No doubt, the best way to find the right copywriter for your website copywriting project is to ask the right questions.

Below I offer 9 key questions to ask a copywriter. I’ve given my answers too, so you’ll have an example to compare against. 

1. “What’s your experience with the industry I’m working in?”

Ideally, although this is usually not a dealbreaker, you’ll select a copywriter who’s already worked in your industry. This can speed up the research phase as they’re already aware of how the industry works, key players, typical sales processes, etc. 

If you’re curious which 30+ industries I’ve worked with, head over to this page and scroll towards the bottom. 

2. “What sort of results have you achieved in my industry already?”

The natural next question then, is whether the copywriter has developed any winning campaigns in your industry. For sure, if I was an eCommerce brand looking for a direct response copywriter I’d ask about campaigns & copy they’ve already produced which have worked. 

Checkout my Growth Stories page for a library of case studies of successful campaigns I’ve developed. If you dig them, make sure to join my Persuasive Prose newsletter (also above). Inside I take deep dives into why these campaigns worked and what we can learn from them. 

3. “Can I see samples of your writing?”

As a client, you’re completely within your rights to ask for copy samples. 

Of course some of what they’ve delivered for other clients may be shielded by an NDA. However they shouldn’t have a problem taking out brand & product names to give you a sense of the quality of their work. 

Want to see some of my samples? I’d be happy to share them with you. Simply scroll to the bottom of these page and request a complimentary 20-minute strategy call and I’ll get back to you asap!

4. “What are your qualifications?”

Honestly, I’m not the biggest fan of degrees (I have 2). 

In my humble opinion, the best places to learn copy are from the OGs of the industry. Top copywriters obsessively study from leaders who have succeeded before them. Influences such as Gary Halbert, Gary Bencivenga, Clayton Makepeace, Jay Abraham, Drayton Bird, and more. 

Theses are masters of the craft who were at the top of the game and decided to give back in the form of books, seminars, courses and mentorship. I’ve deeply studied many and been mentored personally too. For a full list of influences read this page.  

And of course, be on the lookout for industry qualifications. Myself, I’m a certified Google Ads & Analytics partner, an Active Campaign agency partner, a Facebook Blueprint partner, I’ve completed several Digital Marketer qualifications, and I regularly invest in training and mentorship (I’m in several top masterminds that have a 5-figure price tag attached). 

Lastly, great copywriters and marketers are students of the market. Always on the lookout for the market’s top campaigns & funnels. The idea to model the best in market (which is already working), then iterate and improve on it.

4. “How long have you been in the field?” 

This is a fair question to get a sense of their experience level. I started writing and split testing copy & landing pages when I kicked off my career back in 2008 managing PPC campaigns in London. 

I began taking my journey into copywriting seriously around 2010 (when www.persuasiveprose.com was first registered). And I started working professionally as a copywriter in 2014. 

5. “What is your experience & knowledge of marketing in a wider context?”

Of course the deeper and wider their knowledge of marketing in general, the better they can support your business to grow. Ideally, you want a copywriter who understands how to generate leads, maximise Average Order Value (AOV), optimise design for conversions, how to structure Ad Campaigns across your funnel, maximise backend sales value, increase retention, etc. 

As you can see, copy is just one element that fits inside the greater strategic marketing mix.  

6. “Do you have any case studies?”

A great copywriter will share successful campaigns. 

7. “What type of content do you specialise in?” 

This is a great question to ask to identify your copywriter’s strengths. I also like to ask “What do you love working on?” because having someone work on in an area that lights them up will generally get you a better result. 

For me, my passion lies in email marketing copywriting (for samples, go ahead and join my free newsletter), Advertising Copy (Google, YouTube, & Facebook PPC Ads), Sales Pages & Conversion Pages / Funnels. 

8. “What is your availability?”

A crucial question to avoid disappointment. Especially if you need a copywriter on a regular basis, it’s best to check their availability long term before kicking off a project. 

I’ve you’ve come to this page through a Google Ad, you can assume I have a couple hours per week available right now :) 

9. “What are your rates?”

Different copywriters will offer different rates, and while there’s no set standard, there are rough guidelines.

Here’s an overview from GrowthLab that averaged the rates of around 70 active copywriters: