So, what exactly is a copywriting agency and how does a copywriting agency actually work?
A copywriting agency is a B2B company that provides copy (and often content writing) services as a third-party provider.
Copywriting agencies either work on a freelancer model, full-time employee model, or a mixture of both. Copywriting agencies often also employ designers, search engine optimization experts, and UX specialists.
How Does a Copywriting Agency Work?
A copywriting agency partners with a business to provide written deliverables to other businesses on an as-needed basis. A copywriting agency might be contracted by an enterprise for a one-time project or by another creative agency to provide on-going copywriting services.
What are Copywriting Services?
Some copywriting agencies specialize in specific areas whereas other agencies work across multiple niches and formats.
The most popular copywriting services include:
Ad copy and Advertorials
Consumers see upwards of 10,000 ads per day. Business owners that want to compete in an overly saturated market need their ad copy to be strong enough to capture attention and compel audiences to take action–all in the span of about three seconds.
Ad copywriters understand what makes an audience tick, and in turn, what makes an audience click.
Email Copy
Email copywriting includes everything from nurture sequences to transactional emails to re-engagement campaigns, launches, and abandoned cart sequences.
Email copywriters need to understand the nuance of email deliverability, sales funnels, and how to write short form copy that converts.
Video Scripts
Video marketing is absolutely the future of marketing and advertising. Smart businesses are adapting to this trend and hire copywriters to write scripts for product videos, explainer videos, video sales letters, and even social media videos.
Brand Copy
At the core of every strong brand is their brand copy. Brand copy creates the feeling, vibe, emotion, and experience of a brand. Businesses that want to elevate their market presence and become synonymous with their industry hire brand copywriters to create slogans, taglines, and other experientially driven copy for their brands.
Scriptwriting
Script writers don’t only write video scripts. Businesses that employ cold callers, door knockers, or other sales professionals may hire a copywriting agency to create high-impact sales scripts for in-person sales.
Ebooks
An ebook is a fantastic content marketing tool that provides value to an audience and showcases a company’s in-depth expertise. Ebooks are commonly used as lead magnets, giving consumers an instant download in exchange for their email address, phone number, or other contact information.
White Papers
White papers are reports or guides that break down a complex issue and present a brand’s stance on the issue in a digestible, concise way.
For example, an advertising agency may hire a copywriting agency to create a white paper on advertising ethics in PPC advertising.
Lead Magnets
A lead magnet gives prospective customers instant value in exchange for their contact information. Brands hire copywriting agencies to create lead magnets such as how-to guides, checklists, ebooks, mini-courses, and other high-value content to attract their clients.
Print Copy
Print copywriting is still an integral part of a brand’s marketing strategy. A copywriting agency provides impact-driven writing for billboards, flyers, coupons, brochures, and other tangible marketing materials.
Social Media Copy
Social media marketing is crucial in modern marketing. Brands need social media copywriting that attracts their ideal audience, engages followers, builds the know, like, and trust factor, and compels an audience to take action, whether it’s to follow a page or click a link and make a purchase.
Case Studies
Case studies are especially effective for products or services that provide a significant transformation. Whether a SaaS brand or a beauty brand, copywriters write case studies that showcase how a product or service helps achieve promised results.
Product Descriptions
Product descriptions need to touch on pain points, appeal to a target audience, and show a transformation. Because product descriptions are often shorter in nature, the copy must be powerful enough to compel an audience in that moment.
Packaging Copy
Every tangible product with a label needs powerful copywriting. Whether it’s the brand story on the back of the label or a tagline for a specific product, copy needs to attract the attention of shoppers and compel them to purchase the product.
Blog Posts
While blog posts are content writing rather than copywriting, many copywriting agencies provide content writing services as well. Blog posts are a form of content marketing that drive traffic to a brand’s website, build the know, like, and trust factor with an audience, and develop authority with Google.
SEO Article Writing
Like blog posts, SEO articles are a form of content marketing, but are typically longer and more in-depth than a standard blog post. SEO content writing involves extensive research, knowledge of search engine optimization techniques, as well as understanding how to write content that keeps an audience engaged, increasing a user’s time on the page.
Copywriter Agency Roles: A Day in the Life of an Agency Copywriter
A copywriting agency is an outsourced organization that is hired to deliver a highly specialized service.
But, what does a copywriter actually do?
Let’s take a look at a high-level overview of what an agency copywriter does all day.
- Review project briefs
Project briefs are the launchpad of any copywriting project. A brief should include details such as project description and objectives, audience demographics, necessary keywords, any required word counts, competitor content, and any other research done by the ordering entity. Most copywriting agencies will have their own project briefs for their partners to fill out to ensure that the writers have all of the information needed to deliver an effective final product.
- Deep Research
Research is one of the most significant tasks in copywriting. In fact, most copywriters spend as much time (if not more) researching as they do actually writing. A copywriter will research their clients’ industries and business, current content and marketing strategies, keyword research, their target audiences, and even conduct market research to ensure that their clients are up to date with industry trends and advancements.
Copywriters aren’t just hired to write; they’re hired to know how to write. The best copywriters don’t just know how to write well: they also know how to write with empathy, speak directly to a target audience, touch on pain points and deliver the remedy in an effective way, and communicate emotion in a way that compels an audience to act.
Copywriting is a highly specialized skill. Not everyone who is a good writer or communicator will be able to write copy effectively. This is why many brands hire a copywriting agency to create messaging rather than relying on internal marketing teams to do so.
- Revisions
Revisions are a necessary part of the copywriting process. Within a copywriting agency, the writing process not only involves self editing; it also involves a team of editors that ensure that the deliverables meet quality standards as well as project objectives.
Agency copywriters also address any client requests for revisions after the first drafts have been delivered.
- Work with Internal Marketing Teams
While a copywriting agency isn’t part of your internal team, the copywriters working on your projects often function as an extension of your marketing department. A copywriting agency will often attend meetings with marketing teams, contribute to discussions on SEO strategies, and meet with project managers to give progress reports and other project recommendations.
Who Hires Copywriters?
Every business in the world relies on copywriting in some form or another. Even businesses without an online presence require some form of copywriting to attract and communicate with their customers.
Copywriting agencies may be hired directly by a business or by another agency to provide white label copywriting services.
Examples of agencies that partner with copywriting agencies include:
| Digital Marketing Agencies | SEO Firms | Web Design Agencies |
| Advertising Agencies | Funnel Building Agencies | PR Agencies |
| Video Production Companies | Branding Firms | Content Marketing Agencies |
Copywriting and Copywriting Agencies: Frequently Asked Questions
Have more questions? Let’s look at some of the most frequently asked questions about copywriting and copywriting agencies.
Copywriting: What is It?
Copywriting is the art and science of writing for marketing materials. Copywriters write sales pages, brand copy, advertising copy, video scripts, voice over scripts, and other collateral meant to compel an audience to take a specified action.
Why is Copywriting Important?
At the cornerstone of every brand is copy. A copywriter helps define a brand’s tone and voice as well as creates messaging that resonates with a target audience. Strong copy helps persuade an audience as well as establish authority and develop trust with an audience.
Can Anyone be a Copywriter?
Everyone can write, but not everyone can write copy. Copywriting is a highly specialized skill that requires understanding of consumer psychology, marketing, and empathy. Because copywriting is exceptionally nuanced, many brands opt to hire expert copywriters to create their marketing collateral. And we’re also offering a copywriting internship program for those who wish to learn more about copywriting and wanted to step in the copywriting world
How Long Does Copywriting Take?
There is not a definitive answer for how long copywriting takes. The amount of hours spent on a single project depends on the project scope, industry, amount of research necessary, and revisions. Some copywriting projects take hours, while others take days or weeks to complete.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Copywriter?
Copywriting is a highly specialized skill, and copywriters can charge accordingly. Some copywriters charge by the project, some charge by the word, and some charge by the hour. As with anything, you get what you pay for. Hiring a cheap copywriter often means paying twice for the project: the original fee for a low-budget copywriter and again to have the project redone.
Remember: copywriting is a revenue generating task. Hiring a copywriter is an investment, not an expense.
Will Copywriting Be Automated?
Although there are AI copywriting programs available, copywriting will never become fully automated. AI copywriting software may be sophisticated enough to compose copy that’s readable, but artificially generated copy lacks the ability to touch on pain points, empathize with an audience, and write in a company’s specific tone and voice.
Will a Copywriting Agency White Label?
Yes. Many copywriting agencies offer white label copy and content support.
Do Copywriting Agencies Hire Freelancers or Full Time Writers?
Every copywriting agency is different. Some copywriting agencies hire full-time, in-house writers and some operate on a freelancer-only basis. Some copywriting agencies staff a mixture of the two.
Working With a Copywriting Agency: Is it Worth It?
Strong copy is crucial for high-stakes brands that want to generate revenue, making working with a copywriting agency absolutely worth the investment. Working with a copywriting agency means leveraging the skills of experienced writers without the overhead cost of vetting, hiring, and training an in-house copywriter, and ensuring that your brand’s messaging hits the mark every single time.
