In the realm of online content creation, the role of a freelance copywriter stands out as a dynamic and sought-after profession. If you find yourself drawn to the art of persuasive writing and aspire to craft compelling narratives for businesses, then the path of a freelance copywriter may be your calling.
This beginner's guide is here to illuminate what it means to be a freelance copywriter and provide valuable insights into the intricacies of this profession. From understanding the diverse responsibilities to navigating the businessside of freelancing, embark on a journey to discover the answer to the question “what is a freelance copywriter?”.
What Is An Seo Copywriter?
To get more people to visit a website, an SEOcopywriter writes material that is optimized for Google Search. Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is what it means.
When you write this kind of copy, you need to know more about how Google Search works and how pages are ranked in the Search Engine Results Page (SERP). SEO copywriters know how the things below affect how well your page does on Google.
- Keyword density (long-tail, primary, and secondary)
- Layout and arrangement of pages
- What title tags and meta descriptions do
- Internal linking
Researching keywords may be part of SEO marketing, but more often than not, keywords are given. People pay a lot for this kind of online writing, so learn as much as you can about SEO and get some experience when you can.
What Content Do Copywriters Create?
Freelance copywriters only specialize in one type of writing if they've been taught to do so, like medical copywriting. Copywriters, on the other hand, usually write content for a lot of different clients, each of whom has their own specific needs. The following are the types of projects that most copywriters work on:
Blog Posts
If a client wants their site to do well in search engines, they need to keep adding new information. Regular blog posts are the easiest way to do this. A blog post can be anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand words, depending on the client. Sometimes, a blog post has a more casual tone and tries to get people interested in and educated about a specific topic.
White Papers
A white paper is something that clients often ask for. These tend to be longer and are more about a problem and how to fix it. A white paper is meant to be helpful, educational, and objective, and it usually has a more formal tone.
Email Marketing
A product or service can do well or not with the help of an email marketing strategy. Freelance copywriters are often hired by businesses in all kinds of fields to make appealing email marketing campaigns.
6 Skills To Be A Freelance Copywriter
Statistics show that more than half of all the text on the internet is written by copywriters. Freelance copywriters use the following technical and soft skills in their work.
Written Communication
Freelance copywriters can avoid writing that is too simple or too complicated by using different sentence structures. They know how to explain complicated ideas in simple terms and write in clear, straight sentences that are easy for people to understand.
Freelance copywriters can change the way they write to make people feel different things. If they're writing about a local event, they might use words that make people feel happy and excited.
Time Management
To work on projects for more than one client at once, freelance copywriters need to be good at managing their time. They put their assignments in order of importance by due date and make sure they have enough time to do good work and edit their material.
As freelancers, copywriters may have other full-time jobs, so they have to find a way to balance their copywriting duties with those other duties.
Editing
Freelance copywriters can make sure their work is error-free if they know how to fix it. Once they are done writing, they may go back and check it for spelling and grammar problems as well as AP style.
Before giving the final copy to their clients, they may also use more than one editing method. One way that freelance copywriters work is by reading their work out loud. Another way is by reading the whole story from beginning to end.
Research
There may be other independent copywriters vying for the same potential client, so it's essential to look into their work and come up with a way to make yours stand out. To make sure your writing is correct, you need to research to find pieces that already talk about your subject and to find topics that you can add to match what is already known.
Also, you might need to learn more about every subject you write about, so you may need to do a primary study to find out more before you write.
Creativity
Freelance copywriters can write copy that people in their target audience may enjoy reading, which can help their clients get more people to visit their websites or follow them on social media.
A bank might hire a copywriter to write business-to-consumer (B2C) material about how to get credit cards and loans. There might be more people reading the bank's blog if the copywriter approaches the job differently and uses words that teach and appeal to readers.
Business Management
Freelance copywriters set their rates based on the number of words and the type of material they write. Because of this, they might charge more for a 1000-word piece than for a social media ad.
If a freelance copywriter knows how to run a business, they can plan their clients' bills and get paid for their work. They might keep careful records of the groups they worked with and the money those groups gave them.
Who Hires Freelance Copywriters?
It costs about $250 an hour to be a freelance author. Who are these clients who want to hire freelancing copywriters?
Startup Founders
When hiring freelance copywriters in a wide range of niches, startup owners are likely at the top of the list. Early-stage businesses don't have the money to hire full-time writers because they still need more money. It's hard to find money for these things because most of the budget goes to stock or hiring people to work on developing digital companies.
Small Businesses
There are times when a small business may seem small and open, but they hire private writers to write content for them. There are too many factors when it comes to small businesses to make it easy to pinpoint their needs. For the most part, small businesses only need copies when they need them, not all the time.
Advertising Agencies
Most copywriters get most of their work from advertising companies. Usually, they hire an independent copywriter because of too much work or to help out an in-house team in several different ways. Advertising firms look for independent writers when they don't want to hire a full-time worker. This is usually near the end of the fiscal year when projects are due and money is tight.
13 Steps To Start A Copywriting Business
Cover The Basics
First, you'll need to learn how to run a freelance business before you can start a copywriting service. First, make sure you have everything you need to be a screenwriter, such as a computer, an internet connection, and a website that advertises your services.
Plan Your Copywriting Business
Write down your goals, your business strategy, and the people you want to buy from you. Find out what other freelance copywriting businesses in your market give and how much they charge for their services. This will help you figure out how to compete with them.
Choose Your Services
What will your freelancing writing business do for people who hire you? You can become an expert in certain types of copywriting, like writing ads, website content, email marketing copy, and more.
Develop Your Brand
People will remember your business more if it has a firm name. It will also help you stand out from other businesses in the same field. Your brand includes both the voice and style of your business and the way it looks, such as your image, fonts, and color scheme.
Establish Your Rates
Setting rates for clients is essential, but it can take time for new independent writers. First, get a feel for the business by comparing prices with other copywriters in your area. Check out the prices of other copywriters who have similar skills and knowledge.
Give clients choices by setting prices both by the hour and by the word. When you figure out your rate, think about things like rent, energy, health insurance, and other business costs. Set a cheap rate to get as many clients as possible, but make sure it can be kept up and pays well.
Gather Your Writing Samples
Write some samples of your work if you worked as a copywriter for a brand or agency before starting your own business. This will show how talented you are and how many different types of clients, businesses, and media you've worked with. You'll need to show clients samples of your work even if you have yet to write a copy before.
Think about doing specific work to show off your skills. Making ads for a company without working for them is called "spec work." Even though they don't work for big companies, new writers often write ads to show that they can get noticed.
Develop An Online Portfolio
After choosing all of your writing samples, you'll need a place to show them off so that people who might hire you can see them. Make an online resume that shows off your writing, lists the services you offer, and has a bio so clients can learn more about you and your background.
Sharpen Your Skills
Every copywriter should work on their writing or pick up new skills that will help their business grow. If you want to learn something new, like technical writing, SEO, or something else, you could take classes at a nearby college or online courses that you can do from anywhere.
Create A Legal Contract
When you first start as a freelancer, you should have a standard contract ready to send to new clients. This will protect you and make it clear what work they can expect from you. In a contract, you and your client agree on the services you'll provide, the time frame for finishing the work, and the amount of money your client will pay you.
Establish An Accounting System
When clients pay you, you'll need an accounting system to keep track of them and file them, as well as to handle your billing. For starters, make sure you know everything there is to know about small business accounts. You should then pick an accounting method that works for you.
Pitch Your Business
The most important thing for a copywriting business is getting people to pay you. Use email to pitch yourself to possible clients. You should show them your skills and why you're the best independent copywriter for their business in your pitch emails.
Advertising companies are an excellent place to start because they hire freelance copywriters project by project. You need to include a link to your online portfolio and writing samples that are relevant to the brand before pitching a copywriting business.
Attend Networking Events
Event networking is an excellent way for solo copywriters to meet people who might hire them. When you first start your copywriting business, you'll have to keep looking for new clients to keep it going. Events for networking can be more than just for people in the advertising or marketing business.
Ask For Referrals
Be bold and ask clients to tell their friends and coworkers about you. Most of the time, they'll be glad to. Referrals from people you know and trust are some of the best leads you can get. You can also reward customers who bring you new customers.
Advantages Of Freelance Copywriting
As a self-employed person, you can make a good living and work from anywhere if you like having freedom and need to be able to do what you want. You can also choose how much time you work and don't work. You can live the life you want, whether that means writing from the beach or a coffee shop in Europe.
Travel When And Where You Want
Some independent copywriters say that being able to work from home or while traveling is one of the best things about their job. Do you live somewhere cold and snowy?
You don't have to drive to work in the cold and snow, and you can leave for a week, a month, or the whole winter to work from somewhere warmer. Your clients won't know, and most of the time, people pay online!
Be Your Boss
As an entrepreneur, you run your own business. You will be able to work with only clients that you want to work with, and that pay you well once you have a solid copywriting resume to show off your writing skills.
You can be successful as an independent copywriter if you like being able to choose your projects and make your schedule and if you're not afraid to market yourself.
Work/Life Balance
One great thing about freelancing is that you can mix work, fun, and family time in the way that works best for you.
You know the times when you get the most done, so plan to work during those times. You also save money and time when you don't have to drive to work or school in the morning or evening.
Take On Projects You're Passionate About
Do you have a specialty or a subject you care about? You might have worked in IT or health care, or you might be interested in cooking or learning about nature. There's likely a company or group in that field that wants a copywriter.
Constantly Learn New Things
As you get more clients as an independent copywriter, you may be asked to write a wide range of things, from product briefs to how-to posts and email campaigns. You'll learn about a lot of interesting things along the way.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does A Copywriter Do Exactly?
A copywriter creates persuasive content for marketing purposes, crafting messages to engage and prompt action.
How Do I Become A Freelance Copywriter?
To become a freelance copywriter, develop strong writing skills, build a portfolio, and market yourself on platforms like LinkedIn and freelance job websites.
How Much Do Freelance Copywriters Make?
Freelance copywriter earnings vary but can range from $50 to $150 per hour, depending on experience, expertise, and the complexity of the project.
Is Freelance Copywriting Easy?
Freelance copywriting requires skill and effort so it may be challenging for some.
Conclusion
What is a freelance copywriter, an SEO copywriter plays a pivotal role in optimizing content for search engines, and understanding the nuances of keyword usage, page layout, and effective linking. The broader realm of freelance copywriting encompasses diverse projects from blog posts to white papers and email marketing.
Aspiring freelance copywriters should cultivate a mix of technical skills, including SEO proficiency, time management, and creativity. The journey involves honing a unique brand, setting competitive rates, and networking effectively.
Ultimately, the advantages of freelancing, including flexibility and the ability to pursue passion projects, make it an enticing career choice in the dynamic landscape of online content creation.