Kiwi businesses are used to the Number 8 Wire mentality, and copywriting can easily become another task on a never-ending to-do list. At the same time, it can sound daunting to pass control of something like website copy, case studies, or social media content over to someone else. After all; You live and breathe your brand, and content can truly shine with your authentic voice.

Not every piece of text needs a professional copywriter - but knowing which ones do can be a game changer for your business. The trick lies in identifying where professional expertise can amplify your message and deliver results that matter to your business.

When DIY copywriting serves your needs

If you have the time, certain copywriting tasks are generally well suited to in-house handling. These are usually things like quick off-the-cuff social media updates, content that shares your expertise or passion for your business, and routine operational content. These are instances where:

• The stakes are relatively low - everyday updates, or that weekly newsletter that you send out with a template that’s easy to follow
• Your authentic voice adds genuine value - situations where your personal insights or knowledge of your industry can create a meaningful connection with your readers
• You're testing or experimenting - initial versions of content where you want to gauge response before investing in professional refinement

Think of it like a home improvement project. You might be completely confident in hedge trimming or even painting a bedroom, but if the roof needs replacing you’d likely call in the professionals. Writing content for your business is much the same - with one major caveat...

Hours spent wrestling with copy represent time not spent on your core business activities. If you’re the kind of person who spends forever crafting the perfect copy for a web page, the discussion shifts to a question of opportunity cost for your business. If that sounds like you, it might be time to hire a gardener - even if it is for the “easy” stuff.

When professional expertise transforms results

How do you know if the roof needs replacing? Perhaps your website is critically out of date, or the backlog of client success stories you keep meaning to write up has reached double digits. We often work with clients to help them through big product launches and campaigns, but sometimes it’s as simple as helping you get a few hours back in your day. A professional copywriter can provide:

• Conversion-focused copy - sales pages, landing pages, and email sequences that need to drive specific actions benefit from an understanding of the conversion funnel, and an overall view of content strategy
• SEO-optimised content - balancing search engine requirements with readable, engaging content isn’t something that comes naturally! A well-optimised site is critical in helping customers find you
• Clear brand positioning and messaging - establishing your unique market position through words requires strategic thinking and market insight beyond typical writing skills
• Collateral for complex sales cycles - when you're nurturing leads through multiple touchpoints, each piece of copy needs to work strategically within the larger customer journey

A copywriter’s job is to craft a narrative that appeals to its desired reader, whoever that reader may be. For example, one of our clients - Vibe.fyi - engaged our services to transform the technical aspects of their offering into compelling, easy to understand language. We created landing page copy that was designed to encourage website visitors to convert with a selected list of calls to action.

Building your content strategy

Your content strategy should evolve with your business needs. Rather than viewing DIY and professional copywriting as mutually exclusive options, consider how they can complement each other to build sustainable content capabilities.

Many businesses find success in developing their in-house skills for day-to-day content while partnering with professionals for specialised projects or during critical growth phases. This hybrid approach allows you to maintain authentic communication while ensuring high-impact copywriting performs in the way your business needs it to.

If you're curious about where professional copywriting might give your business a boost, let's have a chat about your specific needs. Sometimes talking through your copywriting challenges with someone who's seen it all before can help clarify your next steps. Drop us a line – no pressure, just conversation.

About Andie Johnson

Andie is the owner of Flex Marketing. Flex Marketing helps businesses grow by allowing them to have the help of senior marketing resource without needing to employ a full time marketing manager. How flexible! Part of this work involves copywriting – not only do we have expertise in it, we really enjoy it. We take on copywriting projects such as re-writing copy for websites or creating client case studies as one-off projects. You can enquire about project based copywriting here. Flex Marketing has been helping businesses in this way to tell their stories and communicate their messages since 2011 and is based in Auckland, New Zealand.