Hiring a copywriter to help you with your marketing message can seem like an unnecessary expense.

But in many cases, it’s actually an investment in your business that will pay you back over and over again.

There are most definitely times you can write your copy yourself (or get the help of AI to do it for you).

And there are most definitely times when hiring a copywriter to work their magic, is without question the better choice.

So, how do you know which is which?

When should you write the copy yourself? And when should you make the investment in a copywriter?

Here’s my guide to knowing when it’s time to hire a copywriter (and what you should think about if you’re going to DIY).

When Should I Use Copywriter For My Content?

The answer to this question is as often as possible.

There’s writing, and then there’s writing. Copywriting is a specialised creative area. Copywriters have trained to write and understand what it takes for a piece of copy to engage, inspire and convert your audience into paying customers.

If you’re creating any of these types of content, then you should invest in an experienced copywriter.

1. Sales Content

We all have a need for sales content in our business. This is the copy that converts people on your list into actual clients.

I’m talking that sales landing page for your online course or workshop, the email sequence that sells that to your audience, and any other large pieces of copy associated with converting audience into paying customers.

As a rule, if you’re wanting people to invest based on the piece of copy you’re sending out, then you should invest in having a copywriter create that piece of copy.

2. Key pages of your website

Your business website is THE key piece of marketing in your business.

Whether you use it to sell with landing pages and a shopping cart, or it’s simply an information style site designed to act as a credibility check for potential customers, you’re going to want to make sure it -

A - Shows up in search engine results, and

B – Makes you look good to potential customers.

Even if you don’t have the budget for a copywriter to write your entire website, as a minimum you should be making sure you invest in some help to create your Home Page and About Page.

A good copywriter will help you make sure that these pages are optimised so you’ll be found in Google, and leave a good impression with any potential clients.

3. If SEO is important to you

Search Engine Optimisation.

For some, this means you just want your page to show at the top of search results when someone types your business name into Google.

For others, it’s about ranking for particular keywords

If it’s important for your content to rank for any keyword in search engine results, then you should engage an experienced SEO Copywriter to help you write that copy.

A great copywriter will be able to create content for you that will rank AND will sound amazing and on brand so it converts your customers.

4. Foundational Content Elements

A foundational content element is a piece of content that carries the weight of your marketing.

I’ve already mentioned a few pieces of foundational content in this article – your website is one, along with any major piece of sales content.

Other foundational content includes things like lead magnets, eBooks, marketing brochures and capability statements.

What’s great about getting a copywriter to help you with these types of foundational content elements, is that you can then take this content and repurpose it across social media, your website and blogs – all professionally written by a copywriter who will articulate your message in a clear, concise and compelling way.

What are the best types of content to DIY?

If you’re planning on some DIY (and we all do that), then these are the best types of content you can confidently create without a copywriter.

Blogs

While a copywriter can definitely help you optimise your blog so it performs more strongly in search engine results, for the most part, you can definitely write and manage your own blog.

Particularly if you enjoy writing, then blog articles are a great and easy way to create fresh content that you can then repurpose across other platforms (like your social media channels).

If you have trouble getting started when it comes to writing a blog, then AI is a great solution to the blank page problem.

And if you absolutely loathe writing – then a copywriter is another great solution to the blank page problem!

Any content you’re repurposing

I’m a massive fan of repurposing your content (and my favourite method is the foundational content method).

If you’ve had a copywriter create any piece of content for you, you should feel confident in taking snippets of that content and using it in other places (like your social media for example).

If you are going to write your own content you should…

If you do decide to go down the do-it-yourself route, here’s some rules of thumb to help set you up for content creation success.

1. Learn the basics

If you’re going to start writing content, then it pays to invest in some learning. Do a basic copywriting, SEO or business writing course.

2. Make sure you proof read it

Or even better, get someone else to proof read it for you. Reading it back to yourself out loud is a great way to make sure it makes sense.

3. Find your best time to write

Everyone has a time where they’re feeling their most creative. If you decide to tackle your own copy, find the best time of day to dive in so you don’t waste precious time staring at a blank page.

4. Use AI to help solve the blank page problem

And then of course there’s using AI to help you solve the blank page problem.

But always proceed with caution – make sure you understand what you’re getting into (and find out more in my article about using AI in your marketing here.)

Outsourcing your Copywriting is an Investment in Your Business

While there’s definitely room for you to DIY your content creation, you’ll always get a better result for your copy when you use an experienced copywriter to create it.

Like all things in business, just because you can do it yourself, doesn’t mean you should. Your time is best spent on the things in your business that nobody else can do – especially if writing isn’t something you enjoy.

Using a copywriter is an investment in creating a consistent and compelling brand story that will attract and convert your ideal client.