Thinking about hiring a professional writer for your website? Today, I’m sharing the process I use to write website copy for interior designers — plus a few FAQs — so you know what to expect when you outsource your website words.
Hiring a copywriter for your website is an exciting step! No more blinking cursor staring back at you, no more agonizing over the right words…You can cross “Website Words” off your to-do list and get back to tackling more exciting projects. (Or taking a nap!)
Sounds amazing! But…then you realize you have no idea what partnering with a copywriter looks like. Can you really trust them to write for you and your business as an outsider? What information do you need to provide so they can do their job well? And what can you expect from the final deliverables?
Today, we’re exploring the process of working with a copywriter for your website and all that it entails.
First, let’s dig into the question everyone starts with:
Should I hire a copywriter for my website?
That’s not always a simple answer.
A copywriter Is a tremendous resource and asset for your brand’s website. That being said, hiring a copywriter isn’t always the right move. If you’re a brand new business owner - or you don’t yet have a clear vision for your service offerings - I’d suggest writing your first website yourself. You’ll likely need updated copy within your first year as you grow into the next phase of your business. And, you’ll want to be able to add new testimonials and portfolio images as you grow.
With that in mind, I recommend waiting a bit and investing in professional website copywriting once your business and vision are more established.
But, if you’ve been in business at least a year or two and you’re looking for a website that better represents your brand, a copywriter is a great use of your marketing dollars. Here’s why:
A website copywriter brings clarity to your brand voice and offers, so your marketing is consistent across platforms.
Copywriters are conversion-focused. They always write with the end goal in mind — bringing in more business.
Copywriters understand sales psychology. They know how to speak to your target audience in a way that’s authentic and encourages more people to say yes to your offers.
Some copywriters have SEO knowledge to give your website a boost in search results.
Outsourcing your website copy takes a ton of work off your plate.
Partnering with a copywriter for your new website can save you time and headaches, and provide crucial insights and experience. While quality copywriting isn’t cheap, it’s worth outsourcing to a pro to make sure your website sets the right tone for your business, nurtures potential clients, and brings in quality leads.
Not sure you’re ready to outsource your website copywriting? This blog post explains 5 reasons a website copywriter can help - plus 3 key signs it’s not a great investment yet. Read the full post here.
Do all copywriters write website copy?
No. Just like interior designers, copywriters have specialties within their field. Sometimes this is a type of copy (blog and content, sales pages and email marketing, etc). Sometimes it’s a specific niche like tech and software or family and parenting. And it might even be some combination of both.
For example, I focus on brand messaging and website copywriting for interior designers and lifestyle brands.
Finding a copywriter who specializes in website copy and whose niche experience is aligned with your brand will typically give you the smoothest process and the best results.
How does outsourcing to a copywriter work?
Outsourcing your website words to a professional can take a ton of work off your plate. Your copywriter’s process will involve getting to know you and your brand, learning about your ideal clients, researching your competitors, then writing and revising the words for your website.
Each writer will have their own version of the process, but the following three things are almost always true.
Three things to expect when you work with a copywriter for your website
1 - There will be homework at the onset.
When you sign on a new interior design client, they don’t say, “I’d love a new modern kitchen. K, thanks, byyeeeeee!” and then waltz in a few months later for the reveal (no matter how much HGTV tries to convince us otherwise).
The reality is, you need their input. It takes time and effort to get familiar with their taste, goals, issues with the current situation, values, and more. Once you have all those details, you can begin the creative process. The same is true for working with a website copywriter.
All of my projects start with a branding questionnaire. Clients spend 30 minutes or so filling it out, and attach key testimonials/snippets of their clients’ feedback.
Then, we hop on a 60-90 minute call to dig in deeper, so I can capture their voice and vision more clearly. Then, I’m ready to get started writing the actual website words.
2 - We also need your feedback at key points in the copywriting process.
Again, like a designer gets client feedback after the initial design presentation, a website copywriter needs and wants client feedback on the first draft of copy.
I always begin with a single page of a website — typically the About or Services page, since they’re so personal and tend to have a higher word count. Then, I turn my first draft over to my client to get their feedback, answer any questions, and learn from their comments.
All of my writing proposals include revisions because that’s where many concepts get ironed out and refined. From there, the rest of the website copywriting picks up speed as I’m more tuned in to that client’s voice, vision, and goals.
3 - Website copywriting is usually separate from web design.
Clients often want to know, “Will my copywriter design my website, too?” Not usually. Having a copywriter design your website is a bit like hiring an interior designer to install your bathroom tile. They might have an eye for it, and they have ideas about the installation pattern, grout thickness, etc, but the actual design implementation and coding are not in their zone of genius.
Personally, I designed my own website, because I have an art background and I knew enough about what I wanted to achieve. I also wanted to understand the basics of web design so I could speak the language with my clients and their web designers. But I haven’t invested the time to master the skill, so I don’t offer it as a service.
Your copywriter should have some quality web designer/developer recommendations for you though, so don’t be afraid to ask!
So what does the website copywriting process look like, start to finish?
Here’s an outline of my 6-step process for writing website copy:
Step 1: Consultation
First, it’s important to ensure potential clients and I are a good fit.
On this complimentary call, I ask a few questions to better understand you, your business, and your marketing goals. You also get an opportunity to ask me questions about the process and deliverables.
If it feels like a good fit, I follow up a few days later with a detailed proposal for the scope of work and pricing.
Step 2: Onboarding & Homework
Once everyone agrees to move forward, we take care of a little digital paperwork — starting with a contract and an invoice to secure your spot in my calendar.
Next, I forward my Brand Discovery Questionnaire your way. This questionnaire is a fill-in-the-blank worksheet designed to hone in on your ideal clients, services, and brand. It takes roughly 30-40 minutes to complete.
I used to get nervous sending clients a writing assignment when they hired a writer to take things off their plate. But over time, I’ve repeatedly heard that this process provided great insights into areas of their business they hadn’t really considered before — and they actually found it fun!
Last piece of homework: rounding up testimonials.
Testimonials are a copywriter’s gold. They tell us about you and your business from your ideal client’s perspective, which is exactly what we need to hone in on to write effective website copy. I comb through testimonials for buzzwords, common themes, pain points, and more — plus, I strategically plug them into your website copy to increase conversions.
Step 3: Brand Discovery Call
Once I review your questionnaire responses and testimonials, we dig in even deeper on a 60-90 minute Brand Discovery Call. This is a chance to get anything clarified from your questionnaire and explore other areas of your business and personality where unedited, off-the-cuff responses are more helpful.
It also gives me a chance to pay attention to how you speak — common phrases and words you use, your tone, and your personality. It’s a key element in helping me write website words that sound and feel like you!
Step 4: Research, Writing, & Editing
Now, you get to sit back and forget all about your website words for a bit.
I’ll put on my copywriter hat (and my work-from-home yoga pants) and get busy researching your ideal clients, your competitors, and possible SEO keywords.
Then, I begin writing. I like to start with a single page of web copy — typically the About or Services page, since they’re more personal and usually have a higher word count.
Once I’m done (this first page typically takes around a week to research, strategize, and write) I send the draft to my editor, who provides her notes and catches any lingering typos. Then, I clean it up and send the first draft your way!
Step 5: Revisions
In the revision process, I look for your feedback to clarify any questions that came up during the drafting process. I also appreciate any and all feedback about word choice, phrasing, etc to help make sure your website feels authentic to you.
This whole process takes place in Google docs, which makes sharing and revisions a breeze. I place the doc in “comment mode” during the revision phase. This means you can type directly into it, or leave comments in the margins, without affecting the structure or actually deleting anything.
The first page typically has the most revisions and notes, since I’m still learning and honing your voice. From there, the rest of the pages typically go faster. For a simple website — 4-5 pages — the total writing time is typically 3-4 weeks if revisions are returned promptly.
Step 6: Final Call & Copy Handoff
Your revision notes in hand, I clean up each page and double-check that every comment has been addressed. Then, we’ll schedule a final 30-minute call where I’ll share my screen and we walk through each page to ensure you’re over-the-moon happy with your website copy.
With the final revisions in place, I switch the Google doc settings so you have full ownership and editing rights, and send them your way via email.
Now, you’re ready to forward your brand new website copy to your web designer. And good news: Each page is formatted with headers and subheadings — plus SEO keyword notes and an optimized meta description. (Not sure what any of this means? No sweat! Your web developer will! These are all key components of a website that’s optimized for search engines. Plus, the formatting provides a blueprint for your site layout and makes your web designer’s job a bit easier.)
So, how long does new website copy take?
Ideally, you’d have your new website words 4-5 weeks from your Brand Discovery Call, depending on the scope of your site. If it’s more involved, with multiple services pages, etc, it might be a few weeks longer.
Keep in mind, client feedback is required at various stages of the process, so delays from clients can push back the submission date. To keep things on track, I ask clients to submit comments and revision notes within 72 hours. Then, I complete revisions on my end within two business days so we can move along to the next page.
Have additional questions about the website copywriting process?
Shoot me an email at katie@katieboycecopy.com.
Looking for professional copywriting for your interior design or lifestyle website?
Learn more about my website copywriting services and pricing — or schedule your complimentary consultation here.