Determining the fair rate to pay when hiring a freelance
writer is an important step in getting a return on your investment by hiring
the writer. You should avoid paying below the recommended market rates for
freelance writers, or too high. Paying the right amount for freelance writing
services can sometimes be a challenge. Especially when you have little
information about how payment is structured based on your project type and
duration.
This guide will give you a general idea of how much it would cost you
to hire a freelance writer for your kind of project. Note that the given rates
only give a general perspective of what you would expect when negotiating rates
with a potential freelance writer. Anything above or below these rates will
depend on the writers experience, job complexity or length of the
project.
Always consider that opting for freelance writers that
charge extremely low rates might not always be the right decision for your
project. This is more so the case considering that you might have to send more
money hiring other freelance writers to proofread your content. That said,
getting a freelance writer who charges a fair rate will give you value for your
money by giving quality content in a timely manner. On that note, here is how
to decide on how much you should pay for a freelance writer.
Type of Freelance Writing Rate
The different types of freelance writing rates include
Per project (flat rate), per hour, per word, per page, and on a retainer basis.
Choosing a type of rate over others should be informed by other factors such as
the nature of the project and availability of writers willing to work through
similar terms.
Most writers would prefer working on per project basis,
which eliminates any potential disagreements that would involve time and
payments in the course of the project. For on-going projects, working on a
retainer could prove beneficial as a writer would be willing to negotiate a
favourable (often discounted) rate.
The standard market rate for articles ranges between $15
and $50 with writers pricing their services anywhere between such limits. You
might not be surprised to find writers charging lower or higher than such
rates. Having an idea will save you the hustle of trying to figure-out the best
rate to get started based on the type of freelance writing rate you
choose.
Complexity of the Project
Some projects are complex, requiring of subject expertise
for successful completion. Such projects require writers with specialized
skills and knowledge of the subject matter. Hiring rights with a special set of
skills and on technical subjects will cost you more. Some of the special skills
and knowledge is in subjects such as healthcare and finance.
This is a great contrast from general subjects, for which
you can hire a writer at a lower rate. Expect to pay higher rates for
specialized and skilled writers. This is different when you intend to work will
a general topics writer. In the latter scenario you can agree to work on bulk
work at a fairly reduced rate.
Writer's Experience
Writers are often categorized as beginners, intermediary
and experienced. At the lower end of the spectrum, writers charge a lower rate
for a standard-length piece of writing. The quality of work given by a
low-charging writer often matches the rate, but you are (occasionally) also
able to get writers who give quality write-ups. Experienced/expert writers
charge a premium, but the value they add to your content pieces will leave a
long-term impression. This includes increased number of leads and conversions
from your call to action.
Clear Goals and Objectives for Your Project
The likelihood of you landing a quality writer will
largely depend on the clarity of your set goals and objectives. This includes
how well your content strategy fits in your overall marketing strategy. Sharing
your content goals and objectives will make sure your (experienced) writer
knows the expected output in terms of articles, blog posts, white papers, and
more.
You can have short and long-term goals for your content
writing project. A writer's ability to produce content that matches your set
goals can dictate how much you will end-up paying for the different writing
tasks.
Deciding on how much you should pay for freelance writing
services will depend on a number of combined factors. Check to see how the
different factors address the needs of your project and how it will be of
assistance when deciding the amount you wish to pay a freelance writer for your
project.
Frequently Asked Questions on How Much You Should Pay for a Freelance Content Writer
How much should I charge for a 500 word article?
The recommended rate for a 500 word article is $50, which
gives the guaranty of a high quality piece of content. A slightly lower or
higher rate will depend on several factors, all of which contribute to the
unique requirements of your project. For a 1000 word article, you can expect
double the rate applicable to the 500 word article. That is $100. Again,
several factors will determine whether this is the rate to pay. Such factors
include the writer's experience, whether the content requires specialized
knowledge and skills, or the type of rate you wish to work with.
What do freelance writers do?
Freelance writers produce original and quality content.
The type of content freelance writers produce is not available anywhere else
online or print. Writing articles, blog posts, web content, whitepapers and
other content forms are offered by freelance writers. Freelance writers also
offer proofreading and editing services.
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