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Ghostwriting and LinkedIn writing
Ghostwriting means writing posts and other content in another person’s voice, often for LinkedIn. You can start with a small writing sample and a clear offer, but finding clients and building a reliable income takes time.
Open the interactive guide (checklist, video, read-aloud) →In plain words
- You write posts that sound like your client.
- You learn their ideas by asking questions.
- You draft posts and ask them to check the facts.
- Agree the price, deadlines and changes before starting.
- Clients approve every post before it goes live.
- Finding steady work can take time.
Who it suits
Suits people who enjoy interviewing others, shaping ideas into clear writing and taking feedback. It may work well for writers with knowledge of a particular profession or industry.
Some professionals have useful ideas but little time to turn them into clear LinkedIn posts. They may pay for help capturing their voice, shaping their ideas and keeping a regular posting routine.
Step by step
- Choose an industry you understand. Pick a subject where you can follow the ideas and language, such as a trade, professional service or technology. Look at whether the people you hope to serve use LinkedIn; this helps you decide whether the service fits them. About 30-60 minutes.
- Define exactly what your service includes. Write one simple offer, such as turning an interview or client notes into LinkedIn posts. State what is not included, such as profile writing, strategy, scheduling or comment management, unless you choose to offer it. About 30-45 minutes.
- Create a few honest writing samples. Write sample posts in different voices using your own ideas or a fictional example. Label fictional work clearly and never imply that it came from a real client or produced a real result. About 1-2 days.
- Prepare questions for a client conversation. Ask who the client wants to reach, what they want readers to do, which subjects are off-limits and how they naturally speak. Ask what claims need checking and who will approve each post. About 30-60 minutes.
- Offer a short introduction and learn their voice. Invite a prospective client to explain their work in their own words. With their permission, record the conversation so you can refer to their phrasing and ideas; agree how the recording will be stored and when it will be deleted. About 20-40 minutes.
- Draft a small batch and ask for feedback. Write a few draft posts and ask the client to mark what sounds right or wrong. Use their feedback to make a brief covering voice, audience, topics and approval preferences. About 1-2 days.
- Agree the work and price in writing. Set out the scope, price, deadlines, revision process, approval arrangements and whether unused posts carry over. A UK guide recommends a fixed posting cadence and written scope ZevGeeks. About 30-60 minutes.
- Follow a simple monthly writing routine. Gather ideas, draft posts, check facts with the client, revise and obtain approval before delivery or publication. Do not publish a post until the client has approved it. About About 1-3 hours per batch; agree timing with the client.
- Review the arrangement after a trial. Ask what is working, what needs changing and whether the agreed workload is manageable for both of you. A UK guide suggests avoiding long lock-ins and says three months is enough to judge whether the service is working ZevGeeks. About 30 minutes.
Your first 15 minutes
Choose one client type and write three sample LinkedIn posts in a consistent voice, then ask a suitable person for feedback.
The money
Set a price around the work involved: interviews, research, drafting, fact-checking, revisions, admin and any publishing tasks. State how many posts and revision rounds are included, and charge separately for extra work you agree to do. Published client prices are not guaranteed earnings: one UK guide lists £400–£1,500 per month for 4–8 posts <a href="https://zevgeeks.com/guides/linkedin-ghostwriter-cost-uk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ZevGeeks</a>.
Example only: For one month of four posts, suppose you charge £120 and spend £10 on work costs: £120 − £10 = £110 before tax. In a separate euro example, suppose you charge €120 and spend €10: €120 − €10 = €110 before tax. These are made-up figures to show the maths, not a suggested market rate or earnings promise.
The rules
Ghostwriting and writing LinkedIn posts are generally lawful in the UK and Ireland. Check the tax rules that apply to you. Handle client information carefully. Follow advertising rules when your posts promote products or services.
UK and Northern Ireland
- Trading income and tax. The first £1,000 of your trading income per tax year is covered by the UK trading allowance. This is your gross income before expenses. If your trading income is above £1,000, tell HMRC. If your circumstances mean you need to register for Self Assessment, register by 5 October after the end of the tax year GOV.UK Tax Help for Hustles GOV.UK.
- Client data and ICO fee. Use the ICO self-assessment tool to check whether you need to pay a data protection fee for your work. The ICO lists advertising or marketing another person's business, goods or services as an example of work where you need to pay a fee. There's no general answer for every sole trader on the ICO page ICO.
- Advertising labels. If your post is an advert or other commercial content, make sure people can clearly recognise it as an ad. The ASA gives advice on recognising ads on social media ASA.
- Insurance and agreements. Consider whether business insurance would suit your circumstances. Put the work, fee, deadlines, revisions and approval process in writing. This is practical advice, not a claim that you must have a particular insurance policy.
- Age and working hours. If you are aged 16 or 17 in Northern Ireland, young-worker rules usually limit your work to 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week. They also prohibit work between 10pm and 6am nidirect. Check a freelance platform's age terms before using it.
Ireland
- Tax and self-assessment. If you are a PAYE worker, register for self-assessment using Form 11 if your taxable non-PAYE income is over €5,000 or your gross non-PAYE income is over €30,000. Below those thresholds, declare your income on Form 12 through myAccount Revenue. If you are self-employed, you pay income tax, PRSI (Class S) and USC under self-assessment. Your preliminary tax is due by 31 October Citizens Information.
- Business name. If you trade under a name other than your own, register the business name with the CRO. The online fee is €20 CRO.
- Advertising labels. Clearly label commercial content, for example with #Ad. The CCPC advises, “if in doubt, label it” CCPC.
- Client data and agreements. Protect your client notes, recordings and unpublished ideas. Agree with your client how you will handle them. If you're unsure what data protection rules apply to your work, check with the Data Protection Commission.
- Age and young workers. If you are 14 or 15, you can do light work in school holidays, subject to limits. If you are 15, you can also work up to 8 hours a week in term time. Check the detailed rules and a platform's age terms before you start Citizens Information.
- Insurance and consumer rules. Consider whether business insurance would suit your circumstances. If you're unsure how consumer rules apply to your agreement or service, check with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.
Checked against official sources: 22 October 2026. Not yet reviewed by a qualified tax or legal adviser. General guidance, not legal advice. Check the official link beside each point before you start.
Common mistakes
- Offering strategy, publishing or comment management without defining whether they are included.
- Writing in a client's voice without asking enough questions or using their feedback.
- Leaving revision limits, deadlines and approval responsibility unclear.
- Publishing a post before the client has approved its wording and facts.
- Promising leads, sales or audience growth that you cannot demonstrate.
AI-made demonstration: this module has a 20-second street-chat video in the interactive guide. The presenter and the people in it are computer-generated, not real people.