How To Be A High-Earning Copywriter Philippines: Ultimate Guide

How to be a Copywriter in the Philippines?

In a world where the online marketplace thrives more than physical businesses, being competitive is more important than ever. According to the Department of Trade and Industry, the number of online businesses in the Philippines has spiked from a measly 1,700 in March 2020 to a colossal 93,318 in January 2021.

What does this tell us? The business landscape is increasingly shifting into the virtual space. If you had 500 other competitors sharing the market within your industry, how can you remain ahead of them? Simple: Content.

Articulate Marketing describes content to be three things:

The answer to a question
The key to a puzzle
The critical piece of information for progress

While content is the tool of the trade, copywriters are your blacksmiths. They are the people you rely on to spread the word about your business. And they’ll do it tastefully and irresistibly. If you desire to be a high-earning copywriter in the Philippines, this is the complete guide to help you out! Keep reading.

Content Writer vs Copywriter: What’s the difference?

We hear the term ‘copywriter’ all the time, but what exactly is it that they do? Knowing who they are, in the first place, is quintessential to understanding their roles and responsibilities.

Copy is the text utilized in advertising and marketing to sell products. Copywriters are the experts who craft the killer copy. Contrary to popular belief, copywriting has been around for centuries. History tells us that copywriting is a craft that existed even in Babylonian times. The first printed material was documented in 1477 when William Caxton created an ad copy to sell a prayer book for priests.

Since then, copywriting has evolved and penetrated different media since. From newspapers to magazines, down to radio and televisions, you name it. Today, copywriting has been adopted by the internet. Every piece of content you see online, whether that be a blog or social media post, a professional copywriter is behind those words.

Wait, blog posts? Aren’t those created by content writers? Okay, let’s differentiate content writers from copywriters briefly. According to Forbes, content writing focuses on creating text content that educates or entertains readers. While they may convert, conversion is not the primary thrust. Examples of content writing include blog posts, white papers, e-books, and social media posts.

Read also: How to be a Freelance Content Writer in the Philippines

On the other hand, copywriters produce content that aims to persuade readers to take action. In other words, if you’re selling a product or service, copywriters convince them why your items are worth buying. If you want people to sign-up for your newsletter, copywriters coax them into doing it. The only difference is purpose. However, any long-form content that’s not only meant to educate but also to convert, falls into the category of content writing. Think of it this way, not all content is a copy, but all pieces of copy are content.

Copywriting, then, covers everything a content writer does. With that being said, being a copywriter is one of the most lucrative freelance options in the Philippines. Now then…

How Much Does a Copywriter Make in the Philippines?

Ah yes, the best part.! The salary grade of a copywriter in the Philippines. Well, here’s what you need to know before anything else. More often than not, Filipino copywriters don’t often get paid as lucratively as foreign copywriters. The reason, you might be surprised, hovers over the economic aspects and not skills.

Filipinos are often outsourced by U.S.-based companies because the standard of living in the country is cheaper. According to Outsource Accelerator, outsourcing is a win-win solution both for foreign employers and Filipino employees. Not only does it improve the company’s bottom line, but Filipinos earn more than they would if hired by Pinoy businesses.

To illustrate: the average living expenses in the U.S. is set around $3,189 for a single person. On the other hand, anyone in the Philippines can live comfortably at $800-$1,200 a month. So much for that, how much does a copywriter makes then, in the Philippines?

The answer is, that depends. Indeed says, the average salary of a junior copywriter is ₱22,128 per month. That value is equal to ₱265,536 annually. A junior copywriter’s responsibilities include conducting SEO and keyword research. Fulfilling basic copywriting tasks like product descriptions, writing promotional texts and online ads also fall within their duties.

Senior copywriter’s salary, on the other hand, amounts to ₱33,154 monthly says Indeed. This is equal to ₱397, 848 per year. A Senior copywriter’s responsibilities include producing original copy and slogans for various advertising campaigns. They are also responsible for editing, proofreading, and publishing the copy made by junior copywriters. The aim is to maintain consistency and cohesiveness in the brand identity across every medium.

Please note that the salary above is what one can potentially earn working for an advertising agency. It’s a different story if you pursue freelancing. When doing freelance copywriting in the Philippines, you have three choices on how you want to quote clients:

Per word

This is the most common quoting strategy for American copywriters. Unfortunately, this style isn’t ideal as it reduces your creative value to a few pesos per word. If you ask me, it isn’t worth it.

The most common pitfall is when you charge for a definite number of words and then fail to anticipate the accurate words it will actually take. That means the first draft up until the final revision. In that case, charging extra won’t be a good look for you as a copywriter.

Per hour

An hourly rate is common among copywriters as well. If you work in an advertising agency, this is how they’ll charge you. However, if you work alone, it depends on you to measure how long it’ll take to finish the project.

This is also not ideal especially if you don’t have a good grip on your work system. You need to accurately balance how much you spend on billable and non-billable hours. The risk with this, however, is more time spent means more money paid by clients.

Per project

Paying for every project is the best method to earn as a freelance copywriter in the Philippines. The price typically covers everything included in your service and you must also spell this out in your quote. The only problem is that an inaccurate quote will mean you get paid less for the actual work you render. However, if you work fast than estimated, you win.

Your quote should cover all the following aspects:

Time spent on creative thinking and brainstorming
Researching and writing the first draft of the copy
Revisions (normally two to three rounds before you capture the client’s exact voice)
Proofreading
Project administration (you may have to track the emails and keep records of your performance for reporting)

Don’t quote clients based on HOW LONG it will take you to produce the first draft. Quote them based on every nitty-gritty it takes for the project. Of course, needless to say, you have to be realistic about how well you’re equipped to fulfill their request. Asking for too much for mediocre output builds a bad rep, and that further affects your freelance history and rating.

At the end of the day, you have better odds of earning more when freelance copywriting than working for an agency. Plus, you have complete control over your time and schedule. But that’s not always the case, if you land a premium advertising agency, you can earn beyond ₱100,000 per month for 40 hours rendered per week.

Copywriter Courses and Training in the Philippines

Personally, I’ve had a few formal training before landing my job as a copywriter. But here are some I have tried in the past, and I could recommend for aspiring copywriters in the Philippines:

Enchanting Blog Writing Course — For creating tasteful blog structures and taking readers to their “sunny destination” a.k.a. The call-to-action.
Copywriting Training Camp PH by Coach Miguel Campaner — This was recommended by a Facebook ads marketer colleague a few months back.
The Simplest Path To Building A Highly Paid Freelance Business by The Freelance Movement — It’s a free 2-hour Filipino training hosted by John Pagulayan

In my experience, my employers typically shoulder all the copywriting training I received. Aim to land a copywriting gig where your employer is invested in building your chops as a copywriter so you can be more equipped to complete the tasks and responsibilities.

Any Equipment or Platforms Needed?

As a copywriter, here are the pieces of equipment you’ll be needing to fulfill your duties:

A laptop or a desktop — make sure the specs can handle the workload
A fast internet connection — fast internet because more often than not you’ll be connecting with clients abroad for online conference calls
A clear web camera — you’ll need this for meeting with your employer and team (advertising agency) or your prospects (freelancing)

For the platforms, if you’re only about producing copy, familiarization with Google docs and other products under the Google Suite is enough. While administrative work and tracking require working knowledge of tools like Omnisend or Mailchimp, Facebook, Google Ads, and the like.

Related Post: 5 Best Budgeting Tips for Freelancers in the Philippines

Where to Find Copywriter Jobs in the Philippines

There are tons of platforms to land copywriting gigs but there are only two places I would recommend, depending on which path you wish to tread.

For advertising agencies: onlinejobs.ph

This is the best marketplace for Filipino freelancers. The site doesn’t take a cut from your pay grade because it’s you who will contact and negotiate with your employers. You can also choose between, freelance, part-time, or full-time copywriting jobs.

For freelancers: linkedin.com

There are tons of businesses and companies looking to leverage their brand in the online space. By being in the space where these entrepreneurs exist, you’re already ahead as a frontrunner to be the copywriters they need for their business. You just have to be bold to connect and contact them.

Tips on Being a Copywriter in the Philippines

Being a copywriter in the Philippines can be daunting. But with proper research and enough balls to actually put yourself out there, you can be a full-fledged copywriter in the Philippines.

Here is a tip from my personal experience as a copywriter: You’ll never know if you’re ready. You really just have to apply for a job or connect to a client. If you’re feeling a bit reluctant, try freelancing gigs from 199jobs.com. You’ll get paid peanuts, but overall, you can gauge your chops as a copywriter in a risk-free environment. The only question remains: Do you have what it takes to be a copywriter? (You do!)

Hello The Thrifty Pinay readers! Look, managing a business can be a pain in the ass. Even if you have the most revolutionary product or world-class service in your artillery, you need effective marketing to get the word out.

Hey, my name is Joel John Carino, your friendly neighborhood SEO content writer and copywriter. So, if you want persuasive, conversion-driven, and killer content, I’m your assassin.

How to be a Copywriter in the Philippines?

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