Can you share a few details about yourself and your professional journey with our readers?
I was initially introduced to copywriting through my first blog. After changing my major from fashion journalism to public relations—in addition to transferring colleges—I found myself growing bored with the curriculum and decided to channel my energy into publishing my writing online. Before launching my blog, I knew I’d need to cultivate an audience. This led me to start a popular Twitter chat called #createlounge. We met weekly on Wednesday nights to chat about topics centered on creativity. It started small but grew to thousands of members in a matter of months. It awakened my curiosity about online entrepreneurship and connected me with those who were running successful businesses. As I graduated from college, I decided to accept a position at a global communications firm. I was still interested in entrepreneurship, but coming from a traditional 9-to-5 family, I wanted to at least give a full-time position a try. I didn’t hate it, but I couldn’t help myself from wanting to leap into entrepreneurship. A year later, I started offering social media consulting services, but after a difficult first year in business, I decided to pivot and pursue what I loved most: writing. At the end of 2024, I celebrated ten years of entrepreneurship. It’s been such a joy to collaborate with hundreds of small and mid-size businesses, helping them bring their core messaging to life. It hasn’t been a traditional journey, but then again, entrepreneurship is all about following the path less traveled.What are some of the key factors you consider when developing a website strategy for a client?
This is such a great question! Since I consider myself just as much of a website strategist as I am a website copywriter, website strategy is uniquely important to my work. From a copywriter’s perspective, there are a few key elements to developing a website strategy: Website goal setting: Consider your top goals and list them in order of priority. You don’t want to think of everything you could accomplish with the new site but rather focus on the most important thing. Once you define the goal, connect it with your sales strategy by creating a calls-to-action (CTA) plan that will inspire others to take action on your website. Website sitemap: This is typically something to define early on in the website strategy process as it will help you define the project scope. Sitemaps are used to thoughtfully organize your website pages and help you create your website navigation with clarity and brevity. Most sites only need four to 10 pages, but larger companies that are heavily invested in SEO and growth may elect to create more. Content-based wireframe: While most copywriters miss this step, it’s arguably the most important part of my process. Traditionally, wireframing is only done by designers, but there are many benefits to creating content-based wireframes. As a copywriter, it helps me organize content before I start writing, allowing me to have upfront conversations about strategic decisions with clients. It cuts down on our need for revisions later and helps us feel like we’re aligned on strategy before we move forward. I’ve branded this as my WireFramework Method™ in hopes of inspiring others to create simple content-based wireframes of their own.What are some of the pros and cons of being a freelance website copywriter and strategist?
There are many benefits to becoming a freelance website copywriter and strategist, including making a living from a skill that comes naturally to you. I always marvel at my ability to work from home, set my schedule, take Fridays off, and work in front of a computer—all while earning an income that supports my family. However, one of the biggest challenges facing copywriters today is the massive roll-out of AI writing features. While we don’t have to treat it as the “Boogeyman,” it’s certainly a concern and something to stay aware of. I don’t currently use AI as a part of my process, but I know others who have adopted the technology in various ways. I don’t think AI has threatened our livelihoods as a whole, but it certainly has threatened how we structure our businesses. Before 2022—in the days before widespread AI use—half of my business revenue was reliant on blog content creation retainers with tech companies. Now, most of those tech companies have shifted their content creation budgets toward creating their own AI tools. It’s been a sobering reminder to specialize in areas of copywriting that are focused more on strategy than solely on execution. As a website copywriter, I continue to work with clients who appreciate working with a human to discover what messaging is best for their audience and their business. I don’t see that changing any time soon, and those who use AI to create content probably weren’t going to hire a copywriter like me, anyway. It’s more important for copywriters to lean into what they do really well and remember the value of their work.What advice would you give to someone interested in becoming a freelance website copywriter?
No matter what you do, don’t forget the power of building your own personal brand and community. When I transitioned from a consultant to a freelance website copywriter, I was successful largely due to my personal brand. Also, when I started a new career in copywriting, the many years I put into blogging and building a community allowed me to get my foot in the door with new clients. They were willing to trust me with their projects, all because they had been following along with my journey and connected early on with my writing. Even if you don’t have a portfolio of work or any clue how to book your first clients, you can still publish your writing and introduce yourself through social media, blogging, or an email newsletter. Many first-year copywriters also struggle with perfectionism before launching, worried they may look like they don’t know what they’re doing before they get started. What they don’t realize is we all have to start from the beginning. None of us have everything figured out. All you need to do to become a freelance website copywriter is to simply begin.To learn more about Kayla Hollatz, you can visit kaylahollatz.com
