What Is SEO Content Writing? Definition, Examples & Guide

Seriously, what is SEO content writing? Is it a complicated technique? A buzzword? A bird? A plane?

Actually, once you learn more about it, SEO content writing isn’t as hard as you might think, as a concept. In fact, it’s a marketing strategy that you can’t afford to miss out on as an ambitious entrepreneur.

The confusing bit is that you might have already heard about it but through other terms such as SEO blogging, content marketing, or blogging on your business website.

But, before answering your question ‘what is SEO content writing’, have you noticed how that term consists of two parts?

Let’s start by defining them separately to better understand the magic that happens when you put them together.

What is SEO?

SEO means search engine optimisation and consists of the practice of increasing both the quantity and quality of your organic website traffic through Google and other search engines.

This involves several factors. For example, whether your website is mobile-friendly, how fast it takes to load, if your contact details and information are consistent across the internet, etc.

However, the most famous and central one is keywords. Why?

Because that’s what your target audience types on Google, and that’s how they can (or can’t) find you.

For example, some of the keywords that are relevant to my business are ‘website copywriter’, ‘blog writer’, ‘freelance copywriter for hire’, and ‘copywriter UK’.

My main website pages are optimised for those!

What is content writing?

Content writing is an audience-oriented marketing strategy that has revolutionised the business world by replacing the old, corporate, blowing-your-own-trumpet mentality with a ‘let’s create valuable content for our dream customers’ approach.

Yes, it involves words, but content writing is slightly different from copywriting: while the aim of the latter is to generate sales, content writing is about attracting your target audience, retaining it, and building trust.

Sure, that will also lead to more sales eventually (duh!), but the writing itself isn’t usually built around the call-to-action to buy.

In fact, content writing mainly involves informational blog posts on relevant industry-related topics that your target audience cares about.

For example, if you sell a natural deodorant, the content writing strategy on your company blog could include articles on ‘the benefits of switching to a natural deodorant’, ‘all the harmful chemicals inside your store-bought deodorant,’ and ‘how to sweat less’.

Not company-focused articles on ‘our latest award’ and ‘what’s new at Natural Deodorant Ltd’.

Ok, then what is SEO content writing?

SEO content writing is a marketing strategy that uses keyword research to create insightful blog posts to attract and retain a company’s target audience.

Just like the definition of content writing, SEO content writing is about attracting your dream customers onto your website through these informational articles, turning them into a loyal audience, and, ultimately, generating more sales.

However, similarly to SEO copywriting, there’s a strong focus on keywords.

In fact, for your articles to be found by your audience, every single blog post must target a different long-tail keyword (consisting of three words or more).

Technically, ‘content writing’ and ‘SEO content writing’ should be synonyms: you can’t create a successful content marketing strategy without taking SEO and keywords into account.

Harnessing SEO content marketing on your female-founded biz website: 3 steps

So, what is SEO content writing in practice? It involves three main phases.

1. Creating an SEO content writing strategy for your target audience

As we’ve already established, a strong SEO content writing strategy involves a company blog on which you publish articles that your target audience will find interesting, useful, or entertaining (or all three at once).

It’s important to conduct some market and competitor research to find out what type of content they actually engage with.

While the blog posts will be related to your industry and products, it’s also helpful to brainstorm a few more specific areas and niches that you will cover. 

For example, if you sell coffee, you could write brewing guides for different types of coffee makers, recipes for different coffee drinks, and educational articles (e.g. differences between roasts, why coffee is called joe, etc.).

2. Performing keyword research

When coming up with a new topic, you must also find the keyword that best describes it. Or, sometimes, you can even look for keywords first and use them to generate topic ideas!

There are two main reasons why keyword research is… key, when it comes to SEO content marketing:

• In order to be found, every article must be optimised for a main one

• You’ll find out what your target audience actually types, which might not be what you would

In fact, you might be used to referring to your second-hand garments as ‘retro clothing’.

However, that term gets searched 1K – 10K per month, whereas people are clearly more familiar with ‘vintage clothing’ since they search it ten times more often (10K – 100K).

3. Writing SEO-friendly content

Once you have a topic and a good keyword, SEO content writing is about writing the actual blog posts for your human readers and optimising them for search engines.

A good SEO-friendly blog post has a clear heading structure to facilitate readability, sticks to that specific topic rather than trying to squeeze a much broader subject into a single article, and… doesn’t actually feel like it involves SEO, when your target audience reads it.

How SEO content writing benefits your business

If you have a business website, you need an SEO content writing strategy! 

(No blog page? Create it right now. You have one but it’s all about your company’s achievements? Turn it into an audience-oriented blog.)

The benefits of blogging for business with a strong SEO content writing strategy include:

• More chances to rank with every new blog post (which is also an indexed page)

• Higher SEO ranking for your overall website

• Higher conversion rates

• 67% more leads than websites without a blog

• Building trust

• Positioning your company as an expert in your field

• More content for your socials and newsletter

• Cheaper than PPC and higher ROI

• 70% of consumers learn about a brand through its blog posts rather than paid ads  

How I can help you with SEO content writing for your female-founded business 🙌

• No time to write?

• Not sure about how to optimise your blog posts to actually attract your dream customers from Google?

  With my blog writing services, I can create a strong SEO content writing strategy and write the actual blog posts on a regular basis.

  You just worry about enjoying the results.

More #crafty blog posts on this topic:

Why You Won't Find Me Copywriting on Fiverr & Content Mills

‘Oh, you’re a freelance copywriter? Why don’t you use Fiverr or Upwork to find more clients?’

HAHAHAHAHAHNO.

Content mills might sound like a simple way of marketing your copywriting services, but… the reality? It’s usually darker than a Twin Peaks episode.

What’s a content mill?

A content mill (or a writers’ mill) is a website or platform where clients can choose among the services of tons of different writers, marketers, and content creators at extremely low rates.

The sweatshops of the freelancing world, basically.

Some of the most famous content mills are Fiverr and Upwork, but there are now lots of different ones, too.

‘Wait, so tonsof businesses can find your copywriter profile on these content mills? Sounds a lot better than hustling to find new clients every day, doesn’t it?’

HAHAHAHAHAHNO. 

8 reasons why you won’t find my copywriting services on content mills

As you’ve probably figured out by now, I have my own copywriting website that my potential clients can find via search engines. 

I also use LinkedIn and Pinterest to generate leads, and word of mouth comes into play when I least expect it. 

Finally, I occasionally send cold emails with a personalised pitch to companies that I’d loooooove to collaborate with.

When I put it like that, it sounds like a lot of hard work, right? 

Well, wait until you hear about content mills for copywriters.

Here’s why I don’t use them. Or, better: why I stopped copywriting on Fiverr and similar platforms years ago.

1. I tried using content mills for my copywriting services and had HORRIBLE experiences

I’m not an angry hipster who slags off mainstream platforms without even giving them a go. 

Sadly, I have tried using Fiverr and People per Hour (but you don’t have to! Be the angry hipster instead).

While I found the latter to be only slightly better than the platform whose name literally suggests that a project can cost you £5, I still packed my bags and never looked back.

Why? Because of the following reasons.

2. Their system isn’t built to favour and help freelancers

Some aspects can vary depending on which platform you use, but here’s how it works on most content mills:

• You build a profile with a portfolio 

• You create some specific offers that other people can find (e.g. ‘I will write a 1000 word blog post in one day for £145’)

• You look for gigs that are advertised by other people or businesses (e.g. ‘I need a blog writer for 5 articles’) 

• You send them pitches

• If they choose you amongst all the other freelancers who’ve applied, you get to start working with them

In reality, this means that you spend more time applying for gigs and negotiating with people than actually… you know, doing the writing.

You’ll also receive a rating or review by your buyers after completing the project, but you can’t leave them a review until after they’ve given you one (and you can’t see it before writing yours. Cheeky).

While this might sound fair, keep in mind that I’ve heard lots of horror stories of clients asking for free work on top of what had already been agreed upon and threatening to leave a bad review if not delivered.

For real.

And, when freelancers complained or asked for help on these platforms, customer service has usually been favouring the clients instead. 

After all, they’re the ones who bring them business.

3. The prices are unrealistic and plain ridiculous

Content mills are full of gigs like:

• 1000-word blog posts for £10

• 500-word website page for £20

This is ridiculous and unsustainable.

Let’s take the second one as an example.

‘500 words? That should only take you half an hour to write!’

HAHAHAHAHAHNO.

If you want me to churn out a few pretty words, then yes: I can probably do that in half an hour (which still doesn’t justify charging only £20, though).

But here’s what’s behind a website page when I work on it as a professional copywriter:

• Understanding your specific target audience

• Familiarising myself with your brand and tone of voice (or creating a new one for your startup)

• Researching your industry and competitors

• Performing keyword research

• Simplifying your entire message to find the right hook and call-to-action for your audience

• Writing the first draft

• Optimising it for SEO so that it can be found through Google and other search engines

• Editing it and taking UX into consideration

You most definitely cannot expect me to do ALL this for £20, now, can you?

4. The fees make it even worse 

As if the average prices weren’t bad enough, another reason why I avoid copywriting on Fiverr or Upwork is that these platforms also take a huge percentage of whatever we earn.

Usually, 20%.

Now, put this into perspective:

• We get paid £10 for a gig that requires HOURS to be completed

• The platform takes £2

• We pay taxes on whatever is left

• We get around £6 for that gig

How can we be expected to make a living out of something that, in many cases, ends up being even less than minimum wage? 

5. Content mills put speed and cheapness before value

From these ridiculous prices to the big clock that starts an anxiety-inducing countdown as soon as you accept a gig, it’s obvious: these content mills value fast and cheap work over quality and actual long-term results.

Businesses that use Fiverr or Upwork are literally comparing writers based on their prices and how fast they can churn out these words.

If you’ve been tempted to do the same, trust me: that’s not what will help you improve and grow your business!

Excellent copy takes time and requires skills.

6. Freelancing or copywriting on content mills is a one-way ticket to burnout town

Prices that equal to less than minimum wage, spending more time applying for gigs, fees… in one word (well, five), content mills are NOT sustainable.

Let’s say you’re happy to earn as little as £1000 per month.

Considering that these platforms take around 20% of your earnings, this means that you must work on around 120 x £10-projects per month… which usually require HOURS per gig.

And this quick maths doesn’t even take taxes, business expenses, and all the time you’ll spend bidding for gigs into account!

There’s no way you can keep this up without feeling burned out. 

To give you an example, here’s how an ‘Upwork success story’ went wrong.

7. They’re a massive problem for the copywriting industry 

Content Mills like Fiverr and Upwork are doing to freelancers what fast fashion companies like Primark have done to the clothing industry: making people think that a garment should only cost £5 without showing them the dangers and consequences of this mindset and system.

There’s no way I’d be part of this!

For example, what’s behind a £5 jumper?

Sweatshops, underpaid workers, polluting synthetic materials, and, because it’s not designed to last, waste, waste, waste.

Professional freelancers are your sustainable fashion alternative: yes, we cost a lot more than a £5 gig, but we are business owners who live with dignity (or try to, at least), we’ll provide you with a professional service that will help you generate more sales, and you’ll actually see tangible results and an excellent ROI.

Unlike your £5 gig that will require you to pay even more money to fix all the problems it’ll create, our copywriting services are a wise one-time investment.

8. Working with clients directly is MUCH better (for both)

Rather than pitching through those rigid platforms and using their chats, here’s what happens when you work with a copywriter (like me) directly:

• We agree on a REALISTIC deadline

• We sign a contract that protects both of us

• We keep track of everything in email threads and, whenever needed, have phone conversations to avoid potential misunderstandings

• I take the time to research your brand, industry, and competitors before even starting to type a single letter for your copywriting project

The moral of the story is: you won’t find me copywriting on content mills, but we can connect on LinkedIn, you can get free tips from me through my #StayCrafty updates, or you can hire me for a freelance copywriting project through my website.

You know… the one you’re on right now.

My two core services are website copywriting & blog writing for ambitious female entrepreneurs: unlike your average £5 gig, they’re an investment that will allow your business to generate more leads, convert them into sales, and actually stand out against your competitors. 

Let’s stop supporting these unsustainable sweatshops for freelancers!

More #crafty blog posts on this topic:

Benefits of a Website Copy Audit for YOU (A Game-Changer!)

So, you wrote your own website copy even though you’re not a copywriter (I get it: we’ve all got to start somewhere). You skim-read articles like ‘10 best website copy samples’ and spied on what your competitors are doing.

Is it working, though?

If you’re getting tumbleweed instead of new clients, you should definitely consider making the most of the benefits of a website copy audit.

After all, you’ve already invested in a website, and you pay for it on a monthly or yearly basis: isn’t it a waste of money if the words on it aren’t helping you attract more visitors and turning them into paying clients?!

Before diving into the benefits of a copy review, though, let’s look at exactly what it is.

What is a copy audit?

A copy audit or review is a popular service offered by professional copywriters (like yours truly): it involves reviewing your existing website copy objectively, giving you feedback and actionable suggestions on how you can improve it.

For example, some of the points I look at when conducting a website copy review are:

• Is your core message simple and easy to understand, especially for someone who has NEVER heard about you and your business before?

• Is the top section of your homepage (= everything we can see before scrolling down) clear and powerful enough to convey exactly what you do and how it benefits your target audience?

• Have you used your SEO keywords correctly to maximise your chances of attracting your ideal clients through Google?

• Is your tone of voice consistent?

• Is your website copy easy to read, or does it compromise UX?

• Are there clear and unmissable calls to action, or are your dream clients left wandering around without knowing what to do next?

Do I need a website copy review?

You need a website copy review if your website hasn’t been helping you attract visitors and turning them into paying clients for you—but you can’t afford full website copywriting services just yet.

Usually, this happens when you’ve written your own website copy, invested in it before getting clear on your USP and core message, or hired the cheapest copywriter you could find on Upwork.

Your current website copy might have been enough to get you started, but isn’t it time to take it to the next level so that it can start selling in the background for you?

A copy review will take your website from “just a monthly expense” to an active marketing tool with an outstanding ROI.

6 game-changing benefits of a website copy audit for your business

Here’s how it’ll benefit you in practice.

1. A website copy audit is an objective review

Here’s the thing: writing about your own business is… what’s the technical word? FREAKIN’ HARD.

I’m serious. You might think you’re the best person to do that since you know it like the back of your hand, but that’s exactly the problem!

• You’re so close to your business that you’re bound to take too many things for granted when writing your website copy on your own – As I always say, “You can’t read the label from inside the jar, let alone write it.” Instead, you run the risk of confusing your visitors with industry jargon, overused buzzwords, or generic statements. At the same time, you could also fail to articulate the value of your services in a way that does them justice (and makes your ideal clients think “I need this RIGHT NOW!”

• You’re too emotionally invested to write about your business objectively – Maybe your copy is full of “we” or “me, myself and I” rather than “you”. Instead of talking about how your services will take your ideal clients from their current problem to their happy ending, it focuses on impersonal features and what you are personally excited about

Well, one of the main benefits of a website copy audit is that a copywriter will help you fix this. Think about it!

When I work on a copy review, I read your website for the very FIRST time—unlike you but very much like your target audience.

So, because I’m NOT as emotionally invested in it as you are and I DON’T know your business as well as you do (and, you know, I happen to be a professional website copywriter), I can analyse your copy objectively and show you exactly how to optimise it. Easy!

2. A website copy review is a handy compromise if you can’t afford full website copywriting services

I’m not gonna lie: receiving new website copy from scratch is the BEST investment out of the two. It’s also a much bigger investment, though.

Sure, it’ll more than pay for itself. But if you genuinely can’t afford it right now, a website copy audit is the next best thing.

In fact, just because you haven’t got the budget for full copywriting services, it doesn’t mean you should keep counterproductive copy on your business website!

If anything, those words would continue to hold you back and make you lose even more money (think of all the sales you’ve been missing out on!). One of the biggest benefits of a website copy audit is that it fixes that for a fraction of the cost.

3. It allows you to simplify your message for your target audience

As I briefly touched upon in the first point, one of the benefits of a website copy audit is that it’s carried out by someone who doesn’t know your business as well as you do.

Don’t worry: I’ll obviously get you to fill in a project planner to learn a lot more about it! However, I still prefer reading your website copy at least once before looking at your answers. Why?

Because, that way, I get to see what information is missing to show me exactly what you sell and how this can benefit your audience.

Most entrepreneurs seem to think their business is too complex to be summed up in a couple of sentences, but that’s not true.

Sure, you’ll still need to provide your clients with more information throughout the rest of your website, but if you can’t summarise your business in a nutshell (in a way that actually conveys its value), you have a BIG problem.

Imagine you’re at a party and someone asks what you do: “Oh, it’s too complicated to explain. Basically, I offer business solutions to all kinds of companies, and I’ve been doing this for over 15 years. I’m so passionate about it, and my brand values are…’

There you go. You’ve lost them.

Instead, you must always be able to articulate exactly what you do, who for, and how this benefits them—in a crystal-clear and compelling way—especially on your website.

Something like, “I’m the business coach for solopreneurs who want to scale from 1:1 services to a more profitable 1:many model in 1 month.” BOOM!

So, whenever I conduct a website copy audit, I always focus on whether your core message is immediate or can be simplified, too.

4. It helps you increase conversions, bringing you more paying clients…

Too many business owners mistake their website for a place to ramble on about their own story, values, and what they are passionate about, as well as to describe their offers.

I’m sorry, but that’s not it. It’s a marketing tool that should actively help you SELL your services!

That’s why you need to:

• Put your ideal clients first, making them the hero of your brand story

• Focus on how your services will benefit them

• Give them clear and unmissable calls to action

You’d be surprised at how many business websites end up boring their visitors with directionless copy and leave them without any kinds of calls to action. For example, if I were your dream client, what should I do next and WHY? Book a consultation? Subscribe to your newsletter? Apply to work with you? And what can I expect after that? You’ve gotta tell them!

One of the benefits of a website copy audit is that I also look at your current copy with conversions in mind, helping you maximise them and get your ideal clients to do what YOU want them to do.

5. … and, consequently, it boosts your website ROI, too

Your website comes with a monthly or yearly cost, and you might have spent more money upfront to get it developed. However, it doesn’t have to keep being “a cost”.

When your website helps you attract more ideal clients and sells to them for you, it’ll not only pay for itself: it’ll be such a tiiiiny expense compared to all the money it finally brings in.

So, by helping you sell your services more easily, a copy audit increases your website ROI, too (and saves you a tonne of time, which is even more valuable, isn’t it?).

6. You’ll feel proud and confident when directing your dream clients to your business website (finally!)

If you know your current website copy is directionless and outdated, I bet you haven’t been directing your potential clients that way.

Instead, you’ve been doing aaaaaaaall the heavy-lifting by jumping on calls with every Tom, Dick, and Harry.

Why KEEP on missing out, though?

When you have strong copy, you can send your leads to your website before getting on a call. If they can’t afford you or they realise it’s not what they’re after, most of them will disqualify themselves (and save you plenty of energy, time, and therefore money). If your copy speaks to them? They’ll be pretty much sold by the time they book that call or get in touch.

Once you’ve followed all the suggestions included in your audit, your website copy will become your BEST salesperson, helping you seal the deal.

Unlock the benefits of a website copy audit: book yours today

So, how does this all work? Well, it depends on who you collaborate with.

I’m Giada, the brand messaging strategist and copywriter for women entrepreneurs, and my website copy audit is a one-time investment of £500. After choosing up to 5 pages and completing my project planner to tell me all about your business, you’ll receive:

• An in-depth document with detailed feedback and actionable tips, telling you exactly what to fix (and how) to get the most out of your copy

• A practical checklist showing you the BEST order to put all that into practice without feeling overwhelmed

• A screenshare video recording to help you visualise those changes

• Optional: a complimentary 1:1 consultation to answer your questions (should you have any) after you’ve gone through your website copy audit documents

Isn’t it time you stopped doing all the heavy-lifting when selling your services? Let’s make your website copy work in the background for you!

Get one step closer to unlocking the benefits of a website copy audit by booking yours today.

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How to Work with a Copywriter: Complete Step-by-Step Guide

I’ve recently realised that, if you’ve never outsourced the writing side of things, working with a copywriter might not be as intuitive as it might sound to me (a copywriter. Duh!).

Before learning how to work with a copywriter, you might have other questions that need answering: what does a copywriter actually do? How will they benefit my business? 

To make things easier for you, I’ve compiled a step-by-step guide on how to work with a copywriter so that you know exactly what to expect. 

High five!

What actually is a copywriter?

A copywriter is the person who creates the written text and marketing materials (known as ‘copy’) to help a company promote their products, services, and overall brand.

For example, this can take the form of website copy, PPC ads, emails, brochures, leaflets, sales pages, product descriptions, and much, much more.

Copywriter or content writer?

Nowadays, the word ‘copywriter’ is often used as a synonym for ‘content writer’. 

However, while someone might be both (*raises hand*), they’ll be wearing different hats depending on what type of copy or content they’re writing. 

When discovering how to work with a copywriter, you should first figure out which one you need for your specific project.

The main difference between working with a copywriter and a content writer is that the former writes copy that is intended to convert (into sales or another specific action, like getting visitors to subscribe to your newsletter), whereas the latter creates informative content that attracts new leads and builds a relationship with your audience (like blog posts).

Copywriting is about immediate action. Content writing? The long-term game.

Different types of freelance copywriters

When looking to work with a copywriter, you’ll usually bump into these three main categories:

• Generalist copywriters who write all kinds of copy for all kinds of industries

• Copywriters who will write all kinds of copy for a specific industry

• … and those who have niched down by type of copy instead, like me: no matter what industry you’re in, I’m part of the website copy & blog writing squad

What does a copywriter do?

‘Wait, if all they do is write about my company, then I can just do it myself! ‘

Well, not really.  

Or, better: you can, but the results won’t be the same unless you happen to be a copywriter in disguise.

First of all, being a fiction writer or being good with words isn’t the same as being a copywriter.

There’s a heavy element of marketing and SEO knowledge that comes into play before us copywriters even begin to type away.

Writing copy for a specific audience

A copywriter won’t just ‘write about your company’. 

They’ll focus on how your products or services can solve the pain points of your target audience.

Less ‘we’re delighted to announce’, more ‘you won’t believe what we’ve just created for you!’.

Fewer vague buzzwords like ‘business solutions’, more immediate and clear statements that grab their attention.

The truth?

There are tons of brands out there doing something fairly similar to what you do.

Still, a good copywriter will allow you to stand out against them by making your USP crystal clear and your call-to-actions unmissable for your dream customers.

The importance of SEO copywriting 

When it comes to online copy, a copywriter must also be SEO-savvy (as in ‘search engine optimisation’).

This means that we scout for the keywords that your target audience is actually googling, sprinkle them in your text in all the right places (using variations and without them sounding repetitive, of course), and use hierarchical heading structures that will make things easier for both search engines and your human readers.

This will allow you to attract more customers organically via Google and other search engines.

While nobody in the SEO industry can promise first-page Google rankings, having some SEO-friendly copy on your website is one of the most realistic ways to achieve them.

Do I actually need a copywriter?

Yes: if you have a business with an online presence and are not a copywriter yourself, then you definitely need one.

Why?

Reasons you need a copywriter

Some of the main reasons why you need a copywriter include:

• Writing about your own business is tricky: you’re so emotionally invested in your journey that it’s easy to focus on what you’ve achieved rather than what you can bring to the table for your audience

• Plus, you’ll probably end up writing about your products or services from the perspective of someone who already knows all about them: this might be confusing to read for someone who’s only just landed on your website and is met with complicated jargon

• Grammar and punctuation mistakes can really undermine your credibility and brand perception. A copywriter helps you avoid them!

• If you don’t optimise everything for SEO correctly, nobody will find your website in the first place

Benefits of investing in copywriting services

As well as figuring out how to work with a copywriter, do you already know why?

In fact, when you invest in professional copywriting services, you unlock tons of benefits.

Just to name a few:

• You won’t sound like another (tedious) corporate company

• Your offer will become clear and unmissable

• Even the most boring product features will turn into fun and juicy benefits

• Both your lead generation and sales will grow

• Your brand will be perceived positively and, most importantly, actually remembered

• Your UX will improve

• You’ll rank higher on search engines, meaning that more customers will find you organically

How to work with a copywriter: 13 lucky steps

Now that you know more about what we do and how working with a copywriter can benefit your business, how do you approach one? 

And what can you expect?

Avoid surprises by going through my simple guide on how to work with a copywriter and make the most of this collaboration.

1. Before you begin, know your USP and target audience

This is probably the biggest piece of advice in this entire blog post:

Do yourself a favour and do NOT start working with a copywriter until you’re absolutely clear about your USP and target audience

Why?

’Cause, if you don’t, you’ll end up paying double by having your work redone in a few months.

Remember: a copywriter is there to translate your message into the right words for your specific audience. How can we do that if you’re not clear about your USP and who exactly you’re selling to?

• If you’ve been in business for a while, I’m sure you know all of this already, but you might want to double-check if your first thought was ‘oh, my products are for everyone’

• If you’re fairly new, on the other hand, take some time to conduct some market research, create customer personas, and find out as much information as you can about your dream customers

Once you know them as if they were your best friends, exciting times: you can start working with a copywriter!

2. Find the right freelance copywriter for your business

This can feel overwhelming at first, but trust me: it doesn’t have to be. 

On LinkedIn or search engines, start looking for copywriters and have a feel of their actual writing.

Has any of them immediately stood out? That’s already a great sign.

Have a look at their website and portfolio: that way, you can get a better idea as to what kind of work they’ll be delivering.

But hey, don’t worry if you don’t find anything that’s similar to what you do! Writing about all kinds of different topics is part of our job, and it’s actually what prevents it from being repetitive.

As I mentioned before, some of us are generalist copywriters, and some others niche down by type of industry or copy, so it really depends on what you’re after.

For example, I specialise in website copywriting and blog writing services to turn ambitious female entrepreneurs into THE go-to solution in their dream audience’s eyes.

3. Request a quote, and be sure you’re clear as to what it includes

“Ok, but how do you work with a copywriter, like… logistically?”

Simple. 

When you’ve found a copywriter or two that you like, tell them about your challenges and goals to receive a quote.  

Sometimes, their website will have some pricing information or ‘starting from’ points, but most of us quote per project. 

Why? Because every project is different!

Maybe you need a three-page website, or maybe you need five. 

Perhaps you want a text-only blog post, or how about I include a few relevant stock images?

Either way, give your copywriter as much information as you can regarding your project so that they can send you a custom quote.

But don’t expect them to also upload your new copy directly onto your website or include a few images if that wasn’t included in the actual quote.

If you have any doubts, it’s always better to ask. 

Me? Some of my copywriting services (e.g. LinkedIn bios) have a fixed price.

When it comes to website copy and ongoing blogging services, however, I start with a strategy session (£99) that will translate into a custom #crafty blueprint. This will detail exactly what you must focus on to achieve your unique goals, with a clear breakdown of what this should include from a copywriting point of view.

The blueprint is obviously yours to use however you please, whether that’s with me or another writer! But, if you decide to use it to work with me, I’ll knock the £99 off the quoted price. Easy.

4. Have the right expectations when it comes to prices

Content mills like Fiverr and Upwork might have led you to believe that you can get 1000-word blog posts for £15 and web pages for £50 or so.

No.

That’s like expecting a high-quality ethical coat to cost £10 just because a fast-fashion store that has produced one in a sweatshop sells it at that price.

When you buy underpriced copy for £0.03 per word or so, that’s all they’ll ever be: words on a page. Professional copywriting services are a lot more than that. 

Plus, there’s a ton of work (and learning, and experience...) behind what could look like ‘just a 500-word web page’.

A professional copywriter will:

• Conduct topic research

• Competitors' research

• Keyword research

• Familiarise themselves with your brand tone, or create a unique voice for your company

• Repackage your offer through an audience-oriented hook for your dream customers

• Make you come across as the best in your industry without sounding like you're bragging

• Write the actual copy

• Optimise it for SEO

• Edit and proofread it

Working with a professional copywriter is an investment that will pay off thanks to all the conversions you’ll get.

Cheap copy, on the other hand?

It will mean having to ask another copywriter to redo it in a few months.

I’ve seen this happen too many times.

(If you’re curious, here’s why you won’t find me copywriting on content mills like Fiverr).

5. Agree on a realistic deadline

Do you actually need this project ‘yesterday lol’ (by the way, I can speak for all copywriters when I say that we HATE that reply), or have you got time?

If you do, it’s much better to be honest with your copywriter and give them the deadline they need.

Sometimes, the best ideas come to us when we’re going for a walk or having a shower. 

A few days give us more chances of this happening as well as more time to experiment with different options and go back to what we wrote with a fresh mind after leaving it for a day.

6. Sign a contract and, in most cases, pay 50% upfront

Please, don’t ever take it personally if a copywriter asks you to sign a contract, no matter how friendly your email exchange has been!

First of all, it’s pretty standard practice.

Second of all, it’s to protect you as well.

Most copywriters request a 50% deposit upfront, so we want you to be 100% sure that we won’t run away with it: that’s why a contract will always have terms & conditions that protect both.

7. Provide your copywriter with as much information as you can

Now, this step might change slightly depending on who you work with. 

Personally, like many other fellow copywriters I know, I rely on a simple project planner to help you create a brief.

If you decide to work with me, I’ll ask you to fill it so that I can learn everything I need to know about your business in order to write about it for your specific audience.

For example, this includes information about your dream customers, your USP, what action you want your readers to take after reading that page, etc.

However, as I mention in the project planner itself, you’re more than welcome to send me any other materials that you think might be useful, such as your brand bible.

Just don’t assume that you can tell a copywriter ‘write a homepage for my company’ or ‘write an article around this keyword’ and leave it like that.

DON’T.

8. Let them do what they do best (write)...

For the best results, let your copywriters do their magic on their own. 

Unless it’s the day of the deadline, don’t email them or call them to ask how the work is going. 

If there’s any problem or they realise they need more information, they’ll let you know. 

Pinky swear.

But, please, don’t put more pressure on us.

I’m always super-excited for my clients to read what I’ve created for them, but there would be no point in sending them a quick preview before I’ve actually finished editing and proofreading it.

9. … But inform them if anything changes

Hopefully, that won’t be the case because you’ve already given them a detailed brief (and they’ve probably already started writing, by now).

However, life happens.

 If anything regarding this project changes, let your copywriter know ASAP rather than wait until they’ve finished the entire thing.

10. Read the first draft and, if relevant, provide constructive feedback

Realistically, what you receive is just that: a first draft.

The reason why I ask certain questions in my project planner is that I want it to be as close as possible to the final thing so that you don’t waste any time. Like… 99% there.

However, most copywriters include some free rounds of revisions (two, in my case) with their services, because a few tweaks are usually needed.

Seriously, don’t be scared to ask!

Just make sure that you’re giving us actionable and constructive feedback: is there a specific sentence that you don’t like? Do you think we should focus on this other product a bit more? Let us know and, I promise, we’ll change it ASAP.

On the other hand, vague comments like ‘I just don’t like it’ or ‘make it more marketing’ won’t help either of us (yes, I’ve actually received the second one myself, a few years ago).

11. Make sure that you’re 100% satisfied with the final draft

Take the time to review our copy thoroughly before saying that it’s all fine and paying our invoice. 

Unfortunately, we can’t work for free if someone shows up three months later with a completely different brief for the same page or asking us to edit an entire section.

Ask us whilst we’re still working on that project for you!

12. Pay your invoice without getting us to follow up (please!)

How to work with a copywriter while maintaining integrity? Treat them with respect. Just like you would a lawyer or any other person offering professional services.

I’m super grateful to my clients since, over the past year, I’ve never been paid late. Not even once (if you’re reading this, you’re the best!).

However, I know of a few fellow copywriters who have been struggling with bills because of late payments. 

When I first started out, I myself used to write blog posts for a company that would pay me late EVERY. SINGLE. MONTH. 

This made me waste so much time following up via email, calling them to chase those late payments, and, needless to say, it was a cause of anxiety and stress.

Remember: when working with a copywriter, you’re dealing with an actual real-life person who also has expenses and responsibilities, just like you.

So, make sure you send them the money before your agreed time.

13. Hey, it doesn’t have to be a goodbye!

Just because that project is out of the way and you don’t necessarily need anything from them right now, it doesn’t mean that you must part ways with that copywriter.

First of all, you never know when you might need their services again. 

Plus, if they’ve spent a few days writing about your company, the chances are that they’ll want to follow your journey, too!

I know I always do.

Why not connect on LinkedIn?

And, if you want to help them reach more clients, send them a shiny testimonial or write them a Google review. It’ll make their day!

Work with a copywriter for female entrepreneurs ✨

Now that you’ve gone through my entire step-by-step guide on how to work with a copywriter, I hope everything is clear as to what the process is usually like.

Questions? Drop them in the comments.

Are you an ambitious female entrepreneur looking to generate more leads and sales through your marketing copy?

More #crafty blog posts on this topic:

Why You NEED a Blog on Your Female-Founded Biz Website

Why you need a blog for your badass female-founded business? In a nutshell, because it’s a game-changing strategy to position yourself as THE go-to solution in your dream audience’s eyes, standing out against competitors.

Yes, even much bigger household names! 

And no, I’m not exaggerating. I also have a business blog on my website, and I update it regularly for all these reasons. 

How can blogging help solopreneurs and small businesses? 8 reasons why you need a blog

There are lots of benefits of blogging on your website, but let’s focus on the advantages that a business blog can bring to you as a woman solopreneur or female-founded small business.

An important premise, though: blogging helps a business only when done right. 

You can’t expect to post your company news and generate tangible results. Sorry, nobody cares.

A business blog should be a collection of articles on relevant industry-related topics that your target audience is interested in. 

1. A business blog helps you rank higher on Google

You might be used to thinking of blog posts as articles on your website, but don’t forget that every new post is also a new web page.

Not only does this make your entire business website meatier (and search engines love websites with tons of content!): it also gives you the fantastic opportunity to target a new long-tail keyword.

Here’s the thing: there are only so many keywords that you can target on your main website pages without turning it into a robotic text. 

Plus, that’s what most of your competitors are already targeting, so it’ll be pretty hard to rank for them.

For example, if you sell products like seitan chicken and fake beef, they’ll probably be something like ‘vegan meat’, ‘meat alternatives’, and ‘mock meat’.

Still, there are hundreds if not thousands of longer, more specific keywords that you’re leaving out, such as ‘how to cook seitan’, ‘what is the healthiest fake meat?’, ‘vegan chorizo recipes’, and so on.

By creating a business blog and updating it regularly, you’ll get to target more and more of them, unlocking new opportunities to rank higher than your competitors.

There are lots of other reasons why you need a blog to help your business website rank higher. From resulting in up to 97% more links than websites without a blog to showing Google that yours is up to date and relevant, a business blog is basically SEO on steroids.

That’s also why SEO and content marketing must work together.

2. You’ll reach more customers through socials

Blogging on your business website doesn’t also help you reach new people through Google and other search engines: blog posts are magnets on social media platforms, too!

There are two main ways in which you can harness their power:

• Integrate them with your social media strategy: share your blog posts and add a compelling, unmissable call to action (not a pathetic ‘Be sure to read our new blog post’. Rather something like ‘Tired of [insert problem here]? Same here. That’s why we’ve found 5 different solutions for you. Check them out!’)

• Encourage your readers to share them themselves and add social share buttons to your business blog

3. You can generate around 67% more leads

Now that you know why you need a blog to attract new website visitors through both search engines and social media, it’s unlikely to come as a surprise that you’ll generate more leads. 

67% more than websites without a blog, on average.

So, basically, unlike chucking lots of money towards random advertising efforts, blogging complements your inbound marketing strategy, too.

4. … and facilitate sales

Here’s a bitter pill to swallow: 96% of your website visitors are not ready to buy.

So, what can you do to help them make up their mind? You offer them high-quality and valuable content.

In fact, your average customers will consume 11.4 pieces of content before committing to a purchase. 

A business blog is perfect to show them your audience-oriented approach and how you’re writing about important topics to help them solve their pain-points.

Who do you think they’re going to choose when they’re finally ready to buy: you (with your up-to-date blog packed full of value) or that competitor that has never bothered putting out any content for your target audience?

5. By blogging on your business website, you’ll position yourself as an expert in your field 

Here’s the thing: anyone can write that they’re the, say, ‘best pizzeria in London’ on their homepage. 

Why should you believe them? 

After all, there are probably a few dozen pizza joints bragging about the exact same thing.

What you can do is use your business blog to show and prove your expertise. 

Show how much you know when it comes to your sector, how passionate you are about it, and how you use your knowledge to make your target audience a part of your world.

That way you’ll also build trust, which is always a critical factor for your dream customers when it comes to deciding where to spend their hard-earned money.

6. It shows your customers that you want to build a relationship with them

Having a blog on your business website is the difference between an impersonal self-checkout and a lovely chat with the shop owner who remembers your name and preferences.

Between a ‘gimme-your-money-and-f*ck-off’ and a genuine audience-oriented approach.

A business blog shows your dream customers that you’ve taken the time to write about the topics they were looking for and give them valuable advice about them.

So, here’s another reason why you need a blog: from the actual articles to the fact that you’ll share them on your socials to start a conversation, it’s proof that you do care about them.

7. You’ll have a ton of content for your socials & newsletter

As I mentioned before, you should always share your blog posts on socials. 

This will allow you to reach more people and promote them by helping them gain traction, but… psst! A business blog is also a lifesaver when you’re low on content for your socials.

Plus, you can include them in your newsletter, either as a round-up of the best recent blog posts or by creating a specific campaign for one of them.

8. Finally, another reason why you need a blog is that it’ll help you stand out against your competitors

At the end of the day, the moral of all the previous points is this:

From more leads to increased conversions and building trust, you need a blog on your business website to set yourself apart from your competitors, even bigger ones.

So, how do I start a blog for my female-founded business?

Now that you know exactly why you need a blog, what happens next?

Easy! I can help you create (and maintain) a successful company blog for your badass brand.

Put your business blog on autopilot with my blog writing services. After learning more about your business, I’ll create the right blogging strategy and write the actual blog posts while targeting the best keywords.

And you? Other than answering a few questions and sharing your expertise with me, you just worry about enjoying the juicy results that this strategy will bring.

Ready to start a blog for your female-founded business?

More #crafty blog posts on this topic:

11 Benefits of Copywriting Services for Your Female-Founded Biz

Before you write your own website copy or commission it to that friend of a friend who’s good with words, do your badass female-founded business a favour, and check out the benefits of copywriting (as in ‘professional copywriting services’).

When crafted and used correctly, these words have the power to attract your audience, generate leads and sales, and set you apart from the competition.

When they’re bland and written without a strategy?

They could actually work against you.

First things first: what exactly is copywriting?

Copywriting is a marketing strategy consisting of writing the right words to promote a business, convincing readers to buy a specific product/service or follow through with a call to action.

For example, copywriting involves:

• website copy

• landing and sales pages

• PPC ads

• promotional social media posts

• brochures

• leaflets

11 game-changing benefits of copywriting for your female-founded business

Now that you know what copywriting actually means, let’s see why you need it for your business and how it’ll benefit you in practice.

1. You won’t sound like yet another corporate website

How many times have you bumped into the same copy-and-paste sentences when checking out other brands online?

• “We are a company with over twenty years of experience in…”

• “We’re delighted to announce that…”

• “At [xxx], we pride ourselves on delivering…”

I mean, I get it: writing about your own business is WAY harder than it sounds. 

Since you clearly love what you do, you have a strong emotional connection to it, so you’ll probably want to tell your customers your entire company history and all the brand values that you’ve put together.

Sadly, that’s not what they want to hear.

And they most definitely don’t want to hear it in the same old ways they’ve seen thousands of times before.

When you write your own copy, that happens quite often since you might need to look at what other competitors are doing.

However, one of the advantages of copywriting services is that you won’t run the risk of sounding like them.

Copywriters don’t use repetitive cliches or typical business sentences that have been overdone.

We showcase your brand’s personality through compelling, audience-oriented writing.

2. A copywriter will make your offer clear and immediate

One of the most common copywriting mistakes to occur when someone who isn’t a copywriter writes some copy? 

A vague homepage. 

Or vague copy in general.

Copy that doesn’t immediately tell your audience exactly what you do and how this can benefit them. 

“We offer business solutions.”

What does that actually mean, though?!

I know what you’re thinking: “My business is too complex to be boiled down into a single sentence that summarises it.”

I promise you that no business is. 

Sure, you’ll still need to tell your customers a bit more about your different offers (and you can do so on your product pages, for example), but.... 

if you can’t tell your prospects exactly what you do and how it will benefit them AS SOON as they interact with you? You’ve lost them.

For example, a client of mine offers coaching services to identify his clients’ MBTI personality type, exploring its cognitive functions, and use his findings to help them use their MBTI type to their advantage in their life and career.

Too complicated to be summarised in a nutshell?

Not at all:

And that’s way more specific than “I offer coaching solutions”, right?

3. We use the power of storytelling

From the oldest tales to modern films, there’s no denying that humans love to tell and listen to stories.

That’s what we’re familiar with. They’re simple to understand. They’re compelling.

Even better? We remember them more easily.

Now, this isn’t to say that a copywriter will use the power of storytelling to write your entire company history on your homepage. Not at all.

I use it to make your dream customers a part of your story, except that… THEY are the hero.

Why is that?

1. There’s something that doesn’t feel right in their lives (if you’re a B2C company) or business (B2B) because they’ve encountered a pain point

2. You have the product or service that can solve it and was created just for them

3. Their life will feel much better once they make the most of it

A story with a happy ending.

That’s one of the most rewarding benefits of copywriting: it’ll allow you to generate more sales while welcoming your target audience into your brand story.

4. We make even the most boring things sound fun

I once received this feedback:

Not to brag, but I’m pretty freakin’ proud of it.

That’s one of the most reassuring benefits of copywriting: no matter how ordinary or not-at-all-glamorous a product is, we make it sound interesting and fun.

Once again, this is because I would never dream of wasting your website copy by listing meaningless features to describe your products.

On the contrary, I’d focus on how it can benefit your target audience. 

Rambling for dozens of paragraphs about all the specific features of a mezzanine floor would bore to death even someone who builds them.

But drawing your customers’ attention to how they’ll be able to make the most of all the wasted space right above their heads in the office?

That’s waaaaay more exciting!

5. You’ll sell without coming across as salesy

All the copywriting benefits that I’ve mentioned before (showcasing your brand’s personality, simplifying your offer, and telling a story) mean another thing, too: 

your readers will be entertained and interested, being compelled to buy without feeling like they’re being sold to.

’Cause let’s be honest: whether that’s a pushy sales rep on the street or a ‘BUY NOW!!!’ website section, nobody likes being sold to.

But you know what they like?

Having their pain points solved. 

And knowing how much better life will feel after that’s sorted.

6. Excellent copy will help your brand perception

After investing in professional copywriting services, the words you share online will sound like a friendly chat with your dream audience.

They’ll listen to you. They’ll want to know more. Most importantly? They’ll remember you.

You won’t disappear like the rest of the 5,000 marketing messages to which they’re exposed on a daily basis (yes, you’ve read that correctly).

For example, I’ve been fangirling over Innocent for years:

From their actual bottles to traditionally boring bits (like this cookie notice), they always stand out.

7. Avoid the consequences of bad writing

Did you know that, in the UK, 59% of customers wouldn’t use a company that has grammatical or spelling mistakes on their website and marketing materials?

You’d be surprised at how easy it is to drop a ‘could of’ instead of a ‘could have’, ‘your’ instead of ‘you’re’, or a wrong comma when you don’t do this for a living.

As much as they say that we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, your customers will make their first opinion on your business within seconds of engaging with your website or marketing materials.

AVOID. GRAMMATICAL. DISASTERS.

One of the benefits of copywriting services is that you won’t have to worry about them anymore.

8. You’ll rank higher on Google and other search engines 

Nowadays, just like you’d expect any cafe to have at least one type of non-dairy milk, you should expect a digital copywriter to be SEO-savvy, too.

Search engine optimisation drives over 1000% more organic traffic than socials: why would you want to miss out on that?

If you’ve never heard of SEO before or you’ve only read a free article on where to place keywords, your website copy and blog posts are NOT going to rank, my friend.

Another key benefit of working with a copywriter? We can do all the keyword research and optimisation for you whenever we write for your website or blog.

That way, you will also get to reach more people through search engines without keeping on chucking hundreds of pounds towards paid ads.

9. Copywriting and UX go hand in hand

It’s not just your web developer and graphic designer who deal with UX.

Copy plays a massive role, too.

Be honest: would you have made it this far down this very same article if, instead of clear sections and heading, you had been met with something like this?

Probably not, right?

Let’s face it: you would have clicked away immediately.

That’s the same with your readers and website visitors.

When you hire a professional copywriter, we’ll write your copy in a way that’s easy to read, adding clear call-to-actions, headings, and direct links whenever needed.

10. When you outsource the copywriting side of things, you save a ton of time

Whether that’s spending weeks rewriting your entire website copy or hours on a well-researched blog post every week, you no longer have to worry about it.

Not even a little bit.

Nada.

You can just sit back and enjoy the results that your new copy or blog posts will bring (or take up a hobby or something).

11. You only pay for what you actually need

Unlike hiring a new employee, outsourcing your copywriting means that you don’t have to pay for my equipment, software, holidays, and pension (I mean, I wouldn’t say no if you randomly felt super-generous, but I normally cover all those costs myself).

All jokes aside, I know that, as a solopreneur or small business, budget can be tricky.

One of the benefits of copywriting services that are entirely outsourced is that you only pay for what you actually need… and when you need it.

Much more practical and cost-effective, isn’t it?

Here’s what the process is like when working with a copywriter

Another benefit of my copywriting services? Female-founded businesses becoming THE go-to solution in their dream audience’s eyes 🔥

Now that you know more about the benefits of copywriting, here’s how I can help you make the most of them:

• Website copywriting services: whether you’re creating a new website from scratch or realised that the words on your existing ones aren’t working, I’ll write new copy that’s both SEO-friendly and audience-oriented. That way, you’ll generate more relevant traffic and convert more visits into leads and sales. Ka-ching!

• Blog writing services: I’ll write industry-related and SEO-friendly articles on a regular bassis to help you grow your audience organically, smoothen the sales funnel, and position yourself as a thought-leading expert in your field

Ready to unlock all the juicy benefits of copywriting services?

More #crafty blog posts on this topic:

Best Free Proofreading Tools & Software for Typo-Proof Marketing

‘Less options’ instead of ‘fewer’. ‘Colour’ instead of ‘color’ when writing for an American audience. ‘Your amazing’.

I’ve gotta give it to them: the typos that make it to the final draft are truly #resilient.

The best proofreading tools (or, if you prefer working offline, proofreading software) are basically extra peace of mind.

From socials to your website and emails, your marketing communications help your audience form an opinion on your business.

While a single typo might not be a deal-breaker in a birthday card to a friend, it can cut sales by 50%.

Let’s avoid them, shall we?

What are online proofreading tools?

Most online proofreading tools are platforms where you can copy and paste a text to receive tips on how to fix its typos, grammatical mistakes, and, in some cases, how to improve its readability.

Some of them are also available as a browser extension, which is handy when you’re writing directly on other platforms or websites rather than a Word document (for example, a social media post or a MailChimp campaign).

Finally, some of them can be downloaded as actual software to be used offline, too.

Basically, the best proofreading tool for you is the one that lets you work with your favourite medium.

Are proofreading tools and software reliable?

Here’s the thing: the best proofreading tools are fairly reliable. 95%, I’d say, as they harness the power of AI to give you those corrections, and AI is far from being perfect.

They’re just an additional help to catch those last-minute mistakes.

However, they aren’t a substitute for professional copywriting or proofreading services nor a good knowledge of grammatical and punctuation rules.

While using the best proofreading tools can help you fix smaller problems, I still recommend brushing up on your grammar and having a reference book always at hand. 

Here are the best grammar and punctuation books in my opinion.

Top 6 proofreading tools & software for business owners

1. Grammarly - Freemium

While its fame probably precedes my article, I can’t help pointing out that Grammarly is the very best online proofreading tool in my opinion (at least when it comes to free options).

You can paste your text in it or even upload a document from your computer, and it will point out both typos and suggestions (e.g. repetitions, redundant words or adverbs, etc.).

A handy perk is its Language Preference feature: you can choose to have your text proofread in British, American, Canadian, or Australian English. 

As a copywriter who works with clients from all over the world, this is a godsend!

Another ace up Grammarly’s virtual sleeve is the fact that it’s also a free extension for browsers.

While you can choose to upgrade to the paid version, I genuinely think that the free one is more than enough if you already have a solid understanding of grammar.

It’s not something that I’ve personally tried, but you can choose to add Grammarly to Microsoft Word, too.

2. LanguageTool - Freemium

This platform is probably the best Grammarly alternative.

Operating with a similar freemium model, it offers an online proofreading tool, a browser extension, and integrations with Google Docs and Microsoft Word.

One thing that I like about LanguageTool is that it can proofread in a couple of dozen languages. This is particularly handy if your business occasionally deals with foreign terms (personally, I absolutely hate it when businesses write things like ‘brushetta’ instead of ‘bruschetta’. Sorry, but it makes you look extremely unprofessional if you can’t even take two seconds to check the correct spelling).

At the end of the day, I guess it mainly comes down to personal preference.

Since both proofreading tools are free, why not try them and see which one works best for you?

3. Ginger - Freemium

Ginger also has a free plan with basic edits and suggestions, including a grammar checker, sentence rephraser, and synonyms.

My understanding is that Ginger can offer more options when you upgrade to a paid plan, but its free extension is a great starting point if you’re not a fan of Grammarly’s interface.

4. Outwrite - Freemium

Previously known as Gradeproof, Outwrite is another practical alternative to Grammarly. 

You can use the web app, the browser extension, or integrate it with Google Docs and Word.

While the paid version obviously offers more features, you can still get spelling, grammar, and Thesaurus suggestions for free.

You can also choose among more types of English (including South Africa and New Zealand, often neglected by the most popular proofreading tools).

5. Polish My Writing - Free

This is an extremely simple and minimalist platform. 

While it doesn’t offer extensions, integrations, or options to upload your documents, Polish My Writing is a quick solution if you just have a few doubts about the text you’re working on.

Just copy and paste it into its user-friendly interface, and it’ll highlight spelling errors, grammar, or style suggestions in different colours.

6. Hemingway - Freemium

Hemingway is a completely different type of proofreading tool or, if you decide to pay a one-off fee to download it, proofreading software.

As the writer behind The Old Man and the Sea used to say,

“If I started to write elaborately, or like someone introducing or presenting something, I found that I could cut that scrollwork or ornament out and throw it away and start with the first true simple declarative sentence I had written.” Ernest Hemingway

The moral of the story is simplicity.

This proofreading tool doesn’t point out typos (which is why it’s best to use it in conjunction with one that does): it analyses the readability of your text.

Highlighting them in different colors, it makes it a breeze to realise whether you’ve used too many long sentences, passive constructions, overly complicated constructions, and ADVERBS. ADVERBS. ADVERBS. 

At the moment of writing this article, downloading Hemingway costs only $19.99, and you get lifetime access.

Personally, the reason why I decided to pay its flat fee to use the actual software is that, when editing on the website, the cursor goes all the way back to the top whenever you switch tabs. This made it difficult to check longer texts. 

FAQs on free proofreading tools

1. What is the best proofreading software?

I genuinely think that the best proofreading software is Grammarly when it comes to typos and grammatical errors, whereas Hemingway is the most useful one to improve the readability of your text.

2. Is there anything better than Grammarly?

Personally, I think that Grammarly is the best proofreading too when it comes to free options. However, if you don’t particularly like using it, LanguageTool could be a better alternative for you.

Found this helpful?

I send weekly tips and content prompts to help ambitious female entrepreneurs connect with their dream audience through their marketing copy.

More #crafty blog posts on this topic:

Best Punctuation & Grammar Books for Female Entrepreneurs

Why the best grammar and punctuation books?

Don’t get me wrong: proofreading tools like Grammarly can help you correct small typos, but they can’t fix major grammatical mistakes.

Just like you (hopefully) wouldn’t start building a skyscraper without solid foundations, you need to be confident with grammar and punctuation whenever you write for your badass female-founded business.

Did you know that a single spelling mistake can cut down sales by 50%? 

Plus, it’ll make you look unprofessional and put people off from seeing you as an expert in your field, whether that’s on your business website, email marketing campaigns, or social media posts.

Luckily, the best grammar and punctuation books can help!

They’ll offer you a deeper understanding, clear common doubts, and always be there for you to use them as a quick reference whenever you need them again.

To make things easier for you, I’ve included both English grammar books providing a wider overview on the subject and the best books on punctuation if that’s what you’re mainly struggling with.

[This article contains affiliate links which simply means that, should you decide to buy one of these punctuation and grammar books through them, I’ll receive a small percentage without extra costs for you.

Also, yeah: they’re from a more ethical platform than the one you were probably expecting. Just thought we could support a business that doesn’t avoid taxes nor lead to couriers weeing in bottles.]

Top 5 grammar and punctuation books for mistake-free marketing 

Let’s make sure you find the right grammar or punctuation book for your specific needs.

1. The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation (With Quizzes) - Best English grammar book

Honestly? This volume contains so many specific, in-depth chapters that I’m pretty sure even Aunt Josephine from A Series of Unfortunate Events would agree that it’s the BEST grammar book of all time.

It starts with the very basics, so it’s handy if you struggle to remember what exactly a noun or an adjective is.

However, it holds a ton of value for more seasoned readers and writers, too, with chapters such as ‘common whom pitfall’, ‘use of single quotation marks for quotations within quotations’, and ‘thorny aspects of capitalization’.

It also includes loads of useful quizzes to help you put what you’ve learned into practice.

2. The Penguin Guide to Punctuation - Best punctuation book 

Here are some examples from this punctuation book:

• “Lisa speaks French, Juliet speaks Italian.”

• “She groped for her cigarettes and finding them, hastily lit one.”

• “Saturn was long thought to be the only ringed planet, however, this is now known not to be the case.”

• “You must hand in your essay by Friday or you will receive a mark of zero.”

ALL of these sentences contain mistakes: if you thought that even a single one of them was correct, do your business a favour and invest in this punctuation book.

I always use The Penguin Guide to Punctuation as a reference whenever in doubt.

Just in case you were curious, here are the correct sentences:

• “Lisa speaks French, and Juliet speaks Italian.” (or you could either use ‘, whereas’ or have a full stop. You just can’t connect two full sentences with a comma. That’s a comma splice, my friend. And it’s baaaaad)

• “She groped for her cigarettes and, finding them, hastily lit one.” (You need another comma to section off that part of the sentence that gives you additional information)

• “Saturn was long thought to be the only ringed planet; however, this is now known not to be the case.” (You can either use a semi-colon or a full stop before ‘however’: not a comma)

• “You must hand in your essay by Friday, or you will receive a mark of zero.” (You need a joining comma if ‘or’ is preceded and followed by full sentences).

3. The Only Grammar & Style Workbook You'll Ever Need - Comprehensive grammar book

Well, the title says it all.

More specifically, I think this could be the best grammar book for you if what you’re looking for is a good overview of the most common mistakes and issues.

For example, it goes from basic sentence structure to punctuation & style and even eliminating wordy phrases (hint hint: great tool to improve the readability of your online copy!).

As well as clear explanations and examples, this English grammar book includes a ton of exercises that you can use to put what you’ve learned into practice.

4. Eats, Shoots & Leaves - Engertaining grammar and punctuation book

For me, this was more of an enjoyable read (I know. I’m not fun at parties) rather than a reference volume or workbook. 

It’s written in a witty way that’ll make you fall in love with grammar all over again. 

The title itself is a clever pun that proves how a punctuation mark can completely change the meaning of an entire sentence:

• a panda would probably ‘eat shoots and leaves’

• when you add two commas, you get a very angry panda who ‘eats (something), shoots (with a gun), and (then) leaves’

This grammar book focuses on apostrophes, commas, dashes, and hyphens, but it still covers broader grammar and punctuation topics, too.

It doesn’t include exercises but it does have a few useful examples.

5. My Grammar and I (Or Should That Be 'Me'?) - Great grammar book to clarify existing doubts

As you’ve probably guessed from the title, this grammar book will make you question everything you had ever taken for granted when it comes to sentence structure and punctuation.

As well as typical grammatical topics, it includes two extremely useful sections that immediately stood out for me: ‘spelling and confusable’ and ‘odds and sods’ (perfect to clarify any doubts and avoid potential pitfalls).

This is the best grammar book for you if you were hoping for something that’s both full of examples and witty, conversational passages.

Well, these are the best grammar and punctuation books for me, but I’m always looking for new titles for my geeky shelves. Know any other good ones? Drop them in the comments.

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FAQs on punctuation and grammar books for female entrepreneurs

Lemme clarify a couple more things.

1. Why is grammar important in communication?

Using correct grammar is vital in communication because it facilitates reading and avoids potential misunderstandings.

When it comes to business and marketing? It’s even more important because it helps you be perceived as a trustworthy professional who knows the difference between ‘knowing your shit’ and ‘knowing you’re shit’.

2. So, what is the best book to improve your grammar?

I’d say that the best book to improve your grammar is The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation. However, if you’re mainly struggling with punctuation alone, it’d make more sense to opt for The Penguin Guide to Punctuation.

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