Having a quality copywriter for hire who can reword existing content or write from scratch is a great way to save time and grow your business. Having a freelance copywriter on staff can help you avoid cumbersome and costly duplication of effort while maintaining an active communications flow with your target audience.
But what should you charge for this service? Is there a standard rate for copywriting jobs? How about if you’re writing for a print publisher rather than an online platform? How much should you charge for copywriting on a per-project basis? And how about if you’re not a professional copywriter but rather a graphic designer who has taken on copywriting as a side project?
The Short Version
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. The amount of effort and time that you put in will determine how much you can charge. For instance, if you’re a graphic designer who has taken on copywriting as a side project, you might only be able to handle small projects. If that’s the case, you might want to consider charging quite a bit less than you could if you were a full-time copywriter. On the other hand, if you are a freelance copywriter who has been diligently performing his trade for multiple companies, then you might want to consider boosting your rates a bit.
The Long Version
Even if you’ve been doing the same type of work for the same client for many years, things change. What was a small project a few years ago might now be a very large one. Your client’s needs change and evolve over time, and so do your requirements. What was enough three years ago might not be enough today. You might need more time than you anticipated to complete a project, and the budget might not have changed enough to offset the additional costs. These are just some of the things you need to consider before deciding what you should charge for copywriting work. It would be best to establish a base rate for this type of work and then adjust it according to your experience, the size of the project, and the current market conditions.
The Rates You Should Charge
When establishing your rates, you must first determine how much you should be charging per hour. You should first charge somewhat less than what you would for an equivalent amount of work in another field. For example, if you’re an expert carpenter who has taken on some low-paying jobs to supplement his income, you might want to set your rate at $25 per hour. However, if you’ve been diligently performing your trade for multiple companies, you might want to consider setting your rate at $30 per hour or more. Remember: you’re in demand and your prices will reflect that. Setting your prices too low could lead to lost business while setting them too high could scare off possible clients. The key is to find that happy medium. Once you’ve found that perfect rate, you need to determine how much you should be charging per page. This, of course, is based on how much your time is valued at. If you’re doing a lot of research, it might be worth charging more. If you’re submitting a few simple re-write requests, it might be best to charge less. Remember: the more you do, the more you should be paid. A good rule of thumb is to multiply your rate by 0.8 to 1.2, depending on how complicated the project is. For example, if you charge $30 per hour and the project requires an 80% effort, then you should be expecting to be paid $24/$26 per hour. Now, if the project requires a 120% effort, then you should be charging $36/$38 per hour. Keep in mind: this is just a rule of thumb. You can’t really generalize this number. It depends on many variables including the difficulty of the task, your experience, and the current market conditions.
The Project You Should Avoid
If possible, it’s best not to take on any project that you aren’t completely confident that you can finish on time. Even if you’ve been doing this type of work for many years and have plenty of experience, there will always be that occasional project that pops up that requires expertise that you don’t have yet. In these cases, you risk facing severe stress and even danger to your health. Unless you have an experienced assistant or a team of people who can help you get this project done on time, it might be best to avoid taking on any project that you can’t complete in a relatively easy and rewarding manner. Remember: if you feel anxious or insecure about a particular project, then it’s probably best to walk away from it. You can’t control how others might treat you once you’ve agreed to take on a project, but you can control how you react to the situation. By keeping your wits about you, you can protect yourself from being taken advantage of and ensure that you’re charging what you’re worth.
What About Complexity?
Complexity is always a tricky beast. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s often used as a justification for low rates. The converse is also true. People often argue that the more complex the project, the higher the rate. While this might be true, it doesn’t mean that you’ll necessarily get what you pay for. Just because something is complex doesn’t mean that it’s worth more than something simpler. For example, if you’re a professional copywriter who has been taking on small projects for the past year, you might now feel that you’re ready to tackle a larger one. However, if the project turns out to be more complex than you anticipated, then you might want to reconsider taking it on. The more time you spend on a project, the more you’ll learn, and you can always raise your rates at a later date if you decide to take on another project. As for what type of project you should avoid, the answer is obvious: don’t take on any project that you can’t complete in a timely manner. The more time that goes by and the more you delay, the more you’ll have to pay. This is why you must always think about what’s important to you and your team. It might be worth putting your health and safety first and asking yourself if you’re truly ready to take on this project. If you decide that you are, then great! Otherwise, it might be best to walk away. You can’t predict the future, and you might end up regretting taking on a large project when you were unable to handle it due to limited resources.
As a copywriter, it’s important that you have a basic understanding of how much you should be charging for your services. Establishing a standard rate for copywriting is tricky, and it depends on many variables. However, having a general idea of how much you should be charging will allow you to negotiate more effectively with your clients. If you’re uncertain of what to charge, then it might be best to ask your colleagues or other writers for their help. They might be able to offer some suggestions or at least give you an idea of what to charge for similar projects.