How to Brief a Copywriter (With a Free Template)

Most disappointing copywriting projects fail before a single word is written. The writer did what they were asked; they just weren't asked the right things.

Knowing how to brief a copywriter is the single biggest factor in getting a first draft you're happy with. A good brief doesn't need to be long. It needs to answer the questions a writer would ask you if you were sitting in the same room. Here's what those are, with a template at the end you can copy.

1. What are we writing, and where will it live?

Be specific about the deliverable:

• Type: homepage, landing page, email sequence, product descriptions, case study…
• Length or scope: "about 800 words", "five emails", "20 product pages"
• Where it appears: your website, a Klaviyo flow, a PDF, LinkedIn
• Anything fixed: existing design, character limits, sections that must stay

A landing page for a paid ad campaign and a page for organic search look very different, even for the same product. The writer needs to know which one they're writing.

2. Who is the reader?

This is the most important part of any brief, and the part most often skipped.

"Small business owners" or "millennials" isn't enough. Describe one real kind of person:

• What's their job or situation?
• What problem are they trying to solve when they find you?
• What have they already tried?
• What do they worry about when buying something like this?
• How much do they already know about your product or category?

Weak: Our target audience is SMEs looking for accounting solutions.

Useful: Owners of service businesses with 5–20 staff, usually doing their own books in the evenings. They've tried accounting software but fall behind every quarter. They're worried a bookkeeper will be expensive and they'll lose control of their numbers.

The second version gives the writer everything they need to choose the right words, examples and objections to handle.

3. What should the reader do next?

Every piece of copy has a job. Name it:

• Book a demo
• Start a free trial
• Buy the product
• Reply to the email
• Request a quote
• Keep reading the sequence

If there's a secondary action (such as "download the guide" for people not ready to buy), mention it, but be clear which one matters most.

4. What stops them today?

If you know why people don't take that action, say so. It's gold for a writer. Common answers:

• "They think we're too expensive."
• "They don't understand how it's different from [competitor]."
• "They're worried about switching from their current system."
• "They visit the pricing page and leave."

Sales calls, support tickets, reviews and cancellation reasons are the best sources. Even a few lines copied from real customer emails can transform a draft.

5. What makes you different, and can you prove it?

List the two or three genuine reasons someone should choose you over the alternatives, including "doing nothing" or "doing it themselves". Then list the proof you have for each:

• Customer reviews or testimonials
• Numbers (customers, results, years, response times)
• Case studies
• Awards, certifications, notable clients
• Guarantees or policies (free trial, refunds)

A writer can't invent proof, and shouldn't. The more real evidence you share, the more persuasive the copy can be.

6. Tone of voice: show, don't describe

"Professional but friendly" describes nearly every brand on earth. It's much more useful to share examples:

• Two or three pieces of writing you like (from anyone, not just competitors), and what you like about them
• One or two you dislike, and why
• Any existing copy of yours that you feel sounds "right"

Words you always or never use are useful too: "we never say 'cheap'", "we call customers 'members'".

7. Practical details

• Deadline: for the first draft and for the final version
• Review process: who gives feedback, and how many people need to approve it
• SEO requirements: target keywords or topics, if relevant
• Legal or compliance limits: claims you can't make, disclaimers you need
• Existing materials: current copy, brand guidelines, product documentation, research

The review process deserves a special mention. Copy that goes to five people for feedback, each with different opinions, rarely gets better. Agree who has the final say before the project starts.

How to brief a copywriter: the template

Copy this into a document and fill it in. Short answers are fine.

Project What are we writing? Where will it be used? Length or scope?

Reader Who are they? What problem are they trying to solve? What do they already know? What worries them?

Goal What should the reader do after reading? Any secondary action?

Obstacles Why don't people take that action today?

Why us Our 2–3 genuine differences, and the proof for each.

Tone Examples we like (and why). Examples we don't. Words to use or avoid.

Practical Deadline · who approves · keywords · legal limits · links to existing materials.

Common briefing mistakes

A few things reliably lead to a weak first draft:

• Describing the company instead of the reader. Your history and values matter less to the copy than who's reading it and what they're worried about.
• Asking for everything. A homepage that has to speak to five audiences and push six actions will do none of them well. Prioritise.
• Sharing no examples. Without them, the writer has to guess what "punchy" or "premium" means to you.
• Holding back the hard truths. If customers complain about price or onboarding, tell the writer. Copy that ignores real objections doesn't convert.
• Changing the goal mid-project. If the brief changes after the first draft, expect another first draft, not a revision.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a copywriting brief be?

One or two pages is plenty for most projects. Clarity matters far more than length; short, specific answers beat long, general ones.

Should I give the copywriter my competitors' websites?

Yes, with a note on what you like and dislike about each. It helps the writer position you clearly against the alternatives your readers are comparing.

What if I don't know who my target reader is?

That's worth fixing before the copy is written. A short call with your writer, or a look at your best recent customers, usually makes the picture clear quickly.

How many rounds of revisions should I expect?

Most projects include one or two. A strong brief means revisions are about refinement rather than starting again.

Don't have time to write a brief?

That's common, and it's fine. Many writers, including me, will run a short call and write the brief for you to approve. What matters is that the answers exist somewhere before the writing starts, and that you've agreed with them.

If you're briefing a website project, my website copywriting page explains how I run it, and how to write a homepage headline shows the kind of thinking a good brief makes possible. If you're ready to start, the contact form asks the key questions in a couple of minutes, or you can see how briefs turn into finished work in the portfolio.