Freelance Copywriting Secrets

This is due mainly to the type of skills you have, your writing expertise and experience. Beginner copywriters, for example, cannot charge the same rates as more experienced ones.



The key here is to prove that you can deliver. Even if you have the skills but don't have the experience, it can take a while before you can charge a rate as high as those charged by a copywriter with more experience than you do. This, even if you will be writing on the same topic. A Web article, for example, may cost only $75 for a beginner copywriter while a more experienced copywriter may charge at least $120.

You might be thinking that a copywriting course is more than you can handle at this point in time. Time is of an essence. Work, kids, and family duties all eat into the hours of the day. Thankfully the internet abounds with continuing education classes for everyone. It does require setting time aside to learn, but it is worth it in the end.

An online copywriting course can come in many forms. There are packages that can be downloaded and used at your convenience. It does not take a degree in journalism in order to learn how to write effective copywriting ad for companies and the internet. There are even tutorial programs accompanying some software programs that can show you the tips and techniques of writing the different types of articles and ads that most companies are looking for.

If you decide to enroll in a copywriting course, consider what you want to write. Web copywriting aims more towards online advertising whereas SEO articles are designed for companies that rely on internet search engines such as Google or Yahoo. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization or Optimized. They are articles that have keywords or phrases written into the article. If you were to search for the terms "red dog leash collars" it would turn up specific ads or articles that contained those exact words.

When you find the specific copywriting course that suits your needs, check the course work. It should include instructions on how to write persuasive copy. Copywriting is exactly that: writing meant to draw the reader or watcher's attention to whatever the business or company is promoting. Copywriting courses can also teach the fine art of dissuading articles. An example of these would be the anti-smoking ads that we read about in magazines, watch on television and even receive mailers on in our mailbox.



A good copywriting course offers the student the ability to interact with the instructors. This is very important. If you purchased an eBook or program, there should be a way to email or otherwise contact the author of the course. Often there are questions that cannot be answered just by reading the material. The point is not memorization, but gaining knowledge from the coursework so that it benefits you in practical application.

Web, freelance, or even advertising copywriting all are in need of good writers to fill the vacancies flooding the market. With the help of instruction from a reputable copywriting course, you can be on your way to a new career or just merely dusting off the writing skills you learned earlier in life. A little bit of knowledge can go a long way in this day and age.

The type of writing project and its topic will also affect copywriting rates. An article written on a general topic, for example, may be charged at a lower rate than a write-up about a project with a specialized topic. Article writing, newsletters, brochures, ads, ghostwriting a book, news stories, press releases, etc. - require different types of research and styles of writing.

To give you an idea how much copywriters charge for their services, here are some ballpark figures you might find useful:

For articles that will appear on a website, copywriters charge anywhere from $100 to $400 per write-up. If you choose to charge by the hour, the range can be anywhere from a low of $50 to around $85. For Web content that will fill 10 pages, you might want to charge for about $1,000 to $1,500, depending on the type of content.

For press releases, copywriters often charge from $300 to around $600 while others may charge lower, starting at around $100 or $150.

For sales letters, freelance copywriters usually charge a whopping $1,000 to around $2,000 per letter. Some, such as those still building their portfolio, can charge from a low of $200 to around $500.

Many copywriters charge per word while others prefer a set number of minimum words per write-up. These become the basis of their copywriting rates. For example, a copywriter may charge a lower rate for a 300-word write-up than he would for a 500-word article.

There are different copywriting rates set for one-time writing projects and for continuous assignments. Copywriters will generally charge a slightly lower copywriting rate for continuous projects than for one-time only articles.

As part of their copywriting services, copywriters often allow one revision per article which is included in the set rate. Further revisions and additions are sometimes billed extra or based on a per hour rate. Copywriters may charge from about $30 to $70 an hour to make their revisions.

Believe it or not, how much you can charge for your copywriting rates will also depend on how well you can sell your writing skills. If you're unsure of what to charge and less confident about your writing, you're likely to charge a rate that is less than what's reasonable for your level of skills and experience. Know your skills and be confident so you will never have to charge an unreasonable rate.