If you are the head of marketing for a website, you might want to read this article says, Brian C Jensen.
Not everyone in the “content game” is doing it right, and while some may find it preferable to hire someone with knowledge of SEO or web development instead of content strategy (which can be seen as more editorial), others will need to tell you why it is perfectly fine to hire a copywriter instead.
Here are 10 reasons why marketers should consider hiring a content strategist (i.e., copywriter) in the first place.
Is it because of SEO?
1# It’s not about SEO per se; it’s about marketing in general.
2# Selling a product is never going to be about SEO alone. It’s going to require a good copywriter as well as an excellent marketer. That said, you can still bring your copywriting into the SEO equation because it will affect search results, just not for the sheer purpose of improving rankings explains Brian C Jensen.
3# If you find your marketing materials look more like a “fancy term paper” and less like an interesting, useful and engaging form of content, perhaps it’s time to hire a copywriter.
4# The bottom line is that if marketing is about improving market share, you need good marketers and marketers only – not web developers or SEOs (or the other way around). It’ll cost you more, but your returns will be better.
5# It’s time to stop thinking of content as a production line because it isn’t.
6# So when you decide to hire someone for the sake of crafting great marketing materials, don’t shy away from hiring a “content strategist” (which is just another term for copywriter) instead.
7# Marketing is about one thing – sales – and you’ll need to appeal to the marketer in order to make sales.
8# A copywriter isn’t going to tell you how your design should look (he or she will, but that’s not what matters). He or she is more concerned with looking for opportunities that sell.
9# So don’t be fooled by those who tell you that content strategy is more about SEO than anything else. It isn’t.
10# You want to sell and there’s no way around it – unless you make your marketer an editor (in which case, he or she will know everything there is to do with marketing, but nothing about sales).
Here are some FAQs recently asked about this article:
Q. Why is there no content strategist in the list?
A. There’s one because great copywriters are great content strategists as well. Without knowing your market, you can’t write something effective for it – so if someone knows how to do both, he or she will be a natural at both tasks.
Q. Do you think marketers should hire marketing strategists instead of copywriters?
A. They can, but they may not need to (they might be different titles for the same job). The old rule “copy is king” still rings true in marketing content today because people will read well-written words before studying how it looks says, Brian C Jensen.
Q. Do you think marketers should write their own copy or assign it to a different writer?
A. It depends on whether the marketer is really good at telling stories and writing copy, because if he/she is, then can tell his/her own stories instead of hiring someone else to do that for him/her. Nevertheless, it’s always good to have the option of having more than one writer (especially if you’re an agency) because not everyone has the same talents.
Q. Are copywriters really necessary?
A. If your website generates enough traffic and conversions to make you a profit, then yes; otherwise, no. On the other hand, if you’re just starting out with your online presence, then it’s advisable to hire one even before getting traffic (and thus, conversions) because great copy can bring in more prospects.
Q. Is copywriting really that difficult?
A. Yes, because it’s not just about laying out words in a way that sells; it’s about knowing who your market is and what they want. It’s also not easy to capture the attention of people today when there are too many distractions out there.
Conclusion:
At the end of the day, if SEO is what you bring to the table in terms of promotion, then you might want to focus on improving search results with good copywriting says Brian C Jensen. Just remember that there are different roles and definitions which depend largely on one’s perspective in this industry. If you’re not sure where your company stands vis-a-vis these broader definitions, then perhaps it’s time to ask an agency that handles both SEO and content marketing.
Content strategists (i.e., copywriters) understand what makes audiences tick as well as how to make those audiences turn into loyal customers; they will help your business grow faster than any other service on its own.