How To Make Money Writing Jingles

Did you know Barry Manilow wrote the State Farm jingle?

You know, “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.”

Of course, he’s also written jingles for McDonald’s, Pepsi, KFC, and many others.

So why does this matter to you?

He’s proof you can make money writing jingles. And if your jingle is great, you can use that to get even higher-paying jingle jobs.

Plus, your melodies can last generations.

So how do you get into writing jingles? Read on…

What Writing Jingles Looks Like

I’ve written some jingles, including a tune for a project with the Philadelphia 76ers.

My experience has been this: it’s really fun, and it pays well.

The jingles I’ve written have been between 10-60 seconds. And I’ve gotten hundreds of dollars for each.

So if you want to get into jingle writing, here’s what it will probably look like as a beginner…

You’ll be a freelancer

Although it’s possible to land a job as a full-time jingle writer, it’s very unlikely, especially if you’re just starting out.

So before you read any further, accept this fact: writing jingles will be a supplemental income for you.

Yes, it can pay very well. But there probably won’t be enough jingle projects to make it your full-time gig.

So you’ll be doing this in your spare time. Or, if you’re a full-time musician, you can include jingle writing into your daily work.

But once you get a few jingles under your belt, you’ll have an easier time getting future jingle work.

The key is to stay patient, persistent, and produce pro-level songs.

The process of writing a jingle

Before you start your first jingle, just know you’ll need to give up some of your creative freedom.

The client most likely wants the song to have a certain feel, specific lyrics, and be a certain length.

This means your client will probably scrutinize every lyric and offer constructive criticism about the music. They’ll do this until the jingle is exactly how they want it.

This is how it works when creating custom music for a client.

But don’t worry, it’s still fun. Sometimes restrictions help you be more creative and more decisive.

And you’re helping someone bring their creative vision to life. If that appeals to you, you’ll like writing jingles.

How Much Money Can You Make Writing Jingles?

In my experience writing jingles, I’ve made $200-500 per song.

And this is in line with what jingle writers are charging on freelancing platforms.

Starting out, you’ll have to charge less. The more you do it and the better you get, the more you can charge.

Depending on the project and the budget of the company, a fair payout could realistically be $1,000 or more.

It will take hours of writing, recording, and getting feedback from the client.

But the payout will still be well worth your time and the value you bring.

Where To Find Jobs Writing Jingles

The hardest part of getting into this industry is simply starting.

Knowing where to look for jingle-writing jobs is the first step. So here are two platforms where you can start…

Upwork

Upwork is a site that connects freelancers with clients.

Clients post job opportunities, freelancers apply, and the client picks the person they want to work with.

Not only does Upwork bring clients to you, but they also offer third-party mediation. If the freelancer or client doesn’t hold up their end of the agreement, Upwork steps in.

And when I wrote jingles, I got all of my jobs through Upwork.

To get an idea of what freelancers are charging via Upwork, check out the site’s services page.

You’ll also be able to get some ideas for different angles you can take. What will make you stand out from the crowd?

Fiverr

Fiverr, like Upwork, is a platform where freelancers and clients connect, and it includes mitigation services as well.

But the concept is slightly different. Clients can get a taste of what you can do for a smaller payment (i.e. “a fiver”).

Then, if they want you to take on the full project, they pay for your Premium services. And you would deliver the fully written, produced, and mixed track.

With Fiverr, you offer your services in the format “I will create [you fill in the blank].”

So if you check out the jingle services offered by Fiverr musicians, you’ll see they say, “I will create a custom jingle in [genre].”

This is the best way to sell your services. Clients will already have a genre or mood in mind, so highlight that in your headline.

An email template you can use

You’ll apply for a lot of jingle-writing jobs as a freelancer. So to save time, you’ll want to use a message template, one you can copy, paste, and fill in the blanks.

Here’s an email template you can use (but add your personality to it!):

Hi [name of company/client],

I’m a composer and producer who typically makes [your genre]. And I would love to create this jingle for you.

I’ve written jingles for [your clients]. You can listen to them here: [private link to a streamable playlist of your jingles].

I look forward to hearing from you!

Thanks,
[Your name]

Final Thoughts

To recap, writing jingles can be a lucrative side income stream. It’s fun, rewarding, and you can use the money to fund your musical projects.

Remember…

You’ll be a freelancer.

The client makes the final creative decisions.

And the best place to get jingle-writing work is on Upwork and Fiverr.

That’s how you get started writing jingles.

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Caleb J. Murphy is a songwriter and producer based in Austin, Tx. He also blogs at Musician With A Day Job, a site that helps part-time musicians keep going.

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