How To Become A Freelance Copywriter

How do you become a freelance copywriter? This article will provide answers to this question.

Your experience may be different from what’s in this article.

But as long as it gets you to your final destination of becoming a freelance copywriter, you’re good.

Who is a freelance copywriter?

Simply put, a freelance copywriter is someone who writes words for commercial use that persuades the reader to take a specific action.

They can work directly with a client or through a middle man called agencies.

Why become a freelance copywriter?

If you’re reading this, you surely have good reasons why you want to become a freelance copywriter.

But here are some other reasons:

Accessibility

You don’t need any qualifications or a degree to get into copywriting.

All you need are Microsoft word, a phone, and a computer and you’re good to go.

Therefore, the barriers to entry in this field are practically non-existent.

Flexibility

Copywriting offers the freelancer freedom to work anywhere… literally.

It also allows you to balance work, leisure and family anytime you want.

You don’t have to take a job you don’t want.

And, when you hit your financial goal for the month, you can goof off the rest of the time.

Range

This means that you work with clients of any size.

From a one-man business to a conglomerate.

You can work with this range of clients from any part of the world via Skype or Zoom.

Impact

The copy you write can make a huge difference in a company’s marketing campaign.

And if you’re writing for a smaller company, can be the thing that saves that company.

If you can help a client come up with something they’ve been struggling with, like a name or tagline, they’ll be eternally grateful.

Variety

There’s variety in freelance copywriting.

The clients, projects, and styles can be completely different.

You might be working for a multinational company in the morning and writing a sales copy for a solo entrepreneur in the afternoon.

You’ll communicate with managers, entrepreneurs, and business owners on different levels, with each one having a specific problem to solve.

And even though you’ll be more interested in some jobs than others, the thing is that life as a freelance copywriter is never dull. And there’s always more to learn.

Creativity

No matter the type of job you do, there’s always a way to add life and color to it.

You’ll find new and memorable ways to express your idea. And that never gets old.

This is one of the most rewarding things in the life of a freelance copywriter.

What do freelance copywriters work on?

Freelance copywriters work on various projects like:

• Creating ad concepts
• Online copywriting
• Website copywriting
• Social media copywriting
• SEO copywriting
• Content copywriting
• Technical copywriting

The list is not exhaustive.

So, I’m just going to say this…

As long as it has something to do with writing in business, a copywriter does it. Simple.

Who can be a freelance copywriter?

Anyone can be a freelance copywriter.

And you don’t need any qualifications to become one.

If you call yourself a copywriter and clients pay you, you’re a copywriter.

However, if you want to succeed as a copywriter, you’ll need the following:

Proven writing skills: This is the most basic skill you need as a copywriter.

Business skills: Freelance copywriting is not only about writing. You’ll need to promote yourself and this requires some business skills.

Admin skills: Here, you’ll need to manage your projects and workload.

Personal qualities: Freelance copywriting is great. But it can be tough at times. This is where you need amazing personal qualities. You’ll need the self-discipline and motivation to believe in yourself and manage clients’ expectations.

Do I need qualifications?

No, you don’t.

Although there are copywriting courses that can help your skill, there are no special qualifications to become a copywriter.

And English language skills are valuable and this you might have gained from school.

Do I need to form a limited liability company?

No, you can operate as an individual trader.

But you should keep a record of all that you earn and spend.

How can I gain freelance writing experience?

There are various ways you can do this:

1. Unpaid work: This is where you work for a couple of clients for free so that you have some experience under your belt and can also produce samples when other clients ask for your portfolio.
2. Blog: You can write a blog to showcase your writing skills.

How can I find freelance copywriting jobs?

There are a few ways you can find freelance copywriting jobs ad they are:

1. Job sites like Fiverr, Upwork, and freelancer: Although these sites offer low-paying gigs, it’s a start for a beginner. Get some experience and build your portfolio here.
2. Social media: There are some copywriting accounts on social media, Facebook especially, that post copywriting jobs. All you have to do is find them and monitor their posts.
3. Cold emails: Here, you find clients you want to work for and pitch them your services.

Click here to learn more about how to get freelance copywriting clients.

How much should I charge?

This depends.

Some factors are involved in this process.

But, the more brands you’ve worked for, the more you can charge.

Other factors that might affect the price are:

1. Length of the work
2. How fast the client wants the work
3. Number of revisions
4. The value of the content to the client’s business (that’s why direct response copywriters charge a lot)
5. The technical complexity of the project,
6. etc.

Some freelancers offer discounts for smaller clients and non-profit organizations.

Also, it’s better to charge a flat fee per job instead of per word or per hour.

This prevents you from having awkward conversations like how long a job should take and whether or not you stuffed words to increase your pay.

Also, agree on when payment is due.

If you work on a contract basis, are you getting paid every week or monthly?

Let all these be clear.

Questions?

The tips here are on how you become a freelance copywriter.

I hope this article has answered some of your questions.

If you have any questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below.