You have several website copywriting proposals sitting in your inbox. Each proposal comes with an important figure:
The website copywriting rate.
But wait … why do they vary so widely? Should you go with the highest or the lowest rate? Is each copywriter offering the same thing?
All answers are provided here. Keep reading to learn:
- What website copywriting services include
- Why you should be wary of ‘cheap’ copywriting
- The average website copywriting rates
- The different elements factored into pricing
- Whether or not you need a full copywriting service
Use this knowledge to make a wise investment that results in sensational content for your website project.
What counts as ‘website copywriting’?
Website copywriting includes:
- Website pages
- Landing pages
- Product descriptions
- Case studies
- Testimonials
- SEO content
Some copywriters will specialise in a certain type of content for websites, such as product descriptions or landing pages. Others will do the whole shebang.
Think carefully about what your website project needs before asking for quotes. If your copywriter has the full picture, it will help them plan and price more efficiently, saving you both time and energy.
You'll need a good brief before you can ask about the figures (check your brief isn't missing these five things before sending).
If you’re not sure what you need, talk it through with your copywriter. Their fresh perspective can unearth ideas you might not have considered.
Is website copywriting expensive?
Writing content for websites is a skilled job. It requires experience, creativity, research and commercial awareness to write persuasive copy.
Some companies spend tens of thousands on content for websites.Because it pays for itself (and then some).
Want high conversion rates? You need compelling words to complement your gorgeous web design. Yes, those words likely come with a higher price tag. It’s not that they’re expensive. You’re simply paying what they're worth.
Whereas ‘cheap’ copy could do more harm than good, impacting your brand image, reputation and, ultimately, your bottom line.
Truth is, the cost is subjective, dependent on the value placed on it and the return generated.
Let’s look at the average website copywriting rates to give you an idea of what’s considered ‘cheap’ and ‘expensive’.
What are the average website copywriting rates?
Some copywriters charge day rates for written website content. This covers 7-8 hours of work per day. It makes billing simple, giving the client a better grasp of their budget and projected costs.
The average day rate for website copywriting in 2020 was £379.
Procopywriters also found that:
- senior copywriters charge between £800 – £2000+ per day
- junior copywriters start at around £250 per day
For comparison, the average day rate for HR consultancy is £500.
74% of copywriters charge per project. They might calculate this using their day rate or a set fee per web page.
Or they might provide website copywriting packages, with various fixed rates depending on the service required.
Another variation of this is a retainer. The client pays a monthly sum for a pre-agreed period.
Copywriting retainers can start from anywhere between £150 to £20,000+ per month.
All website copywriting rates are subject to rise and fall depending on the copywriter’s experience, expertise, location and the type of client they’re serving (they may offer a discount for a charity or startup).
Note that landing pages can cost more than standard web pages. That’s because they tend to have higher conversion potential.
What goes into website copywriting?
Get to know all the skills, work and tools involved in website copywriting services.
You’ll be in a much stronger position when you understand the context behind the rates provided. It’ll help you choose the right copywriter and service for your website project.
Website copywriting services can include:
Research: a copywriter may spend several hours interviewing you (often known as an insight or discovery session) to understand your business, customers, brand, tone of voice and long-term goals. They may also conduct market or competitor research.
Planning and strategy: if the project lacks a structure, a copywriter may use their time to create a website content plan. They might also develop a landing page strategy to support marketing campaigns.
Tone of voice (TOV) guidelines: if a brand lacks a defined tone of voice, a copywriter may assist by creating TOV guidelines. A strong and clearly defined voice brings a brand’s personality to life, differentiating it from the crowd and giving clients, staff and stakeholders something to align to. It can make or break a project and support future copywriting endeavours.
Audience research: Talking to or researching your audience directly is key to understanding the voice of the customer - something you’ll want to reflect on your site to entice engagement. A copywriter may also create audience personas to support more targeted website content.
Project management: from sending emails and handling revisions to liaising with website developers, most website copywriting projects require a degree of project management.
Interviews: a copywriter may interview employees, clients or other stakeholders to grasp more technical aspects of a client’s business.
Creativity: it takes brainpower and time to create compelling taglines, product names, headlines and copy.
Variants: a client may ask for two or more variations of the same page (like a homepage) for A/B testing or simply because they want more than one option.
Editing and proofreading: two or three rounds of edits are usually included in website copywriting services. A copywriter may stipulate in their contract that they will charge extra for any additional edits.
SEO: a client may ask for keyword research and/or SEO copywriting to drive traffic and boost rankings. A copywriter may also use paid tools to further optimise the website content.
This list is not exhaustive. But it highlights the many different services involved in the website copywriting process.
A copywriter should break down what services are included in their proposal. If you’re ever in doubt, give them a call.
The key to a wise copywriting investment?
Is trust and a clear brief.
Trust that the website copywriting rate you’re given reflects the services on offer. That the content provided will help you delight and dazzle your visitors so you can smash your marketing goals.
And a clear brief that defines success on terms both you and the writer understand and can achieve.
Use what you’ve learnt today to find a copywriter you can trust, who will make your business irresistible with the right words.
One final note: when searching for website copywriting services, it’s useful to see examples of a copywriter’s previous work.
Check out our article: What Makes The Best Website Copywriting? (And What Makes the Worst?). It will help you when comparing portfolios and proposals with various rates.
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