How to choose a copywriter for website copy that converts

Most hiring decisions for website copy come down to portfolio fit and project clarity — but the gap between a competent copywriter and one who'll move your sales needle is whether they ask the right questions before writing a word.

Website copy that converts isn't about flowery prose or trendy language. It's about understanding why your customer walks in the door, what doubt stops them buying, and which words clear that doubt away. A copywriter who can spot these fault lines and build copy around them will outperform one who just writes well.

How they've solved a problem like yours before

Look at their portfolio with one question: did they sell something similar to what you sell? Not identical — selling a premium accounting app isn't the same as selling premium tax advisory services — but similar *in structure*. A B2B SaaS copywriter understands the objections a B2B buyer has. An e-commerce copywriter knows how to compress urgency into product descriptions. A service copywriter gets that prospects need reassurance about credentials, turnaround, and what happens next.

Ask them to walk you through one piece of work. Not "How did you write this?" but "What was the brief problem and how did the copy address it?" If they can't articulate the problem their copy solved, they probably wrote on instinct rather than strategy. Good copywriters remember the friction point. They'll say things like "the brief was that most buyers thought their service was a one-off expense, so I had to reframe it as an investment" or "the site's old copy assumed the buyer knew what the product did — I had to start with the gap it closes."

What they ask you before quoting

A copywriter who charges and starts writing is a risk. One who asks ten questions first is likely to charge more — and deliver better copy.

The questions that matter: Who is your buyer and what are they trying to do? What's the belief or habit stopping them from buying? What do your competitors say? What does your sales team hear as the most common objection? What happens after they buy? Are there seasonal rhythms or current events that shape your pitch?

If your copywriter asks these, they're building a strategy before words hit the page. If they ask only about your brand tone or desired word count, they're filling a template.

How they handle revisions and refusal

A good copywriter will defend copy that tests well, even if it's not the tone you initially imagined. They're also willing to rewrite if the feedback is specific — "this section loses readers because they don't see a reason to stay" — but not if it's vague or stylistic. They should explain *why* a change won't work instead of just saying no.

Ask them how they handle disagreement with a client. If they say they always do what the client wants, they're a service vendor, not a strategist. If they say they'll test different versions and let data decide, they're thinking like a converter.

Contract and timeline realism

Website copy that converts rarely comes from a quick turnaround. A copywriter who promises finished copy in three days is either very fast or not very thorough. Most good website copy requires discovery, research, at least one round of revision, and sometimes a testing period. Expect two to four weeks for a small site, longer if they're researching your industry or your copywriter works with other clients too.

Check whether revisions are included and what "unlimited" revisions really means. Some copywriters cap rounds at three; others will keep refining. Both are fair — just know the boundary upfront. Clarify whether they'll provide copy in your CMS or a document, and whether they'll be available to tweak copy once it's live if performance data shows it's misfiring.

When you've narrowed your choice, ask for a reference from a recent client in your ballpark — someone selling a similar product or service. They can tell you whether the copy moved the needle and whether the copywriter was easy to work with.

On Strove, you can browse verified copywriters, compare their portfolios, and ask questions before you commit. Start by filtering for those with website copy and B2B or B2C experience that matches yours.