Kate Ingham-Smith
Founder / Chief Coffee Drinker at Keep it Simple Copywriting
Teesside, UK
www.keepitsimplecopywriting.co.uk
instagram @keepitsimplecopywriting
linkedin @kingham
Q What do you do?
“I’m a copywriter/content writer. This means I write words for businesses that want to showcase who they are and what they do.”
These words can be in the form of home pages, landing pages, blog articles, editorials, social media posts, or press releases.
My area of expertise is digital marketing, so if digital marketing agencies, freelancers, or consultants want content writing to promote their business, I can help.
While digital marketing is my specialty, I've also written for various industries, including construction, retail, HVAC, and health and safety.
I've also written articles about the different types of vibrators you can buy. Not my proudest moment, but it did lead to some funny stories to tell at the pub.
Q What steps did you take to get to where you are now?
Honestly? I fell into copywriting by sheer luck and circumstance.
I worked as a marketing manager before going freelance, and one of my favorite parts of the job was content writing and copywriting. It was always an awesome feeling to create content, hit the publish button, and see it climb the Google search engine rankings week on week.
Like so many people, I lost my sales and marketing job during the pandemic. Don't feel too bad for me, the place I worked for sucked. I decided to try freelancing while I searched for a new job – yes, I was *that* person writing $5 articles on Fiverr. Sorry.
However, the pull of freelancing was too strong, and I handed in my notice at my new marketing job a year later to freelance full-time. It's a story of overcoming adversity, persistence, and a lot of caffeine. Margot Robbie would play me. Or perhaps Ryan Reynolds. I haven't quite decided.
Q How do you stand out in your field?
My key unique selling point is that I'm a digital marketing specialist.
A lot of freelance copywriters come from a journalistic background, but I was a digital marketing manager before I started my freelance journey.
This means that if you're looking for digital marketing blogs, landing pages, or service pages, I have lots of practical experience I can apply to your copy. I won't just read the top three pages on Google and copy and paste them into a Word Document.
Oh yes, and I can search engine optimize like an absolute boss.
Q What are you working on right now?
I'm currently working on an exciting project for a new client in the web design industry.
They want articles writing, but they're not sure about keywords and blog titles. So, not only am I creating the articles, but I'm doing the SEO keyword research to discover what to write about.
This is a new area for me, and if it works out, it might become a permanent service I offer.
Q What’s your style?
As you can tell, my writing style tends to veer towards the humorous and self-deprecating. I can turn this off when I need to, but I feel I'm in my element when I can be a little bit snarky.
One of my LinkedIn connections said it best: "Savage sprinkles". I'm going to get that engraved on my tombstone.
This is my blog, which is a good representation of how I like to write.
Q Out of all your slashies, which one do you wish you could do more often?
Can we count soft skills here? If I could, I'd focus on stress management. I'm very much a type-A personality and a typical Virgo – I don't know how to switch off.
Seriously, I'm going to send this interview off and spend my time panicking that there's a typo in it, and everyone is going to think I'm an idiot.
Q What is frustrating you right now?
I'd like more time to focus on my own marketing efforts. I used to work with a manager who said, "It's important to treat yourself as a client," and that's very true.
Things are getting better. I recently invested in a new website and offboarded some lower-paying clients, which means I have more time to create content for me.
However, often when you've finished your work for the day, you just want to sit on the sofa, look at memes on Reddit, and binge Netflix. Creating blog posts for your website is waaaay down the list of priorities.
Q If you could hire someone for $20/hour, what would you have them do to make your day easier?
I'm probably the kind of person that would benefit greatly from having a virtual assistant around. Someone to organize my calendar, manage my emails, and scheduling my social media posts.
Oh, and to yell at me every hour to drink more water.
Q What do you wish you could have told yourself, when, and why?
It's going to sound sad and cheesy and very "live, laugh, love", but I'd go back in time and tell my twenty-year-old self that I'm capable of doing whatever I set my mind to.
I think if I'd taken more risks and believed in myself more, I'd be in a very different position from where I am today. Imposter syndrome sucks, doesn't it?
Q If you could talk to an expert to gain more insight on something, what would it be about?
I think running a business. When I started as a freelancer, I had no clue what I was doing; I learned everything along the way. This led to some nasty shocks, especially when the tax was due!
I've got a handle on things now (I think…), but it's always good to be one step ahead of the curve and understand what you can do to work smarter rather than harder.
Q What kind of opportunities/projects are you looking for?
I'd primarily like to work with people in the digital marketing industry, whether that's large agencies or fellow freelancers. Writing about digital marketing is what I'm skilled at and where my talents lie, and you've got to do what you're good at, right?
Of course, if another project in a different industry comes along that looks enjoyable, I'm game.
I'm keen to work with people from all over the world. Look here, I'm British, and I'm writing in American English. Sidewalk. Fries. Jay-Zee instead of Jay-Zed. Trust me, I put the effort in!
Q Describe your ideal job/client/collaboration.
My favorite clients are the ones I see as friends. If you speak to someone and think, "I could probably go for a drink with this person and have a fun time, " it's a good sign.
Someone who is full of ideas too. I'd much rather work with someone who is happy to send me a message on Slack or WhatsApp saying, "Hey Kate, I've got a fab idea for a piece of content; what do you think?" than someone who you have to prod repeatedly to get information from.
Q What is your rate?
Ooh, this is a tough one. I typically prefer to price per project, just as no piece of content is the same. One 1,000-word article might take three hours to put together, while another may take an entire day of writing, editing, and swearing over Microsoft Word.
A 500-word blog can start from about $80, depending on what you need. A good freelancer will listen to what you want and price transparently.
Q How should someone approach you about working together?
An email is always a good starting point. Tell me a little bit about you, show me your website, and tell me how you'd like me to help. You can share your favorite joke if you want, but that's not 100% necessary.
I'm an elder millennial, so I like to follow any emails up with a short video call. It's easier to get the information I need to write good content rather than ping-ponging multiple messages across.
Q Who is a creative you admire?
I've worked with some incredible creatives in my time. Olivia Dunn is my partner-in-crime and a branding genius. George Howarth is the mastermind behind my website and specializes in web design for construction and the trades.
Q Oh! and… how do you stay creative?
Heavy metal playlists on Spotify, going to spinning classes, and giving the dog lots of belly rubs!
This member profile was originally published in February 2024