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Part of How to write a copywriting brief UK agencies will actually use
How to write a copywriting brief UK agencies will actually use
A practical guide to writing a copywriting brief UK agencies and freelancers can act on, with a template, a worked example and the rules that shape the copy.
What to take away
- A brief that states the commercial decision gives a writer something to challenge, and that challenge improves the copy.
- Name the reader, the single action you want and the way you will judge the result.
- Set format, word count, deadline and fee on one page, then leave the sentences to the writer.
- Add a short note on claims, consent and registration details, because those constrain what can be published.
- One page beats twelve. Background belongs in attachments, not in the brief itself.
Write the decision down first
Most briefs arrive as a description: our history, our values, our product range. A writer can read all of it and still not know what the page is for.
Start with the decision. If the page works, what does the reader do next? Book a call, request a sample, download a guide.
The brief also needs your test for success. Pick something you can count: enquiry form completions, demo requests, tracked calls from the site. A better tone is a preference, not a test.
The brief is not the place for the brand story. Send that as an attachment the writer reads once.
The eight-point brief template
Work through these in order. Each answer should take one or two lines.
- Aim:What should the reader do, and how will you judge whether the copy worked?
- Reader:Who is the specific audience, and what do they already know or need?
- Format:What are you commissioning, where will it appear, and what word count or length do you need?
- Message:What is the main point the reader should take away?
- Proof:What evidence supports the claims, and what approved examples or sources can the writer use?
- Mandatories:What wording, names, links, calls to action or other details must appear?
- Constraints:What claims, consent, legal or brand limits should the writer observe, and what should they avoid?
- Logistics:Who approves the copy, and what are the fee, deadline and revision arrangements?
The eight-point brief template
- Aimthe one action the reader takes
- Readerjob title or situation
- Formatpage type, word count, file
- Messagethe single claim to remember
- Prooffigures, certifications, customer quotes
- Mandatorieslegal name, registration, required wording
- Constraintswords to avoid, house style, tone
- Logisticsdeadline, fee, revisions, sign-off
A worked example, with pound figures
A Bristol software firm wants a 900-word landing page for a new booking feature. The brief names the reader as an operations manager at a mid-sized clinic.
Worked example: Bristol landing page
- 900words in the landing page
- £450quoted for the page
- 2revision rounds included
- 12working days to deadline
The writer quotes £450 for the page, two revision rounds and a 12-working-day deadline. An extra page written from the same brief is priced at £150.
Rates move with scope, so compare like with like. Our breakdown of UK copywriting rates per word puts freelance quotes beside agency day rates, which helps when finance asks why two quotes differ.
Match the brief to the supplier
The same brief can go to a freelance writer in Leeds or to a Bristol agency. What changes is the first question each will ask.
A freelancer wants to know who signs off the final draft. An agency wants to know who joins the kick-off call and who owns the approvals.
Freelance writer
- Who writes it
- One named writer
- Who to brief
- The writer directly
- Best fit
- Single pages and campaigns
- Briefing call
- One short call
Agency
- Who writes it
- A writer plus an editor
- Who to brief
- An account lead
- Best fit
- Multi-page programmes
- Briefing call
- Longer kick-off with more people
Whichever route you choose, put the sign-off name in the brief. Writers work faster when they know whose comments decide the draft.
Constraints that shape the brief
If the brief covers email, say what consent you hold. The ICO guidance on direct marketing explains what the privacy rules expect before a message is sent.
Claims need evidence attached. The CAP Code published by the ASA is what a careful writer checks before placing a superlative on a page.
Registration details, VAT numbers and a registered office must appear where the law requires them, so supply those with the brief rather than after the first draft.
Fees deserve a yearly review. The ONS inflation and price indices give a defensible reference when a retainer needs revisiting.
For a page that must rank, hand over the target queries on a separate sheet instead of working them into the prose. Our guide to SEO copywriting services UK shows how to pass on keywords without dictating sentences.
Common questions
How long should a copywriting brief be?
One page for a landing page or an email, plus attachments for research and brand notes. Length is not the measure; a clear decision is.
Should I send a wireframe with the brief?
Yes, if one exists. Mark it as guidance on order and length rather than a fixed layout, or the writer will fill boxes instead of making an argument.
What if I cannot name the reader yet?
Write your best guess and ask the writer to test it in the first draft. Naming operations managers in clinics is more useful than writing for SMEs.
Can I reuse a copywriting brief template UK writers already know?
Yes, but adapt it. Freelancers and agencies read different formats, and the eight points above travel well across both.
