How You Can Choose the Best Copywriting Agencies

Copywriting agencies provide a whole host of services. Varying from entire website rewrites and Key Messaging to the general copy you find in blog posts and articles. Anywhere there’s a beautifully written phrase online, a copywriting agency likely played a part in its creation.

If you want your brand to stand out or your website to climb to the top of Google’s first page, a copywriting agency can get you there.

You can see generic copy everywhere – it’s boring, unimaginative, and sparks nothing in its readers. Choosing the right agency can mean the difference between “buy” or “bye” for your customers.

But, how can you tell the good from the bad? The great from the “meh”? Should you forego an agency completely and hire a freelancer? We’d argue probably not, but these are worthwhile questions! Of course, the biggest question is: how exactly do agencies contribute to your business?

The Proof Content team has worked with, been a part of, and managed a diverse selection of content agencies, so we think we have the experience and knowledge to answer all these questions and more. Let’s get started…

So, what does a copywriting agency actually do?

Nearly every copywriting agency offers a few universal services which include:

Editing
Proofreading
Copywriting (obviously)

But, agencies able to offer more than this, who routinely go above and beyond, truly set themselves apart.

These copywriting agencies produce quality short and long-form content with an emphasis on perfection. They’ll also be more than happy to offer proactive advice on how to optimise existing copy and suggest topics for future content.

Great copywriting agencies will do all of this and more.

If you want your content to resonate with your clients and leave a lasting impression, an agency is your route to success. Here are a few skills and services to look out for on your quest for the best:

In-depth research – it’s all about exceeding expectations. The writing brief an agency copywriter receives should merely be the beginning of their research. It should contain a fraction of the detail they put into the final piece.
Key Messaging strategy – an agency that understands the importance of a Key Messaging strategy can help you get to the root of what your brand means and who it represents.
Website rewrites – redefining and recontextualising your brand can leave you with an outdated website that gives off completely the wrong message. To get the most out of this change, reach out to an agency well-versed in website rewrites.

What to consider when choosing a copywriting agency

Now we know what a copywriting agency has to offer, the next step is to figure out how to choose one. We’ve broken down some of the reasons an agency could be the best option for your business.

Cost

Cost is an interesting factor to consider. The old saying goes, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is. You might find a very cheap copywriting agency but you’ll end up getting exactly what you pay for – this usually means subpar writing.

A good agency provides values. You’ll see exactly where your money went in the quality of the work you receive.

Specialisation

Agencies that focus on a particular type of content can produce that content incredibly well. But generally, an agency has the adaptability to specialise in a myriad of different fields. While one writer may find their strength in SEO, another might know the ins and outs of the travel industry.

For clients, this means you’ll be able to go to one agency for all your content needs.

Experience

Experience can be a valuable commodity. It’s not just a matter of being able to complete work quickly and efficiently, it allows for a certain kind of risk assessment. An experienced team will know exactly what they can and cannot do, and will be able to set realistic expectations for their clients. This ensures that there are no hiccups down the road and work is completed precisely when it’s expected to be.

It also helps that experience can be shared – a freelancer starting out may not have a mentor, while a junior copywriter has the opportunity to learn in months what might take a freelancer years.

Processes

A copywriting agency will have several processes to streamline content creation and content management. They may also have a dedicated project manager to ensure all content is produced to the highest standards, within the set time frame agreed upon by the client.

Everything from drafting briefs, writing the content, and the editing process is accounted for – often, with a dedicated person assigned to each stage.

But what gives an agency copywriter the edge?

Copywriter agencies in the UK, USA, and worldwide are collectively far more knowledgeable and experienced than a single freelancer ever could be. An agency can draw on a wealth of expertise from across its diverse team of writers.

Even at the top of their game, a freelancer is only one person. They won’t be able to do everything and may struggle to manage multiple workloads.

However, to make your decision that much easier, we’ve put together a few pros and cons for each.

Agency pros:

Access to a pool of experienced writers
Project managers handle briefs, outlines, editing, and proofreading
A consistent standard of quality
Larger projects can typically be completed quicker

Freelancer pros:

Generally less expensive to hire than an agency
More likely to take on smaller, one-off pieces
Clients have slightly more control as freelancers typically become an extension of your team

Agency cons:

Bigger agencies will generally be more expensive than a single freelancer
You may have to look around more to find an agency that specialises in your niche

Freelancer cons:

It’s unlikely they will have as broad a range of skills as a team of agency copywriters
May be unable to take on larger projects in a satisfactory turn-around time
Increased risk as you’d need to hire someone else mid-project if they become unwell or can’t finish it

Pros and cons final thoughts

Freelancers:

A good option, if you intend for them to become an extension of your team, with little autonomy in how or what they work on
It’s challenging to find a freelancer with a broad range of skills suited to a larger organisation
You may need to hire more than one freelancer, which could end up costing more than an agency would have charged in the first place

Agency copywriters:

Typically have far more tools and resources, along with the backing of a larger pool of writers and access to valuable contacts outside their agency
Whatever the brief, an agency can match you with a writer with the perfect level of experience and the right industry specialism
If it’s a larger project involving multiple writers, the quality and standard of writing will remain far more consistent than it would with disconnected freelancers
Not only do agencies supply content, they also manage the ongoing content strategy and come up with new ideas
Able to produce a higher volume of content and manage multiple projects simultaneously
Once hired, there is no need to track down additional writers or freelancers since the line of communication is already open

Get in touch to get started with a copywriting agency that gets it.

Your content/ brand is in safe hands

Copywriting agencies bring together the very best writers who specialise in a variety of industries. These writers do it all. From smaller ad hoc projects to larger multi-stage brand reimaginings, nothing is outside an agency’s scope.

They can help refine every piece of content you wish to deliver, ensuring it’s always bang on brand.

If you need experienced writers that will help to amplify your brand and move your content plan forward, a copywriting agency is the way to go.

Contact us today and discover how your company can benefit from an agency copywriter. But hey, it’s not like we have a vested interest in it or anything…