Hiring an Amazon listing copywriter: what to brief

A good listing copywriter turns product facts and customer language into a title, bullet points, and description that help shoppers decide. The quality of what you get back depends heavily on what you send at the start. This guide explains when it is worth hiring help, what to put in your brief, what to expect in return, and how to spot copywriters to avoid.

When it is worth hiring a copywriter

• You are launching a new product and want the listing right from the first day.
• You have many products and no time to research and write each listing properly.
• A listing gets traffic but converts poorly, and you suspect the copy is part of the reason.
• You are entering a new marketplace and need copy written by a native speaker for local shoppers, not just a translation.
• You want a consistent brand voice across your catalog.

What to put in your brief

The more of this you provide, the less the copywriter has to guess.

• Product facts: dimensions, materials, capacity, compatibility, certifications (with evidence), and exactly what is in the box.
• Who buys it and why: the main customer types and the problems they want solved.
• Your competitors: the listings shoppers compare you with, and what genuinely makes yours different.
• Search terms you already know matter, for example from your advertising search term report or Brand Analytics.
• Customer language: your reviews, customer questions, and the reasons people return the product.
• Brand voice: a few examples of copy you like, and any words or claims to avoid.
• The rules: the marketplace, the language, and your category’s style guide.
• Deliverables and deadline: which parts of the listing you need, how many products, and when.

What a good copywriter delivers

For each product you should expect:

• A title, bullet points, and product description written to your category’s rules.
• Backend search terms that fit within the size limit and do not repeat visible text.
• A short keyword map showing which important terms are used and where.
• Notes on any claims that may need evidence or that some categories restrict.
• At least one round of revisions.

Some copywriters also write the text for A+ Content modules, or work with a designer on infographic images. Agree this upfront.

Questions to ask before you hire

1. “Have you written for products in our category?” Ask for live listings they can share.
2. “How do you research search terms and customer language?” A clear process is better than a list of tools.
3. “How do you handle restricted claims?” They should know the common pitfalls for your category.
4. “Who uploads the copy?” If they upload it, give them user permissions in Seller Central. They should never need your password.
5. “How many revisions are included, and what is the timeline?”
6. “Do you write natively in the marketplace’s language?” This matters most for non-English marketplaces.

How pricing usually works

Copywriters commonly charge in one of these ways:

• Per listing, often with a lower rate for variations of the same product.
• Per hour, which suits audits and smaller edits.
• A monthly retainer for ongoing catalog work.

Translation and localisation, A+ Content text, and keyword research are sometimes priced separately. Ask for a written quote that lists exactly what is included.

Red flags

• Promises of rankings or sales. Copy influences both, but nobody can guarantee either.
• Samples stuffed with keywords that read badly.
• No questions about your product or your customers before quoting.
• Requests for your Seller Central password.
• Copy lifted from competitors’ listings. Ask how they make sure the text is original.

After the new copy goes live

• Keep a dated log of what changed.
• Give it time. Compare two to four weeks before and after, and allow for price changes, stock-outs, and seasonality.
• Watch the conversion rate first, then ranking and sales.

Our listing optimization checklist is a useful way to review the finished listing.

Get help from a reviewed specialist

You can compare reviewed listing optimization specialists, or describe what you need and we will suggest suitable specialists. Every specialist we list has had their profile reviewed by our team, and each profile shows what we checked and when.