How much should you pay for website copywriting?

It’s hard to know how much to pay in website copywriting rates when launching or upgrading your website. Make sure you’re not spending too much.

When it comes to website copywriting, less is more. However, even though you aren’t paying for thousands of words, you should always have the job done by a professional. A good website content writer will provide enticing copy with clear calls to action. The content will spell out exactly how the customer will benefit from your services, no matter what your business. They will add clear, appealing headings which spell out what you do. Headings like. . .

Website copywriting

See what I did there? So, how do you choose a copywriter and how do you know if you are paying too much? Here’s my answer to both questions, based on my experience writing copy for well over 100 business websites.

How do you choose a website content writer?

Many of my clients find themselves bamboozled by the avalanche of writers and agencies who proclaim their words are like peaches to fruit bats. When making a decision, look for someone who has at least a basic understanding of your industry. Check that they have experience, not just as a website writer but in the digital realm as a whole. Like anything, writing for the web is a skill. A good copywriter will be able to quickly gain an understanding of your business. They will be able to write website content that appeals directly to your customers. Have a chat before you make a decision and don’t be afraid to ask your friends who are also in business for referrals.

How much does a website copywriter charge?

There are no hard and fast website copywriting rates. You can pay as little as $80 and upwards of $200 per page, depending on who you recruit to help you with the job. Your website copy will likely cost more if you want SEO keyword research included in the price. Sometimes it can help to skip the middleman. If you contract the work to an agency, they will charge more as there are more people involved with your project. They pay a freelancer and skim some of the cost off the top. This freelance copywriter will do the same work for you direct as they would for an agency. So, you’re looking at between $80 and $200 per page. The amount you pay depends on a few things:

• The experience of the copywriter
• The number of people involved with delivering the final product
• How much copy you need (you may be able to swing a discount for a high number of pages)
• How much content you wish to have on each page
• Whether the copy is a revision of what’s on your existing website

To rank well on Google you need to have a decent word count, however you need to balance this with the overall look of the page. On ‘Contact’ pages, for example, it is important to keep it simple with only a small amount of content. It doesn’t hurt to shop around and get a few quotes for website copywriting rates but beware of paying too little. Someone who promises to do the work for $50 per page may be grossly inexperienced. They likely don’t have an understanding of what is involved and will do a rush job.

View my website copy packages

Website copywriting procedures

As a freelance website content writer, I have written for businesses that provide cat boarding, bespoke metalwork, IT services, insurance repair jobs, organic tea and glass shower screens, to name a few. I have learned a lot about a range of fields, including aged care services, environmental innovation and the future of security surveillance (which is pretty amazing). The way I work is as follows:

• Initial chat to scope out the project
• Supply a quote
• Send a questionnaire to better get to know the business
• Research SEO keywords (if requested)
• Phone call (if necessary) with someone from within the business
• First draft (at least 300 words, unless specified otherwise)
• Receive feedback from clients and revise
• One more round of feedback and revision before sign-off

All this is included in the per-page rate, so you can see a lot more goes into it than the words alone. Depending on time frames, I can usually deliver the first draft within a two week period. It fills me with warm fuzzies when my clients provide feedback without too much delay. Great website copy opens the door to customers, customers, customers. It is worth the investment up front and when done well will start to pay for itself straight away. Looking for a website content writer? You’ve found her. Clea Sherman is a freelance copywriter with past experience as a digital product manager (this means she ‘gets’ websites in more ways than one).

Take a look at my website copywriting rates today.

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