Why a Copywriter Retainer is a Partner, Not a Contractor

A copywriter retainer works with you to help you achieve your goals

If you’re looking to enhance your brand’s content offerings, then you might have considered a few options that are available to you. One of those options is to hire a copywriter. Retaining a professional copywriter can help you achieve great things with your business. But you might be wondering what the difference is between a retained copywriter and a contracted copywriter, and these differences can mean a lot when making a choice for your business.

A contracted copywriter is a copy expert that will stick to one particular task (defined by the contract they work under). They are assigned to work on one issue and tend not to veer away from that task. Be it blog articles, newsletters, landing pages, or company bios, a contracted copywriter works within the parameters of their contract.

A retained copywriter is a copy expert that works with a brand to provide copy expertise for that brand. Instead of focusing on one particular task, a retained copywriter works to fulfill the needs of the brand. This can include blog creation, technical writing, newsletters, video scripts, company bios, and much more. This can also include content that falls outside of the normal purview of a copywriter, such as customer-facing roles, interviews, on-site presence for major events and so on.

The main difference between a contracted copywriter and a retained copywriter is the level of involvement they will have with the brand they work for. Having access to expertise only to have it limited to one type of content sounds like a waste, and it is! A retained copywriter works with you to better understand what sorts of content works best with your brand, what reasonable expectations are for content, and how to strategize to maximize the impact of the content you produce.

If you’re looking for a copy soldier, a contractor will fit the bill. But if you’re looking for a copy commander who will work with you to bring your brand to the next level, then a copywriter retainer is what you need.