How Much Does Copywriting Cost?
How much does copywriting cost? If you made it to this post, chances are you’re either on the hunt for a copywriter, or you’re becoming one and need to know how much to charge.
The fact is, this recent dip in the economy has everyone clutching their purses tighter than a prude clutches their pearls.
But businesses still need to spend money to make money — hiring the right staff, contractors, and service providers is an inevitable investment that has to happen no matter the state of the market. And a copywriter is one of those necessary investments.
But how much does copywriting cost?
Well, it depends on a couple of factors!
1) The copywriter’s experience level
Someone who just started copywriting 4 months ago would (and should) charge less than someone who’s been copywriting for 4 years.
A more experienced copywriter has learned, failed, and tried again on numerous projects — so they have a better idea of what works and what doesn’t for countless pieces of copy, content channels, brands, and target audiences.
That expertise is what you’re paying for — but that doesn’t mean less experienced copywriters should only get chump change. They are still doing a considerable amount of work, and specializing in an area you need an outside perspective on.
So yeah, their rates will be less than a more experienced writer. But it should still be enough to comfortably live on.
2) Their unique approach
Copywriting for several years is only one piece of the puzzle. We also should have a unique way of solving problems and achieving goals. Whether that’s with our detailed research process, the creative writing techniques we use, or our in-depth knowledge of sales psychology.
There isn’t any one “right” approach, and that’s why the hunt for your perfect copywriter can be a toughie. Because, depending on what your problems and goals are, it’ll take that one copywriter with that unique approach to serve you just right.
3) The scope of the project
Aside from the copywriter’s experience and unique approach, the type of copywriting project will hugely determine the size of the investment.
A few social media posts won’t be the same as an entire email campaign, or a 4-page website. There’s more words we type onto the page, more mental math to make sure it tells a story and all connects without sounding clunky and inhuman, and then chopping chunks off to make it more readable.
And, again, even if you hire a less experienced copywriter, you can’t expect them to work for pennies if the scope of work is large.
They should be suitably compensated for their work and contribution, just as much as any other copywriter.
Fee rates for top copywriting projects
One of the best sources of finding out how much a copywriting project should cost is referring to AWAI’s yearly Copywriting Pricing Guide. In the report, they have:
- marketing trends and predictions
- fee ranges for the top 80 copywriting projects
- how to recognize and find a great copywriter, and more
I read the 2024 report (you can too right here), and here are some of the fee rates for the most popular copywriting projects ⬇️
Blog post with 300-1,000 words ➡️ $250-$800
Stand-alone Email ➡️ $250-$2,500
Long-form Sales Page ➡️ $3,500-$5,000+ for beginners, $7,500-$12,500+ for intermediate, and up to $25,000+ for highly skilled copywriters
UX Copywriting ➡️ $150-$1,000/page | $100-$500/email
Copy Critique ➡️ $400-$1,200
SEO & Sales Conversion-Optimized Home Page ➡️ $1,500 – $3,000
SEO & Sales Conversion-Optimized Web Page ➡️ $500-$1,250 per page
2-5 page Website ➡️ $3,000 – $7,000
Short Video Script (2-5 min.) ➡️ $500 – $1,500
Long-Form Video Sales Letter (20+ min.) ➡️ $5,000+
Lead-Gen Landing Page ➡️ $500-$1,500
E-book ➡️ $2,000-$7,000
Keyword Research ➡️ $500-$1,500
For the full list, check out the report!
Conclusion
I hope you feel more knowledgable about the right rates for copywriters of all levels and skill!
However if you’re looking at this list like 😬 the budget is not budget-ing 😬, don’t stress! A lot of copywriters have affordable package options and payment plans to serve clients with a minimal budget.
For example, I have a 90-minute Copy Intensive service — it’s called Copy with the Quickness — where I can write or audit any short-form copy you need like:
- social copy
- emails
- a landing page or single web page
It’s a great taste test of what it’s like to work with me as your copywriter, at an affordable price point. In just 90 minutes, we can do a lot. Just ask Karen from Black Visual Queen:
