Choosing a Technology Copywriter

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If you have a high tech business, you need to hire someone who understands what you do to tell your story, and that’s where an experienced technology copywriter comes into play.

The person you hire to write copy for your brand and for your business should not only understand what you do, but also have a keen understanding for how to convey that knowledge in a way that will be receptive to your audience. This is true whether you have a b2b or b2c business.

Below are some factors you should consider when you look into hiring a technology copywriter for your business.

What to Look for When You Need a Technology Copywriter

Can they translate? Not everyone knows as much about your industry as you do. You have passion. You spent a lot of time learning. So when you speak in 6-syllable industry lingo, and riddle your post with acronyms, it becomes a turn off for your audience.

A good technology copywriter understands this, and can translate your industry lingo into a language that your customers can understand and benefit from. He or she will help you produce content that carries your company’s voice, but speaks to your audience at the same time.

Do they understand the benefit? A good technology copywriter will understand how your industry, business and product can benefit the audience. They will be able to see what you do, how you help, and convey an emotional appeal. It’s important that the writer see and demonstrate this, so that they can turn around and convey that benefit to the audience in a meaningful way.

Can they conduct research? It may take some research for your technology copywriter to be able to accurately write about your product – and that’s ok. Just make sure they have conducted research before, and be able to point them in the right direction. Make sure they can conduct interviews, decipher important notes, and have a basic understanding of where to find industry literature.

Can they think strategically? It’s great to have a writer that will put together a stellar piece, but there is more to it than that. Does your technology copywriter understand the purpose for the piece that he or she is working on? Do they understand business objectives, and where the piece falls in your business’s sales cycle? All these things are important.

What kind of audiences have they written for? If they have written technology copywriting jobs in the past, what audiences were they for? A piece written for an end, b2c consumer might sound different than a b2b piece, where the audience might have a firm understanding of the technical side of the product. Each job, and each company might be a little different.

It’s a good idea to ask the writer if they have clips they are ok sharing. It’s ok to ask if they have comparable work, or what their background is. The copywriter may not always have work that is equivocal.

For example, if I have not done a similar project, I stress my journalism background. For 10 years, it was my job to learn as much as I could about a specific subject and then write about it. I’ll also stress that sometimes it’s good to have a fresh perspective from someone who might not be thinking within the confines of your company, or industry.

A good technology copywriter doesn’t necessarily have to answer “yes” to all of the questions above, but the more, they can answer in the affirmative, the better. Use your best judgment to find the best person for the job.

Source: B2C