What Is Freelance Copywriting? A Complete Beginner's Guide to Earning Through Words

What Is Freelance Copywriting? A 1500-Word Guide to Getting Paid to Write

Freelance copywriting has emerged as one of the most flexible and lucrative ways to earn a living online. Whether you're crafting product descriptions, blog posts, ad copy, or landing pages, the demand for skilled writers is soaring. But what is freelance copywriting, and how do you get started in 2025?

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain what freelance copywriting involves, how to build your portfolio, find clients, and explore specialized writing niches. We’ll also link to expert resources at Freelancerway for finding copywriting work and Lords Consultant for business development support.

What Is Freelance Copywriting?

At its core, freelance copywriting is writing with the purpose of persuading, informing, or converting a reader—usually for marketing or business purposes. As a freelancer, you're self-employed and typically work with multiple clients rather than being employed by a single company.

Freelance Copywriters May Write:

• Website content

• Product descriptions

• Landing pages

• Email marketing campaigns

• Blog posts

• Social media captions

• Ad copy (Google, Facebook, Instagram)

• Scripts for videos or podcasts

You're paid by the word, the hour, or the project—and often enjoy the freedom to work from anywhere.

Key Traits of a Successful Freelance Copywriter

1. Versatility – You may write about cancer awareness t-shirts one day, and Allen Bradley transformers the next.

2. SEO Knowledge – Using tools and keywords like “SEO candidate portal” or “Spanish news for beginners.”

3. Audience Awareness – Understanding how to appeal to niche audiences, whether it’s face painting in Turkey or selling the Yayin paper crane accessory.

4. Marketing Mindset – Your copy should convert, not just inform.

Tools You May Use

To thrive as a freelance copywriter, you’ll likely use:

• Grammarly / Hemingway – Grammar and readability

• Surfer SEO / Yoast – Content optimization

• Google Docs / Notion – Collaboration and project management

• Matrixify translation / Google Translate – Multilingual content

• AI assistants like ChatGPT or tools from HIX.AI – Ideation and drafting

Where to Learn Copywriting Basics

If you're just starting and want to answer what is freelance copywriting more deeply, look into:

• Coursera or Udemy courses

• Freelancerway blog tutorials (Freelancerway.com)

• Free eBooks like Deep Learning with Microsoft Cognitive Toolkit Quick Start Guide EPUB (for technical niche writers)

• Marketing blogs or newsletters

Practice writing about real topics like “can you get a BUI on a kayak”, how to get clients for lawn care, or dropshipping virtual assistant job ads.

How to Build a Freelance Copywriting Portfolio

Even without clients, you can build a strong portfolio.

Step 1: Pick 3–5 Niches

Examples include:

• Health (e.g., cancer awareness t-shirts ideas)

• Tech (e.g., web scraping in VBA, matlab to python translator)

• Real Estate (e.g., Paul McGraw real estate)

• Fashion/Beauty (e.g., design of scarf, logo and packaging)

• Education (e.g., Spanish pledge of allegiance words)

Step 2: Write Sample Pieces

Craft mock blog posts, landing pages, or product descriptions using keywords such as:

• Yayin paper crane accessory

• Convert image to laser engraving online free

• Tailwind Air pilot jobs

Step 3: Publish or Showcase Online

Host your samples on:

• A personal website or blog

• Freelancerway profile

• Medium or LinkedIn

• Google Drive shareable folder

How Much Do Freelance Copywriters Earn?

Earnings vary depending on experience, niche, and pricing model:

Specialized topics like Servicenow experts, big data, parallax robotics, or espv technical docs can command premium rates.

Where to Find Freelance Copywriting Jobs

1. Freelancing Platforms

• Upwork

• Fiverr

• PeoplePerHour

• Freelancer

• Freelancerway

2. Remote Job Boards

• ProBlogger

• We Work Remotely

• AngelList

• FlexJobs (great for finding appointment setter remote jobs worldwide)

3. Social Media & Forums

• LinkedIn (follow “Hire a writer for a book” posts)

• Reddit (subreddits like r/HireAWriter)

• Facebook groups for digital nomads and entrepreneurs

How to Pitch Clients

1. Find Contact Info
   Use tools or directories like restaurant owner email list or niche B2B searches.

2. Craft a Tailored Proposal
   Example subject: “Boost Your Lawn Care Website Conversions with SEO Copy”

3. Include Samples & Social Proof
   Mention any niche experience: “I recently completed a campaign for a dropshipping virtual assistant client focused on lawn tools.”

4. Set Clear Deliverables
   “2 blog posts/month, each 1,000 words, optimized for Google, delivered via Google Docs.”

Niche Opportunities in Copywriting

To stand out, consider writing in niches such as:

The more niche your content, the easier it is to charge more and get steady clients.

Tips for Scaling Your Freelance Copywriting Career

1. Outsource & Delegate
   Hire a virtual assistant, editor, or designer for packaging and formatting tasks.

2. Automate Lead Generation
   Use email marketing or SEO with the help of platforms like Lords Consultant.

3. Productize Services
   Offer packages: 4 blogs/month for $800, email sequence for $300, etc.

4. Specialize & Build Authority
   Become the go-to writer for hiab hire, NFT, or Umbraco developers content.

5. Create a Personal Brand
   Share wins and tips on social media—post client success like “This product page I wrote boosted conversions by 38%.”

Real-Life Success Story: Meet Lara

Lara started copywriting part-time, offering help with Instagram mass report bot descriptions and writing emails for a dropshipping virtual assistant company. After creating niche samples and networking via Freelancerway, she landed 3 long-term clients.

With help from Lords Consultant, she:

• Streamlined her onboarding process

• Launched a niche blog

• Created a lead magnet for restaurant email marketing

Within 12 months, Lara scaled to earning over $5,000/month consistently.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Too Generic Portfolio – Focus on specific audiences like real estate, e-commerce, or AI tools.

• Underpricing – If you're offering niche, conversion-focused writing, don’t charge $0.03/word.

• Neglecting SEO – Learn to research keywords (e.g., “logo stunt,” “design of scarf,” “convert xfbin file to object”).

• Overpromising – Be honest about deliverables, deadlines, and topic familiarity.

FAQs About Freelance Copywriting

Q: Is freelance copywriting easy to learn?
A: With commitment and practice, yes. Start with simple writing tasks and grow from there.

Q: Do I need a writing degree?
A: No. Many top copywriters are self-taught, using courses, mentors, and real-world projects.

Q: How do I deal with difficult clients?
A: Use clear contracts, maintain boundaries, and learn when to walk away.

Q: Can I write in other languages?
A: Absolutely. If you’re multilingual (e.g., writing in Spanish, Catalan), you're even more valuable.

Conclusion

So, what is freelance copywriting? It’s the art of using words to achieve results—whether that’s boosting sales, growing traffic, or building brand trust. It offers flexibility, income, and creative satisfaction. The demand is growing, and if you're willing to learn, practice, and connect with the right people, it's one of the most accessible freelance paths out there.

Start today by visiting Freelancerway to create your writer profile or explore jobs, and check out Lords Consultant for help structuring and scaling your business.

July 09, 2025, 09:25 pm