Why Lowballing Your Copywriter is Costing Your B2B SaaS Marketing Efforts Big

We’re going to come right out and say it: You’re underpaying your copywriter. Or even worse, you’re not paying one at all. Or even worse worse (yes, we know that’s not grammatically correct) you don’t even know what a copywriter is. We realllly hope the third option is not the case, but we wouldn’t be mentioning it if we hadn’t been asked that question before. We were so inspired by our CEO’s recent LinkedIn post on this topic, that we thought we’d

So, What Exactly is a Copywriter, and Why Do You Need One?

Turns out, many people are asking the same question. A simple online search asking, “Why should I hire a copywriter?” yielded myriad results from the likes of industry experts to forums like Quora and even Reddit. 

But before we dive into our regularly scheduled programming, here’s a short definition of what a copywriter actually is and what they can do to boost your B2B SaaS marketing efforts and ROI. No, a copywriter is not in charge of legal patents or copyrighted information. They are not a type of lawyer—although they can be tasked with legal tasks related to copyright symbols or trademarks in their role as a copywriter. (We can’t tell you how many times we’ve heard this: “Oh, you’re a what? Does that mean you work with legal copyrights?”) Well no, but yes, sort of?

For example, if your brand is launching a new product and aren’t sure what types of trademark statements need to appear on your website, printed materials, or other collateral, the copywriter is your go-to person to check and make sure you follow the proper protocols. Heck, they probably created the style guidelines for your team to follow to ensure your brand doesn’t accidentally commit any legal no-no’s. But when it comes to the actual nitty gritty of legal and regulatory, you can think of the copywriter more as the liaison than the expert, or shall we say, the Esq. Ha, we crack ourselves up sometimes.

Why Quality Copywriting Matters

So now that we’ve cleared that up, here’s why quality copywriting matters. Turns out, the ROI of copywriting is likely a lot bigger than you may realize. The Content Marketing Institute found that businesses prioritizing high-quality content generate three times (yes, three times!) as many leads as those that don’t. In other words, engaging blog posts, informative articles, and well-crafted whitepapers not only attract, but they also retain readers, turning them into loyal customers.

Here’s more examples of how good copy can boost ROI:

• Landing pages: According to Unbounce, well-written landing page copy can increase conversion rates by up to 30%. This is because effective copy addresses the reader’s pain points, offers a clear value proposition, and includes a compelling call-to-action (CTA).
• Email marketing: HubSpot reports that personalized email copy can improve click-through rates (CTR)  by 14% and conversion rates by 10%. Emails with compelling subject lines see an open rate increase of 26%, demonstrating the critical role of well-crafted copy in email marketing.
• Improved SEO performance: SEMrush data shows that websites with high-quality content see 2.4 times more organic traffic. This is because search engines prioritize content that provides value to readers, which is often achieved through well-researched and well-written copy.

Simply put, your current team can’t write copy. They might think they can, but they can’t. Sure, some account managers or even CEOs can be decent at throwing down some clever word play or making up a catchy phrase now and again. But, they’re not copywriters. They are taking time away from their real role to fake it. They can’t become copywriters, and your marketing is not as good as it should be because you’re underinvested in your copy. Just like we can’t assume everyone should be able to know how to “create graphics” or build a web page, we can’t assume everyone in marketing knows how to write. 

Think about those campaigns that stay with you. Take Nike, for example. Their “Just Do It” campaign is one of history’s most successful examples of quality copywriting. It’s not just a slogan—it’s an empowering, universal call to action that pretty much everyone around the world knows.

Those catchy headlines don’t just come out of thin air. If you’ve been stopped in your tracks by a witty line, transfixing ad, or a meaningful tagline, chances are, that was created from the brain of a talented copywriter. 

Copywriters make you, aka, your brand, sound good and appear solid and reputable. Would you trust a brand with a glaring typo on their website? We think not. Copywriters are the gatekeepers of your brand image. They help establish it and uphold it. Consistency and accuracy are all elements of brand image. Oh, and not to mention they check to ensure you don’t have embarrassing typos on marketing collateral because we all know the dangers of a misplaced Oxford comma. YIKES. Don’t know what an Oxford comma is? Case in point. 

In addition to helping uphold your brand image, marketing copywriters are also essential for boosting customer engagement and ROI in these key ways:

• Conversion rates: Have an ad that just doesn’t seem to be generating the performance you’d hoped? Enter your copywriter. Tell them what you want the ad to do, let them take a crack at it, run some A/B tests, and go from there. They are geniuses with helping solve your conversion rate problems and boosting ad performance.
• Customer engagement: How do your customers/potential customers interact with your brand? Where does their first impression from your brand come from? Words yet again. It’s the engaging email they received. The impactful headline they saw on an ad. The witty social media post they clicked on. Copywriters are beyond these very important customer touchpoints.
• Daily deliverables: We’d be remiss not to mention the major help copywriters are with the myriad daily tasks of things that have words on them. Think brochures, LinkedIn posts, video scripts, event marketing materials, blogs (like this one!), tradeshow collateral…shall we go on? Have a one-off special event you need someone to take a peek at? Again, here’s looking at you, copywriter.

Budgeting for Quality Copywriting

We know budgeting is no one’s favorite topic, but here’s a breakdown of typical salary ranges and descriptions of typical copywriting roles. 

• Jr. copywriter: $75–100K: A junior copywriter is an entry-level copywriter or writer with a bit of experience under their belt. They should be supervised by a higher level copywriter, typically a Sr. Copywriter, who reviews their work and helps them develop their craft. 
• Copywriter: $100–125K: Many companies opt to hire a mid-level copywriter or two who often report to the Sr. Copywriter or Copy Director, depending on the structure. Or they run the copywriting show as the solo copy expert (speaking from experience!) If you opt to hire a junior, mid, and senior, then likely the copywriter helps manage their junior compadres. 
• Sr. Copywriter: $125K+: Think of this person as your copy expert, your Sr. Copywriter has 5–7 or more years of experience and works alongside your lead graphic designer to make the magic happen. 

We recommend two as the sweet spot, but again, it depends on the size of your team and your marketing goals. As for who manages the writing team, make sure it’s someone who understands content and is closely connected to the work they are producing. 

Steps to Hiring the Right Copywriter

Now that you’re convinced hiring a copywriter is the right move (HOORAY!), now it’s time to find the right one. Here are some steps to ensure you not only get the approval for hiring a copywriter, but that you hire the right one.

Unfortunately, a common pitfall many companies make is hiring someone too fast only to realize they’ve wasted valuable time on someone who’s not a good fit. 

Here’s how to ensure you don’t make that mistake: 

Step 1: Create Budget

If you’re balking at the numbers above, don’t fret. Create a plan with your leadership team and a realistic timeframe for when you’ll be able to allocate the necessary funds. This may mean pulling budget from elsewhere, but believe us, it’s worth it.

Step 2: Hire a Freelancer First

A great way to test the waters to see firsthand the impact quality copywriting has on your ROI, start by hiring a freelancer. Freelancers typically work on an hourly basis vs. salary, so they’re a good budget-conscious option. You can assign them specific tasks that need the most immediate attention and have the quickest results to prove ROI, such as ads, sponsored content, website pages, or email marketing. You don’t have to spend an extended time training them, but in time, they become familiar with your brand voice and can be very handy when you need someone in a pinch.

Step 3: Hire a Full-Time Copywriter

Ultimately, the goal is to hire a full-time copywriter. (Duh). This can very well be your favorite freelance writer who is already familiar with your brand as has proven their chops. If this is the case, convert them to FTE! This saves everyone time, money, and the headaches of the hiring process. In no time, they will know your brand, voice, culture, and marketing strategy like the back of their hand. They also tend to be skilled at navigating the sometimes prickly parts of the business since they have to interact with so many different personalities for reviews. Believe us.

Good copywriters are a dime a dozen, so don’t throw away a good one—especially one who has invested their time in your company, is liked by your team, and most importantly, does good work!

The Interview Process

After an initial phone screening, or short in-person interview, give them an assignment. Yep, give them a task to perform and have your team review it. Or better yet, have them come in and present their work to your team. Pro tip: Give them a current business challenge you’re trying to solve. 

Here’s an example:

PROMPT: Build a 15-minute presentation using our pre-approved slide deck to show the following:

1. Rewrite the hero section of our homepage based on your research.
2. Rewrite our top performing ad. Please provide insight into your process and why you chose the words you chose.
3. Tell us the first 3 things you want to rewrite in our marketing and why.

You’ll be able to separate the wheat from the chaff if you follow this process.

Check out our CEO’s LinkedIn post about the benefits of hiring copywriters for more.

Step 4: Set Goals

So, how do you evaluate if a copywriter is effective? In the first 30 days, benchmark the following KPIs:

• Conversion rate on top ad campaigns
• Conversion rate on top landing pages
• Conversion rate from email marketing

By creating a clear starting place with measurable goals, you can evaluate their direct impact on the goals of the marketing organization overall. Worst case, you and whoever on your team is currently acting as the “writer,” can stop writing poor copy and/or having your team work all night writing words they don’t really like that much. Remember writers LIKE THIS STUFF. They really do. They eat, sleep, and breathe copy. Let them do what they love to do. And please, by God, pay them well for what they’re best at.

Debunking the AI Myth

Finally, the burning question everyone’s been asking: “Are you worried AI will take over the role of writers?” The answer is no. We’re just going to come right out and say it: AI is NOT a substitute for a real, human writer.

AI bots can spit out facts, background information, and they can pull common knowledge that already exists, but even then, they make mistakes. AI bots don’t have a master’s degree in English. AI doesn’t understand the nuances of tone, punctuation, or even following clear formatting instructions given by a user. Don’t believe us? Ask us sometime about the time we contracted as an LLM prompt engineer for a big-name search engine company we’re not allowed to mention…

But we digress. Bottom line: AI is a helpful tool writers can use to generate ideas or brainstorm concepts, but it CANNOT take the place of a human skilled in the nuances of the English language who has studied and mastered their craft. Brands are unique. They each have their own desired tone, feel, umph, and CHUTZPAH! (emphasis necessary) that makes them so. They evoke emotion. They inspire action. AI can’t do that without the help of a real writer. Thankfully, robots have not cornered the market as our target audience. YET!!!

The Bottom Line

Jokes aside, we hope we’ve made it clear that quality copywriting is important and why hiring a copywriter is absolutely essential for your B2B SaaS company’s growth and success. Yes, it’s an investment, but the long-term ROI is so worth it. But don’t just take our word for it. Stop reading this, get up, and start the search for that stellar copywriter that belongs on your team. 

You won’t regret it.