Everything you need to know: What is Freelance Copywriting?

What is Freelance Copywriting?

Before you start anything it is crucial to understand the role and responsibilities of a freelance copywriter.

By the end of this article, you will know if becoming a copywriter is the right career choice for you. 

In a nutshell, a freelance copywriter is a professional who crafts persuasive and compelling written content that aims to promote products, services, or ideas.

They’re skilled in structuring words to captivate audiences and drive them towards taking specific actions.

That is it!

But let’s be honest here. It sounds easy in theory however there is a stark difference between the top 10% of copywriters and the other 90% who just write words and call themselves copywriters.

Yes, the barrier of entry is low but to become a true wordsmith it takes time and dedication. 

Areas you can write as a copywriting freelancer include:

1. SEO copywriting including web copy

2. Email Marketing

3. Direct Response Copywriting

4. Sales & Landing Pages 

5. Video Sales Letters 

6. Webinars

`7. Online/Offline Advertising

8. Social Media Ghostwriting

What Does a Freelance Copywriter Do?

A key aspect of being a freelance copywriter is striking the right tone and voice for each project.

Depending on the brand image and target audience, their writing style can range from conversational and informal to formal and corporate.

Adapting their language appropriately allows them to connect with readers on a deeper level while maintaining brand consistency.

Additionally, freelance copywriters collaborate closely with clients or marketing teams during project development.

They attend briefings where they acquire essential information about the product or service being promoted.

This includes understanding its unique selling points (USPs), features, and benefits, as well as any branding guidelines necessary for maintaining brand identity throughout their writing.

What is an SEO copywriter?

An SEO copywriter focuses on the client’s web copy.

This includes homepages, about us pages, and product and category pages. Most importantly they create blog posts and articles that search engines love.

The primary role of an SEO copywriter is to write engaging content that fits within a framework to rank on Google and other search engines. 

Engaging content is king, when it comes to SEO content marketing a copywriter skilled in this area will be able to assist a business rise.

There is much more involved in the process than just writing the content for the article or website.  

Where Can I Learn to Write Copy

To learn copywriting first you must understand human psychology and the art of persuasion. 

Below I am going to list a quick introduction to copywriting to progress your journey as quickly as possible. 

Read these 5 Books

1. Writing Tools by Roy Peter Clark

2. Influence by Robert Cialdini

3. Cashvertising by Drew Eric Whitman 

4. Building a Storybrand by Donald Miller 

5. The Ultimate Sales Letter by Dan Kennedy 

Subscribe to these YouTube Channels 

1. Copy That!

2. Paid Copywriter

3. Copy Posse

Sign up for these Email Lists 

1. Novel Theory by Ben Owen

2. The Weekly Email Marketing Newsletter by Chase Diamond

3. Stefan’s Personal Email List by Stefan Georgi

4. Copy Posse Email List by Alex Cattoni  

Study all the content provided; this is the quickest way to boost your copywriting skills.

Also, join copywriting groups on social media and befriend other copywriters who are further along than you.

Get copywriter feedback and be open to constructive criticism because let’s face it you will most likely suck. In the beginning, you need to be aware that you won’t be as good as you think you are. 

Lastly, create yourself a swipe file of all types of copywriting i.e. email campaigns, social media posts, product descriptions and editorial content. 

Study your swipe file relentlessly, and look at content structures, and copywriting formulas used.

Was the copywriting effective?

This will become somewhat of a copywriting guide for you to reference in the future.  

Where Can Freelance Copywriters Work?

The short answer is everywhere!

For the sake of the article, I will go more in-depth 

Think small, medium and large businesses almost all industries use copy in one form or another. 

It’s best to think to yourself what are you most passionate about? 

For instance, I am a surfer, I can help surf brands with their email marketing and web copy. 

Another option would be for me to help online surf coaches with social media reels or email marketing. 

You can take it in so many directions.  

Can Copywriters Create Different Kinds of Content?

As I noted at the beginning of the article there are many types of copywriting.

If you’re a beginner, I would suggest email copywriting purely for the fact the content is shorter.

There is a big difference between writing a 300-word email compared to writing a 10000-word sales page.

The email has one mission to get you to click to the next page or to buy the product.

A sales letter requires a more strategic approach as the path from the heading to the CTA needs to keep the reader engaged in an emotional state that makes them want to buy the product or service being promoted.

Do You Need a Degree to Become a Copywriter?

No formal education is required to become a freelance copywriter.

If you apply for in-house positions with larger companies, generally they will add in their employment requirements. That a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism, Marketing, English or Communications is required.  

With that being said, you can provide your portfolio to showcase your writing skills. 

Advantages of Becoming a Freelance Copywriting

The beauty of being a freelancer is potential clients can be found just about anywhere. 

You have the flexibility to work with prospective clients on retainers or a project basis. 

It all depends on your client’s requirements. Below I have gone into more detail of the perks of operating your own freelance copywriting business. 

Freedom to Travel

I am sure you’ve seen it all over Instagram and YouTube.

People spruiking the nomad lifestyle whilst working from their laptops.

And yes it’s true, if that is the lifestyle you wish to create. Becoming a freelance writer allows you the freedom to work and travel simultaneously. 

If you are the type of person who wants to escape to a remote location and work beside the pool.

Go ahead it’s possible. 

Become Your Own Boss

As a copywriting business owner who freelances, you are the business.

Work when you want! Most of your work will be completed on a contract basis. 

Remember, when you operate your own business there are certain responsibilities you have to be aware of. Don’t allow tax season to catch you off guard. 

Make sure to brush up on your business skills making sure everything related to your business runs smoothly. 

Create a Positive Work/Life Balance

This would have to be one of the biggest drawcards to becoming a freelance copywriter. 

Say goodbye to the 9 – 5 if you want and work at times that best suit your lifestyle. 

Want to spend the morning working from a coffee shop… why not?!

Surfs up! Great I will see you in the afternoon. 

How to become a freelance copywriter

Before putting pen to paper you first need to Define Your Niche before you commence anything else. 

Consider your strengths, interests, and previous experience.

By specialising in a specific area such as technology, fashion, or healthcare, you can position yourself as an expert in that field.

This not only helps you attract clients who require expertise in your chosen niche but also sets you apart from the competition.

People always ask the question “If I start in one niche won’t I be tied to that niche for the rest of my career?”

No, once you’ve become established you can branch out into other copywriting niches of interest.

Create a Great Copywriting Portfolio of Work

A strong portfolio is essential for showcasing your skills and attracting potential clients.

Start by creating sample pieces that exemplify your ability to write persuasive and engaging copy across various platforms.

I would suggest starting with email copywriting samples and online content such as social media ads and reels and web copy for websites. 

If you don’t have any previous work experience or published samples, consider creating mock projects or offering pro bono services to local businesses in exchange for permission to use their work in your portfolio.

Join Freelancing Websites

 One avenue you can explore to find your first clients is to join freelancing websites.

The most well-known websites are Upwork and Fiverr but you can also look at sites such as:

1. Toptal 

2. Jooble

3. Freelancer.com

4. Flex jobs

5. Simply Hired 

Across these platforms, you will find a range of work that you can apply for as a copywriter. 

It can be a great place to start building your client base while still learning the fundamentals of writing copy. 

Approach Digital Marketing Agencies

Digital marketing or social media marketing agencies are always on the lookout for fresh talent.

Throughout the Artificial Intelligence craze many agencies and companies thought they could just drop content writers and copywriters and Chat GPT would handle the content writing on autopilot. 

Many have learnt you still need a skilled writer to prompt and edit to create compelling content. 

Make a list of potential agencies you can work with then email the owner or operations manager to enquire if they have overflow work available. 

Remember to add your copywriting portfolio for them to reference. 

Contact Businesses Directly

Many businesses think using templates from Mailchimp or Active Campaign is enough for their email marketing content strategy. 

They either wonder why they don’t make sales through emails or they believe it is a wasted marketing channel. 

It’s your job as a freelance copywriter to show them the light.  

Look over their whole marketing strategy, and find what’s working and what isn’t. 

Find which social media platforms they use to drive traffic. 

Get an idea of their conversion rates. 

I know cold pitching can be daunting, most of us have an inherent fear of being rejected.

This is a problem that plagued me for way too long. Don’t let it get a hold of you. 

Your outbound marketing efforts are crucial to your success as a freelancer. 

Find your tribe

Get to know other copywriters, these people share the same road as you and who doesn’t want company along for the journey ahead? 

If you are not a part of a copywriting masterclass or course.  

I would suggest you search for copywriting groups on Facebook and LinkedIn. 

Freelance Copywriting FAQs

How much do Freelance Copywriters make?

The rates a copywriter can charge fully depend on their experience level. 

Rates can be as low as $15 – $20 per hour, you will see this a lot on freelancer websites. 

If you are working on hourly rates, as a skilled copywriter the base rate will be $50 per hour. 

Many copywriters who make $10000+ per month work with clients on retainer. The rate will be based on performance and outcomes, not on a per-hour basis.   

Are Copywriters still in Demand?

Yes, 100% they’re in demand. Think about this stat for a second, according to Forbes there are 33.2 million small businesses in the USA alone. 

This hasn’t taken into consideration medium or larger companies as well as other countries. 

Almost all of these businesses require some form of written copy. 

Can I be a Self-Taught Copywriter?

In the conventional sense yes it can be self-taught, you do not need to go to university to become a copywriter.

I would suggest you learn from other copywriters who are further ahead of you to shorten your learning curve. 

Final Thoughts on What is Freelance Copywriting

Throughout this article, we have explored the multifaceted nature of what it takes to become a freelance copywriter. 

It’s a rewarding and versatile career choice for those with a passion for words and a talent for persuasion.

Remember… This is a learned skill, if you’re willing to put in the time you can make it into a career.

Aspiring copywriters can embark on this journey by equipping themselves with the necessary copywriting skills and knowledge outlined in this article and others on my website.

So, if you want to start your freelance copywriting career.

The best thing you can do is just start.