How to Brief a Copywriter for the Best Results

Surprise, I’m here to tell you how to make my job as a freelance copywriter easier. I promise that’s really not as bad as it sounds, and when businesses can provide a copywriting brief that outlines all key requirements and goals, everyone’s a winner! Clear briefs make clear results.

Sending a project brief might feel daunting if you’ve never worked with a freelance copywriter before, or you haven’t quite nailed your final brand voice and guidelines. It’s not even just humans. Even when working with AI to develop your own content, you need to be able to provide the model with clear instructions.

As a freelance copywriter myself, I thought I was best placed to help guide you on what you’ll need to include for successful results.

Why should you hire a freelance copywriter?

Any half-decent copywriter is more than just a wordsmith (though that’s pretty important, too). To develop content that truly delivers, we’re constantly weaving together any number of threads including brand voice, content goals, and target audience.

It’s not uncommon for clients to come to me asking for a series of blog posts, and it turns into a mini-messaging overhaul. Copywriters increasingly need to be experts in SEO, conversion and marketing, emotional resonance, and even user experience. Masters of all trades. But what measurable benefits are there to hiring a freelance copywriter?

Valuable SEO expertise – a deep understanding of best practices to bring measurable value
Developing brand voice – develop content that deeply resonates with your target audience
Consistent content – consolidate your presence in the industry or market with a clear vision
Fresh perspective – gain a unique, external viewpoint that can sharpen your messaging or reveal new opportunities

And yeah, we’re wordsmiths as well. Crafting text that truly resonates isn’t as simple as just putting words on the page; and an experienced copywriter will be able to provide actual conversions, not just pretty words.

How can a copywriter help with SEO?

By now, everyone knows you need to take SEO seriously. There’s no point in crafting great content if no one can actually find it, and that means using the right keywords, targeting the correct search intent, and ensuring Google likes the structure. Your copywriter should be an expert in how to play by the most up-to-date SEO rules, but you can help them along. Think about if the intended content is supposed to answer a question or actually sell something, for example; or send over any key details you have about the niche target audience.

I’m personally a bit of a stickler for this stuff, and always try to ask my clients as many questions as possible before putting pen to paper (symbolically, I obviously don’t write content by hand). But that’s why some of my previous clients have been able to hit rank 1 on Google search results! Ready to join them?

What to include when briefing a freelance copywriter?

That’s all well and good, but where do you actually begin with writing an effective and useful content brief? To get the best results for my clients, I usually request at least an overview of the following information.

If you’re still not sure, just ask! Any copywriter worth their salt should just tell you exactly what they need.

Start with clear objectives and deliverables

A freelance copywriter’s nightmare is some variation of “just make it sound good.” We need a specific goal, as different goals result in different copy. When you’re providing a copywriting brief, always try to set out to the writer any objectives, and outline clear deliverables.

Consider what success means for the content you want to produce; why does it need to exist? It might be a landing page designed to filter leads into conversions, or a blog post intended to provoke engagement and show industry thought leadership.

Word count: Covering the entire project or specific milestones; can usually be changed later!
Content type: Essential for the copywriter to understand what you actually need them to do

Think about how the content should actually perform, and always specify in your copywriting brief the content type, word count, and any other key deliverables. This allows the writer not only to complete the task to the highest quality and within an acceptable time frame, but also offer an accurate quote.

Define your target audience and brand voice

While this might seem obvious it’s not just what you’re writing, but also who you’re writing to. Your specific target audience and the way you position your brand matters when it comes to creating effective marketing copy. If you’re speaking to the wrong people this won’t translate to leads or conversions.

Wherever possible, fill your copywriter in on relevant keywords or demographics, and share any existing brand guidelines so they know what they’re working with.

Brand/industry keywords: For establishing industry leadership and boosting search rankings
Brand guidelines: Ensuring anything new is consistent with the brand message and existing content
Audience demographics: For optimising the tone and making sure it really resonates with the target audience

I’ve had numerous blog posts hit number 1 on Google search for a particular client; and each of these blogs were supported by a detailed breakdown of the intended audience and clear purpose.

Content that actually converts needs real direction, and that can only start with the brand itself.

Context, competition, background, references

It’s at this point that a lot of copy briefs fall flat (or go the other way and end up completely overboard). A good brief strikes the right balance by giving enough context to actually understand your product or service, and enough insight into the brand and industry to position your content correctly.

Links to include: Internal or external links to include in the content (e.g. blogs or products)
Additional resources: Any resources, guides, or general information you think would be useful
Competitor examples: Examples of competitors who are producing good (or bad!) content

Every one of these isn’t always essential. But writing a copy brief that includes these references makes it easier to produce content that converts, and helps your freelance copywriter hit the mark from the first draft.

Set deadlines and leave room for revisions

One of the most detrimental mistakes I see clients making is having no content feedback loop. Set a final deadline, but also always agree with the copywriter on when you’d like to see a first draft, how comments or feedback will be provided, and how many revisions you’d like to complete.

Milestones: Specific project milestones or checkpoints with measurable points
Final deadline: The final date of submission for any content

Every project, whether it's a blog post or a brand refresh, needs space to breathe; and even under tight timeframes, content can (and should) always be optimised.

Clear guidelines + a little structure = content that can truly deliver.

5 key questions every copy brief should answer

Your copywriting brief shows the writer where to go, what to avoid, and how the reader should react. It might still seem like a lot, but your copy brief really only needs to answer these five key questions.

What is the goal of this copy?
Are you driving sign-ups, building trust, improving SEO rankings, or encouraging sales? The purpose shapes everything, from tone to structure.
Who are we speaking to?
The more detail you can include for the freelance copywriter here, the better. Include demographics, pain points, motivations, and emotional triggers.
What should the reader think or feel?
This helps define the tone, pace, and structure of your copy, ensuring it doesn’t just sound nice – but actually moves your reader towards action.
How does the brand speak?
Describe it in three words, and include examples of “do” and “don’t”. Reference any past content that hit the mark, or successful competitor content.
Are there any must-haves (or no-gos?)
This could be keywords, product features, regulated claims, or even words that you just personally hate. Your copywriter will thank you for being clear early on.

A good copywriting brief is a solid investment...

But for content that truly hits the mark you need an experienced writer behind the wheel. Get in touch or send a proposal to get started.

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