Copywriting Agreement

Copywriting Agreement Template that protects your business

It’s 4:27 pm, and you’ve found the perfect new client. You want to start working with them tomorrow. But you’re stuck. You want everything clear and legal – and you don’t have a contract.

Grab our Copywriting Agreement. In less than fifteen minutes, you’ll have the contract in your hands. It’s written by lawyers, so there’s no stressing about the legalities. Simply fill in your details, get it signed, and onboard your client.

With lifetime access, you’ll never worry about signing up new clients again.

What is a Copywriting Agreement?

A Copywriting Agreement is a legal agreement between a copywriter and a client.

It covers all of the important terms of your client engagement – how you will work together, for how long, and what you will charge.

You can move the needle in your business with a Copywriting Agreement template

• That gives you peace of mind your legals are covered
• Avoids any awkward conversations because the relationship is clear
• Shows you’re a professional who’s legit

Who is this Copywriting Agreement for?

• Copywriters
• Freelance writers
• Content writers
• Ad Copywriters
• Suitable for all Australian states and territories

What does our Copywriting Agreement template include?

Our Copywriting Agreement template covers everything you need:

• Schedule – table with key details on the first page
• Assignment and scope – scope of the project
• Deliverables – deliverables for the project
• Client Responsibilities, Warranty and Indemnity – important legal terms
• Revisions – how many revisions are included
• Approvals – the process for approval of completed work, any post-completion alterations
• Fees – total fees for the project
• Expenses – process for dealing with any extra expenses incurred
• Payment Terms – deposit and payment terms
• Term – length of project
• Extension – possibility to extend the agreement (both parties need to agree in writing)
• No Warranty or Guarantee – important legal term
• Promotion – consent to use the client for promotion in your business
• Confidentiality – to keep confidential information private
• Intellectual Property– intellectual property rights, including assigning copyright
• Limitation of Liability and Indemnity – to protect you against claims for losses and damages
• Termination – how either party can end the agreement
• Dispute Resolution – process to deal with any problems
• General – standard contract clauses such as Assignment, Severance, Entire Agreement, Waiver and Governing Law

Other names for a Copywriting Agreement

• Copywriting Contract
• Freelance Writer Agreement
• Copywriting Terms and Conditions
• Copywriting Services Agreement
• Writers Agreement

Do I need a contract for my copywriting clients?

Yep. No doubt about it. What will you do if something goes wrong?

A contract protects both you and your clients.

It’s not about big legal words and getting the upper hand on your clients. It’s relationship insurance. A legally binding contract does the boring legal leg work, manages expectations, and provides certainty. That way, you can focus on what you want to achieve in your business.

Make sure your contract does the hard work for you.

Payment Terms

Our contract allows you to specify a deposit amount as a dollar figure or a percentage of the total estimated fees. It’s quite common to ask for a 50% deposit, with the remaining 50% payable on delivery of the first draft or final draft.

You can choose your own payment terms for invoices – 7 days is fairly standard, although you may make exceptions for larger clients or brands.

Am I responsible for the accuracy of any claims made in my content or copy?

Yes, you are responsible for ensuring your work is accurate and not misleading.

Australian Consumer Law (ACL) includes a number of mandatory protections and guarantees to protect customers from unfair business practices.

It’s illegal to make false or misleading statements about products or services. The ACCC is responsible for enforcing consumer protections under the ACL, and they take their job pretty seriously. Fines for false and misleading conduct can reach into the tens of thousands (in most cases, infringements for companies are fixed at $12,600), so it’s well worth the extra effort to stay on their good side!

If you’re writing advertising copy or website content, make sure you get instructions from the client in writing and keep a copy on file just in case.

How many revisions should I offer to clients?

Our Copywriting Agreement template includes two rounds of revision by default, but you can change this.

Any additional rounds of revision or requests for work outside of scope are at your discretion. Make sure you always get the client to agree to any changes in writing before you get started!

Who owns the legal rights to the content?

Our contract is written so that the copywriter retains all legal rights until full payment is received. Once payment is received, they assign the copyright to the client, and ownership gets transferred to the client.

All original documents supplied to the copywriter by the client will remain the property of the client.

Can I use the client’s name and logo to promote my work?

We have included a promotion clause in the contract where the client provides consent for you to use their name and logo to promote your business. This includes the ability to publish samples of work (once the content has been anonymised).

Why should I invest in a quality Copywriting Agreement template?

You’ve spent countless hours dedicated to learning how to attract the right clients.

Your heavy financial investments in your own personal growth are slowly but surely paying off.

You’re not going to let all that go to waste with a crappy contract, are you?

The booking process is the most fragile part of the selling process. Don’t let your future clients slip away with a shady contract, pieced together like Frankenstein.

With this contract template, your clients will know you take your business seriously. You’ll stand out from your competition, but best of all, your clients will trust you right from the start.