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Do you have blog posts, web pages or a series of product descriptions you need writing? Before your freelance writer can put pen to paper (or, rather, finger to keyboard) you’re going to need to create a copywriting brief.
Many businesses don’t know how to brief a copywriter, so we’ve put together some simple tips and shared a copywriting brief template you can use.
What is a copywriting brief?
In a nutshell, a good copywriting brief tells your writer everything they need to know to create the content to the standard you’re expecting. This includes:
- your company name and website
- the product or service you want to position
- your audience and how you talk to them
- what you need the writer to produce (e.g. web page, blog post etc and number of words)
Signs of a good copywriting brief are:
- enough detail
- examples (such as links or photos)
- agreement of certain contractual aspects (such as delivery time, fee and revisions)
The benefits of a good copywriting brief
Some freelance writers charge by the word, others by the hour and some also charge for each round of amends. That’s why it saves you money (and time) if you can get your finished piece spot on the first time around. That’s where the perfect copywriting brief comes in.
When your writer knows exactly what you want to communicate to your reader, they’re well equipped to provide you with content that engages, informs and above all converts.
Ultimately, according to Forbes, “the test of a good creative brief: if the editor, client, or company leader looks at the finished piece and says, ‘This is exactly what we wanted!’ the creative brief is a smashing success.”
How to write a copywriting brief – with template
If you came here looking for a copywriting brief template, you’re in luck. Below we share how to write a brief for a copywriter with a template of what to include:
Project detail
First, get down all the basics of what you need:
Type of content
Tell the writer what you want to be written. Is it an article, a blog post, a piece of web content, or a bunch of product or category page descriptions for your e-commerce site?
Length
You may have a strict 500-word limit or be willing to let a copywriter run with it. Always state whether this will impact payment.
Subject
Now, what is it about? Perhaps the subject is fashion if you need to promote your new range of womenswear, or health if you want to add insight to a medical surgery blog. If you need a piece of content to pitch higher than general readership, mention if you’d prefer a copywriter with industry-specific knowledge.
Project context
Is this part of a larger project – have you already produced similar content in-house or using other writers? Your writer won’t know, so state how this copywriting job fits into your overall content marketing campaign and provide examples where necessary. Also, don’t forget to tell them where this piece of content will appear.
Company information
Getting your company ethos and tone of voice right comes down to the writer understanding as much as they can about you. Let them know if you’re a start-up, if you’re rebranding in a particular area or if you have a niche. How do you communicate with your customers? Are you humorous, personal and friendly, or professional and formal?
Audience
Any information you can supply about your customer demographic will help. This includes data you’ve pulled or customer profiles you might have produced as part of your business or marketing plan.
Call to action
Don’t forget the reason you want a piece of content written! Should the call to action be to link to your contact page, push customers towards taking advantage of an offer, or sign up to your newsletter?
Keywords
In the age of digital marketing, search engine optimisation (SEO) can be the difference between making it onto page one of Google and being lost to the recesses of the internet. Let the writer know what search terms (including any localisation or variables) you want to be included, such as ‘plumbers in Croydon’.
Images
Be aware, not all freelance copywriters offer a service for providing images of other multimedia content. Include details about what kind of image as well as quality, size and orientation you’re looking for.
The task
Here you can flesh out your concept. If you want a writer to plug a certain event, you need to provide them with the information or links to sources that can help them. Got a specific layout you want? Provide a style guide for them to follow.
Additional information
This is where you can get really specific. Any phrases you think sound awful and really don’t want your copywriter to use? Mention them here. You could also detail required formatting such as HTML, or the number of words or characters in a section (relevant if you need a meta description writing or have limited space). What about where you wish keywords to appear and keyword density? Should they include any external links?
Find out more: Download our free PDF guide on how to write a brief.
Contractual agreements
Now is the time to discuss the business end of the brief:
Fee
This is the bit most copywriters are interested in: how much does this project pay? They will also want to know how they will be paid and when. Likely this has been agreed informally beforehand, but cementing it in the brief can give peace of mind to all parties.
Deadline
State the time frame you need the work to be delivered by. You also need to finalise with the copywriter the process for revisions. Will you be entitled to any ‘free’ edits? Will you pay more per each round of amends? How long do you get to review the copy before it’s considered approved?
Signatures
All contracts need to be signed off. Include the following at the end of your brief:
- date of writing the brief
- name and signature of hiring company/client
- name and signature of copywriter
- date of agreement
Who will supply the brief?
If you’re approaching a freelance copywriter, you may find they already have a copywriting brief template on their website for you to download and fill in. However, not all copywriters are prepared for this and you may need to produce your own.
You don’t need to jump in at the deep end with a super detailed brief. Start with a speculative email and see if the writer is interested in your project before you commit to getting the details down on paper. They will be able to give you an idea of the kinds of details they need upfront to save you any hard work should either of you decide to go in a different direction.
Doesn’t writing a copywriting brief take too much time?
When you need some content writing, you’re always going to need to provide a writer with a copywriting brief. It’s the only way to ensure you receive the end product you need while safeguarding both yourself and the writer in the process.
At the same time, use your judgement. Copywriter Liz Ernst writes about the fine line between providing enough detail to help your copywriter and writing so much that you overburden your writer – and yourself in the process.
Your brief should be comprehensive but streamlined; remember, you’re hiring a writer to make your life easier, so don’t fall into the trap of practically creating the content yourself!
Of course, if you use a copywriting agency with on-demand ordering, you can customise their brief to your needs. This can save you time, money and a lot of hassle.
