copywriter, it's essential to ensure that they have excellent research skills. While the marketing and advertising teams usually conduct initial research, the copywriter must extensively research the topic before writing any copy.

Good copywriters have mastered their research skills and know how to put them to good use. They can evaluate sources, scour social media platforms, read academic papers if needed, research competitor content, and know which sites have trustworthy information. In addition, great copywriters know how to attribute sources and deliver boring facts as exciting content.

Learn how to elevate your copywriting with powerful B2B research strategies here.

Reliable and Efficient

No matter if you're employing a contractor or an employee, it's best if they're readily available. You may need a project completed quickly or edits and revisions at odd hours. A copywriter who cannot be reached isn't an asset in advertising or marketing.

Ensure the person you hire can access their laptop and has the time to dedicate to your organization. If you hire a freelancer, ask about their current project load and how they divide time among clients. Ensure that they can allocate the needed time to your organization.

Understands and Respects Confidentiality

When hiring a copywriter, you want to hire one that understands the gravity of confidentiality and privacy laws. Ensure you communicate what industry your company is in and who your chief competitors are. This ensures that your hired copywriter can declare that if they work for one of your rivals, there could be a conflict of interest. 

Drawing up a non-compete can also benefit your organization and the freelance copywriter you hire. Depending on your industry and the type of copy you want a copywriter to write, a non-compete clause and an NDA may be needed. 

Ask candidates that make the shortlist what industries and projects they're currently working on. Then, consult with the legal department to ensure there is no conflict of interest and draw up documents accordingly if needed. 

Deciding on Your Next Copywriter

In the world of content, a professional copywriter plays an essential role in helping businesses communicate their messages effectively. It's not just about crafting catchy sentences, but also understanding the industry's nuances, staying current with trends, and creatively using words to persuade and engage. The right copywriter is someone passionate about writing and eager to learn and improve, equipped with a robust portfolio showcasing their talent and dedication.

The mark of a true professional copywriter lies not only in the brilliance of their work but also in their resilience, their ability to take feedback, and their dedication to revise and perfect their content. Good communication, time management, and organizational skills are just as important. They must have the ability to understand performance metrics and work well within a team, all while respecting the delicate nature of confidentiality.

To sum up, hiring the right copywriter is more than just checking off a list of skills and experience. It involves finding an individual who brings to the table not just their talents but also their passion, dedication, and a mindset that aligns with your organization's culture and values. It's about partnering with someone who can use their words to shape your brand's voice and propel your business forward. So take the time, ask insightful questions, and you will find the professional copywriter that's the perfect fit for your organization.

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