28 Ways to Get Paid to Write Product Descriptions

One side-gig I read about that you can do entirely from home is write product descriptions. This is essentially a form of copywriting, or writing ad copy.

Product descriptions are appealing to many people as a work at home side gig because they are usually short and don’t require a ton of creativity.

What Does Product Description Writing Pay?

Pay varies by client, word count, and how much research is needed. Some platforms pay by the word, while you can quote direct clients a price per description or per batch. Be sure to account for revisions and platform fees when setting your price.

Do You Have to Have Writing Experience To Do This?

You don’t really have to be a professional writer to write product descriptions. There may be a slight learning curve, but you will get the feel of it pretty quickly.

I used to do a lot of this for Textbroker when my boys were little, and I found it to be pretty easy work once I got into the groove of it.

If you find you enjoy this type of writing and want to take it further, there are courses that can teach you the broader skill of copywriting.

One I’m familiar with is through Transcribe Anywhere. They offer a copywriting course here that could help you level up and charge more for your work.

Where Is the Product Description Writing Work?

So how do you find this work? It’s not something that’s always so easy to dig up. The jobs come and go because companies don’t need this all the time.

Some businesses use AI to draft product descriptions, but writers can still help with research, fact-checking, and making the copy clear and useful. Always follow the client’s rules about AI use.

Here are 28 places to look and types of clients you could write for if product description writing interests you. These are ways to find work, not 28 companies with confirmed openings.

And if you like content like this, subscribe to my free work at home email newsletter and get my list of 43 Non-Phone Jobs. The emails go out regularly and contain lots of ideas.

Writing Platforms That Connect You With Clients

These sites find writing clients for you. You’ll need to apply, and work isn’t guaranteed.

Textbroker – I wrote product descriptions for Textbroker years ago. They still offer product description services to clients, but new writers must pass a review process before taking orders. The U.S. site requires permanent U.S. residency and a valid U.S. ID or passport. The amount and type of work available can vary.

GetaCopywriter – Get a Copywriter connects freelance writers with businesses needing copy across dozens of industries, including retail, tech, food, healthcare, and more. There is no bidding for work and no monthly fees charged to writers. Pay ranges from $55–$80 per 1,000 words at the pro level and $122–$176 per 1,000 words at the expert level, with weekly payouts via PayPal or direct deposit.

WriterAccess — WriterAccess, like Textbroker, has been around for many years. They accept freelance writers for businesses to help create all kinds of copy, including product descriptions. Applicants go through screening and need writing samples. Clients can find and hire approved writers, but work is not guaranteed. You can earn more the higher your writer rating goes.

Verblio – Read our Verblio review for more on how it works. Verblio lists ecommerce among its writing categories. Its application page requires writers to be at least 18, have U.S. citizenship, and have a valid Social Security number. You only get paid when a client buys your content, so time spent writing may not lead to a sale.

Scripted — Scripted connects writers with clients in many industries, including retail and ecommerce. There is an application process, and a profile can include samples of your work. Clients post what they are looking for, and writers can pitch on projects in their areas of experience.

Where to Go If You Want to Set Up a Profile and Get Found

With these platforms, you create a profile or listing describing your services. Clients may find you through search, and some platforms also let you apply for projects.

A clear profile and a few samples can help show clients what you can do. Review each platform’s fees before quoting a price or paying to apply for work.

Fiverr – You create a “gig” describing your product description writing service and set a price. Search for similar gigs to see how other writers package their services, but remember that lots of sellers does not mean there are orders waiting for you.

Upwork — Upwork is another huge freelance platform where clients post jobs and writers can apply, but you can also set up a profile that clients can find when they search for writers. Product description jobs are posted here regularly. The key is having a strong profile that speaks specifically to ecommerce and product writing.

Freelancer.com — Similar to Upwork, Freelancer.com lets you bid on jobs that clients post. Search “product descriptions” in their job listings and you will find work posted regularly from store owners who need the help.

PeoplePerHour – You can search product description projects and send proposals to clients. Read each brief carefully for the writing task, budget, and any location requirements.

Contra – Set up a profile, list product description writing as a service, and search for projects. Contra advertises commission-free earnings, but platform, payment-processing, currency-conversion, or payout fees may still apply. Check the fees shown for your payment method before accepting a project.

Where to Go If You Want to Apply For Posted Jobs

This is kind of a middle ground between waiting for work to come to you and going out to find your own clients. In many cases, someone has already posted a job and is actively looking for a writer, so you just have to apply.

Use these boards to search for “product description writer” and “ecommerce copywriter.” Check the location and remote-work details, then confirm a job on the employer’s own careers site before applying.

Indeed — This is probably the first place most people think of when they think job boards, and for good reason. Search “product description writer” and filter for remote jobs. Set up a daily email alert so new listings come straight to your inbox and you don’t miss anything.

ProBlogger Job Board — This is a well-known job board specifically for writers and bloggers. Companies post writing jobs here regularly, including product and ecommerce copy jobs. Check it often because good listings go fast.

We Work Remotely – Search this remote job board for writing and copywriting roles. Openings change, and some roles require you to live in a particular country or time zone.

MediaBistro – This job board focuses on media, marketing, and creative work. Search for copywriting and ecommerce roles, and check the location carefully because many listings are not remote.

Where to Go If You Want To Find Your Own Clients

Reaching out to potential clients can feel uncomfortable at first. One advantage is that you can set your own rates and offer a service that matches the store’s needs.

Use a business’s public website or a contact route that welcomes business inquiries, and follow platform and group rules. Don’t send bulk pitches, keep contacting someone who says no, or use Etsy or eBay Messages for unsolicited offers.

Cold Pitching Etsy Sellers – Browse Etsy and look around for shops that have no, or poorly written, product descriptions. Some people are great at crafting and creating, but terrible at writing. These are the people who might need your services!

Cold Pitching Shopify Store Owners – Same as above. Do a Google search for “Powered by Shopify” and you should get a lot of results for stores that you could cold pitch your services to.

Cold Pitching Amazon FBA Sellers — Amazon sellers live and die by their product listings, and many of them know it. Join a few Amazon FBA Facebook groups and you will likely find sellers constantly asking for help with their copy. You can also just search Amazon for products in a niche you know well and reach out to sellers whose descriptions are poorly written or difficult to read.

eBay Sellers – Look for established shops in a product category you know well. If the business has its own website and welcomes service inquiries, you can send a short, relevant pitch there. eBay does not allow unsolicited commercial offers through its messaging system.

Facebook Groups for Ecommerce Sellers — Search Facebook for groups related to Shopify, Amazon FBA, Etsy, and ecommerce in general. These groups are filled with store owners who may sometimes ask for help with their listings and copy. Some groups let you post your services directly, and others you can simply watch for people asking for exactly what you offer, then jump on it.

Reddit — The subreddits r/forhire and r/HireAWriter are both active communities where you can post your writing services or find people looking to hire writers. Read each community’s rules on rates, samples, account history, and posting frequency before posting. Writers who stay active and engage in the community tend to get noticed and referred.

LinkedIn — Search for ecommerce founders, Shopify store owners, and brand managers and connect with them directly. When you see someone in your connections who runs an online store, send a short friendly message introducing yourself. You can also post content about product copywriting on your profile to attract inbound inquiries over time.

Kickstarter and Indiegogo Campaigns – New product launches can give you ideas for potential clients. Look for a team’s own business website and any invitation for service inquiries. Don’t use campaign comments or private messages to send spam.

Print on Demand Sellers — Print on demand sellers on platforms like Etsy and Redbubble often launch dozens of products at once and rarely have time to write good descriptions for all of them. These are great potential clients! Search for POD shops with lots of listings and poor copy, or find print on demand Facebook groups and introduce yourself there.

Wholesale and B2B Suppliers – Look for suppliers with large product catalogs and descriptions you could help improve. Use the company’s own website to learn about its products and find an appropriate business contact, rather than sending unsolicited pitches through a wholesale marketplace.

Side note – Cold pitching can feel scary, but you can keep it short and simple. Start with a basic outline, then tailor each message to the business. Here are some tips:

• Introduce yourself, explain who you are and what you do
• Give a genuine compliment on their products and/or store. Be specific about something, don’t just say “I like your products.”
• Point out a specific way you could make the descriptions clearer or more helpful. Don’t promise higher sales or search rankings.
• You could offer to write a few descriptions free for them to look over and see your skills without committing to anything

Other Markets for Description Writing

These are related types of copywriting you could offer alongside product descriptions.

Restaurant Menu Descriptions – You could check for new restaurants, or soon-to-be-open restaurants and reach out to offer your services for their menus.

Real Estate Listing Descriptions – Browse Zillow or Realtor.com and look for real estate listings that have short, basic descriptions, poorly written descriptions, or virtually no description. You’d be surprised at the realtors that desperately need help describing their listings in an appealing way.

App Store Description Writing – Same goes for apps. Get on your phone and look around for apps with poor descriptions, or descriptions that are hard to understand. Reach out to the creator and offer your services.

Build Your Own Portfolio Website To Bring In Clients

While this option isn’t necessarily going to draw a bunch of clients to you as soon as it’s live, it will be important for you to have if you decide to do this full-time. You want a place to direct potential clients to so they can see your past work.

You can start with a few sample descriptions, even before you have paying clients. Label practice samples clearly, and get permission before sharing client work or testimonials.

To do this fast and easy, you can use Carrd.co. Takes about 15 minutes there to build a simple one page site describing your services. Just add your name, a short bio, and paste in a few writing samples. Looks professional and costs nothing.

To Sum Up

Even though it is technically copywriting, product description writing is real and generally doesn’t require any formal writing experience to start. The work is out there, you just have to know where to look for it.

You can try writing platforms as one way to find clients, but don’t rely on a single site for steady work. A few clear samples can also help when you pitch businesses directly.

This could be a side-gig for you to do to bring in extra here and there, or, if you want to get really serious about it, it could potentially turn into your full-time job.

Good luck in whatever you choose to do!

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