Freelance Career / alternative careers / Job Change / freelance jobs

Freelancers vs agency life: A copywriter's pros and cons guide

. 6 min read . Written by Vanshika Goenka
Freelancers vs agency life: A copywriter's pros and cons guide

Thinking, writing, editing, reviewing, and then thinking again– the ultimate copywriting process is one in which you’re paid to think.

With all this thinking, you’d imagine that navigating a career crossroads as a copywriter would be a piece of cake, but that is simply *drum roll please* NOT the case.

But don’t worry, in spite of what everyone thinks, copywriting is not easy, and making the decision to commit to a career in copywriting isn't easy either.

The copywriter's dilemma of choosing whether to work freelance or in an agency can be quite baffling, but the decision ultimately lies in your hands. With this handy pros and cons guide, you will be able to choose the path that best fits your copywriting journey.

Furthermore, with Kool Kanya’s Power Pass right at your fingertips, you can get one step closer to fulfilling your copywriting aspirations. Learn all about creating copy that gets your audience enthralled, and browse through a host of other digital marketing and content-creating courses to #RaiseYourPower and lead you on the path of being an exceptional writer.

Whether you choose to be a freelance copywriter or work for an agency, keep in mind that neither journey is filled with unicorns and rainbows. Each of them has its own set of pros and cons, and to make the right choice, you need to know both!

Index

1. Pros of the agency lifestyle

  • A monthly payday!
  • You will have a mentor
  • Focus entirely on copywriting

2. Cons of the agency lifestyle

  • Your salary will be fixed
  • The hectic office life
  • Working on boring projects

3. Pros of working as a freelancer

  • Whenever, wherever
  • You are your own boss
  • Time to hustle (on the side)

4. Cons of working as a freelancer

  • You can only rely on yourself
  • No monthly payday
  • The challenge of acquiring new clients

Pros of the agency lifestyle

A monthly payday!

Money in your bank account, every month? That’s a BIG YES!

Just like any other job, a big plus of working in an agency is receiving a consistent paycheck. Since an agency handles multiple clients and projects, they earn a lot more than just copywriting income. There exists a constant inflow of earnings within the agency that ensures money is debited into your bank account every month, without fail.

Don’t spend another minute worrying about whether or not you will be able to pay your monthly bills or EMIs. There’s no delay when you receive a regular pay!

You will have a mentor

Alright, let’s clear the air. This is not The Voice or any other singing or dancing competition show. But you will more than likely have a mentor when you work for an agency.

The copywriting space is definitely not as easy as some might think. You can’t just throw a few words together and call it a day. So having a mentor that guides you through the nitty-gritty of your work and advises you on confusing tasks is a huge blessing.

Focus entirely on copywriting

Guess what? At an agency, acquiring clients is not part of your job description as a copywriter! All you have to do is write the best copy you can fathom, for brands that the client acquisition team will be responsible for onboarding.

You can still be a part of the ideation and pitching process, but having a team purely focused on bringing in leads, means you can devote the majority of your attention to writing fantastic copy.

Cons of the agency lifestyle

Your salary will be fixed

Sure, in hindsight having a fixed salary does not sound bad at all, and truth be told it isn’t. However, when an agency takes ginormous brands under its wings, it usually receives massive compensation.

Your salary is the same whether you work for a small or large brand because the money your agency receives is divided amongst several teams. All you can do now is wait for the next appraisal cycle to begin. *sad face*

The hectic office life

Having a workspace that accommodates several people would mean zero personal space for you. And if that sounds like a nightmare, let's take a moment to remember the dreadful commute, and OFFICE HOURS.

Working within an assigned schedule and constricted space can be a little baffling, especially when you enjoy working on your own time and by your own rules.

Working on boring projects

Unfortunately, if you are not in charge of bringing in brands for the agency, you may not always be able to get your hands on the work you want.

Working on a project you don't particularly care for can be stressful, but that's part of the job at an agency. You will be working on a variety of brands, and your best bet is to view them all as learning experiences.

Pros of working freelance

Whenever, wherever

Just like the Shakira track, Whenever Wherever, working freelance can be pretty convenient because you get to work from anywhere, at any time.

Sometimes the quality of your work is solely shaped by your work environment, and working in a constrained office space may not be ideal for a creative individual.

Inspiration can flow right through you when you have the option to work from a park with a scenic view, or even a cafe, or a beach.

You are your own boss

Be your own boss? That’s straight out of an Instagram caption. But when you think about it, does it not sound pretty cool?

Setting your own targets, making your own rules, working when you want to and ultimately doing things on your own time, sounds like a dream. A dream you can experience while awake if you become a freelance copywriter.

Time to hustle (on the side)

This is not your typical side hustle, you don’t have to work after work or on the weekends. This side hustle refers to broadening the scope of your work and working as more than just a freelance copywriter.

Perhaps you have interests like designing websites, or SEO marketing, or maybe you have your own band. Regardless of what it is you do, you can do it all alongside your freelance copywriting job because you are your own boss!

Cons of working freelance

You can only rely on yourself

Hey hey hey! Working alone could fully be your thing. But there are times when we all need a little nudge to get us going.

Client feedback, approvals, and deadlines can sometimes get a little difficult to manage by yourself. With no colleagues by your side, the absence of advice, guidance, and support can get overwhelming.

No monthly payday

Despite having excellent networking skills and a highly satisfied clientele, there may be times when you do not have a lot of work coming in. Nothing is more frustrating for a freelance copywriter than a periodic slump in clientele.

An irregular clientele means an irregularity in the income you receive, and that is simply STRESSFUL.

The challenge of acquiring new clients

It’s no secret that acquiring clients can be very challenging especially when you’re just starting out. Moreover, setting up meetings, pitching ideas, and making presentations all by yourself can be a little daunting if all you want to do is be a copywriter.

Being a freelance copywriter calls for you to be not just a creative individual, but also one that is business minded. If that sounds more appealing than scary to you, freelancing might just be your calling.

Remember, just as Mark Twain once said “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” There is absolutely no need to pressure yourself to make a choice in an instant, but if you want to learn more about how to become a copywriter, how to start copywriting and learn more about agency and freelance copywriting, you should check out the Kool Kanya course “How to become an exceptional writer and weave stories”.

So why wait? Get on with your learning journey ASAP and sign up for the course today!

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