Copy has a strange property: everyone thinks they can write, so everyone has an opinion. A landing page that went through three rounds with the founder can come back for a fourth from the head of sales, and a blog post can turn into a white paper because "while you're in there." A copywriting contract fixes the number of pieces, the length, the rounds, and who has the final say.
This template is for freelance copywriters and content writers producing web copy, email sequences, sales pages, blog posts, case studies, and ghostwritten articles. It covers research time and interviews, which are often where copy projects quietly lose their margin.
TL;DR
The copywriting contract template lists each piece by type and word count, sets research and interview time, gives two revision rounds with a feedback window, names one approver, assigns rights on final payment, and covers byline or ghostwriting, originality checks, and a kill fee. Send it with a 50% deposit for project work, and charge per round after the second so feedback stays consolidated.
What's inside
- Deliverables — each piece with type, approximate word count, and due date.
- Research and inputs — interviews, source material, and the client's brand voice guide.
- Revisions and approvals — rounds per piece, feedback window, and a single approver.
- Accuracy and compliance — the client checks claims in regulated areas.
- Rights and credit — assignment on payment, byline or ghostwriting, portfolio use.
- Originality and AI policy — originality warranty and an agreed position on AI tools.
- Fees and kill fee — per-project or per-piece fees and cancellation terms.
- Termination and general terms — with placeholders for governing law.
When to use it
Use this contract after a client accepts a copywriting proposal for a defined batch of work, such as a website's copy or a 6-email onboarding sequence. Attach the copywriting brief as the scope reference.
For a monthly content program (four blog posts a month, ongoing newsletter), use a retainer agreement or a content SOW so volume, rollover, and cancellation notice are clearer.
The contract is jurisdiction-neutral, with placeholders for governing law, interest, and fees. Ask a lawyer where you work to review it once, and again if you write regularly in regulated sectors such as health or finance.
Where copy projects lose money
Interviews and research. A case study needs a customer interview, a transcript, and follow-up questions. Price that time or cap it: for example, one 45-minute interview per case study, with additional interviews at an hourly rate.
Too many reviewers. Each new stakeholder brings fresh opinions. Name one approver who consolidates feedback, and say that new reviewers joining late do not reset the revision count.
Word count creep. Give approximate word counts with a tolerance (plus or minus 10–15%). A 1,200-word article that grows into 3,000 words is a new piece.
Ghostwriting and credit. If the client publishes under their own name, you may not be able to show the piece publicly. Agree in advance whether you can mention the client privately to prospects or show redacted samples.
Regulated claims. Health, finance, and legal copy carries risk. The client knows its product and its regulators; the contract should make them responsible for verifying claims and approvals.
Customize it in your COLO workspace
Save the contract once in COLO Contracts and send it from each project. Clients sign in the client portal with a typed name or signature image, and you can download the signed PDF.
Create a task for each piece in task management, share drafts as files on the task, and keep feedback in comments or project chat. If you bill by the hour for research, log time against the task and invoice from tracked time.
Common mistakes
- No feedback window. Without one, a draft can sit for two months and then come back with major changes. Set 5–10 business days.
- Revisions that are really rewrites. A change of brief is a new piece, not a revision.
- Transferring rights before payment. Rights should pass on final payment.
- Not stating the AI policy. Agree it before work starts.
- Promising SEO results. Say what you will do (keyword placement, headings, meta descriptions), not what Google will do.
FAQ
Q: What should a copywriting contract include?
The list of pieces with word counts, research and interview time, number of revisions, the feedback window, who approves copy, rights and byline terms, payment schedule, and a kill fee if the project is cancelled.
Q: Does a copywriter keep the rights to their writing?
Not usually. Most commercial copy is assigned to the client on final payment. Writers often keep the right to show the work in a portfolio, unless it is ghostwritten under a confidentiality agreement.
Q: Should a copywriter guarantee results like conversions or rankings?
No. Results depend on traffic, product, pricing, and design that the writer does not control. The contract should say outcomes are not guaranteed.
Q: How do I handle legal or medical claims in copy?
Say that the client is responsible for checking that factual, legal, financial, or health claims in the copy are accurate and compliant, and that the writer relies on information the client supplies.
Q: Can I use AI tools when writing for a client?
Some clients restrict or ban AI-generated text. State your policy in the contract and agree it with the client before work starts, so there is no dispute about how the copy was produced.