Does a Copywriter Have to Be a Native Speaker? A Bit About Non-Native Content Writers

In our opinion, no, a copywriter does not have to be a native speaker—in many cases, this does not make any difference. What’s more, there are instances when a non-native might actually be better than a native speaker. What prompts our opinion? In which situations might it be wiser to work with a content writer for whom the target language is a second language? Keep reading, and you’ll find out the answers. ?

One of the main arguments used to justify that a copywriter does not have to be a native speaker goes along the lines of, “If this were true, all native speakers would make great copywriters.” In principle, this statement is right—the fact that you’re a native speaker of a given language does not automatically make you excellent at writing, not to mention copywriting. Yet, this is just a simple saying, repeated over and over again, unsupported by particular research or data. We want to change that and show you why this statement is a fact. The truth lies in the scholarly research about language acquisition.

Spoken language acquisition is, indeed, natural. As Darwin pointed out (via Felipe Pegado), humans have a “natural instinct” to acquire spoken language. For that to happen, all we need is:

• time,
• exposure to the language,
• interactions in this language.

In the end, as Pegado Claims, this process starts during infancy without any formal teaching. This process is intuitive and subconscious—natives will get a better grasp of the language since:

• as children, we undergo a period of sensitivity when it is easier for us to learn syntax and phonetics,
• this is also a period when our articulatory apparatus is developed—it can impact our phonetics capabilities and, in turn, our accent.

But what is the case with written language?

The situation is 180° different when it comes to written language acquisition. Multiple scholarly papers, including Written Language Acquisition Is Both Shaped by and Has an Impact on Brain Functioning and Cognition by Felipe Pegado and Language acquisition and writing by Katharine Perera, emphasize that written language is acquired artificially. In a nutshell, it means that you need to be taught the language to gain the ability to write, so the saying is true—being a native does not make you a great writer nor a better content writer than a non-native.

However, other research proves that native speakers might still be in a slightly better position. Anna Xygkou suggests that issues in spoken language acquisition might be reflected in written language acquisition. This would put non-native copywriters at a disadvantage: since they are usually exposed less to the language—they might have problems learning to write in it.

On the other hand, an average native receives a worse formal education than a non-native who takes on a linguistic major in a given language. As a result, a non-native who has finished, let’s say, English studies will usually be better than an average US/UK native speaker—they had more time and put more effort into polishing their writing skills. Naturally, there is still the case of natives who also pursued formal education in writing. If that’s the case, a native might have a tiny head start, though after a few years of experience, the skill gap between them and non-native copywriters should disappear.

As you can see, there are multiple layers to the issue. A non-native might be a better writer than a native (though this depends on education, experience, and effort), but there are certain circumstances in which one or the other might be the perfect option—the question goes beyond pure writing skills. So, to decide whether a copywriter has to be a native speaker once and for all, let’s take a look at a detailed comparison based on the different traits and competencies a content writer needs to have.

The first crucial trait of a good copywriter is their knowledge of the target culture. Cultural differences impact SEO, and the best copywriters build a connection with their readers using values, imagery and symbolism characteristic for a given culture. What is the situation like in this case?

On a surface level, non-natives win when it comes to culture. But is it so in real life? No—there are additional variables that may impact this comparison.

The first one is the case when we talk about a language spoken in multiple countries or highly diverse regions, like English. A native US citizen from Texas will be embedded in a visibly different culture than a native US copywriter from New York. The differences will grow as we add up other English-speaking countries, like Australia, Gibraltar, and the UK. A non-native who has undergone a course in English or majored in English Studies will have a more versatile knowledge of these different cultures.

The second scenario involves global SEO—situations in which the content is created for a multinational target audience with non-native speakers in mind. Since non-native copywriters use cultural elements consciously, they might have a slight advantage when creating such “neutral” content. What is more, since they went through different levels of language acquisition, they might find it easier to use a simpler language that non-natives will understand.

Does a copywriter have to be a native speaker to handle different text types and specialized languages? Not at all—here, it all depends on the writer itself.

Specific styles and specialized languages depend mainly on a copywriter’s exposure to such content. Technically, this means that a native content writer might have an advantage, especially if they consume content only in their language. However, non-native speakers who became experts in a foreign language might also willingly watch videos, purchase online, and read texts in that language; it all goes down to the individual, unique experience of a given person rather than their nationality. Plus, each writer has their own style that might resonate with your target audience… or might not; the fit here does not depend on whether someone is a native or not.

As mentioned before, being a native or a non-native does not matter when it comes to writing skills. What matters most is a broadly understood education, including formal writing courses, writing experience, and copywriting training.

Even if a given person is a great writer, they won’t be as good at copywriting if they don’t have proper training and the right capabilities. They need to have a knack for marketing and excellent research skills; they need to know the SEO copywriting principles. It’s not enough to be a good writer—one has to be a good copywriter. So, an experienced non-native often will be a better copywriter than a native speaker who hasn’t worked as a copywriter yet.

As SEO experts, we’ll give you our favorite answer: it depends. There are cases when it’s better to work with a native, and there are situations where a non-native might be a slightly better choice, but in most circumstances, this doesn’t matter. Before we show you the comparison, remember—the better, more experienced the copywriter, the less their nationality matters. What we discussed so far are the areas in which either option has an advantage. But the fact that someone is a native speaker does not mean that they will impose their culture on global content; the fact that a copywriter is a non-native speaker does not necessarily have to mean that they won’t have as good a grasp of the target culture as a native speaker. Treat these traits as potential bonuses or risk, but do not let them define who you will be working with.

To summarize this article, does a copywriter have to be a native speaker? In most cases, they don’t. What truly matters is their experience, writing skills, style, and whether they can create texts that will resonate with their target audience. Sometimes, even the best copywriter might not satisfy you, as you have different preferences regarding content—this is fine as long as you keep in mind that the texts need to be created for the users.

This is why, at Delante, we work both with native speakers and with non-native speakers—we base our choice purely on quality and diverse styles to ensure that we can provide you with content that will convert and attract organic traffic to your website. So, if you need excellent articles, selling product descriptions, or the finest language pages. In that case, you know who to ask—read more about our SEO copywriting services and discover how we can push your business forward!

References:

1. Cambridge University Press. (n.d.). Language acquisition and writing. In Language Acquisition (pp. 129-156). Cambridge University Press.
2. Frontiers Editorial Office. (2022). Neural mechanisms of human written language: A comprehensive review. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 16, 819956. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2022.819956
3. Teachit English. (n.d.). Written acquisition: An introduction to the theory. Teachit.
4. Xygkou, A. (2003). Spoken and written language development. ResearchGate.