Hiring a copywriter can put your business on the path to success. A copywriter will produce great copy that generates more leads, fires up engagement, and ultimately boosts conversions. But what’s the going rate for a copywriter these days?
Copywriter rates range from $30 to $10,000 per written piece of copy. You can also hire full-time or freelance. Various factors determine exactly how much you should pay for copywriting, including their level of experience, subject expertise, deadlines, project complexity, and depth of research.
In this post, we will discuss the various factors that determine copywriting rates as well as how much you should expect to pay for this service. It’s a multifaceted answer, so keep reading!
An Overview Of Copywriting Rates
To paint a clearer picture of how much you should expect to spend on copywriting, we have summarized the rates in the table below.
Although they are not exact figures, the current rates lie within these estimates.
| Deliverable type | Freelance copywriter (white label) | Junior copywriter (below 5 years experience) | Senior copywriter (5+ years of experience) | Copywriting agency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website copy (per page rates) | $150-$500 | $100-$300 | $250-$1000 | $500-$1000 |
| Landing page copy | $300-$1000 | $300-$800 | $1000-$2000 | $1000-$1500 |
| 1000 word blog post | $100-$800 | $400-$1000 | $1000-$2000 | $700-$1600 |
| Pay per click ad (rate per ad) | $30-$150 | $30-$100 | $50-$200 | $100-$300 |
| Email copy | $150-$800 | $300-$1000 | $500-$2000 | $600-$1500 |
| Brochures | $200-$1000 | $400-$600 | $700-$1000 | $800-$1500 |
How To Determine Copywriting Rates?
The amount that you should pay for copywriting will vary depending on several factors. In this section, we shall discuss the factors that affect copywriting rates so you can understand how much to pay.
1. Level Of Experience
A copywriter’s level of experience is an important factor to consider. After all, the more experienced a person is, the more they will charge for a project.
Senior copywriters have spent more time practicing their skills and have acquired more knowledge in their niche(s).
As such, their copy tends to convert more because of its high quality. Most copywriters know that conversion-focused copy is attractive to employers, so they will charge more for their services.
So, should you hire a more or less experienced copywriter?
Your decision here should vary based on the writer’s level of experience, your budget, and the type of project you’re hiring for.
For instance, if you want to test a new idea or just perform a few A/B Split tests, hiring a copywriter with low experience is okay.
On the other hand, if copy is critical to your brand reputation and conversions, you are better off hiring an experienced copywriter.
Ultimately, if budget is not an issue, it is best to hire an experienced copywriter for your projects. This will save you money and the hassle of requesting revisions.
They’ll also require less training and can quickly deliver results.
2. Expertise In The Subject
No one knows everything, and this applies to even the best copywriters. Moreover, copywriting covers a wide range of topics. For this reason, most copywriters choose to specialize in a niche.
This helps them gather subject matter expertise in their preferred area or industry. When a copywriter has the right expertise, it becomes easier to work with them.
They take less time to complete a project because they are already familiar with it. This cuts back on their research time as well. The same cannot be said for a jack-of-all-trades copywriter.
Expertise comes in handy, especially in complex and highly regulated niches such as healthcare and personal finance.
Copywriting in such areas will undoubtedly cost more compared to copywriting for broader topics.
Although a specialized copywriter costs more, they can more easily curate copy that resonates with your target market.
But if you hire a less specialized copywriter, their copy may not resonate well with your target audience because they do not know them well.
Ultimately, the level of expertise is something you’ll want to consider when deciding how much you would like to pay for copy.
3. Turn Around Time
Another determining factor is how quickly you need the project to be completed. Most good copywriters usually have a busy calendar with solid bookings.
If you want to work with a copywriter like this, you will pay their standard rates if you wait. However, if your project is urgent, you will need to pay rush fees for your project to be completed earlier.
Remember that pushing your project to the front of the queue may force the copywriter to work on holidays or extra time. Thus, the increased price is justified.
4. Project Complexity And Depth Of Research
Copywriting can be time-consuming because it requires in-depth research. A copywriter will need background information about your brand to come up with useful copy.
The research may take longer if the copywriter is new to the project you need them to cover. Research may include things like:
- Competitor analysis
- Product features and benefits
- Industry research
- Development of buyer personas
- Interviewing customers and other industry experts
All of this, combined with a solid background in human psychology, enables a copywriter to come up with effective copy.
Fortunately, you can minimize research charges by providing some of the information upfront to make the project less complicated.
5. Planning And Strategy
If a project is huge or complex, a copywriter may need to hold meetings with the rest of your team to plan and devise a strategy.
These meetings will ultimately add to the time spent on the project. Subsequently, a copywriter may charge you extra for the time spent on meetings.
Therefore, it is important to provide all project details upfront, so the copywriter knows how long they will spend on the project. This way, you can avoid surprise costs.
6. Type Of Deliverable
Copywriters deliver various forms of copy that contribute to the end goal of marketing. A specific goal is met for each piece of copy.
Therefore, the cost of copywriting differs across the various kinds of deliverables.
For example, if you are a B2B service provider, you may need white papers and case studies to keep your leads engaged.
Or, if you want to run paid ads, you will need landing page copy to capture and convert your paid traffic. In other cases, you may need ad copy. As you can see, you may need various kinds of deliverables.
Each one comes with its own complexities. Subsequently, each form of copy has its own price. We will discuss how much you can expect to spend on the various kinds of deliverables later on.
7. Pricing Model
Copywriters use various models to charge for their services. Some work by the hour, some per word, and others charge based on the project.
Regardless of the model a copywriter works with, longer projects will inevitably cost more.
Should You Pay Per Word, Per Hour, Or Per Project?
Per word rates enable you to get what you pay for while making calculations easier. However, some copywriters may use filler words to hit the word count, hence compromising the copy’s quality.
It can also get awfully expensive if you need a high word count. A per-hour rate often helps you arrive at a price agreement, especially if the project duration is undefined.
This format allows you to exercise some control on how long the project will take. For instance, you may allocate 3-4 hours for a simple blog post. The per-project rate is established before work begins.
There are many ways to estimate the project rate. For instance, a copywriter may calculate their payment depending on how long they will take to complete it.
This pricing model works well for both parties if they agree.
8. Additional Requirements
Visual aids such as graphics and videos can back up the copy and make it more powerful.
If you want your copy accompanied by infographics, charts, or professional images, you need to pay more because these require additional time and skill to create.
You can hire an all-round copywriter to create visual aids or hire a designer to make them for you.
Either way, they will add to the final costs of producing that copy. When considering how much to pay, remember to consider the cost of additional requirements, if any.
In House, Agency, Or Freelance Copywriter?
Finally, the amount you spend on copywriting depends largely on the copywriter you hire.
While some copywriters prefer to work independently as freelancers, others prefer to work in-house or for marketing agencies. Each type of copywriter has their own pros and cons.
Freelance copywriters sometimes charge lower fees, but they may decide to leave in the middle of a project, thus leaving you stranded.
Agencies, on the other hand, may seem trustworthy, but they may offer lower-quality work irrespective of the high rates.
This is because your project may pass through several hands in the agency. By the time it is worked on, the copywriter may not have the full project briefing, so they end up creating subpar copy.
Although such cases happen, it does not mean all freelancers and agencies are bad. Instead, doing your due diligence before picking will save you from disappointment.
Besides, word-of-mouth referrals work wonders when you want to select the best copywriters. Reading previous client testimonials is also worthwhile.
Should you hire an in-house copywriter or outsource?
There are benefits to outsourcing or hiring in-house talent. Outsourcing work opens you to a world of great talent for reasonable fees.
But if you choose to hire an in-house copywriter, you will expand your marketing team and gain a permanent copywriter. A bigger team means better performance because there are plenty of fresh ideas.
It also means you will not have to share the copywriter with other clients. Thus, all your projects will be completed on time, and you won’t need to wait for your turn.
How much does it cost to hire an in-house copywriter?
According to Glassdoor, a full-time copywriter makes an average of $57,617 per year. With additional payments, they can earn about $90,000 per year.
These figures are just a representation since the pay varies according to a copywriter’s level of experience. Let’s inspect the salaries based on the level of experience.
Junior copywriter: $51,000
Intermediate copywriter: $89,000
Senior copywriter: $113,000
You can employ an in-house copywriter to work full-time. But like with other full-time employees, expect to cover their onboarding costs and employee benefits.
Obviously, these additional costs will skyrocket the gross salaries by up to 40% per employee.
Market Copywriting Rates For Various Deliverables Based On Various Copywriters
The amount of money you spend on copywriting will vary depending on who you hire, where you hire them, and the content you need.
This section will discuss various copywriting rates and the range you can expect to see.
1. Website Copywriting Rates
There are different forms of website copywriting, and each comes with a different price. Below are some common services, along with the average rates.
SEO Copywriting
SEO copywriting helps your business rank higher on search engines. It also generates organic traffic. This form of copywriting is crucial if you want to leverage free traffic for your business.
An SEO copywriter can also help with keyword gaps through competitor analysis. The cost for optimizing a page to rank better on search engines is usually between $100-$400.
Writing about six pages of SEO copy for a small website can cost between $1,500-$3,500. For SEO strategy and training, expect to pay between $150 and $500 per hour.
Landing Page Rates
A landing page is one of the most important pages on your website. The copy here persuades readers to perform conversion-based actions.
The greater your landing page copy is, the better your profit margin will be. Expect to spend a minimum of $150 (for newbie copywriters) and as high as $10,000 for a landing page.
Home page fees can cost you an average of $1,500-$3,000, while a long-form sales page ranges between $5,0000-$10,000. Some writers may also charge for residuals/royalties.
A short-form lead generation landing page may cost $500-$1,500.
Email Copy Rates
A lot of businesses invest heavily in email marketing because it has a high ROI. For instance, for every $1 invested, you can get a return of up to $45.
And, even though emails are brief, they do a great job at nurturing your leads. For these reasons, email copywriting demands a high fee.
The price of email copywriting ranges from $100-$2,000, depending on the type of email. Standalone sales emails that close the deal often cost $250-$2,000.
Newsletter fees range between $150-$750, while email articles could cost anywhere from $75-$300.
Finally, for regular e-letters from you to your readers, expect to spend between $50-$200 for a single email copy.
2. Resource Content Copywriting Rates
Resource content also plays a role in increasing conversions. Some resource content types include FAQ sections, case studies, white papers, and scripts for videos and podcasts.
Below are the cost estimates for resource content.
- Video/ podcast scripts: $300-$1,000 for a minute
- White papers: $2,000-$7,000
- Case studies: $1,500-$2,000
- FAQ pages: $500-$1,500
Final Thoughts
There is a copywriter out there for every budget. But more importantly, you get what you pay for. The better the copy converts, the more expensive it will be.
So, it is up to you to decide what you want to pay (depending on your needs and budget). The above information will help you hire the right copywriter and pay them the correct amount.Before hiring a copywriter, don’t forget to check their reviews and testimonials. It can be expensive to pay for copywriting, but the results are usually well worth it!