When should you hire a freelance copywriter? (And when shouldn't you?)

A founder sent me a screenshot last week. He had received a proposal from a marketing agency. It was a six-month contract, based on a fixed monthly retainer, with three pieces of content per month. He asked me, "Is this what I need?"

I said no.

Not because the agency was bad, but because he had one specific problem: his website. That was it. Three pieces of content per month was the answer to a question he had never asked.

This is when a freelance copywriter makes more sense.

What's the difference, really?

An agency is a team. Strategists, designers, copywriters, project managers. You pay for the infrastructure, even if you don’t need it.

Hiring a full-time copywriter will cost you a full-time salary. It’s worth it if you need copy every day and want someone who knows your brand inside and out.

A freelance copywriter is someone you hire for a specific project, for a defined period of time. You pay only for the work itself, not for the associated overhead costs.

It's simple. But most people who contact me don't know the difference.

So, what exactly does a freelance copywriter do?

Over the past few years, I’ve worked for companies like Airbnb, IKEA, AG Insurance, and Ancienne Belgique. Never as a permanent employee. Always as someone brought in for a specific period because there was a specific task that needed to be done.

Sometimes that means completely rewriting a website. Sometimes it’s a single page that’s been glitching for two years. Sometimes it’s a campaign that needs to go live before the end of the quarter.

It could also be an ongoing collaboration. I worked for Airbnb for 2.5 years as a freelance copywriter for the Flemish market. I had new work every month, but it was always on a project basis—never a permanent position.

That’s the freelance model: flexible in terms of time, clear in scope.

When do you need one?

If you recognize yourself in any of these situations:

Your website is up and running, but something isn't quite right. When you talk to potential customers, they say, "Oh, right, I read something about that on your website." But it clearly didn't stick with them.

You’re hosting a launch, a campaign, or presenting an investor deck. During the presentation, you look around and see people on their phones.

You write things yourself all the time, but they don't really resonate. You know exactly what you're doing, but when you put it down on paper, it just comes across as much drier.

These are assignments for a freelance copywriter. Specific, well-defined, with a clear outcome.

When don't you need one?

If your story isn't there yet.

A freelance copywriter can’t build on a foundation that doesn’t exist. If you don’t know who your client is, why your business exists, or what sets you apart from the competition, I’ll help you figure that out first. Then we’ll write.

Your copy is the execution. Your story is the foundation. In that order, never the other way around.

What does it cost?

That depends on the assignment. Rewriting a website is different from managing a campaign. Most freelance copywriters charge by the hour or per project.

I prefer to work on a project basis. Not because it’s cheaper, but because it’s clearer. You know what you’re getting, when you’ll get it, and how much it will cost. No surprises later on.

And to be honest: if you need copy but your story isn’t ready yet, that’s where you should start. A strong story is what connects with people. Without a story, you’re just creating content. Producing for the sake of producing. Because they say it’s good for the likes. And just like that, the internet is suddenly flooded with drivel.

Your story is already there. It just needs someone to find the right words.

Bram Vuylsteker is a freelance copywriter and storytelling consultant at vedetski. He helps founders and scale-ups refine their stories and turn them into effective copy, in both Dutch and English.

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