Does hiring a freelance copywriter feel like taking a gamble?
Maybe you’ve never worked with a freelancer before and you have questions. Maybe you’ve had bad experiences with freelancers in the past and want to avoid getting burned again. Or maybe you’re just looking for some reassurance and encouragement before you invest.
Whatever your concerns about working with a freelance copywriter — or me, specifically — I’m hoping this article will put your mind at rest. By answering all those awkward and uncomfortable questions you want answers to, but might hesitate to ask.
It’s a bit like getting a peek at your cards before you take that gamble.
Woah, two aces, lucky you!
Or maybe not.
Because reading this could also make you realise we’re not the best match. But at least you won’t have wasted your chips, right?
Choosing the right copywriter is fundamental
Whenever I see clients complaining about freelancers being flaky and unreliable, I wonder how much effort they put into finding and vetting their freelancer. Because it always strikes me as not much.
For example, there’s a huge difference between a copywriter who ‘gets’ you, has an impressive portfolio and comes highly recommended… and a copywriter you’ve just found in the bargain basement of a content mill.
If low cost is your primary consideration, you should know, that also comes at a price. Just sayin’.
If you haven’t decided on your copywriter yet, here are some links to resources that might help:
Looking for a cheap copywriter? >>
17 Common concerns about working with freelance copywriters
I’ve been lurking on the forums to find out some of the common concerns clients have about working with freelance copywriters. And here’s what I found.
Quick links
Scroll down to read the full article, or click on one of these quick links if you have a specific concern.
I’m worried about working with a generalist
How will I know if you’re the best fit for my project?
I’d prefer someone who understands my business
I’m wary of being too dependent on a freelancer
How do I know if your price is reasonable?
My previous copywriter made excuses all the time
My last copywriter over-promised and under-delivered
How can I be sure you won’t ghost me?
How will you work with my existing team?
How can I be sure you’ll be communicative?
How do you guarantee consistent quality?
How can I be sure you’ll meet my deadline?
How do I know you’ll treat my project confidentially?
How can I be confident you’ll write good English?
How do I know you won’t use AI to write my copy?
Will there be additional costs to manage?
1. I’m worried about working with a generalist
“My business is niche and I worry that a generalist copywriter won’t have the necessary experience.”
This is a valid concern. But in some cases, a generalist copywriter could actually be better than someone with niche experience. Let me explain:
When a niche copywriter is the right choice
A niche copywriter will have a good background knowledge of your industry and the ideal customers you’re targeting.
This is ideal if your industry is:
- Especially complex with lots of terms and processes to learn
- Heavily regulated with lots of rules and guidelines to follow.
And if your ideal customers are:
- Knowledgeable and well-informed
- In need of more advanced content.
A niche copywriter won’t need to spend hours getting up to speed with the basics because they’ll already be familiar. They’ll also have a better idea of the kind of content your audience will be looking for and how to write it for them.
When a generalist copywriter might be better
If your ideal customers have little to no understanding of your industry, working with a generalist copywriter could be an advantage. This is because your copywriter will be starting in the same place as your audience.
With no prior knowledge to influence them, a generalist copywriter won’t be making any assumptions about what your audience already knows. They’ll be learning as they go, asking all the same questions, having content ideas and giving your content all the care and detail it needs.
✏️ My answer
I’m a generalist copywriter. I’ve never niched by industry or subject, because I enjoy variety and am motivated by learning new things. Plus, I never want my writing to become second-nature, stale or predictable.
I tend not to work in complex industries, where I’d need a lot of background — or where I’d be writing for an audience with a lot of technical knowledge. I’d always recommend a niche copywriter for those kinds of projects.
When I do take on a new subject, I’m always prepared to put the time in and do the research so we get the best possible result.
2. How will I know if you’re the best fit for my project?
“The process of finding, vetting, and onboarding a freelance copywriter can be time-consuming. It’s challenging to find someone with the right skills who’ll fit well with my company’s culture and values.”
It’s natural to want a copywriter who’s a great fit for your project. To gauge this, you might ask the copywriter if they’ve worked in your industry, or on similar projects, before.
But this isn’t the best question to ask.
If a copywriter says yes, that doesn’t necessarily make them an expert or mean they were good at it. And if they say no, that doesn’t mean they won’t do an amazing job for you.
Unless you’re in a complex industry, or have an audience with a lot of technical knowledge, you don’t necessarily need a copywriter who has specific experience.
What you should be looking for is a copywriter with the copywriting skills you need and a decent portfolio of work. A copywriter who has the right skills should be able to adapt those skills for your industry.
In addition to that, most freelancers are selective about the projects they take on. They’ll want to work on projects with clients who are a good fit, where they know they’ll do a good job — and where their work will be worthy of a good review at the end.
✏️ My answer
I’m selective about the copywriting projects I take on. I only want to work on projects that are a good match for my skills and where I’m confident I can deliver. If I think another copywriter would do a better job for you, I’ll be happy to recommend them instead.
3. I’d prefer someone who understands my business
“I’m concerned that a freelance copywriter won’t have the deep understanding of my business. And that their copy will miss the mark or require extensive revisions to be effective.”
🔹🔸🔹
A freelance copywriter will never understand your business in the same way you do. But that’s okay, because you’re the expert in your business. Your copywriter’s expertise is in communicating to your target audience.
Any successful copywriting project is a collaborative process between you and your copywriter. You need to be prepared to give your copywriter the input they ask for and answer any questions they have.
Providing your copywriter has all the information and they’ve done their research properly, the copy should hit the mark, without extensive revisions.
✏️ My answer
To get an understanding of your business, my process typically begins with a call. Talking through your project is the quickest and easiest way to decide if we’re a good match.
If we decide to work together, I’ll ask you to complete my comprehensive copywriting brief. And there may be more questions arising from that.
The information gathering is a thorough process and I’ll only move onto the research and writing when I’m satisfied I have all the information I need from you.
4. I’m wary of being too dependent on a freelancer
“Over-reliance on freelance copywriters can be risky. If a freelancer suddenly becomes unavailable or decides to move on, it can leave me scrambling to find a replacement and keep up with content demands.
These frustrations often make me consider whether the flexibility and potential cost savings of hiring freelance copywriters outweigh the stability and consistency that might come with hiring a full-time, in-house writer.”
A dependent relationship can be a risk, but…
… there are risks in every working relationship.
Putting all your trust in a freelancer, who has the agency to end your relationship and move on, can feel like a risk. But there’s no guarantee that an in-house writer will stay working for you indefinitely either — so, there’s actually a risk either way.
And there’s a risk for your freelancer, too, because your circumstances might change and you might decide you don’t need them any more.
Freelancers value good, long-term client relationships
Freelancers value the kind of client relationships where they:
- Work in partnership with their client
- Are trusted and not micromanaged
- Feel appreciated and do their best work
- Receive payments in full and on time.
These are relationships they’ll usually strive to keep.
✏️ My answer
Over the years, I’ve had many long-term client relationships like the one I describe above.
When these relationships have ended, it’s always been amicable and usually because circumstances have changed. Some clients took their copywriting in-house, some changed focus and some were taken over by other companies.
Some of these clients came back to me, months or even years later, wanting to pick up where they left off or with new business ventures they’re launching.
In some cases, I’ve lost clients when I’ve raised my rates, which is a natural part of freelancing. When it’s been a good relationship, I’ve helped to find them another copywriter and have even done a handover to ease the process.
5. How do I know if your price is reasonable?
“There are so many freelancers copywriters, all charging different prices. How can I be certain I’m getting value for money?”
Freelance copywriter rates (2024)
To give you an idea of costs, according to the ProCopywriters’ Survey 2024, the average day rate for a UK freelance copywriter is £440.
Of the copywriters surveyed:
- 56% charge a project fee
- 36% work on a daily or hourly fee
- 1.3% charge per word.
Value is different to price
You should think of a copywriter’s fee as an investment, rather than a cost. Because most copy is written to generate returns and add value to your business.
Similarly, you should think of the value you’re going to get rather than the price. Because good sales copy can pay for itself many times over and good content creates more value.
In other words, if you’re not getting value from your copy and content, it doesn’t matter what you’re paying for it — you’re still wasting your money.
✏️ My answer
Why am I good value for money?
I’ll start by letting my clients answer that:
- “100% reliable. Worth every penny.”
- “…always goes over and above with any brief…”
- “…a very generous soul and great value for money.”
- “…always impressed by the level of research she does.”
I have an aversion to meaningless tasks. If theres no point to what you’re doing, there’s no point in doing it. As a freelancer, this has become one of my mantras. Everything I do has to have a purpose and has to contribute to an end result.
When I say I’m results-driven, this is what I mean, because results are the only thing that matters. In the pursuit of those results, I’ll go above and beyond for my clients, using every skill I have and everything I’ve learned over the past 25 years.
That’s how you can be certain you’re getting value for money.
6. My previous copywriter made excuses all the time
“My last freelance copywriter had an excuse for everything. They repeatedly missed deadlines, delivered sub-standard work and refused to take accountability. How can I be sure this won’t happen again?”
There are good and bad freelance copywriters
Some people are flaky, unreliable and full of excuses — in work, in life and everywhere else. If they freelance for a living, they need to learn better ways or they won’t be in business very long.
And if you hired a freelancer who made excuses, it goes without saying, this isn’t representative of freelancing as a whole. More like a bad apple in orchard of golden and delicious.
How to find a better copywriter this time
If your previous experience has left you feeling cautious, perhaps you made some oversights when you hired this person, which you can learn from the second time around.
For example, did you ask your network, or someone you trusted, for a recommendation?
Did you vet the copywriter thoroughly by:
- Looking for someone who met your needs — not just your budget
- Checking their website and blog?
- Looking through the their portfolio?
- Reading their client testimonials?
- Meeting them on a video call?
If not, these are all things you can do this time to help you find someone more reliable.
✏️ My answer
I hate excuses. They’re lazy, they’re usually lame — and I promise you’ll never hear them from me.
If I’m having a problem, I’ll do whatever I can to work around it and get the job done. If I think the problem will prevent me from meeting the deadline, I’ll let you know at the earliest opportunity. I’ve never missed a deadline in my entire career, but I’m aware that some circumstances will be beyond my control.
I’m incredibly thorough, to avoid any issues with my work. But if you do find anything wrong, I’ll make every effort to put it right for you.
7. My last copywriter over-promised and under-delivered
“The freelance copywriter I used before oversold the skills they had and submitted work that fell short of expectations and didn’t meet the brief.”
🔹🔸🔹
Some copywriters take on projects they shouldn’t
When copywriters are desperate for work and/or experience, some will say whatever you want to hear if it will secure them the project.
This means they may not be the best match for your needs. And some will be taking on the work when they don’t have the experience. Like jumping out of a plane and building their parachute on the way down.
In the end nobody wins. You find yourself with work that doesn’t meet your needs. They find themselves out of their depth — and with an unhappy client who’s unlikely to recommend them.
✏️ My answer
Everyone has to start somewhere. And when I started out as a freelance copywriter, I took on some projects that were more advanced than I was, for the experience. But I never overpromised, I never charged more than I felt I was worth and I always made sure I delivered results that made my clients happy.
Now, 13+ years later, I’m confident in my skills, I know what I’m capable of — and I only accept projects that are a good fit.
8. How can I be sure you won’t ghost me?
“My last freelance copywriter stopped communicating with me. They haven’t responded to my messages and when I call, they never answer. How can I be sure this won’t happen again?”
Why freelancers ghost their clients
There are a number of reasons why a freelancer might ghost their client.
For example, it could be that the freelancer:
- Underestimated the workload and became overwhelmed
- Knew they were going to miss the deadline
- Didn’t think their work was good enough
- Had a personal, health or family issue
- Had accepted a higher-paying project.
Or it could be that the client:
- Had given no direction or direction that was confusing or unclear
- Was demanding, micromanaging or difficult to work with
- Couldn’t agree or decide on what they wanted
- Had been abusive, offensive or unpleasant
- Was uncommunicative and unresponsive.
Ultimately, the decision to ghost rather than face these issues shows an unwillingness to engage in confrontation or have difficult conversations.
✏️ My answer
I’m not a confrontational person, but I’ve never ghosted anyone — it’s just not my style.
For the record, I would avoid as many of those issues as I could by:
- Only taking on a limited number of projects, so I can give my full commitment to each one
- Being clear about the scope of each project, so I know how much work there is to do
- Always giving myself the time to do my best work, so I’m always proud to submit it
- Always charging fairly for my time, so each project is of equal importance.
If there are issues in our working relationship, I’m always happy to raise or discuss them considerately. But I’d usually choose to do that in an email rather than over the phone, because I express myself much better in writing.
9. How will you work with my existing team?
“I think it will be a challenge to integrate a freelance copywriter into my existing team. Ensuring they understand our workflow, tools, and communication methods will take too much time and effort.”
When you’re freelance, working remotely and as part of a team kinda goes with the territory. It’s a way of working most freelancers are well-accustomed to. Providing your freelancer is communicative and easy to reach, you shouldn’t have any issues.
Since the pandemic, remote work has become more commonplace and the tools to facilitate it have improved. On the whole, these tools are reliable, intuitive and easy to use. So even if your freelancer hasn’t used your specific tools before, it’s likely they will have used something similar and will be able to adapt quickly.
10. How can I be sure you’ll be communicative?
“Freelancers often work with multiple clients, which could make it difficult to get timely responses or regular updates. Miscommunications or delays can lead to missed deadlines and disrupted marketing plans.”
🔹🔸🔹
It’s true. Most freelancers work with multiple clients simultaneously — and not all freelancers work 9-5 either. But freelancers who are used to working like this are usually well-organised, so neither of these should be issues if your project is well-planned.
Some tips that might help:
- Work with your freelancer to plan out a schedule that works for both of you
- Ask your freelancer to let you know in advance when they’ll be unavailable
- Agree with your freelancer on how to contact them for a prompt response
- Make sure deadlines include time for the work to be reviewed and revised
- Specify when and how you’d like to receive updates on your project.
✏️ My answer
I tend to work during normal office hours: from Monday to Thursday, between 9.00am and 5.00pm. The best way to reach me is by email and I’ll always respond as soon as I can.
If we’re working together, you’ll also have access to my phone number. But, as this is disruptive, I ask that you only use it for scheduled calls or for matters of urgency when an email won’t suffice.
11. How do you guarantee consistent quality?
“The quality of work can vary greatly between different freelance copywriters. It’s challenging to find someone who consistently delivers high-quality content that aligns with my brand’s voice and standards.”
Finding your brand’s voice
Freelance copywriters are chameleons who adapt their writing style to match each brand’s voice. Not like this chameleon. I’m not sure this chameleon fully understood the brief!
Anyhoo, sometimes the copywriter will create the brand voice for their client. Sometimes they’ll be working from official brand voice guidelines.
And sometimes they’ll pick up the brand’s voice from existing communications. In this case, it might take a couple of attempts to get your voice exactly right, but the more your copywriter writes for you, the more accustomed to your brand’s voice they’ll become.
Delivering high-quality content that meets your standards
The term high-quality is vague and subjective — it means different things to different people. So it’s important to make it clear to your copywriter what you consider high-quality and what your expectations are.
✏️ My answer
So what’s my definition of high-quality?
- Meticulously researched — using current, credible and original sources
- Well-written — using plain English, good grammar, no jargon and no waffle
- Thorough — with the subject fully explored and sufficiently detailed
- Results-driven — working to a proper strategy and with an end goal in mind
- Value-filled — with formatting cues, creative ideas and practical suggestions
- On-brand — using the brand’s voice and incorporating its values and vision.
This is my aim for every piece of copy and content I create. To achieve it, I commit to only taking on a limited number of projects at a time.
12. How can I be sure you’ll meet my deadline?
“I’m worried that a freelance copywriter may not be as reliable or committed as I need them to be. Issues like missed deadlines, lack of availability, or prioritising other projects can create significant disruptions.”
Deadlines are good… and bad
Freelancers like a deadline. It means the project has an endpoint and isn’t going to drag on and on indefinitely. This allows us to plan ahead and schedule our workloads.
But deadlines can also create pressure — especially when they’re tight and don’t allow your freelancer enough time to complete all the elements of the project.
PSA: if you’re always working to tight deadlines, you might never get the best from your freelancers.
The dos and don’ts of deadlines
✅ DO:
- Set clear, realistic and achievable deadlines
- Be clear about your deadlines from the start
- Break larger projects into manageable chunks
- Include a contingency for revisions and delays
- Stick to the original scope of the project.
❌ DON’T:
- Micromanage your freelancer through the process
- Keep your freelancer waiting for information/responses
- Keep moving or adjusting the deadline — it’s confusing
- Ask to preview the work before it’s ready to be seen.
✏️ My answer
I’m proud to say, I’ve never missed a deadline in my life. Not at school, not at university, not as an employee and not as a freelancer. This is a record I would never want to break.
That’s not to say I never could, though. I know there may be situations in future that are beyond my control. But, if one of those situations ever arose, I’d let you know as soon as I could so we could work something out*
I only take on a limited number of projects at a time, so I can be fully committed to your project.
And I’m reliable, too. My client testimonials vouch for that.
*Providing I wasn’t dead, in a coma, in a full body cast, abducted by aliens or whatever.
13. How do I know you’ll treat my project confidentially?
“Sharing sensitive business information with a freelancer can be a risk. Ensuring they adhere to confidentiality agreements and don’t misuse private information is always a concern.”
How a freelancer might break client confidentiality
A freelancer might break client confidentiality by:
- Sharing their work publicly without the client’s permission
- Discussing client information publicly or on social media
- Using client names, logos or photos without permission
- Sharing client documents/information with third parties
- Leaving sensitive data unsecured.
This could be because the freelancer hasn’t signed a confidentiality agreement and/or isn’t aware of what constitutes sensitive or confidential information.
All businesses like to share their successes
In today’s well-connected and highly competitive environment, being able to share results and achievements is vital for all businesses — not just freelancers.
Using social proof is what proves they’re as good as they say and persuades other businesses to work with them. So, if you allow them to share these successes on social media, as case studies, in blog articles or in their portfolios, they’ll always be grateful.
When confidentiality is essential
If your freelancer will be dealing with confidential information, they need to know right from the start. You can’t always rely on them knowing what’s confidential — especially if they’re new to freelancing.
The easiest way is to ask them to sign a non-disclosure/confidentiality agreement — and to read it carefully to make sure they understand it first. The agreement should clearly specify what you mean by confidential information and what they are and aren’t allowed to do with it.
✏️ My answer
During a project, I treat all client information as confidential, whether I’ve signed an agreement or not.
There may be occasions when I’d like to ask for advice on something from one of my peers. If that involves sharing your information with them — and I haven’t signed an agreement prohibiting this — I would still always ask your permission first.
When your project is complete, there’s a clause in my terms that allows me to include it in my portfolio, unless you’ve expressly said no to that.
And if I wanted to share a result I achieved for you on my social media, I would always ask you first.
14. How can I be confident you’ll write good English?
“I have high standards when it comes to written English, spelling and grammar. I’d be concerned about hiring a non-native copywriter or someone who might not represent my business well.”
Good copywriting is more than just perfect English
A high standard of English is important, but your copy also needs to be engaging and keep your audience interested. For that to happen, the copy also needs good ideas and creativity — and these things are equally important.
Just because a copywriter isn’t a native English speaker doesn’t mean their English won’t be of a high standard. I know plenty of non-native copywriters I would happily refer work to, because they’re excellent at what they do.
How to ensure your copywriter writes good English
If you want to be sure a copywriter writes well before you hire them, start by looking at their work. If they don’t have a portfolio, you can look at their social media, their website and their email communications with you.
If you want to be sure what your copywriter has written is to a high standard, you could hire an independent proofreader to double-check their work.
✏️ My answer
I’m a native English speaker with a natural writing ability and I have high standards, too. I take care with my spelling and grammar. I edit and proofread my work.
But, when I’m writing, my focus is not always on perfect English. It’s on writing copy that makes good sense, is engaging and keeps people reading. Because that’s my idea of good copy.
I’ll start sentences with And, So and But. And I’ll sometimes end sentences with a preposition — because it’s how people talk. You might think this doesn’t constitute good English. And, if you do, you might want to hire someone else.
15. How do I know you won’t use AI to write my copy?
“I’m hiring a human because I’m communicating to humans and I want my copy to sound human. But I’ve heard copywriters have been ‘cheating’ and using AI to write their copy. How can I trust you won’t be tempted to use it to write mine?”
Some copywriters are using AI
I was shocked and disappointed to learn this, but it’s true.
Of the respondents in the 2024 ProCopywriters’ Survey:
- 59% said they use generative AI tools in their copywriting work
- 49% said AI-produced copy does feature in the finished work they share with their clients
- 81% said their clients aren’t aware of AI’s role in their work.
Some clients have taken to using AI checkers
To find out if their copywriter has used AI to write their copy, some clients are using AI checkers. But using AI to check for AI is a terrible idea — because the AI often gets it wrong.
Copywriters who’ve produced amazing work, without AI, have had their work ‘checked’. The AI decides, I’ll take some credit for that, thank you very much. And it tells the client their copy is 89% AI-written.
As a result of these false positives, copywriters have lost money and credibility. Some are now actively including mistakes in their work so it doesn’t get flagged as AI. How ludicrous is that?
✏️ My answer
I’m not a fan of AI. I first tried it in 2020 because the tech people said I should be scared and it was going to take my job. But it didn’t do a good job and its results were a disaster. It would have taken longer to sort out the mess it made than it would to have written my blog post from scratch. So I won’t be going back there.
Truth is, I’m old-school. I’ve been writing professionally for almost 25 years, I’ve developed a process that works for me and there’s no room in that process for AI.
There’s even a clause in my terms that you accept the work on the basis that AI has not been used to create it — because it 100% will not have been. And if you don’t trust me on that, why would we even be working together?
16. Will there be additional costs to manage?
“Freelancers often charge varying rates, and the costs can add up quickly, especially if revisions or additional work are needed. It’s sometimes difficult to predict and manage these expenses within my budget.”
✏️ My answer
As a business owner, I understand the importance of having a budget and sticking to it. So I’ve designed my terms to give you an upfront quote for the work, which makes your investment predictable.
The upfront quote includes:
- All work outlined, including preparation and research
- Two sets of complimentary revisions.
Providing the project is completed exactly as briefed, this will be the only price you pay.
The upfront quote doesn’t include:
- Further work created by changes or additions to your original brief
- Revisions requested after the final draft is submitted
- Any out-of-pocket expenses.
17. Can you guarantee my ROI?
“I’m investing significantly in this project, so I want to be certain I’ll be getting a minimum 25% ROI and I need you to guarantee that before we start.”
Freelance copywriters can’t guarantee ROI
No freelance copywriter can guarantee a percentage ROI. It’s just not possible. And it’s not usually possible for us to predict what your ROI will be either.
We might be able to tell you what we’ve achieved for other clients, if they’ve shared that data with us. But in many cases, they don’t.
And just because we’ve achieved that result for another client doesn’t mean we can achieve it for you, too. This is simply because every project is different. And because sales copy doesn’t work in isolation.
There are all kinds of factors at play, including the:
- Quality and perceived quality of your products/services
- Reviews and experiences of past customers
- Perception people have of your brand
- Branding and messaging you use
- Functionality of your website.
✏️ My answer
I’m driven by getting results for my clients and I’ll do whatever I can to achieve them.
This includes thorough research into your industry, customers and competitors. And using skills I’ve been practising and sharpening for the last 25 years.
But, to get the best results, I have to believe in the products/services I’m writing about and the claims I’m making on behalf of the brand. If I’m not convinced myself, I’ll have a hard time convincing anyone else.
Looking for a good freelance copywriter?
Allow me to introduce myself!
I’m Jenny Lucas, a freelance copywriter based in Leicester, UK.
I specialise in SEO copywriting, producing copy that will increase the visibility of your website and/or blog articles on Google. And creative, conceptual copy for campaigns and initiatives.
You can find out more about me and the work I do here:
In the other articles on my blog >>
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