Let’s get one thing straight: experts are not afraid to change their minds.
People who truly value their craft, keep up to date on industry knowledge, and listen to people they want to help — those people are ok with changing their minds.
And since I’ve been freelance writing since 2021, and have had my website copywriting brand since 2023, it’s only natural that my opinion has shifted since I first started.
(In the business and marketing world, *quite* a few things have changed since 2021, it would be weird if my opinions hadn’t changed tbh…)
So, in case you’re curious on how I’ve evolved as a copywriter and marketer (and as someone who helps other people with those things) here’s what I’ve got for you.
#1 – *Some* people can prioritize design over copy
Unfortunately, it is just the nature of the beast that when people think “I need a website” the very next thought they have is “I need a web designer.”
Everyone who works on websites (yes, your web designer included) agrees that copy should come before design.
Why? Because the design can capture attention, but the copy is what actually gets people to take action.
Seriously, go ask your web designer. They will agree with me.
However, copywriting is much more likely to get overlooked by business owners than web design.
Personally, I’ve talked to so many web designers who want their clients to hire a copywriter in addition to designer, but they have a difficult time convincing someone that they might have to spend just as much, if not more, on the copy for their website.
When I first started out, I thought “sure, I guess business owners can make the best choice for their business, and if they think they can only invest in design, and not copy, who am I to argue?”
Dear reader, I have since changed my tune.
Because? I have seen too many mediocre, pretty-but-that’s-it, AI-slop websites to pull my punches anymore.
Too often, I’ve been asked to redo copy that had a great design, but it turns out it won’t convert the way they need it too.
And these days, too many business owners are skipping out on copy, or hiring a cheap copywriter, only to get stuck with AI generated garbage on their site.
Point-blank: If you only have the budget for copy or design, you will get much more out of your investment if you choose copy.
And if you think you’re the exception here, you’re probably not.
#2 – StoryBrand
Ahhh, StoryBrand.
These days, I’m have major beef with StoryBrand.
If you see any old blog posts on my site here talking about how helpful StoryBrand is, no you didn’t.
To be honest, StoryBrand is a pretty decent resource for learning marketing basics.
But my beef is that StoryBrand’s main gimmick is that they sell a simple framework and promise big results.
The Hero’s Journey, isn’t anything new or groundbreaking.
But StoryBrand will have you convinced that as long as you pretend you’re the Obi-Wan Kenobi to your client’s Luke Skywalker, all your marketing problems will go away.
The problem? StoryBrand is boring.
It is boring to constantly play an old man in your own brand’s story. It’s boring to constantly step out of the spotlight in order to play the “guide” in someone else’s story.
Not only does StoryBrand put the “clear over clever” on a pedestal, but it’s robbing too many creative founders and personal brands of the very necessary Main Character Energy they should be tapping into to grow their brands.
So yeah, read StoryBrand if you want, but when you get sick of it and want to actually enjoy your brand and messaging again, come find me.
#3 – Everyone *needs* messaging done before getting their website written
And speaking of messaging, another thing that was drilled into me when I first started writing website copy was that everyone NEEDED brand messaging strategy work done before we even wrote a word of their website.
(Again, this is StoryBrand at fault here.)
For many people, brand messaging can be super helpful.
Actually, I think a large amount of entrepreneurs would benefit from comprehensive, practical brand messaging work.
But to say that *everyone* needs brand messaging work done before writing their website? That’s just not practical.
For a lot of established business owners, the best messaging they’ve found for their brands have come through their own trial and error.
Their “messaging strategy” has been developed over time as they’ve found what works for them.
After doing all that, they just need someone to pick up the baton, clean a few things up, and write them amazing website copy to match.
So yes, while I think brand messaging work is super helpful for many business owners, I’m just not going to make someone invest in brand messaging if they don’t need it.
#4 – People buy based off *vibes* alone
Ok, people definitely *think* they buy based off vibes.
But actually, those “vibes” that convince people to buy are layers and layers of psychological triggers being pulled in order to convince people to buy.
Most of these triggers happen subconsciously – many of them on your website.
By the end of the buying journey, they might think they “just had a good feeling” about you, or convinced themselves you were the “logical choice” (lol), when in actuality, several different things influenced their buying decision.
So, sure, it’s quicker to just say “vibes,” but a lot more goes into selling than vibes.
Your business changes, your copy should too
You know what? I will definitely be changing my mind about copywriting, marketing, and business in the future.
The online business landscape is always evolving, and I think we all deserve more fun, profitability, and ease in our businesses. As your copywriter, I’ll always be looking for more ways to bring that to you, both in my offers and my free content.
Speaking of, if you need help with the copywriting or messaging for your brand or website, check out my copywriting packages here.
Have a project in mind? Reach out to me here to get started.
Curious about what other changes I would make? Here are 4 things I would change if I had to start my business over.
