What is copywriting? Why is it important? If you do an online search for copywriting services (sometimes spelled copy writing), copywriting agency Melbourne, and copywriter Melbourne, you will get a long list of companies in Melbourne that offer these services. But do they all do the same thing? If they are offering copy writing services, it will depend on their focus. But first let’s look at a definition of copy writing.

One common definition is ‘Copywriting is the act of writing text for the purpose of advertising or other forms of marketing. The product, called copy, is written content that aims to increase brand awareness and ultimately persuade a person or group to take a particular action.’ (Source: Wikipedia). This activity usually fits in with overall marketing strategies, including digital marketing, content marketing and creating marketing materials.

Effective persuasive writing highlights the pain points of the reader, provides social proof, and includes a call to action. An overall copywriting strategy can includes writing the copy for social media posts. 

Now with a clear definition, let’s look at common types of copy writing services.

One copywriting agency in Melbourne might specialise in certain areas. For example, they could only offer business-to-business copy writing services in Melbourne. This means they only work with businesses that sell to other businesses. These are usually in commercial and industrial sectors. For example, a company selling factory automation equipment in Melbourne will aim its marketing at other businesses, not individual consumers. A business-to-business copywriter in Melbourne would be the right person to contact if you are selling your products or services to other businesses.

On the other hand, another copywriter in Melbourne might specialise in business-to-consumer content. So this Melbourne writer would work only with companies that sell their products and services to consumers. For example, a company selling leisure travel packages will want to focus on reaching consumers. For this company, a business-to-consumer copywriter in Melbourne would be the right person to help them market their products and services.

It’s possible that a Melbourne copywriting agency might offer both business-to-business and business-to-consumer writing services. In this case, they will be able to assist a wider range of companies with their needs.

But if you are a Melbourne business, why do you need copywriting services? In other words, why is content important? The simple answer is that an experienced writer can make a big difference in the results you get. In fact, research shows that changing a few words in a sample of writing can make a big difference in your results. 

In one study, for example, changing writing to make the reader imagine using a product, increased results by 40% (this research was conducted by persuasion expert Robert Cialdini). An experienced persuasive writer will know how to apply these techniques when delivering writing services to ensure that you get the results you are looking for, which could include more sales and enquiries, and an improved image.

So ask a few questions when looking for a Melbourne copywriting agency for writing services:

• What area does the agency specialise in?
• What is the experience level of the copy writer?
• Are they a business-to-business or business-to-consumer copywriting agency? Or do they offer both types of services?

Why is web copywriting important to a business?

Before looking for a web copywriter in Melbourne for web writing services, you might ask, ‘Why is web copywriting important for my business?’

First, you need to recognise the importance of your website in generating leads and sales. Your website is the face of your business. So if the Melbourne website writing services you get are not up to par, you do not get the results you wanted. There are many problems that can occur if you don’t hire a professional web copywriter. These include:

• Mistakes in grammar and spelling – if you can’t even get the words on your website right, how can the website visitor trust you in delivering products and services? 
• Lack of consistency – this includes keeping words and writing styles consistent. For example, if you deliver IT services, you should spell it the same way throughout your website. 
• Not focusing on the readers – an inexperienced web copywriter might only focus on the company requiring web writing. The idea of good writing is to focus on the reader, their challenges and how your product or service solves it for them. 

The basic goal of web copywriting services is getting results. A professional Melbourne website copywriter will be able to apply knowledge to generate results you are looking for.

When looking for a website copywriter, you will also want to consider the type of writing services that the writer specialises in. Questions to ask are:

• What does the web copywriter specialise in? Is it business-to-business, business-to-consumer, or a particular industry?
• Can I see some samples of what the writer has done for businesses in Melbourne?
• Does the work look consistent and is it free from errors?

Keep in mind that your choice in selecting website copywriting services can determine the success of your website. If the web copywriter misses the mark and does not connect with readers, it will mean decreased results from your website.

SEO Copy Writing

There are many different types of copywriting to consider. One of these is SEO copy writing. When you determined you need SEO for your website, then it’s time to find SEO copywriters.

Millions of Google searches are conducted each year in Australia. With so many people searching, you want them to find your business. This is where SEO copywriting and content writing services in Melbourne come into play.

One of the factors determining how your page ranks is keywords. Having the right percentage of keywords in the right places will help your page rank higher in Google search results. This is why Melbourne SEO copywriters are important for providing SEO writing services. SEO copywriters do several things:

• They learn about your business to get an idea of what your customers are looking for and how you solve their problems.
• They research the keyword ideas to understand what people are searching for and the search volumes.
• Once the keywords are determined, SEO copywriters will write the content to include the keywords multiple times on each page. This can include creating content, such as product descriptions and blog posts, that gets noticed by search engines, so potential customers in the target audience can find what they are looking for. 

In addition to SEO copy writing services, SEO writers can offer other tips for making website as effective as possible. One such tip is to not make the website font too small, as it will make it harder to read. Another is to not use reverse type for large amounts of text. The term ‘reverse type’ describes when you use a light font on a dark background, such as white text on black. Although it might look good, studies have shown that it’s harder to read and comprehend reverse type.

How to identify a good copywriter?

When you understand the benefits of effective copy writing, the next question is ‘How do I identify of good writer?’ If you Google the term ‘freelance copywriter Australia’, you will get around 750,000 results. Given these results, how would know which freelance copywriter in Australia is a good copywriter? Here are few things to look for when choosing a freelance copywriter:

Experience – how long has the freelance copywriter been providing services? It takes some time to develop writing skills, so the amount of time the freelance copywriter has been honing their skills will have an impact on their results. 

Industries served – what type of companies has the freelance copywriter served? Some copywriters specialise in serving certain sectors, such as business to business, business to consumer, not for profit, education or government. If the freelance copywriter has specialised in an area that matches or is close to your business, there will be a smaller learning curve in serving your business. This is not to say that a versatile freelance copywriter can’t work in new areas. A good copywriter should be able to easily move into a new field and provide good work. There are times, however, when specialisation helps. For example, in the financial services industry, copywriters need to understand compliance issues – they shouldn’t write copy in a way that makes promises or sounds too optimistic. Writing in this field sometimes requires specialised knowledge so is best suited to a specialised freelance copywriter.

Testimonials – if a freelance copywriter has done satisfactory work for clients, they should have testimonials from these clients. Positive testimonials should include the name of the persons and the organisation they represent, as it is too easy to write fictitious testimonials and try to pass them off as real.

Samples of freelance copy writing work – ask if the freelance copywriter has samples of work they have completed for other clients. In particular, find out if they have written something similar to what they are looking for. For example, if you run a manufacturing business and need a company profile, ask the freelance copywriter if they written a company profile for a similar business. If they do have a similar sample, see if you like the way it’s written. Every freelance copywriter has a unique style, and it’s not offensive if the style doesn’t match your needs and you select someone else.

After you have looked at these four points, it’s time to make a decision about hiring a freelance copywriter. Trusting your intuition will help you make the best choice when selecting a freelance copy writing services.

How to work with a freelance copywriter or agency?

Once you have found the freelance copywriter in Australia (or more specifically, a freelance copywriter in Melbourne) who you want to work with, the fun begins. You will increase your chances of success if you have a clear understanding of what the copywriting services will include. 

Once the freelance copywriter understands the project brief, it’s time to begin research and interviews. Research can include viewing documents and other promotional pieces. For example, if your business has a business plan, it might help the freelance Melbourne copywriter understand your business better. Even though this document is internal and private, a business plan should discuss essential points of marketing (such as your target market and unique selling proposition) that will help the freelance copywriter understand your business and what it offers.

In delivering freelance copywriting services, the Melbourne freelance copywriter will need to conduct interviews. These can be over the phone or in person. The important thing to remember is to freely share information with the freelance copywriter. There is nothing worse for hindering the delivery of copy writing services as not having all staff on board with the project.

When staff do not cooperate with the freelance copywriter, and don’t provide all the information needed, it damages the whole process of delivering copywriting services whether in Melbourne in anywhere else in Australia. There are no good reasons for this but sometimes staff feel that the copywriter is an intruder and say things such as ‘What does this person know about our industry or business?’ or ‘What gives this copywriter the right to walk in here and start interviewing us about our business?’ When staff and manager fail to provide the information needed, there’s is a strong chance the delivery of copy writing services will not be successful.

Before the project begins, the freelance copywriter should discuss how many rounds of changes are included in the quote. In addition, it should be agreed that there will be one main contact in the company who will provide feedback on the drafts.

Remember that the freelance copywriting services you purchase can make a big difference in the results you get. So treat your freelance copywriter well to make sure that they are putting in their best effort.