Should You Hire a Copywriter For Your Therapy Practice’s Website?
When you decided to work on your therapy or wellness business’s website, you probably knew pretty quickly that you needed to find a website designer. But maybe you didn’t initially think about copywriting or what that all entails.
Perhaps you assumed the designer handled the content part, but when they asked about your copy, your response was, “Oh crap… good question.”
It’s all good! That’s common, and I’d love to help you figure it out.
Because I get it. If you’re generally a good writer and you want to minimize expenses, you might be tempted to DIY your website copy. While there’s a time and a place for doing it yourself, there are some important things to consider before you write off hiring a writer.
This blog will help you understand the role a copywriter plays in your website project and whether or not it’s a good time for you to invest in a pro.
In this blog:
Is now the right time to hire a website copywriter?
How much does a website copywriter cost?
Should I hire a copywriter or designer first?
5 benefits of hiring a website copywriter
Is now the right time to hire a copywriter?
I’m not going to sit here and say you must hire a copywriter no matter what your situation. Hiring a copywriter when you’re not ready isn’t great for anyone, so here are some things to keep in mind.
You might be better off waiting to hire a copywriter if:
You don’t have the budget (about $1500-$5000+ depending on experience and scope)
You haven’t had clients yet but you just want to get SOMETHING up
Your brand messaging and/or offers will probably change in the near future
You want to learn how to write your own copy and you have time to do so
If it’s very early days for your therapy business and you don’t have much budget, it’s probably worth waiting to hire a designer too. Maybe you check out template options for now. That way, you can save towards outsourcing when you’re ready for a fully custom website.
On the flip side, here are some signs it’s a good time to hire a copywriter:
You have budget to work with
You’re consistently working with therapy/wellness clients and are solid in your core offers
Your website isn’t speaking to the right clients, giving them the information they need, or helping them take the next step
The information is outdated or misaligned with your current offers, values, or positioning
Your messaging feels confusing or “off”
The voice doesn’t feel right and you want it to better reflect your brand personality
You’re investing in design too
How much does a website copywriter cost?
Expect to spend about $1500 - $5000+ depending on the writer’s experience and the scope of your project.
Experienced writers are skilled in customer research, website strategy, brand voice, messaging strategy, and conversion copywriting. They may also specialize in a certain type of copywriting or industry.
The size of your website also matters of course. For example, a standard website with Home, About, Services, and Contact will be different from a single landing page or a big website with lots of pages.
Should I hire a copywriter or a designer first?
If you’re considering the full-meal deal, timing matters. You can get in touch with whoever you want to first. But, ideally, your copywriting should be done (or almost done) before your designer starts. Ask both people about their timelines, processes, availability, and how they can help keep things lined up properly.
I recommend doing copy first because your designer needs those words to design around. They don’t want to use placeholder text because they’ll wind up needing to cut things or start over. That’s why most designers will actually tell you they can’t design your website until you have copy covered (professionally done or DIY).
The best case scenario is to have both professionals aligned on the overall website strategy near the beginning of the project. If their timelines are relatively close, they might be able to coordinate with each other, which I always love to do.
That said, you could also hire a copywriter first, go through their process, and then look for a designer later on. This lets you space out your investment if that’s a priority and if you aren’t in a rush to launch your website.
Still wondering how the heck a copywriter can help you? Here are 5 reasons to work with one:
1. Get an outsider’s perspective on your practice and clearly explain how you help
As a therapist or health and wellness professional, you have so much expertise in that noggin. It can be super challenging to distill it all down into a simple message that compels website visitors to reach out.
A copywriter can take a bird’s eye view on your practice and help you zero in on the most critical information.
Then, they’ll concisely articulate it so it resonates with your ideal clients—even when they’re skimming your site.
2. Provide the proper structure your designer needs
A big part of your designer’s job is to make the information on your website clear and impactful. They need words to work with! If they didn’t have words, what would they design around?
In a way, copywriting provides the outline for your website and the clay your designer will mould into a beautiful sculpture. Having properly structured website copy that takes the designer’s end-job into account makes the final product more aligned with your goals.
3. Set your practice apart from generic messages
Your design captures the personality of your brand and resonates with your ideal clients.
The words on your website should do the same.
A copywriter helps you clarify your positioning, points of differentiation, and your one-of-a-kind brand voice.
All of this lets your ideal client know why they should inquire with you over the other therapists or wellness professionals out there.
4. Help reduce the pressure of intro calls by presenting the right info at the right time
It can be mind-boggling to future out what specific details you should put on your website.
When you work with a copywriter who understands the user journey, they’ll establish what messages need to shine (and where) so your site answers visitor’s questions, motivating them to take action.
By the time you meet with a potential client, there’s a better chance they’ll just be looking for a gut check!
5. Well-written, SEO-optimized copy helps you show up on Google
There are a lot of factors that impact SEO (search engine optimization). Some of those are on the back end or related to design, but your on-page copy also makes a difference.
“On-page optimization” helps tell search engines what your website is about and what queries it’s relevant for.
By having well-written content that properly incorporates the right keywords, you show Google and other search engines that your website is worth visiting, which makes it more likely you’ll show up when your prospects are looking for you.
Make the most of your design investment
Investing in a website is a big step!
Thankfully, designers like Aliyyah advise on SEO and website strategy. She uses her design skills to optimize both of those elements—but your copywriting amplifies the great work she does. After all, a website copywriter’s job is also to consider your user journey, SEO, and brand.
When the copywriting side properly supports the design side, your entire website investment can work all that much harder for you and your practice.
