How much does it cost to have a small business website professionally written?
- Jim Morrissey
- Apr 28
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 30
If you’re considering a new website build for your small business, you’ll be interested to know that it could cost as little as £400–£500 to have it professionally written.
That said, what you ultimately end up paying will depend on your budget, content requirements, and business objectives.
Hiring a specialist website copywriter in addition to a web designer is a smart move. They will make sure that the words on your site succinctly convey your brand’s value, give visitors crystal-clear reasons to choose you, and make it easier for search engines, AI, and GEO to crawl, index, and rank your site.
How many pages will your website need to launch?
If money’s currently a tad scarce, you can launch a basic website with a core set of 4–6
pages, or fewer. It can still do a great job of telling the who, what, where, why, and how of your services and provide enough information to compel an interested party to make an enquiry.
Basic starter websites typically look something like this:
Homepage
About
Services (often just a summary page)
FAQ
Contact
If you offer multiple services and your budget’s good for it, include a separate web page for each one rather than just a summary page. This works better for search engine visibility and also promotes user engagement. It’ll also make you look more serious about what you do.
Cost of writing the core pages
The two most common ways website copywriters charge are A) an hourly/day rate, or B) per written page. Rarely will you find a professional writer who charges by the word, but that’s a story for another day.
When asking for quotes, be upfront with copywriters about your budget. They’ll appreciate your honesty and be more likely to offer you a better deal – especially if they like the sound of the project and can see you’ve chosen a good web designer. Remember: writers think in terms of portfolio value as well as monetary value. We want to proudly show off our best work.
Level | Day Rate | Homepage | About | Services / Summary | Services / Individual | FAQ Page | Contact |
Newbie (0 - 3 years) | £250 - £350 | £150 - £250 | £150 - £250 | £100 - £150 | £100 - £120 | £60 - £100 | £0 - £30 |
Mid-weight (3 - 5 years) | £350 - £600 | £250 - £350 | £250 - £350 | £150 - £250 | £120 - £180 | £100 - £180 | £0 - £60 |
Senior (5+ years) | £400 - £800 | £350 - £600 | £350 - £600 | £200+ | £150 - £200 | £150 - £450 | £0 - £100 |
Cost of writing case studies, blog posts, etc
Adding case studies and portfolio pieces will work wonders for your credibility – building
trust with your audience by showcasing your expertise and authority in your field.
Regular blog posts and article uploads will also help to establish you as an expert and provide more opportunities to be discovered in search and AI engines.
Level | Case study | Blog post / article (approx 500 words) | Pricing Page | Process | Industries / Sectors |
Newbie (0 - 3 years) | £100 - £120 | £60 - £100 | £100 - £120 | £100 - £120 | £100 - £120 |
Mid-weight (3 - 5 years) | £120 - £180 | £100 - £180 | £120 - £180 | £120 - £180 | £120 - £180 |
Senior (5+ years) | £150 - £200 | £150 - £300 | £150 - £200 | £150 - £250 | £150 - £250 |
Why using AI alone to write your site isn’t ideal
AI can help with ideas and structure, but on its own, it’s not enough.
It doesn’t understand your business, your positioning, or your customers in any meaningful way. The result is often generic content that lacks clarity and commercial focus.
Search engines and AI platforms are also getting better at filtering out low-value content. If your site doesn’t show clear expertise and relevance, it’s less likely to perform.
A copywriter brings context and judgement. They shape your message around how people actually think and make decisions.
How long does it take to write a small business website?
Most small business websites take 2–3 weeks, depending on the number of pages and how quickly feedback is provided.
What does a copywriter need from me to get started?
A clear understanding of your services, target audience, and objectives. A good copywriter will help you write your brief.
Will I be involved in the writing process?
Yes. You’ll review drafts, provide feedback, and approve the final content
How many revisions are usually included?
Most copywriters include one or two rounds of revisions, but this should be agreed upfront.
If you’re thinking of approaching a copywriter, download my handy briefing template below. Otherwise, give me a call and we can discuss rates. I’ll do my best to work with your budget.
