Knowing how to price your services can be daunting when starting as a freelance copywriter. The decision you make can depend on a variety of factors. How much experience do you have in your niche? Will you charge per hour, per project, or per word? But looking at the average freelance copywriter salary where you live can help you decide your rates. Living in the capital of the UK myself, here is the average freelance copywriter salary in London.
How do you price your freelance copywriting services?
This vastly depends on where you are in your freelance career and your experience in copywriting. Most freelancers would agree that charging per hour penalizes your experience. So using pay rates that lean towards charging per project is ideal. I think this is specifically true for advanced copywriters with lots of experience and portfolios behind them.
However, if you’re a beginner in copywriting and just looking to jump on the ladder to build up your portfolio, you may want to charge a per-hour or day rate to focus primarily on building your client portfolio.
What is the average London Freelance Copywriter Salary?
Indeed notes that the average Freelance Copywriter salary in London is £46,471 per year or £24.71 per hour. This compares to the average full-time Copywriter’s salary in London, which is £34,454 per year.
What is the average UK Freelance Copywriter Salary?
According to Indeed, a freelance copywriter’s salary in the UK is £48,358 per year or £25.72 per hour. This compares to the average copywriter salary in the UK, which is £29,689 per year. Freelancers should charge more than PAYE full-time Copywriters due to the nature of the work not being based more around projects compared to full-time work.
What does the breakdown of a freelance copywriter’s salary go towards?
Annual Self-Assessment Tax includes tax which is broken down further into pension, National Insurance and more.
Office overhead – if working from home, your electricity, gas, Wifi usage, etc, is used more than if you were in an office and you should therefore consider this when pricing your services.
Sick pay/ days off/ holidays
Insurance – e.g. business insurance, work equipment insurance, marketing tools, etc.
Travel – travelling to client meetings, networking events, etc.
These are just a few things to consider when calculating your freelance copywriter salary. Business expenses like insurance, travel etc. can also be categorised as expenses on your self-assessment, so you don’t pay tax for this, since they are needed to run your business.
Leverage your skills as a freelance copywriter
Although I’ve shared the average freelance copywriter salary, it’s also important to note that as a freelancer, your price rates should increase as your experience develops. As a freelance copywriter, you are a business and are, therefore, responsible for making sure you stay on top of changes in your industry. From AI tools to budget cuts in certain industries, you need to be in the loop of what is happening in your field.
So, take regular courses to ensure you stand out from competitors. Subscribe to newsletters that share the latest copywriter news and tips. This way, you’re always developing your skills, giving you more leverage to raise your rates as your freelance copywriting career evolves.
Freelance copywriter FAQS
How do I find work as a freelance copywriter?
Signing up for freelance writer newsletters can help you find freelance copywriter gigs. They can act as a handy agent, taking the time off your hands from frantically searching for freelance gigs on your own all the time. This post suggests some newsletters for writers that have helped me on my journey.
Regularly circling back to clients you have worked with or other people on your contact list is a go-to method freelancers use to find regular gigs.
Can I become a freelance copywriter with no previous paid work?
Absolutely. In this day and age, there are various ways of practising showcasing your writing. From social media to regular posting on your blog, these can all serve as examples to potential clients of your writing. Of course, if you have little experience, this may be reflected in your pay rate. But we all have to start somewhere.
You don’t have to wait for your first paid client to start working on your writing and building a personal portfolio.
What are the most popular niches in freelance copywriting?
The rise and evolution of tech means there is more of a need for people to explain it. So, this is an industry that is on the rise. Regarding the types of popular freelance copywriting services, email copywriting, podcast scripts, video scripts, and AI prompting are all areas in rising demand.
How do I connect with other freelance copywriters?
Networking with freelancers in niches and locations similar to yours is a great way to see the market average. How can you meet other freelancers? As many freelancers work independently, your best bet is to connect with a few online via social media. LinkedIn and Instagram, in particular, are good ways to find freelancers.
You can also Google freelancer events in your area to try to meet freelancers in person and maybe even do remote working days together. Cultivating relationships this way will help you build trust amongst fellow freelance copywriters, which will inevitably help with transparency in sharing rates.
I am part of a freelance writer WhatsApp group with a culture of transparency with pay rates, which has helped me seek opportunities.
You can join the Remi Reports newsletter for a chance to connect with other freelance copywriters through our WhatsApp community group, too.
Community is key for freelancers, especially as we are solopreneurs.
