Let’s start by wedging ourselves into the shoes of a first-time copywriting client. This article, after all, is aimed at the copywriting ‘buyer’.

 

So maybe we’re someone who’s been Googling ‘website copywriter’ all night – and is now wondering where to throw their metaphorical dart.

 

As they desperately try to decide between options A, B and C, there’s a good chance some of the thoughts rattling through their head include:

 

1/ I could probably just write this myself.

2/ Why are so many copywriters photographed in black and white on their websites?

3/ Seriously. Writing – how hard can it be?

 

It’s point 3 that I want to address.

 

The myth that writing is ‘easy’

When you’ve been writing for a long time – as many a paid-up ProCopywriters member has – I’ll grant you that writing probably isn’t exactly hard.

 

It’s no harder, say, than making things go ‘vroom’ is for a mechanic who’s spent their whole life noodling around spanners and engines.

 

But that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Especially for someone who doesn’t do it for a living.

 

Additionally – and this is perhaps why clients’ jaws sometimes drop when they see a copywriter’s quote – writing is just one part of the process.

 

All of the 875+ copywriters offering their services on this website know that. But the customer? Less so.

 

I figured that breaking down what we actually do during a copywriting project – and suggesting a typical timeframe for each element – could be helpful for clients.

 

And it may also be of interest to novice copywriters who are trying to price up a job for the first time.

 

The following isn’t meant to be a definitive list of copywriting tasks – and these are just ballpark numbers. Everything will vary by writer, project, urgency and a fair few other factors. The order may change a little for each copywriter, too.

 

What I hope this breakdown does, though, is make you (the customer) feel a little less like you’re being fleeced the next time you amble into a copywriter’s domain.

 

Because, generally speaking, we’re ready to work our little socks off for you.

 

In this example, I’m assuming that the task is to rewrite a pretty comprehensive 20-page website for an established, medium-sized firm.

 

1. Discovery and onboarding – the sometimes brilliant (but occasionally awkward) bit where we try to understand what the hell it is you do and work out how we’re going to help

Unless you’ve miraculously found a copywriter whose niche is “SaaS growth engine copywriting”, then you’ll be reaching out to more of a generalist to rewrite your SaaS growth engine business website.

 

So when your email muscles its way to the top of their inbox, your copywriting candidate probably won’t have a clue what a SaaS growth engine even is. (Read why you don’t always need a copywriter with experience in your niche)

 

The fact is, your writer will probably have a lot to learn, and discovery and onboarding are where everything starts. It’s a two-way street, as you’ll be learning what’s required of you, too. This process often involves:

• Defining the deliverables and ironing out a schedule.
• A detailed questionnaire about your business, your brand, and your goals for the website. Video calls may be needed, too.
• Connecting your writer with the people from within your business they’ll be working with.
• Agreeing on the style and tone – possibly including a sample text or two to ensure everything is going to work.
• Audience analysis and possibly customer feedback about the current site.
• Competitor analysis – what are your rivals doing? What seems to be resonating with your market right now?
• An audit of your existing content – including common barriers/drop-off points you’re experiencing.
• Keyword research and other SEO prep work (this is sometimes undertaken by a third party).
• Any other background research necessary to complete the project.

 

Why we do this

We can’t really start a project without this. It establishes everything that’s required and improves the chances of the written work hitting home when it starts coming through. Rush through this step, and bottlenecks will likely ensue when the misalignment between what the client wants and what the writer thinks they want rears its head.

How long it takes

Maybe 2-5 days, spread over a fortnight or more.

 

Note: some writers will have a clear distinction between onboarding and discovery, but as it’s basically all about both sides getting ready to start working, I’ve lumped them together.

 

2. Thinking time – the bit where we get in the zone before writing (also known as ‘strategy’)

 

If your copywriter’s remit includes creating wireframes to help guide your designer (recommended), it’s important they have time to properly think things through.

 

The best approach is to encourage your writer to plot out each page so that everything flows and makes sense – and takes your audience on the much-vaunted ‘user journey’ that gives them the information they need. And, of course, gently eases them towards whatever action you want them to take.

 

Even if your copywriter is working to a prescribed template – “200 words here, please” – you should allow for at least some time spent ruminating on the best approach.

 

Why we do this

Because copywriting is a blend of science and, yes, I’m going to say it out loud: art. We need space to let ideas develop and mull over different approaches.

 

The person who designs Ferraris could pick up their pen and sketch a decent-looking car for you in 20 minutes. But imagine what they could do in a week.

 

How long it takes

If wireframing the website: 2-5 days.

If just doing a bit of mindful contemplation: at least a few hours.

 

3. The writing – where we ‘finally’ get to work

This is pretty much all some clients think they are paying for. It’s not – but it is usually the most time-consuming part of the project.

 

And it’s a labour of love. We’re trying to find you the best headlines, the clearest copy, and the most descriptive subheads.

 

And that’s before we even get onto small but critical stuff like the right messaging for forms and microcopy. I once spent half a day searching for the right words for an online customer quote sequence to ensure no one could possibly find it confusing or wonder what to do next.

 

It was one of the most important elements of the whole website.

 

So your writer is reading and re-reading, they’re slicing and dicing, they’re adding a dab of colour here and hacking out the merest whiff of ‘fluff’ there.

 

And remember, we’re doing all this while trying to remain true to the tone of voice we all agreed on.

 

Tucked away in their little offices, your writer is repeatedly jogging down the exact route your customers will soon tread to make sure they remove anything that will smack visitors in the face and twang them headfirst into the bushes.

 

It’s a process.

 

Why we do this

Because, uh, that’s what the job is.

 

How long it takes

A 20-page website? Anything from 6-20+ days.

 

 

4. SEO work – where we delicately weave keywords into our wondrous copy

 

There are different ways a copywriter will approach SEO (assuming they do it at all).

 

Some will start with the keywords and build the copy around that; others will be more interested in storytelling and delivering a great user experience. Then, once they’ve finished creating their content, they’ll go back and make sure all necessary keywords are covered.

 

At the end of a website project, I often use a pro tool called Surfer SEO, which gives me a pretty scientific analysis of which terms to use in the copy and how frequently.

 

However, Google seems less and less tolerant of over-optimisation for keywords – so it pays to tread cautiously.

 

As you’ve no doubt read a million times recently, what Google really wants is top-quality, helpful content that demonstrates expertise, experience, authority and trust.

 

So, yeah. Ask your copywriter for that.

 

Why we do this

Because most clients demand it – plus, we do have at least some desire to give you a website that ranks.

 

How long it takes

On a 20-page website, SEO work could easily take from 2-6 days.

 

5. Proofing – where we check and check again before letting you see what we’ve done

 

When it’s finally time to file the copy, most copywriters want to show their best hand.

 

And that means checking – lots of it. I’ve run a single piece of copy through Grammarly Pro five or six times to make sure it’s as good as possible.

 

Why we do this

Honestly? Because we want you to love what we’ve done! Plus, the less you can find fault with our work, the quicker we can move on and get paid.

 

How long it takes

A day or two.

 

6. Amendments – the part where we sink into a pit of despair as you tell us our work isn’t quite what you were after

 

Call them amendments, call them revisions, call them the client’s chance to make us (inwardly) huff like a chastised toddler. Every copywriter has to take feedback on the chin and tweak the work they submitted.

 

I like to lay out exactly what I’m prepared to do regarding amendments from the very start, which helps iron out ‘scope creep’ and keeps whoever commissioned me focused.

 

It’s all explained in a PDF I supply with my quotes called ‘All About Amendments’ – and rather than killing the deal, it seems to hit home with clients who appreciate the no-bullshit approach.

 

Why we do this

Because virtually nothing, ever, is right the first time.

 

How long it takes

If your writer has sensibly outlined some clear parameters, then around 1-5 days.

 

If not, you – the client – can theoretically play this game forever, holding off payment until your copywriter has filed their 1,000th revision or literally dies of old age, whichever comes first.

 

7. A last check-in – to make sure you’ve not mauled our precious work beyond all recognition

 

Once the client has signed off the copy and paid up, copywriters often have to wait months before seeing what has become of their hard work.

 

And, I’ll be honest, a lot could have gone wrong in that time. I can’t emphasise that enough: a lot.

 

Maybe the client changed their mind.

 

Maybe the MD thought they’d pop in at midnight and add a new hero section.

 

Maybe someone thought you should include a raft of grammatically abhorrent 200-word testimonials on the homepage.

 

If you worked well with your writer and everyone’s still on good terms, don’t be surprised if you get a polite email when your site finally goes live. Trust me: they’re not being precious, they want to help.

 

Why we do this

Because we actually give a damn. When a copywriter has spent weeks or more on a large project, they want their words to be used in a way that does them justice. We also want to point future clients to projects we’ve completed.

 

So, if you get a message from your long-since-paid writer explaining how something might work better if you tried X or Y, please read it carefully.

 

If you don’t, what you’ve basically done is let Elon Musk into the rocket factory at the end of production with a screwdriver.

 

How long it takes

A few hours. Hopefully.

 

 

Final verdict – why good copywriting takes time

 

According to my rough calculations, a conservative estimate of how long a serious, professional copywriter will need to complete a fairly in-depth 20-page website project is at least 11 days.

 

And it could be a heck of a lot longer.

 

So if you’re getting quotes back from copywriters and there appear to be too many zeros, that’s why.

 

We want to give you the best possible content.

 

And experience, sleepless nights, scope creep and endless revisions have taught us that delivering what you need takes a while.

 

Think Mike’s out with his timings? Need more information or a quote? Contact him at hello@bymikepeake.com

 

Cover photo courtesy Anders Jildén on Unsplash