Starting a job as a freelancer can be a rewarding and exciting career. Many people are turning to freelancing as an alternative to traditional jobs.
However, it’s important to note that it’s also difficult, especially as you are starting out. In particular, a freelance copywriting career has some unique considerations that you need to keep in mind as you start out.
In this article, we’ll help you learn everything you need to know about freelance copywriting jobs.
We’ll help you know what pitfalls you’ll need to overcome and how much you could potentially earn, before giving you some ideas on where you can begin searching for freelance copywriting jobs.
What Exactly Does a Copywriter Do?
Let’s begin by discussing what a copywriter actually does.
Copywriting refers to the process of writing persuasive text that is used to motivate people to take a specific action, usually in the context of marketing and advertising.
Copywriting involves a high level of skill from the writer in order to deliver copy that can make a sale. It differs from content writing, as content writing generally has more of a helpful, educational, or entertaining goal rather than a sales goal.
However, both types of freelancers need to be strong writers, have great editing and researching skills, and be able to deliver copy that meets a client’s expectations.
Copywriters are responsible for many types of copy, including:
- Print advertisements
- Commercials
- Podcast and radio ads
- Social media ads
- Sales letters
- Websites
- Posters
- Product descriptions
- White papers
- Billboards
- Signs and advertising materials
How Can a Beginner Start Copywriting?
As a beginner, you might be wondering how you can begin starting your freelance copywriting career.
The first step is to make sure you know what clients you want to target and what type of copywriter you want to be. There are many different types of copywriters who have different specialties, so think about what you are best at doing, whether that’s social ads, print campaigns, or scripts for commercials.
That will help you create a differentiator between you and other freelancers.
You can also pick a specific industry or company size to help create a core that you target.
This helps you become extremely knowledgeable in a single area, which makes you a great option for companies that work in that vertical.
For example, if you specialize in retail athletic clothing, you’ll gain insights and industry knowledge that makes you a better fit for those types of companies, rather than if you are a jack of all trades.
After that, you’ll want to determine how much you charge for your services.
Pricing can be tricky for freelancers, but do some research on what copywriters in your area are charging and what is an acceptable rate for your level of experience.
You’ll also want to create a portfolio that your potential clients can look at to get an understanding of your style.
The final step is to find freelance copywriting jobs.
You can take advantage of social media, networking events, referrals, and your own professional network to begin building up your client base.
Finding the right jobs is going to be key to building your brand and earning money.
Can I Be a Copywriter with No Experience?
One question that beginners ask is whether you can become a copywriter without any previous experience. The short answer is yes.
The longer answer is yes, but it will take a lot of work. Clients want to know you have experience, especially if you want to charge top dollar.
If you don’t currently have experience, you’ll need to get some.
Online job postings are a great place to begin building a portfolio.
These won’t be high-paying or repeated jobs, but they will allow you to practice your copywriting skills and start getting some samples of your work.
You should also spend time reading and researching the best techniques and practices to become a great copywriter.
Being informed is a great way to practice building your skills, so you can start searching for better freelance copywriting jobs.
Why Do Copywriters Fail?
Not all copywriters find success. There are a few reasons why this could happen. The first is that your writing skills aren’t up to scratch.
Copywriting is a highly competitive field, so you must have top-notch writing skills. Without them, it can be hard to keep up with other freelancers.
Copywriters need to be able to drive sales and increase revenue in companies.
Unlike content writers, who don’t always have their copy tied to sales numbers, copywriters need to deliver convincing, compelling copy.
This isn’t a skill that everyone has, which can lead some copywriters to fall short of what clients are looking for.
How Much Does a Freelance Copywriter Make?
The amount of money you can earn as a freelancer is really up to you.
There’s virtually no limit on what you could potentially earn, but it’s up to you and how hard you are willing to work.
You might not earn that much money if you don’t have many jobs or can’t find clients.
On the other hand, if you can build up your client base and become a well-known name in your industry, you can potentially earn in the hundreds of thousands.
The average salary of a copywriter is around $57,000 per year.
However, there are also considerations to take into account about being a freelance copywriter instead of an in-house copywriter.
In-house copywriters might be offered a higher salary than what you might earn starting as a freelancer.
However, working in-house at a company also limits what you can earn.
In order to increase your earnings, you’ll need to wait for a raise and negotiate with your manager.
As a freelancer, you can constantly be looking for new clients and additional work to help increase your monthly or weekly earnings. You can also set your own prices and raise or lower them at your own discretion.
Is Copywriting a Good Side Hustle?
Many people begin their freelance copywriting career as a side hustle. A side hustle refers to a side job that you have outside of your main source of revenue.
That might mean picking up a few copywriting jobs after work or servicing a few clients over the weekends when you have time.
This is a great way to begin building a client base without putting all of your eggs in a single basket.
As you begin finding the right freelance copywriting jobs for you, it can help to still have another source of income, especially if you are a beginner without a strong portfolio to back you up.
Then, as you start improving your skills and finding more clients, you can either keep copywriting as a side job or make it your main career.
What are the 6 Core Copywriting Skills?
As you start to consider your copywriting career, there are a few key skills that you should have in your tool belt.
Without these six core copywriting skills, you’ll likely find yourself falling behind or struggling to keep up with the competition.
Therefore, a great idea is to start your journey into freelance copywriting by evaluating how you are at these skills and practicing them if you are lacking in certain areas.
1. Research
Research is an essential skill for copywriters. You’ll need to be able to research information about products, industries, customers, and best practices.
Having highly honed research skills will ensure that you are able to deliver great copy to clients and have it read as though you are an expert, even if you have never heard of the subject before.
2. Adaptability
Another important skill is adaptability.
As a freelancer, you’ll be working with different clients who all have different styles, tones, products, and demands. You’ll need to learn how to be adaptable, manage your tasks and evaluate what is most important, and adjust to the changing needs of your clients.
3. Targeting an Audience
Copywriting is all about convincing an audience to make a purchase. The same words and phrases that will convince a 50-60-year-old male to buy a product won’t work for an 18-25-year-old woman.
You’ll need to know how to target an audience and what type of copy will appeal most to that demographic.
4. Staying Informed
In today’s modern business world, things are always changing.
The same tactics that helped copy be found online 5 years ago don’t work today. You’ll always need to stay on top of changing trends, new current affairs, and upcoming topics.
This will help you be a more informed writer as well as be able to move with the times.
5. Search Engine Optimization
Search engine optimization or SEO is an essential skill for any writer.
SEO is all about getting discovered online. There are specific things that need to be present in your writing in order to gain the attention of search engines and help your copy appear high on the search engine results page.
When you are not privy to SEO best practices, it will be hard to deliver results to clients.
6. Strong Writing
The final skill that all freelance copywriters need is to have strong writing skills.
As mentioned earlier, the easiest way to fail as a copywriter is to fall behind in your writing talents.
In order to be a copywriter, you need to convince people in just a few words to make a purchase.
This is hard to accomplish, so honing your writing skills and always striving to be better is key.
How Do Copywriters Find Clients?
Finding clients is an essential part of being a copywriter.
There are a few places you can begin your search to find the best freelance copywriting jobs.
The first place to look at is your existing network. If you have worked in writing, marketing, or advertising, you likely have built up a network of people who might be interested in your services or who will be able to give you a referral.
This is a low-cost way of finding clients that play on your existing network, where you can find a great amount of support.
The next best place to look is job boards. This is a good place to begin if you are new to freelancing or copywriting.
You can start to build up a resume and portfolio of work that will allow you to target bigger clients later on in your career. Places like Fiverr and Upwork are good places to start.
Finally, you can consider freelance platforms that are designed to connect freelancers to clients, like WriterAccess.
At WriterAccess, you can create a profile, list your specialties, upload your portfolio, and start searching for freelance copywriting jobs.
We have a network of thousands of clients who are looking for the best copywriters out there, and you can join for no cost.
Wrap Up
Becoming a freelance copywriter is a great career for people who have a skill for persuasive writing.
If you have ever considered finding freelance copywriting jobs, then WriterAccess is a great place to start.
And, if you are looking to find a freelance copywriter for your own business, try a free trial of WriterAccess. There you’ll be able to explore the platform and find the best freelance writers for your company.
