Google seems to think there are literally millions of freelance copywriters just waiting to start on your project. If this is true, how do you find a good one, and how do you approach them to get the ball rolling?
If you run a business or a marketing team, clear messaging that helps explain your services to your potential customers is vital.
If it is not readily apparent what you do or what kind of business you are, then customers will exit faster than a ferret at a Bullmastiff owners' convention.
Because getting copy that underpins these messages is so important, many marketers and business owners use the services of a professional freelance copywriter. It is our job, after all, to make sure that brand messaging does exactly what it needs to do.
But how do you find the right freelance copywriter?
In this guide, I will explain some of the best ways to find somebody who is likely to be in with a fighting chance of giving you great copy.
Conversely, I will suggest some red flags that indicate your would-be content hotshot may be best avoided.
Understanding the different types of copywriter
Many writers, such as myself, do a bit of everything. And in most cases, this kind of freelance copywriter is what a typical client needs.
However, freelancers of this kind are not best suited to projects that require a very specific skillset.
For example, even many experienced copywriters would struggle to pull together a major ad campaign. For this job, you ideally need somebody with an advertising agency background who has worked as part of a copywriting duo.
Or maybe you are looking for an SEO copywriter who goes above and beyond what a typical copywriter can provide.
Many copywriters, myself included, understand SEO best practices and will be on a quest to give you helpful, original content that meets Google's expectations. It is also quite common for freelance copywriters to have a basic understanding of keyword research.
But if you are hiring a website copywriter and the sole focus of your copy is to help you rank, there are specialists who do nothing but this. Their capabilities extend into the more technical aspects of SEO.
Or it may be that your copywriter needs to have a deep understanding of a very niche sector. Not always though, as I often like to explain!
Once you have a clearer idea of the kind of copywriter you need, you can start looking for someone who fits the bill.
Where to look for a freelance copywriter
Assuming you work for or run a UK-based company that caters to a British audience, you will likely be looking for a native English-speaking freelance copywriter.
Does this automatically discount the many freelance copywriters based in countries where English is a second language? Not necessarily. It is up to you to decide whether or not the many nuances of the English language that go into great copy are within their grasp.
One place where (mostly) British freelancers gather is ProCopywriters, a subscription-based, members-only gathering of people who write for a living.
You can search by experience, specialty, type of writing and so on – and you can assess the many copywriters on the site by looking at their short bio.
LinkedIn may also be a good place to find copywriters. You could use the search bar – or try reaching out to your network and asking for recommendations. If you have a large enough network, it is likely somebody will know somebody who may be able to help.
Additionally, Google and other search engines can be a good place to start. More experienced and accomplished copywriters tend to rise to the top of the results pages. Additionally, you can infer a certain understanding of SEO from the sites of copywriters who rank well – which may be appealing to you.
What to do when you have found a freelance copywriter to hire
Once you have identified someone who you think would be a good fit, the best thing to do is reach out to them by email. Or, if you've connected on LinkedIn, via personal message.
Tell them a little about your project, including some details about your business, the type of work you need (copy, blogs, white paper, etc), and anything else that would be pertinent at this stage.
There's no harm in asking the writer to give you a ballpark figure for the type of work you propose.
Some writers will be reluctant to discuss the numbers at this stage because they don't yet have enough information about you, the project, or your business.
In other words, they've not had a chance to assess the time it would take to meet your requirements.
But feel free to ask, as it can save time later if they agree. If their ballpark figure for your work is £2,000-£3,000 and your budget is £400, you can all move on a lot quicker!
Taking the next steps – an online video call or telephone chat with your copywriter
If your freelance copywriter appears interested and is available, and there is no obvious friction in terms of the fees, the next best thing to do is set up a phone call or video chat. Your freelancer is likely to suggest this anyway.
During this call, it is your golden opportunity to find out if you think the copywriter would be a good fit for your project.
Listen to what they say about their experience and their thoughts on the work you have suggested. If they are diligent and attentive, they will likely have looked at your website and learned a little bit about your business. They may even offer some free suggestions.
At the same time, the copywriter will be listening to you.
They will want to absorb as much information as they can about your business, your goals, your customers, and the precise reason why you need new copy.
They may also ask if you have a budget in mind. That's because having an idea of your budget will enable the writer to give you a clearer idea of how much they are prepared to do for the price you're suggesting.
Example:
You: "I need a new website for my start-up. Not sure how many pages."
Copywriter: "Do you have a budget in mind?"
You: "Around £1,500."
Copywriter: "OK, so we'd probably be looking at x, y and z."
These 'getting-to-know-you' conversations commonly end with the copywriter agreeing to take some time to think about a proposal. They will come back to you soon with some ideas and a quote.
It's unlikely the writer will leave the call without suggesting a clear next step. If this happens, it's perhaps a warning sign that they haven't undertaken many freelance copywriting jobs thus far.
But if it's you who needs to wrap up the call, a good way to finish is by suggesting the writer comes back to you with a proposal.
What to do when you receive a quote from a copywriter
You have several options when your quote comes back.
These include:
1/ Reject it because it is too expensive. The polite thing to do is to tell the copywriter so they can move on. Or they can at least come back to you with a quote that is closer to your budget – if they want to.
2/ Negotiate the price. If you feel the fee being asked is too high, you may want to ask the writer to explain their pricing structure or offer a more affordable quote. Don't be surprised, however, if your copywriter explains that the quote reflects the anticipated volume of work and that there is very little wiggle room.
I was recently asked to rethink a quote I'd submitted for just over £15,000. I explained that I couldn't deliver what they wanted for less than that. After going through the many steps of the process with them, the client understood the value of what they were getting and booked me in.
3/ Get more quotes from other copywriters. There is nothing wrong with doing this. Speaking to several writers will give you an idea of different prices and approaches and will perhaps give you the chance to make more of a connection with one copywriter over another.
Note, however, that if one writer comes in at a rate that is much lower than the other two or three, it may be a sign of inexperience.
4/ Accept the quote and ask your freelance copywriter to book the work in. Agree on a timeframe and expect some kind of onboarding/discovery process, during which your writer will learn all they need to know about your business and your copywriting project.
What happens when you hire a freelance copywriter for your work?
Every project needs a degree of onboarding and discovery. This is when your freelance copywriter gets to know about your needs and your business – and amass all the background information that will help them write the content.
I recently wrote quite a long article about this process on the ProCopywriters website.
Based on my 15 years of experience in digital content writing and copywriting, this step is often far more involved than many people realise. Yes, a skilled copywriter can begin writing something in five minutes and can theoretically turn out several hundred readable words in half an hour.
But there is usually so much more to it than that. All copy has a specific purpose. Understanding and meeting this purpose often involves things like keyword research, customer research, competitor analysis, and a fair bit of good old-fashioned thinking time.
There is no dodging the background work that needs to go into most pieces of copy.
When you have an idea of the work involved in good copywriting, it can help you to hire a great copywriter for your next project.
And it may help you understand why your copywriter probably won't be able to deliver what you need overnight.
Adding to the time delay is the fact that most good copywriters are often booked up for several weeks or even months in advance.
But if you have found a good copywriter, it will be worth it.
The actual process of what happens once a copywriting assignment starts is on my 'to do' list of freelance copywriter blogs for 2025.
Check back soon and I'll walk you through onboarding, test pieces, tone of voice, amendments and more :)
Written by Mike Peake, UK freelance copywriter and website content writer.
T: +44 (0)208 133 4306
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