How to start a freelance copywriting business with no copywriter experience (2024)

The average copywriter can make up to $57,000 every year. But that’s just for an average writer. Depending on your experience and skill set, you can make anywhere from $30K-$90K per year as a copywriter.

— Khris Steven

Personally, I've written more long-form content than copy. About 25% of my monthly output constitutes web and ad copy. Based on that experience alone, I can vouch for the above statement. Copywriting is one of the most desired and lucrative skills for the professional word-merchant.

Of course, if you are reading this article, you already know this. Why else would you want to start a copywriting business?

As someone who moved from full-time writing to freelance copywriting (and long-form writing) work in 2022, I can relate to all your struggles in setting up a successful copywriting business. This article is here to help.

In this piece, you'll find preliminary information required to start your copywriting business. It will also give you a few examples of what a great copywriting portfolio looks like and give you ideas on how to find clients for your copywriting services.

Additionally, I'll introduce a tool that helps you build a copywriting portfolio from scratch. This tool does most of the work for you and helps you put together a minimalist, comprehensive freelance writer's portfolio within minutes. If that is something you believe can help you with your copywriting career, stick around till the end of the article.

No experience as a copywriter? Let's work on your first copywriting project.

It can seem impossible (or at least very difficult) to start a new business with no experience. Setting aside the business practices, finding your first copywriting client isn't easy if you have no work samples or writing skills to showcase.

Consider joining a copywriting course

If you have no experience as a copywriter and want to work as one, this is the easiest way to get your foot in the door. Learning the basic skills is always the first step — some people learn on their job, but not everyone has to.

If you sign up for the right course, you'll be able to learn fundamental creative techniques, understand what clients want, and how to adjust your tone and content to industry/company/team expectations.

Learning copywriting provides you with a toolkit with workable strategies and templates. However, make sure that the course will also allow you to put pen to paper (or type) and write copy. All the conceptual knowledge in the world doesn't count if you can't showcase your talent with copywriting skills someone can actually use.

Any course worth paying should help you generate different types of copy that you can include in your portfolio website. Of course, you must clearly emphasize that the samples were generated in a class and attach proof of your attendance and completion of said course.

Volunteer for a non-profit

Is there a cause you care about? Do you like the work of a not-for-profit or charitable organization? Why not check if they have any volunteer opportunities for content writers and copywriters?

I know. It absolutely sucks to write for free or, worse, for "exposure." But there's no way to showcase your "best work" if you have no work at all.

Volunteering doesn't just help you sharpen your writing skills and gather work samples for your portfolio page. The act of donating your time and effort is a hugely positive recommendation for your work ethic and character — something plenty of potential employers will appreciate.

Use FakeClients

FakeClients is a website that automatically generates professional industry briefs. Create copy based on an automatically generated copywriting brief, feed it into the system (you get feedback), and voila! — you have work samples without experience. Consider creating web copy, email copy, case studies, and other copywriting essentials with these briefs.

This is a great way to showcase your abilities and build your portfolio. However, be careful to notify every client that you've used machine-generated briefs. Nothing ruins your chances of success faster than a lack of transparency.

So now you have some copywriting samples. Next...

Consider some full-time copywriting jobs

If you can play the long game, getting some in-house copywriting experience is a great way to kick off your freelance writing career. Yes, I know that sounds time-consuming, but a copywriting position is a legitimate pathway to launching your copywriting business.

An entry-level job as a new copywriter won't pay you heaps, but neither will your first clients. By taking a full-time job, you'll find it easier to work with multiple forms of writing — website copy, blogs, social media copywriting, email copywriting, and so on.

In a year, you can gain significant experience, especially if you actively take on different kinds of projects at your job. You can also make some valuable connections to help set up your freelance business when you quit.

Figure out your copywriting niche

A full-time job will help you figure out your niche. Before you become a copywriter for hire, be very sure of what you're good at. Experienced copywriters build their skills over their careers, so you don't have to start by writing every kind of content under the sun. Your year of full-time work should help you zero in on your best skills, so you'll know if you're better at 1000-word blogs (possibly search engine optimized) or 30-character Google ad copy.

It took me a while to figure out my niche (B2B tech & product) and required a combination of market research, my own interests (I love space documentaries and tech reviews), economic considerations (some industries pay more by default), levels of competition, and some cold pitching.

Put a couple of months into this exercise, and you'll understand exactly what will set you apart in the copywriting world.

Register your freelance copywriting business

To start your own copywriting business, it isn't enough to just become a copywriter. You have to make quite a few non-copy decisions, too.

Single proprietorship or LLC? You have to make this essential decision, so here is a guide.

Choose a name for your business. Whatever you choose, don't forget to verify it on a trademark registry, so you don't have to deal with a legal skirmish later on. Check for domain availability and social media presence so you have assurance that your name is original.

Get a tax ID with the IRS.

Check for all local and state permits. I can't give you a website that lists everything because the legal requirements change with location and services. Check directly with your local trade authorities to get a full account of the permits you must acquire. They will inform you of everything you need.

Get familiar with accounting

Yes, you have to pick up some accounting skills. It's part of growing your business.

If you are not a numbers person (like me), it will feel awful at first. But running a small business means having to meet the major business needs yourself (it's an unfair world sometimes).

Thankfully, it's not as hard as we think. Most importantly, as all business owners will tell you, you must know everything about your money — where it's coming from, where it's going, and if the books are balanced.

The essential steps are:

• Open a separate business account.
• Track every business expense, from buying paper clips to payments for a freelance designer.
• Pick a convenient invoicing software so that you don't have to create invoices manually. It's easy enough to do so with a few clients, but once your business booms, you will need technology to get the job done.
• Always save part of your income for tax payments.

Create a draft of your copywriting contract

Every freelance writer needs a detailed contract that specifies their scope of work and protects them from undue exploitation. Your contract should mention, in no uncertain terms:

• Your scope of work. What you'll deliver, by when, and how many times you're willing to revise the first draft.
• Payment. Clarify what you charge for each kind of copywriting, what your advance rates are (if any), and when payment is due. Don't forget to mention your charges for revising a draft after a certain number of reworks. Additionally, don't forget to mention that if the client changes the project direction in the middle of your contract, all work based on new ideation will entail additional charges.
• Include a confidentiality clause that protects your IP, and fortify it with indemnity clauses guarding you against damage, liability, loss, and the like.
• Finally, wrap it up with a termination clause stating that either party can terminate the contract. Mention any fees that kick in with early termination.

Get comfortable with networking

I'm quite socially awkward (thankfully, my friends are cool with this), so the thought of networking made me want to live in a Himalayan cave. Thankfully, networking these days doesn't seem to be as uptight and stolid as it used to be (or so I have been told). Turns out, mostly it is just having the confidence to talk about yourself and your work (an absolute nightmare for someone like me).

• Start by talking to your family, friends, and ex-colleagues. Most of my freelance clients came to me through my ex-colleagues' recommendations.
• Post and scroll on LinkedIn. Some of my most lucrative contracts have come from LinkedIn posts, both my own and others. I even got a music writing gig, and I don't even do that professionally.
• Attend workshops, business brunches, and local meet-ups. But don't just go in to find clients. Talk to industry pros and listen to their stories. Don't forget to talk to proprietors of other small businesses. You'll gain some passive experience, know about potential pitfalls, and might even gain friends to vent with.
• Be active on LinkedIn, Reddit, and Facebook groups.

Social media is as much your professional identity as your portfolio. I'd wager that social media matters more when you're just starting a new copywriting and content writing brand. This is because you want to be visible to a multitude of clients from the get-go. Social media provides this visibility. Your portfolio helps you close the deal.

• Create business profiles on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook (yes, it still matters) and Instagram. Each profile should be a keen representation of your writing business.
• Post interesting and valuable information, tips, expert insights, and a few (professional) jokes. Use your platform to convey your professional personality.
• Comment on the posts of potential clients and peers. If you can provide value within a 100-word comment, you'll attract positive attention.
• Research hashtags your clients would use, and then pepper them into your posts.
• Don't be afraid to reach out directly to prospective clients. Introduce yourself, and simply ask if they'd like to start a conversation. Don't worry about making a sale with your first message.

Create a copywriting portfolio that gets the right attention

All copywriting jobs (and every other job) require a portfolio. In this document, you prove that you do indeed know a thing or two or five about the craft of copywriting.

I actually wrote a whole article on this, part of which I will be quoting here. But if you're interested in the deep-dive, here it is: Copywriter Portfolio Template + The Best Copywriting Portfolio Examples

Elements of a great copywriter portfolio

A bio that shows off the best of you

Your homepage has only a few minutes to make a good first impression, and your bio is the first thing that prospective employers will see. Give potential clients a true picture of your work experience, educational background, and accomplishments in this section.

Every copywriter needs a tagline under their name so that people know what their core skills are at a single glance. For example, on my portfolio, the tagline at the top of the page goes:

Freelance writer & editor for B2B & B2C SaaS across tech & non-tech domains - BrowserStack | Authory | Sprinklr | TestRail by Gurock & more

Writing samples to showcase your skills

This is the meat of the matter. Taking center stage in your portfolio, these are examples of published work authored by you (long-form articles, website copy, email copy, etc.) for past or existing clients.

You can create a separate page for your samples, or you can use Authory to place everything in a single page, sleek online portfolio that does not require clients to click around too much.

Suppose you're worried about having to copy/paste or upload too many work samples (because it is best to have as many samples as possible). In that case, Authory can actually automatically import your content from any URL you specify.

Your contact information

This part is self-explanatory but must be mentioned. You could have a separate contact page or just place your contact information right underneath your bio on your portfolio page. Don't forget to add your public social media accounts, especially your LinkedIn.

Figuring out your pitch

Pitching your copywriting will seem like the most daunting thing in the world when you get started as a copywriter. This is your David vs. Goliath for anyone wanting to run a business. But there are no shortcuts to grow your copywriting business.

Here are a few tips I've gathered from experienced copywriters (online and in my circle):

• Focus on what you can do for the client. Closing your first big contract is absolutely a massive deal, but clients want to know that you understand them, not the other way around.
• Reference the client's name and something they might have mentioned in a post on social media. Everything wants to feel seen and heard, and one of the best ways to get someone's attention is to notice their achievements. Listen closely, and you'll get to understand what a client's actual needs are.
• Be prepared for rejection and silence. Mow through it. Feel free to follow up once or twice, but keep going for the next client. I'm a firm believer in the fact that opportunity shows up for the motivated.

Why use Authory to create your copywriting portfolio?

Let's talk about what you get when you sign up for a FREE Authory account:

Auto-updating portfolio

Given that you should, ideally, look to add ALL your content to your portfolio to showcase the breadth and depth of your work, an automatic portfolio builder like Authory is a blessing. There's no need to keep updating your portfolio because Authory will do that for you.

Collections

With collections, you can organize ALL your content into public and/or private sections to share with specific clients. In fact, you can build a collection for each gig application if you so choose!

Assurance that your writing is AI-free

Authory offers, by default, a Human Writer Certificate. The tool stores and maintains an archive of every customer’s content. Instead of looking at their writing in isolation, Authory’s AI-detection algorithm looks at the writer’s ENTIRE publication history. This allows it to recognize, internalize, and judge each writer’s personal writing style closely, almost without inaccuracy.

By doing so, this portfolio builder can also definitively state that you do not use any AI tools or editors to generate content. If you're curious about knowing more, check out the video below.

Websites go down, content gets re-bylined, and people constantly lose access to their work. With Authory, that'll never be an issue because it backs up all your content in their original formats — no measly screenshots here — so your work is safeguarded forever.

Sign up for your free trial

There's a lot, LOT more, but I can't write about all of it without bloating this article to an unreadable standard. Instead, why not try Authory's free 14-day trial? Build your portfolio in about 3 minutes, and let's take it from there.