Website copywriting costs vary by deliverable. AWAI’s 2025 guide lists $1,500–$3,000 for SEO and sales-conversion homepage copy in the US. It lists $500–$1,500 for a lead-generation page and $3,000–$7,000 for a two-to-five-page microsite. These are reference points, not quotes for a specific business. A fair comparison also considers what each scope includes: research, messaging, page count, revision rounds, and coordination with whoever will publish the copy. A low per-page rate may cover drafting alone, while a broader project may include work to align the copy with your site and sales goals. AWAI’s 2025 Copywriting Pricing Guide offers benchmarks, not a substitute for a project-specific scope.
When budgeting, consider whether the copy supports your goals without making claims you cannot substantiate. The Federal Trade Commission’s advertising guidance says claims must be truthful, not deceptive or unfair, and evidence-based. Dig Designs builds conversion-driven websites and manages SEO and paid search campaigns to help businesses generate more leads. If you’re planning copy as part of a broader digital growth effort, consider how it will work alongside your website and campaigns.
Key Takeaways
- AWAI’s 2025 US benchmarks list $1,500–$3,000 for SEO and sales-conversion homepage copy, $100–$250 per product-page update, $500–$1,500 for a lead-generation landing page, and $3,000–$7,000 for a two-to-five-page microsite; treat these as reference ranges, not project quotes. AWAI’s 2025 Copywriting Pricing Guide
- A fair website-copywriting quote should name each page and whether it needs new copy or an update, and specify research, messaging, SEO work, revision rounds, approvals, coordination, and handoff because headline prices alone do not show comparable scope.
- AWAI’s sample web-copy schedule allocates three weeks to strategic planning, two weeks to content mapping and a messaging platform, two weeks to drafts, and two or more weeks for web-team coordination, for a sample timeline of at least nine weeks. AWAI’s sample schedule
- A 2024 Australian general-market reference lists homepage copy starting at $800 plus GST and other web pages at $500 plus GST per 400 words, including two revision rounds; project requirements can change the quote.
- Website copy should make substantiated claims: FTC advertising guidance says US claims must be truthful, not deceptive or unfair, and evidence-based, so businesses should provide support for claims before publication.
How Much Does Website Copywriting Cost?
There is no single price for website copywriting. A homepage, product-page update, lead-generation page, and multi-page site are different deliverables, each with its own reference ranges. Start your budget with the pages you need and the work each requires, rather than treating every copywriting quote as interchangeable.
For US-dollar benchmarks, AWAI’s 2025 guide lists $1,500–$3,000 for SEO and sales-conversion homepage copy, $100–$250 per page for SEO and sales-conversion product-page updates, and $500–$1,500 for a lead-generation landing page. The guide lists $3,000–$7,000 for a microsite containing two to five pages. AWAI’s 2025 page-type and microsite benchmarks
These figures are guide ranges, not quotes for a particular business or project. They also cover different scopes: product-page updates are priced per page, while the microsite benchmark covers a small group of pages. Do not average the ranges together or assume that a particular number of pages will cost a particular amount.
When comparing proposals, check that each covers the same pages and type of work. A quote for a homepage and product-page updates is not directly comparable with one for a lead-generation page or a two-to-five-page microsite. Confirm whether the proposed work updates existing copy or creates a new deliverable, and whether the stated SEO and sales-conversion goals apply to the pages being priced.
A defined page list makes the total easier to assess. Name each page, identify which pages need updates, and specify which are new. Without that scope, a lower total may cover fewer deliverables, while a higher total may cover more pages. AWAI’s ranges provide reference points by deliverable, but they do not determine what your project should cost. That requires a quote based on its actual page list and scope.
What Changes Your Website Copywriting Quote?
Your website copywriting quote depends on the number and purpose of the pages, the research and strategy they require, and the coordination needed to get the copy approved and ready to use. A product-page update may involve refining existing information, while a homepage or lead-generation page may require developing the main message and guiding visitors towards an action.
Page count matters, but page length alone does not define the workload. A short page may require substantial research or message development, while a longer page based on clear, approved source material may be more straightforward to draft. As a general Australian market figure, homepage copy starts at $800 plus GST, while other web pages are listed at $500 plus GST per 400 words, including two revision rounds.
Research needs increase when the copywriter must learn about a complex offer, compare alternatives, or clarify how a product or service works. An offer that is difficult to explain may require more work to identify its benefits and support persuasive claims. A clearly defined audience and usable existing messaging provide a stronger starting point. Unclear audience priorities or scattered messages require additional discovery and alignment.
SEO and conversion goals can also expand the work beyond drafting. The project may need content mapping to assign topics and search needs to pages, message development to clarify the offer, and calls to action that suit the visitor’s next step. If the copy must be implemented as part of a website, coordination with the web team can help align it with the page structure and site functionality.
Approval arrangements also affect the effort. Feedback from several decision-makers can introduce conflicting preferences or require extra rounds of alignment, particularly when stakeholders disagree about the audience or offer. A brief that identifies who approves the messaging and who provides factual input gives the writer a clearer path to usable copy.
To prepare a realistic brief, name the pages, say whether each needs new copy or an update, and describe each page’s purpose. Include what you know about the audience, the offer, current messaging, SEO priorities, conversion goals, and who will review the work. These details help distinguish the writing task from the strategic and coordination work needed to make the copy fit your website.
How Are Website Copywriting Projects Priced?
Website copywriting projects are priced per page, per word, by the hour, or as a fixed project. Each approach makes a different part of the work visible.
Per-page pricing makes it easy to see the cost of each deliverable, such as a homepage, product page, or service page. It works best when the proposal defines what counts as a page and what the price includes. However, page length and research requirements can vary, so two pages with the same price may involve different workloads.
Per-word pricing makes the amount of copy being produced clear. It may not include the work needed to decide what the copy should say, such as strategy, messaging, and coordination with a web team. A short page that requires substantial message development may not be represented well by its length alone.
Hourly pricing ties the fee to time spent, but the estimate is useful only when you can see what work it covers. Check whether the hours include research, strategy, drafting, revisions, meetings, or coordination, and whether the proposal estimates time for each task. Without those details, the hourly rate alone does not show what the project is likely to cost or deliver.
Fixed-project pricing covers a defined set of deliverables for an agreed fee. For example, a project can specify the pages to be written, the research included, the number of revision rounds, and the handoff of final copy. The total is easier to assess when those boundaries are clear. Extra pages or work beyond the agreed scope may require a separate fee.
Before comparing prices, line up the scope. Check that each proposal covers the same pages and comparable research, strategy, revision, and handoff work. A low per-page fee may look attractive while excluding work included in another proposal. Neither the headline price nor the number of words tells the whole story.
What Should A Copywriting Quote Include?
A website copywriting quote should list every page, identify whether each needs new copy or an update, explain what research and strategy will inform the draft, and specify how approved copy will be delivered.
Check whether the proposal includes or separately scopes:
- Content mapping that assigns topics and search needs to the right pages.
- Messaging development that clarifies the offer and its main benefits.
- SEO considerations for the pages, including any agreed search priorities.
- Calls to action suited to each page’s purpose.
- A stated number of revision rounds and coordination with the web team.
Ask what research the writer will conduct, such as reviewing your existing website, source documents, audience information, or offer details. The proposal should distinguish research and strategy from drafting, so you can see whether the writer will shape the message or work from messaging you have already approved.
Clarify who will provide source materials, including product or service details, existing copy, and supporting claims. Name the person responsible for approving the copy, and agree on how feedback from other reviewers will be gathered and consolidated. If several people send separate or conflicting comments, the writer may need extra time to reconcile them.
Confirm the handoff format before work begins. Final copy might be supplied in a document or entered into a content management system, and the proposal should state which. If the web team needs page-by-page content, headings, calls to action, or placement notes, specify those requirements so the copy is ready for the next step.
Check what is excluded too. A quote may cover drafting but not content mapping, SEO work, additional revision rounds, or implementation coordination. Compare quotes only after the included pages, work, approvals, revision terms, and delivery format are clear.
How Long Does Website Copywriting Take?
Website copywriting can take several weeks when strategic planning, messaging, drafting, and web-team coordination are scoped as separate stages. AWAI’s sample web-copy schedule allocates three weeks to strategic planning, two weeks to content mapping and a messaging platform, two weeks to completing drafts, and two or more weeks to coordinating with the web team. That is a sample allocation of at least nine weeks. AWAI’s sample schedule
This allocation is not a guaranteed duration for every project. A smaller page list may need a different schedule, while more pages, delayed approvals, or coordination across a business and its web team can affect the timeline. The proposal should explain what the schedule depends on, including when the writer needs source information and when reviewers must provide consolidated feedback.
Before work begins, confirm the planned milestones for strategy approval, the first draft, feedback, revisions, and copy handoff. Ask when each milestone is expected and who is responsible for decisions or materials at that stage. A draft date alone does not show when you will review the messaging, how much time is allowed for revisions, or when the web team can use the finished copy.
Clarify how changes to the page count or late approvals affect the timeline, and whether web-team coordination means answering questions, adapting copy to page layouts, or completing another defined task. A clear schedule helps you plan internal reviews and gives the writer and web team shared expectations for moving approved copy towards publication.
Website Copy That Converts And Complies
Conversion-focused website copy should make the offer, the evidence supporting it, and the visitor’s next step clear. A service page, for example, can explain what the business provides, support its claims with substantiated information, and give visitors a clear way to enquire. Copy can support a business goal, but a quote should not promise specific search rankings, lead volumes, or revenue outcomes.
Dig Designs provides web development, SEO, and paid search marketing. It specializes in building conversion-driven websites and managing digital campaigns to help clients generate more leads. Businesses planning new copy can discuss it as part of an aligned website and marketing scope, rather than assessing the writing in isolation.
For US advertising, the FTC says claims must be truthful, not deceptive or unfair, and evidence-based. FTC advertising guidance is relevant when reviewing statements about an offer, its benefits, or results. The business should be able to support the claims its copy makes.
Endorsements may also require disclosure. The FTC says an unexpected material connection between an endorser and marketer should be disclosed clearly and conspicuously when it could affect how consumers evaluate the endorsement. FTC Endorsement Guides guidance is relevant when a website uses endorsements involving such a connection.
Copy also affects how people use a website. WCAG 2.2 requires labels or instructions when content requires user input, and text alternatives for non-text content, with stated exceptions such as purely decorative content. W3C’s WCAG 2.2 gives writers and web teams requirements to consider for form instructions and meaningful images. A copywriting scope that accounts for claims, endorsements, and accessible content can be more useful than a lower quote that covers words alone.
Scope Your Website Copywriting Project
Create a scope sheet for the first phase of your website copywriting project. List each page you want addressed, its current URL or proposed name, whether it needs new copy or an update, and the action you want visitors to take. Add the source materials available for each page, such as approved service details or evidence for product claims, and identify who will approve the copy.
If you are not ready to budget for the whole site, choose the pages most closely tied to your immediate business goal. For example, a business focused on enquiries could start with its main service page and the page where visitors submit a request. Note whether your team or the copywriter will publish the finished content, and whether the copy needs to fit an existing page layout.
Send the scope sheet with your current website address and any relevant campaign or SEO priorities when requesting a proposal. Dig Designs is a digital agency offering web development, SEO, and paid search marketing for businesses looking to scale online. If your copy needs to work alongside a conversion-driven website or digital campaign, contact Dig Designs to discuss a project scope.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How much should 500 words of website copy cost?
There is no single standard price for 500 words of website copy. A 2024 Australian general-market figure is $500 plus GST per 400 words for other web pages, including two revision rounds, but that is a reference point rather than a direct price for 500 words. Research, messaging work, and the agreed revisions can also affect the quote.
2. Can AI replace a professional website copywriter?
AI can help produce draft wording, but a tool alone does not define your approved messaging, confirm that claims are supported, or coordinate review and handoff. Your business remains responsible for the claims on its website. The FTC’s advertising guidance says advertising claims must be truthful and evidence-based.
3. Does website copywriting cost include keyword research?
Keyword research is not automatically included in a website copywriting quote. Ask whether the fee covers keyword research, content mapping, and applying agreed search priorities to each page, or whether you need to supply that information. Make sure the proposal names the pages and SEO work included.
