How to Hire a Copywriter: What to Look For, What to Pay, and What to Avoid

Hiring a copywriter is one of the best investments a growing business can make.

It’s also one of the easiest to get wrong.

The right copywriter pays for themselves quickly — through better conversion rates, stronger email performance, and content that keeps working long after it’s published. The wrong one costs you time, money, and months of effort pointed in the wrong direction.

This guide walks you through every step of the process: what to look for, where to find good writers, what fair rates actually look like, and the red flags that should make you walk away before signing anything.

Step 1: Get Clear on What You Actually Need

Before you search for anyone, get specific about the project.

Copywriting is a broad field. A direct response copywriter who writes high-converting sales letters is a fundamentally different professional from an SEO content writer who builds organic traffic. An email copywriter is not automatically a great landing page writer. A brand voice specialist is not the same as a conversion copywriter.

Ask yourself these questions before you open a single browser tab:

What exactly needs to be written? (Sales page, email sequence, blog posts, ads?)
What is the goal of this copy? (Generate leads, sell a product, rank on Google?)
Who is the target audience?
What’s the deadline?
What’s your budget? Take time to set a realistic range by considering the type of copy you need, the scope of the project, and how experienced a writer you want to hire. Look at current market rates (for example, a solid blog post from a professional can range from $100 to $500 or more) and remember that rates can vary depending on factors like urgency, complexity, or technical knowledge required. If you’re unsure where to start, outline your ideal outcome and available resources, then reach out to a few writers to get ballpark quotes based on your brief. Planning your budget ahead will help you compare writers fairly and avoid surprises.

The clearer your brief, the better your results — and the easier it is to find the right person for the right project.

Step 2: Know the Types of Copywriters

Not all copywriters do the same work. Here’s how the major specialisations break down:

Direct Response Copywriters write for an immediate, measurable action — a purchase, a sign-up, a click. Sales letters, landing pages, email campaigns, and ads fall into this category. They’re trained in conversion psychology and are typically the highest-paid writers in the field.

SEO Copywriters write content that ranks on Google and converts the readers who find it. Blog posts, pillar articles, product pages. They understand keyword research, on-page optimisation, and how to structure content for both search engines and human readers.

Email Copywriters focus exclusively on email sequences, newsletters, and campaigns. They understand subject line psychology, list segmentation, and how to write emails that feel personal even when sent to thousands of people.

Social Media Copywriters write short-form content for platforms like LinkedIn, Instagram, and X. They know what formats and hooks perform on each platform and how to write for a scrolling, distracted audience.

Brand Copywriters focus on voice, tone, and consistency. Website copy, About pages, taglines, and brand messaging that makes a company sound distinctly like itself across every touchpoint.

Some copywriters specialise tightly. Others — particularly experienced freelancers — cover multiple disciplines well. Match the type to your specific need before beginning your search.

Step 3: Where to Find a Good Copywriter

Referrals — The best copywriters are found through people who’ve already worked with them. Ask your network, your mastermind group, or in relevant online communities. A referred writer comes pre-vetted.

LinkedIn — Search for “SEO copywriter,” “email copywriter,” or “direct response copywriter.” Look at their profile, their published content, and whether their own writing pulls you in. If it doesn’t, keep looking.

Their own website — Most serious copywriters have a site. If their own homepage copy doesn’t make a strong case for their services, that tells you something important.

Copywriting communities — AWAI, The Copywriter Club, and various professional Facebook groups have active job boards and member directories worth exploring.

Freelance platforms — Upwork can work for finding writers, but it requires more careful vetting. Read reviews, study portfolios carefully, and start with a small paid test project before committing to a larger scope.

Step 4: What to Look For

A Real Portfolio

Look for actual client work — not just practice samples. Ask for examples in formats similar to what you need.

Strong portfolio pieces show a clear understanding of the target audience, benefit-driven copy, headlines and hooks that earn attention, and ideally some reference to results — conversion rates, open rates, traffic data, or client testimonials about impact.

Relevant Skills Over Relevant Industry

A copywriter who has worked in your exact industry is a bonus. But relevant skills matter more than relevant niche. Good copy principles transfer across sectors. A writer who understands buyer psychology can write effectively for almost any offer once they’ve done the research.

A Clear Working Process

A professional copywriter will ask for a brief, conduct their own research, and set clear expectations around timeline and revision rounds. If a writer is ready to write without asking a single question about your audience or offer, that’s a significant red flag.

Their Own Writing

Before hiring anyone, read everything they publish — their website, their social posts, their newsletter if they have one. If their own copy doesn’t engage you, their copy for your business won’t either.

Communication Before the Contract

Responsiveness, clarity, and professionalism in early conversations predict how the working relationship will go. If the back-and-forth is already frustrating before you’ve paid a cent, it won’t improve after.

Step 5: What to Pay

Copywriting rates vary based on experience, specialisation, and project scope. Here are realistic benchmarks for quality freelance work, informed by current market data from Mediabistro and The Copywriter Club:

Blog post (1,000–1,500 words)	$75 – $250
Long-form blog post (2,000+ words)	$150 – $500
Single email	$50 – $200
Email sequence (5 emails)	$200 – $800
Landing page	$250 – $1,500
Long-form sales letter	$500 – $10,000+
Full funnel copy	$500 – $5,000+
Monthly retainer	$500 – $3,000/month

Rates at the lower end reflect newer or generalist writers. Rates at the higher end reflect experienced specialists with a proven track record of results tied to revenue.

Be cautious of rates that seem impossibly low. A $10 blog post will almost always cost more in the long run — through revisions, rework, and missed traffic opportunities — than a $150 post written the first time properly.

Step 6: How to Brief a Copywriter

A great brief produces great copy. Here’s what to include:

The goal — What should this copy achieve? Sell a product, generate leads, rank for a specific keyword?

The audience — Who is the ideal reader? What do they want, fear, and believe? What language do they use to describe their problem?

The offer — What are you selling or promoting? What makes it different from every other option they have?

The tone — Professional? Conversational? Bold? Warm? Share three to five examples of copy you admire, even from outside your industry.

Competitors — Who else is competing for your reader’s attention? What are they saying?

The deadline — When do you need the first draft?

The more context you give, the less time the writer spends guessing — and the better the output you receive.

Red Flags That Should Make You Walk Away

No portfolio or vague samples. A professional copywriter has proof of their work. If they can’t show you anything concrete, move on immediately.

No discovery process. If they’re ready to write without asking about your audience, your offer, or your goal, they are not doing the research required to write effective copy.

Over-promising. “I’ll get you to page one of Google in 30 days.” “Guaranteed 300% increase in conversions.” No ethical, experienced copywriter makes promises like this. Results depend on too many factors outside any writer’s control.

Slow or unclear communication. If the back-and-forth is already frustrating before a contract is signed, it won’t improve mid-project.

Unwillingness to quote a project rate. Experienced copywriters know approximately how long their work takes. As Mediabistro notes, an inability to give a project rate often signals that the writer hasn’t done this type of work enough times to have a baseline.

How to Set the Working Relationship Up for Success

Start small. Before commissioning a full funnel, hire the writer for one email sequence or one blog post. See how they work, how they communicate, and what they produce before committing to larger scope.

Provide thorough context. The more background you give, the less time the writer spends guessing — and the better the first draft.

Give specific feedback. “Make it better” is not actionable. “The tone in paragraph three is too formal for our audience — can you loosen it?” is. Specific feedback produces specific improvement.

Think long-term. The best copywriters do their best work for clients they know well. A long-term relationship consistently outperforms a transactional one-off project — because the writer understands your voice, your audience, and your goals deeply enough to anticipate what the copy needs before you brief them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I hire a freelance copywriter or an agency? For most small businesses and solopreneurs, a skilled freelance copywriter delivers more value at a lower cost than an agency. Agencies carry overhead costs that get passed to the client, and smaller accounts are often assigned to junior writers. A specialist freelancer gives you direct access to the person actually doing the work.

How do I know if the copy is working? Track the metric tied to your goal. For landing pages: conversion rate. For emails: open rate and click-through rate. For blog posts: organic traffic, time on page, and bounce rate. Agree on these metrics with your copywriter upfront so you’re both measuring the same outcomes.

Do I need a contract? Yes. A simple agreement covering scope, timeline, payment terms, number of revision rounds, and ownership of the final copy protects both parties. Most professional copywriters have a standard contract. If they don’t, that’s worth noting.

Who owns the copy once it’s written? In almost all cases, you own the copy once full payment has been made. Confirm this explicitly in your contract before work begins.

Is it worth hiring a copywriter if I’m starting? Yes — arguably more so than at any other stage. Your early copy sets the tone for how your brand is perceived. Getting it right from the beginning is far less expensive than rewriting it later after it’s already in front of customers.

Ready to work with a copywriter who researches deeply, writes to convert, and communicates clearly? Work with Patrick Mumo →

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