The Rapid guide to starting a freelance copywriting business

Starting a freelance copywriting business involves honing your writing skills and establishing an online presence. In recent years, there’s been a growing desire for flexibility in work. More and more working professionals are leaving behind their 9-5 office jobs in favour of freelancing, and copywriting is one of the options that allows people to work remotely, and to their own schedule. 

There’s also a growing need for freelancers, as businesses battle with rising costs of employing staff. They’re becoming increasingly dependent on the support of ad hoc contractors. In fact, statistics suggest as many as 90% of companies currently rely on freelance support to hit their targets.

So, if you’re thinking about starting your own freelance copywriting career, there’s no time like the present. You can set up as a sole trader or as a limited company.  

In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about getting your freelance copywriting business up and running. Let’s get started. 

Understanding the role of a freelance copywriter

A freelance copywriter is a self-employed professional writer who creates content for various mediums, such as websites, social media, advertisements, blogs, emails, and much more. 

But don’t let the name fool you; copywriters are more than just writers. They’re a skilful combination of advertising creatives, strategists, branding specialists, and salespeople. 

They craft messages to captivate and influence a target audience, helping businesses and brands connect with their customers, drive engagement, and achieve their marketing goals. 

Establishing your business structure

You can choose to set up your business as a sole trader, or as a limited company.  

Set up as a sole trader

Freelance copywriters will typically choose to set up as sole traders. This means you’re classed as self-employed and must register for Self Assessment with HMRC. 

You’re responsible for completing a tax return each year and paying any Income Tax and National Insurance owed to HMRC through Self Assessment. 

While this is considered the most straightforward of business structures, with few regulations and administrative requirements involved, you’ll have unlimited personal liability for business debts, as well as any legal claims brought against you. For this reason, considering insurance, as detailed below, is advisable. 

Start a limited company

You could also start your business as a limited company. There are a few more steps, so please see our guide to registering a company for more information. The main benefit is that you’ll have protection from liability for your business debts. You may also benefit from tax advantages by paying yourself in dividends, rather than a salary.

If you’re setting up a limited company for the first time, there can be a lot of information to get your head around. At Rapid Formations, we can take the administrative burden off your plate and make sure you’re up and running compliantly. 

Benefits of a freelance copywriting career

Autonomy over your time

One of the biggest draws to freelancing is that you can work when you want. You decide how many hours you want to work, and on which days.  

Perhaps you want every Friday afternoon off, or you don’t want to begin work until 10am every day. So long as you meet your deadlines, your diary is totally flexible to bend around your life.  

Variety of projects

As well as the gains in autonomy and independence, freelancing also opens the doors to work on a diverse range of projects and clients. One day you could be writing a website for an equestrian veterinarian, and the next day you could be writing a script for a short animation.  

This helps keep work interesting and exciting, ultimately leading to a greater sense of fulfilment. 

Continuous learning

As a copywriter, you’re always learning new things. You might adapt your copywriting to a new medium, such as website copy, or advertising. Or you might be asked to write about subjects that you previously knew nothing about. But that’s what keeps it interesting.  

Copywriters tend to be curious people who love learning new ideas, so if that’s you, you’ll probably find the continuous learning curve very satisfying. 

Hone your copywriting skills

While having formal qualifications can certainly be beneficial, it’s not a strict requirement to becoming a copywriter. Copywriting is a field that primarily values creativity, writing skills, and the ability to understand and connect with target audiences. 

But good copywriters are constantly working on their craft. Here are a few ways that you can develop your skills. 

An academic background can be helpful

Lots of writers have strong skills (and corresponding academics) in English Literature or English Language. And many copywriters come from a background in Psychology, because understanding human behaviour helps to craft messages that resonate with an audience. 

Take a copywriting course

Platforms such as Udemy, Coursera, Skillshare, and Hubspot Academy are a great place to start, and each offers a range of reputable short courses and online classes in a number of fields.  

You might also consider a copywriting course with the College of Media and Publishing. You receive feedback from a dedicated tutor along the way, and you receive an accreditation on completion. You can pop the accreditation on your website to enhance your credibility. 

Listen to podcasts

Podcasts are free resources, and they’re often packed with valuable content that you can apply directly to your writing and to your copywriting business.  

Try these for starters: 

• The Copywriter Club Podcast by Rob Marsh 
• The Copywriting Podcast by Matthew Volkwyn 
• Filthy Rich Writer by Nicki Krawczyk 
• Write Your Way to Freedom by Sarah Turner 

They’ll all give you useful tips and tricks to help you in your copywriting journey. 

Seek a mentor

One of the best ways to learn and get feedback is to find a mentor who has been in the business for years. Search for copywriters in your local area and get in touch to see if they would consider mentoring you. You can ask them all your questions and seek their input on projects. 

Practice, practice, practice

It’s important to note that becoming a copywriter isn’t an overnight process. It takes time and dedication, and practice is key. The more you write, study, and seek feedback, the more you can refine your skills and become a proficient copywriter. 

Build your website

Potential clients that are searching for a copywriter will expect to see a professional-looking website. It’s your chance to showcase who you are and what you do. Even if you don’t get many direct enquiries through your website, it’s important to have a presence online for your credibility. 

Things to include on your website are: 

• What you do 
• Who you are
• How to contact you 
• Your rates and price structure (optional) 
• Your portfolio (more on this below) 
• Blogs, which can showcase your knowledge and your personal writing style. 

Nowadays, more people are asking large language models (like ChatGPT) for recommendations, so you need a strong website to show up in the answers to those questions. Try Wix or Squarespace to get started building your website. 

Prepare your social media presence

Alongside your website, you need a social media presence. Understandably, keeping on top of all the platforms will be very time consuming and may quickly become overwhelming.  

So instead of trying to be everywhere on all the platforms, choose the social media that you enjoy the most, and where you already have a following. 

You’ll also need to pick platforms where your target audience will see you. For example, if your target audience is financial services, then the right people who want your services will probably be on LinkedIn. But if you’re looking for clients in the beauty industry, then you’ll probably have more success on Instagram or TikTok. 

Start networking

Networking is the best way to attract new work and new clients. The more people who know who you are and what you do, the more likely you are to be recommended to clients for your services.  

You can join networking groups, go to events, talks, and conferences. You’ll meet people who are also building their businesses, and with whom you can collaborate in the future.  

You might not see the fruits of your labour immediately, but in 6-12 months, you should start to receive a steady flow of referrals and recommendations.  

Develop professional collaborations

Copywriters often work closely with several other professionals including: 

• Web developers 
• Graphic designers 
• Public Relations professionals 

Find agencies and individuals who specialise in these skills and form partnerships and collaborations with them. You’ll become their go-to copywriter, and you can also rely on them when a client comes to you with a big project and you need their skills.  

Try cold outreach

Cold outreach sounds scary, but if you have a few hand-picked people to target, it can be very successful. Try emailing people that you would like to work with. Explain why you’d like to work with them, and how you think you can help their business with your copywriting skills.  

People are often receptive if it’s a highly personalised email, and not a blanket campaign.  

Join ProCopywriters

ProCopywriters acts as a database for professional copywriters. You can become a member and list yourself on the database, to tell potential clients what you do. Many people who are looking for copywriters will search ProCopywriters’ database, so it’s a good place to be listed. 

The organisation will also give you tips for your copywriting, and they organise a conference every year. You can boost your visibility with blogs on their website too. 

Have a look in the online marketplaces

Freelance platforms like Upwork, Freelancer, Fiverr, and PeoplePerHour can be a great place to find projects and build up your client base. Your success on these sites will largely be based on a compelling profile, impressive portfolio, and competitive pricing. 

In some cases, you can actively bid on projects, whilst in others the client will approach you directly. Be prepared to communicate professionally and promptly, and ensure you’re consistently delivering high-quality work to build a positive reputation. 

Prepare Terms and Conditions

Once you start working for clients, it’s useful to have some basic Terms & Conditions that you can send to clients at the start of your project. This shows that you’re professional and it sets out the expectations of the working relationships from both parties’ point of view. 

Importantly, it’s a contractual document that covers you for late payment or non-payment for your work. So, if you have a client that won’t pay, you have the foundations to take them to court if you want to. 

Organise your client work

Devise a system early on for organising your client work, particularly if you’re working on multiple projects at the same time. A good starting point is to simply block out time in your calendar for each project, and clearly mark your calendar with deadlines. 

As you develop your business, you might use software to help organise your client projects. Popular systems include HubSpot, Dubsado, or Trello.  

Invest in accountancy support

Start with a spreadsheet

When you start out, you can probably begin with a simple spreadsheet to track your finances. You need a section for income, and a section for outgoings and expenses, and you should keep receipts and bills to help you with your self-assessment tax return. 

Try accountancy software

But as you grow, you might need a more sophisticated system. Online accountancy software like Xero can keep all your financial in one place, and it makes your business systems and tax returns much more straightforward. 

Instruct an accountant

It’s also wise to instruct an accountant when you can. They can take care of your tax returns for you so that you don’t make any errors, or miss important deadlines. And they can help you make the most of any tax deductibles that you’re entitled to. 

An accountant can advise you on when it might make sense to convert from a sole trader to a limited company. There are more costs involved in operating as a limited company, but you could save on tax. It’s a fine balance and your accountant will be able to give you tailored advice for your situation. 

Get insured

While it’s not a legal requirement for sole traders, you may want to consider insurance to provide you with protection in unforeseen circumstances. 

It’s especially important if you work with high-profile clients, handle sensitive information, or undertake projects with significant risk.  

Professional Indemnity Insurance is a good option for freelancers, as it covers you against any claims of professional negligence, errors, or omissions in your work. It offers financial protection in case a client alleges that your services caused them financial loss or damage, and can help cover legal expenses, settlements, or damages awarded against you. 

As a limited company, you’re not required to have insurance if you’re the only employee in the business. However, if you take people on, you’ll be required to get Employer’s Liability insurance. In any event, it’s still worth having Professional Indemnity Insurance. 

Should you have a niche as a freelance copywriter?

People disagree on whether or not it’s important to have a niche.  

On the one hand, building a reputation within a niche can lead to repeat business and referrals. You establish yourself as the authority in that niche, which leads to long-term relationships and a steady stream of clients. 

By focusing on a niche, you can develop in-depth knowledge and expertise, allowing you to understand your client’s needs better, and speak their language. This can give you a competitive edge, as clients often value specialists who understand their industry or audience. 

On the other hand, some copywriters prefer the variety of being a generalist. They fear that pigeon-holing themselves would lead to boredom. They enjoy the challenge of a fresh brief, with new ideas, and the chance to be creative.  

What niches do copywriters specialise in?

In a slight conflict of terms, niches come in a wide variety. You can specialise in the subject matter, the medium, or the type of business you like to work with.  

Here are a few examples of each of those categories. 

Subject matter	Medium	Type of business
Hair and makeup	Websites	B-Corps
Fitness and wellbeing	Technical articles	Women-led start ups
Legal services	Blogs	Solopreneurs
Education	Whitepapers	Purpose-driven businesses
Food and drink	Advertising copy	Sustainable businesses
Healthcare	Taglines	Gen Z target audiences

How to pick a niche

If you’re just starting out in copywriting, then you probably want to try all sorts of writing before you choose a niche. That way you’ll find out what you enjoy, and the types of projects that you’d rather not take. Nobody is good at everything, so don’t feel like you need to enjoy all facets of copywriting. 

However, if you have a particular interest in something, you’ll find it much more enjoyable to write about it. Your interests are a good place to start with a niche.  

Alternatively, if you’ve had a previous career, you’ll have insider knowledge which can shape your niche. 

Essentially, your niche should be something in which you have experience and a keen interest. 

Collating a portfolio

Some potential clients will want to see a portfolio of your work, so it’s helpful to have something in your back pocket. Remember to tell potential clients that every brief is different, and the work in your portfolio was prepared for a particular tone and style. If it’s not the tone or style they’re looking for, you can adapt to fit their needs. 

You can prepare a portfolio in a few different ways. 

On your website

Prepare a dedicated portfolio page on your website with samples of your best copywriting projects, along with relevant details about each project. 

As a PDF

Use graphic design software such as Canva or Adobe InDesign to create a visually appealing PDF portfolio that’s easy to share. You can choose from a number of professional templates, or start your design from scratch. 

Setting your rates

Knowing what price to charge clients can be difficult to gauge when you’re just starting out. Your rate will depend on a number of factors, including your experience, skill level, and the current market. 

ProCopywriters has some helpful guidance on pricing, to help you set appropriate and competitive prices for your work. 

There are  several freelance pricing models to consider: 

• Day rate – a fixed flat fee that allows for easier budgeting and project planning. Day rates are most suited for projects with well-defined scopes and longer durations. 
• Hourly rate – an hourly fee allows for billing based on the actual time spent on a project. This can be useful when project scopes are less defined, or when clients require ongoing support. This will require careful tracking of time. 
• By retainer – a fixed rate on a monthly basis, for a pre-agreed amount of work. 

The model you choose to use may vary, depending on the client and their individual requirements. 

What about the impact of AI?

You’ll notice that as soon as you tell people that you’re a freelance copywriter, the question on the tip of their tongue is “aren’t you worried that AI will take your job?” 

AI is certainly something that copywriters have to navigate, and AI is better than a mediocre or a bad copywriter. But good copywriters are much better than AI. Good copywriters connect with their audience, write with flair, and include in subject-matter knowledge that AI will bungle.  

While AI can be a helpful tool to support your copywriting, you have to develop your skills to be confident that you have more to offer a client than the content provided by large language models. The output of large language models is often flawed and you need to be able to specify exactly why it is sub-standard and how your work is superior. 

Wrapping up

Remember, success in the freelance copywriting business takes time, dedication, and continuous learning. But with passion, perseverance, and the right strategies, there’s no reason why your copywriting business shouldn’t be a success. 

If you’d like to learn more about setting up a business, have a look at Rapid Formations.