3 Things You Must Tell Your Freelance Copywriter - DC Copywriting ServicesIf you’re going to hire a freelance writer, you need to be ready to communicate–and communicate well–for the duration of your project. You need to start off on the right foot, too, and that includes remembering to bring up these five crucial points.

“I have a deadline, and it is (fill in the blank).”

A good copywriter will let you know if your deadline will pose a problem. Many of us sit at a desk with a calendar filled with scribbles, bright colors and big Xs, so we know where we can squeeze in your project (or whether we can at all).

Make sure you tell your copywriter what that deadline is, because she’ll need to build it into your proposal and your contract. It’ll also help ensure that your project is done perfectly.

“I’m targeting certain keywords.”

If there are certain keywords you want to target, that’s fine — just make sure your writer knows what they are. In my office, we do extensive keyword research before we even send a proposal. We might find that your keywords get fewer than 10 searches a month or that you’re really on to something, and that could change your mind (or not) about the keywords you want to target.

“I don’t understand.”

When your copywriter says something about Google’s latest algorithm changes or starts yapping about long-tail keywords and you’re confused, say so! She’ll explain what she’s talking about and make sure you understand the angle of approach she’s taking to your copy.

Communicating with Your Freelance Writer

Getting content written for your website is really a big deal. You need it to perform, which means you need to have amazingly clear communication with your freelance writer. If you can’t, then you need to start looking for someone else. Otherwise, you’re going to run the risk of ending up with crappy copy that doesn’t reflect your business or send the right message to your customers and clients.