Having a great copywriter by your side can make all the difference when it comes to achieving business success! It can truly be the difference between a thriving business and one that fades into obscurity. But how much should you expect to pay? Unfortunately, there’s no simple, clear-cut answer. Copywriting rates often vary across the industry and depend greatly on who you’re working with, the skills they have and the kind of copywriting services you’re seeking.
No need to worry! In this comprehensive guide to copywriter costs, we’ll do our best to help you navigate this tricky territory. From how copywriter rates are determined, how much you should expect to pay and what copywriters typically charge to how you should go about making a decision – we’ve got you covered. Let’s dig in and get started.
How are copywriting rates determined?
Various factors may influence copywriting rates and how they are charged. Let’s jump in and have a look at some of the considerations that may affect your final price.
Experience
Experience is one of the most important things to keep in mind when it comes to copywriting rates. It’s probably unsurprising that the more copywriting work a writer has completed, the more experienced they become in their profession and their industry specialisation (if they have one). And the more experienced they are, the more equipped they are to produce higher-quality content results and the more they are likely to charge. So you really need to consider how important experience is to you and assign a budget accordingly.
Skills
The skills a writer has also have a significant impact on copywriting rates. Writers who have advanced writing skills or knowledge of SEO-friendly copywriting best practices can revolutionise your content. In the copywriting industry, access to a better skill set normally costs more money. Meaning talented copywriters set higher prices.
Subject expertise
Subject expertise is another key factor in determining rates. Even the best copywriters don’t know everything. Depending on your industry, you may need to pay more to find a content writer with knowledge and skills relevant to your brand. In some cases, it is possible to work with a writer who is less familiar with your topic. However, this means you may pay less due to the writer’s unfamiliarity or you may pay more to accommodate research time. Either way, it’s definitely something you have to weigh up when deciding on how much you choose to pay.
Demand & availability
Demand and availability can have a major impact on copywriting rates. Busy writers often book copywriting work weeks or even months in advance. As a writer’s calendar fills up with more clients, they may need to raise their prices, filtering out low-paying work. While in-demand writers can be more expensive, they can be worth their weight in gold.
Time zones
Time zones and locations also influence copywriting rates. When working with a freelance copywriter, you may need to work across a time difference to exchange information, either by phone or email. While most copywriters are happy to work remotely, challenging time differences may result in additional fees. So make sure you factor this in too.
Turnaround
Turnaround is another important consideration when it comes to predicting copywriting fees. Copywriting can be time-consuming, especially if keyword research or SEO work is required. Regardless of whether your chosen writer charges a price based on an hourly rate, longer projects will likely be more expensive than shorter ones. It’s always best to discuss this upfront so that you and your writing provider can set clear expectations.
What do copywriters typically charge?
Now that we’ve covered the factors that go into copywriting rates, let’s have a look at how copywriters actually charge in the wild. In Australia, standard copywriting rates range from as little as $50 to as much as $250 per hour. The exact hourly rate is influenced by your chosen provider’s business model and booking calendar, as well as by the type of copy you need.
Generally, newer copywriters fall at the lower end of the pay scale, earning an hourly rate of $50 or $60, while more experienced writers begin to charge more for their services. These fees are represented using the hourly rate model, however, that may not be how your copywriting costs are charged. Some writers may bill projects using a flat fee, a per-word rate, or even a day rate.
Standard Australian copywriting rates can give you a general idea of price expectations, but they don’t always cover all expenses or price variations. Exact copywriting costs may be influenced by your business. If you work in a particularly technological or complex field, you might need to pay extra for quality SEO-friendly content writing services.
What does the MEAA recommend?
The Media, Entertainment, and Arts Alliance, or MEAA, provides freelance rates for a range of professional and creative service providers in Australia. These rates inform what Australian copywriters charge.
MEAA’s freelance rates are designed to align with the expected income of in-house media and journalism professionals at large organisations, such as Nine Network or News Corp Australia.
According to the latest MEAA rates update, general freelancers should earn a day rate of $1,028 or $257 per hour. These fees reflect the complexity of the writing industry and the high level of experience required to produce effective copy and content.
The MEAA’s recommendations don’t provide a fixed price, and many copywriters may charge more or less than the standard value. However, the MEAA does offer a good guide to how much the best copywriters usually charge per day or per hour.
How much should you pay for a copywriter?
As a business owner, it’s important that you seek quality copywriting services, to ensure that your brand is represented effectively, your organic search rankings are high and that your lines of communication with customers are clear. Usually, this will mean that you will need to look for a more experienced, senior writer, who has worked with brands similar to yours and has skills like SEO copywriting. And will likely also mean you’ll be expected to pay in the mid-high range of the average rates we discussed earlier.
This translates to somewhere between $100-250 an hour. Keep in mind, you may need to pay a deposit of 10-15% depending on the provider you’re using. Also, if you’re placing a bulk copy order, some providers may offer discounts to bring total costs down. For this reason, it’s always worth considering the entire project you’re planning ahead of time.
When you’re deciding on your price point, it’s important to think carefully about your decision (with all of the aforementioned factors in mind (experience, timezones, skills, turnaround and subjective expertise etc.). This way, you can ensure that you achieve the highest-quality content in a cost-effective way, all while paying your copywriter a fair and liveable wage.
What does Prozely charge?
Prozely is a content marketplace, home to a team of skilled and talented SEO-friendly copywriters! Our combined expertise allows us to write effective copy across a range of topics, industries, and niches.
At Prozely, we recognise the variability of the writing field, which is why we offer a range of pricing packages to suit all copywriting needs. All of our packages use the word pricing model.
For start-ups and small business clients, we offer a bronze copywriting package at a rate of $0.15 per word, with junior writers fulfilling these orders. Our silver package, at a rate of $0.30 per word, allows you to work with a more experienced writer.
For larger businesses, we offer a gold copywriting package at a per-word rate of $0.60. This package allows you to work with mid-level to senior copywriters, along with a dedicated manager.
Finally, for premium publications, we offer a $1.00 per-word platinum copywriting service. This package allows you to work with a dedicated manager and an expert SEO copywriter.
Level up with a well-priced copywriter today
Are you looking for a skilled and well-priced copywriter right now? Whether you own a start-up business or run a successful major company, Prozely writers can help you achieve your content goals! And we’re happy to take your entire copywriter wishlist into account to get you the match you deserve.
Learn more about the talented Prozely team today!
