What to Look for in a Copywriting Agency: 6 Tips for Finding the Right Fit
3.00/5In this competitive digital realm, it takes more than just creating high-quality products and exceptional services to succeed. Unless you showcase all the right features of your products and services while highlighting their key benefits to the customers, the chances of you making profits are next to null. Now the question is, how will you put your services and products in the right light? With a copywriting agency, of course!
Copywriting, in case you don’t know, is the art of writing marketing and promotional materials that persuade the target audience to buy your product or service.
But, unless you are an expert, have qualified copywriters on board or have resources to hire freelance copywriters it is always best to seek assistance from a copywriting agency.
This is because copywriting agencies can create information-rich web copy for all the pages, sales letters, brochures, catalogues and more. In fact, the expert copywriter at the agency will take your product or service and put it in a way that renders it irresistible to your target market. They will get the people to answer yes to the question, “Should I buy this?”
But again, finding the right agency is easily said than done. Hence, we bring you this blog.
Dive right in as we navigate you through tips on finding the right agency as per your firm’s needs.
1- Determine Your Needs
1.1- Identify your business’s goals
While hiring a copywriting agency is important, so is determining your business needs and goals before proceeding to hire one.
Remember, every purposeful content produces a purposeful outcome. Hence, you should know what you want to achieve with the content you wish to produce. Perhaps you wish to –
- Boost a campaign or a product launch
- Enhance brand advocacy
- Increase lead generation and conversion rate
- Boost brand awareness
- Establish brand authority, etc.
1.2- Determine what type of content you need
Once you know what your goal is, it is time to determine what content you might want. Do you want –
- Web content
- Product descriptions
- Meta descriptions
- Press releases
- Video scripts
- Ad copy content
- Social media posts
- Email content, etc.
1.3- Consider your budget
Lastly, you need to determine how much you can spend on copywriting services.
Do you have a certain budget in mind? Don’t be shy about keeping the same in front of the agencies you have shortlisted. A reliable agency will always work around your budget and not the other way around.
2 Experience and Expertise
2.1- Look for agencies with experience in your industry
If your chosen copywriting agency has earned numerous credits working for established brands in the market, then it means the agency is doing something very right. And if the established brands fall in your sector, then that is good news for you.
What we mean to say is, work with an agency that has experience working with clients similar to your industry niche, so you know they can handle your needs, too.
2.2- Check the agency’s portfolio and case studies
While checking the reviews on the website can give you an idea of who the agency has worked with in the past, a quick look at the case studies and portfolios will tell you whether the previous copywriting projects handled by the agency were successful.
Spend time digging into some of the previous copywriting projects to be sure about partnering with the agency.
2.3- Look for agencies with expertise in the type of content you need
As mentioned earlier, there are numerous types of content produced for numerous needs. It is essential that you know what you want.
If your major focus is the product description, meta description, ad copy creation, press releases or social media content creation, work with agencies or copywriters capable of handling such copies.
3- Communication and Collaboration
3.1 – Evaluate the agency’s communication skills and responsiveness
The last thing you want is to be stuck with an agency that showcases no proactiveness in sharing vital details of the project.
Before you decide to hire an agency, consider having a one-on-one session, perhaps through video conference or meeting in person.
The idea is to gain details on how the communication process will go. Will there be a single point of contact? What medium will be used to communicate effectively – call, emails, messages, etc.? How often will the reports or project progress detail be shared?
3.2 – Consider the agency’s approach to collaboration and feedback
Oftentimes, both the clients and the best copywriting agencies speak different languages. And by different language, we mean, the experts use industry jargon that clients find hard to comprehend.
Work with an agency that takes time to help you understand the concepts and is even open to taking feedback and suggestions you might have. After all, the project belongs to you.
3.3 – Look for an agency that takes the time to understand your brand voice and values
Content marketing copies need to be created in a way that it resonates with the target audience without losing the brand’s voice and values.
Hence, it is imperative that you work with an agency that takes time to understand your brand and how it was showcased in the digital realm. This way, you will retain consistency in the quality of the copies getting posted digitally.
4- Work Process and Timeline
4.1 – Ask about the agency’s work process and timeline
Keep in mind producing quality SEO-friendly content isn’t an easy task. It takes time and expertise.
Hence, it is crucial to work with a content agency that prioritizes the timeline without hampering the quality of the copies. Only an established agency has a solid process in place that allows for all the quality checks under the said turnaround time, including researching, drafting, editing, proofreading and reworking (if the client requests).
4.2 – Evaluate the agency’s ability to meet deadlines
Just because an agency delivers the work on time doesn’t mean it is delivering the high-quality content that you expect from them.
As mentioned earlier, an agency must have a solid process that takes care of all the major aspects of writing a digital copy, including researching, drafting, editing and proofing. The agency must meet the deadlines without hampering the quality of the content.
4.3 – Look for an agency that provides clear and regular updates on the progress
Regular project updates are crucial as they help uncover whether your investment in copywriting services was at all worth it.
For instance, most content writing projects are based on an approximate number of words. However, the final word volume, post edits and revision. can either be higher or lower than the approximate word count.
Reports (often spreadsheets) created by the editor-in-chief at the agency will note the down volume of every article against the final estimates. This offers a transparent detail of whether or not your money is being utilized properly.
5- Pricing and Value
5.1 – Understand the agency’s pricing structure
While hiring a copywriting agency can cost you a fortune, it is worth noting that your payment is being used to pay for an entire editorial team.
The content you receive from a copywriting agency is typically produced by competent writers, checked by editors with SEO knowledge and fact-checked and proofread by experts.
Hence, you are bound to pay more. Just ensure that you cross-check the pricing structure to determine whether or not you are paying a fair amount.
Also, if you have a one-time project in hand, for instance, brochure content creation or rewriting the website copy, choose a company that offers a “pay by the project” payment option. If you wish to hire an agency for ongoing copywriting services like creating bulk blog posts every month, email marketing weekly, etc., choose the “pay by the hour” payment option.
Choosing the right payment option allows you to be prepared ahead of time, lowering any risks of surprise charges.
5.2 – Compare pricing and value across agencies
Not all copywriting agencies are created equally. Some are just interested in taking away your hard-earned money. Hence, being vigilant is crucial.
If you feel that a particular agency is charging you more than you expected, shop around. Make a list of a few best copywriting agencies and then compare the prices based on copywriting services offered, expertise in the industry, turnaround time, reporting process, etc.
Also, when it comes to outsourcing, you get what you are paid for. Hence, avoid falling for the “cost-effective copywriting services” scams put out by some agencies. They are doing nothing but duping you with low-quality and plagiarised content that might hurt your brand’s digital existence.
5.3 – Consider the agency’s ability to deliver high-quality content that aligns with your goals
As we read in the section “1.2- Determine what type of content you need,” different types of goals can vary from company to company.
During your first one-on-one conversation with the agency’s experts, talk about the goals and expectations you have for your brand. You should clearly gain an idea of whether or not the agency is capable of assisting you in achieving those.
If you get an affirmation, ensure to determine how the agency experts will help you achieve your goals, too.
6- Reputation and Reviews
6.1 – Research the agency’s reputation and reviews
Before you decide to sign a contract with the copywriting agency, make sure to spend enough time to determine the agency’s reputation. Perhaps read online reviews or testimonies that previous clients may have left.
Pay attention to both the negative and positive things people have to say to uncover any patterns of common concerns and complaints.
6.2- Look for agencies with a track record of success and positive client feedback
Since a good copywriting agency will be an important asset for your business, choose one that has a proven track record.
Your chosen agency must be able to bring the right attention and message your business deserves to reach its full potential.
By spending time to determine the company’s success rate in the industry, you can stay assured of hiring a well-reviewed and reputable agency.
6.3- Consider any red flags or warning signs in the agency’s reputation
It is worth mentioning again that not all copywriting agencies are created equal. Some genuinely wish to see you succeed, while others are interested in making a quick buck.
So, how do you tell a genuine company from an insincere one? Well, look out for some red flags, such as –
- Doesn’t have a proper portfolio in place.
- Is pressuring you to sign a long-term contract.
- Has no prior knowledge of working with clients similar to your industry niche.
- The cost of their copywriting services is lower than expected.
- Their copywriting services sound too good to be true.
- Lacks the high degree of professionalism that sets their work apart from other service providers.
To summarize
In the end, using a copywriting agency can be one of the best decisions you make if you want to succeed with content marketing. Good copywriting can save your company exponentially more money than they charge. And while choosing a copywriting agency is not a one-size-fits-all decision, it’s helpful to know what to look for so that you get the best for your needs.
Here is a quick recap on how to find the right copywriting agency –
- Look for an agency with experience in your industry niche.
- Choose an agency that communicates and collaborates effectively
- Must be capable of meeting deadlines and sharing reports proactively
- Delivers high-quality work that aligns with your brand goals and that, too, is within your budget
- Must have a proven track record in the industry
While working with a copywriting agency can prove to be a costly affair, this is where your financial investment will pay off, not only in terms of better branding but also in terms of increased growth and profits.
