Hello, I recently got into content writing and started working for a client who pays 1 cent per word. I know it is a low rate but I am just trying to break through. They require me to write everything through SurferSeo, then check it with Grammarly, and finally run it through a plagiarism software. The thing is, the topics they give me are so oversatured, and every other texts gets marked as plagiarism despite me writing them out of my own head. This means I have to proofread the articles mutliple times and then rewrite them. I know I am not the greatest writer, and my grammar is not impeccable by any means, but this feels like too much. I have tried UpWork, but I haven't had luck as the only proposal I've that got accepted is one for $0.5/100 words. Does anyone have any advice how to move forward? I am willing to work hard, but it is disheartening to work for no progress and small compensation.
Am I being underpaid?
- Thread starter cc99fresh
- Start date
Xeervier
Failed to resolve a dispute resolution thread.
- Sep 8, 2022
- 621
- 290
Dude that's pretty low plus the SEO and plagiarism check is a lot for that amount.
Alternatively you can make the best of the experience and apply elsewhere overtime.
No experience is wasted, iwriter used to be the place to get quick BUCS writing gigs
I'm sure you can find better paying jobs on other freelance sites or upgrade your Upwork account so you can pitch to high paying clients.
All the best
Alternatively you can make the best of the experience and apply elsewhere overtime.
No experience is wasted, iwriter used to be the place to get quick BUCS writing gigs
I'm sure you can find better paying jobs on other freelance sites or upgrade your Upwork account so you can pitch to high paying clients.
All the best
So you are getting paid $10 per 1k words for Surfer content? Upwork you are going to earn $5 per 1k words, less their 25% ?
Last edited:
Alexion
Banned - Shitlisted and did not do the right thing
- Sep 9, 2021
- 1,456
- 3,803
You're looking at it the wrong way.
Let's make it easier.
At 1 cent/word, how many words can you write in 8 hours? Let's imagine you have continuous work. How much can you do per day with all those crazy requirements?
Then do the math on how much you want to earn per month.
I don't know where you live, so I'll assume $1,000?
For you to earn $1,000 in a month ( 22 working days) that means about $45/day, which leaves us at around $5.6/hour.
If it takes you two hours to come up with those 1,000 words even with surfer SEO, then it might not be that underpaid.
If, however, it takes you 4 hours or more ( pure example, go with it ) then yes, you are well underpaid.
Going back, if you can actually do 1k words in 2 hours, assuming you're fine with the monthly revenue, then you don't need to increase your price.
You actually need more customers.
Now, my personal take on the whole 1 cent/word thing is, it's ridiculous low.
It depends a lot on how you write, ofc, but from what I'm seeing, while you don't sound like a native, you're not that far behind either.
Keep in mind, the crappy low end content mills often PAY 2 cents/word.
Ideally, for it to keep being fun, you should be getting clients that pay around 3 to 4 cents/word. Of course, 5 cents/word is even greater, but realistically let's say 3.5 cents/word would make do.
That way, you only need to write 2 articles/day while maintaining quality and making sure you don't get burnout the next day.
Ideally, for you to keep writing content day by day, you shouldn't be doing it more than 6 hours/day.
When you get into the 8 hours/day range, you will eventually be burned out, and will have one or two days where the quality will sucks.
Which will get your pay even as if you were working 6 hours/day anyway.
I'm not even counting weekends, you need your weekends.
You might think you don't and can work on weekends too, but you will see in the long run it will only make things worse.
He joined today and has 1 post, so this will take 2 months at least.
Chris Newman
BANNED
- Oct 13, 2018
- 6,868
- 6,032
US$5 per 500 words is not a low pay nowadays for content writing. It is competitive nowadays in all fields within internet marketing. And people who think that paying more means getting higher quality are wrong : those days are gone. With more and more people entering internet marketing as freelancers, there are nowadays very good quality services available at cheaper than before prices. It is cut throat competition nowadays. Prices need to be competitive and competition is always welcome, because another important aspect is also customer care and after-sales service in addition to a good quality service. And not every seller can provide outstanding customer care and outstanding after-sales service. So one can leverage prices based on providing outstanding customer care and outstanding after-sales service.
KoolTimes
Newbie
- Jul 12, 2022
- 34
- 29
One of the best ways to make your writing price go way up is to have detailed knowledge in specific/targeted niches.
Nobody can write the content of the highest quality on every single topic. Everybody has that one niche, one area of expertise, where they can produce superior content.
My advice is for you is to find out what niche that is for yourself and focus on that. You might have less clients in the beginning and things might go slower in the start but in the end, you'll have a unique service and will be able to charge much higher than general copywriters.
Nobody can write the content of the highest quality on every single topic. Everybody has that one niche, one area of expertise, where they can produce superior content.
My advice is for you is to find out what niche that is for yourself and focus on that. You might have less clients in the beginning and things might go slower in the start but in the end, you'll have a unique service and will be able to charge much higher than general copywriters.
Did not see that. Even 2months is not long time, he can use that time to learn the rules here or show his skills as a writer by sharing methods here.
Oliverolie1012
Newbie
- Sep 28, 2022
- 29
- 8
It's even strange to me that copywriters are paid depending on the words. And anyway, when calculating and talking about the salary itself, every time you have to come up with something to write and use your imagination, and only get a few measly dollars for it, it's sad, unless it's normal. I haven’t heard about this, but my friend works as copy writer and he gets fixed salary regardless of the amount of words.
