Hire Writers or Use Content Agency?
- Thread starter NeverStop
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"The minimum cost pr. word here for good quality content is $0.07-$0.1"
@bernard What country are you from that it costs this much for "good quality." How do you qualify/quantify good quality content? What over-arching niche are you in that would warrant those rates?
"the best is to find new writers, who are talented"
This is such a generalization that it doesn't make sense to me.
I'll be honest, I call BS; You better be in a tier 1 country (in terms of AD rates), and the writers must hold PHDs . That or there is some sort of serious disparity going on -- what does proving ones-self even mean? Do you have a SOP that explicitly outlines what you're after? Do you have training videos that go over your expectations?
My SOP is a 5 page document outlining formatting requirements, word count, as well as even minute things like ways to access websites if their country doesn't allow for it. My training videos are of me talking, writing, and researching for 3 hours. Going over start-to-finish how to outline an article and do research before-hand, then going over the writing process as well as research throughout (watching videos, reviewing journals and media, etc). The videos contain secret words that they have to dictate back to me (I even have people state they didn't know the secret words existed -- At which point we stop working together).
I've literally worked with and trained hundreds of Writers at this point (from all different locations (native languages) and experience levels. I've certainly had writers think they were worth $0.1, only to find out they were completely green to writing for people. That number was quickly brought back down to $0.04-$0.05 (People from the States).
I brought this up in another thread: The main thing that I've found that affects a Writer's rate is location and education, in that order.
Just to give examples of people I work with and their education and location:
I'm super curious to hear what you say in regards to the questions I posed above too.
@bernard What country are you from that it costs this much for "good quality." How do you qualify/quantify good quality content? What over-arching niche are you in that would warrant those rates?
"the best is to find new writers, who are talented"
This is such a generalization that it doesn't make sense to me.
I'll be honest, I call BS; You better be in a tier 1 country (in terms of AD rates), and the writers must hold PHDs . That or there is some sort of serious disparity going on -- what does proving ones-self even mean? Do you have a SOP that explicitly outlines what you're after? Do you have training videos that go over your expectations?
My SOP is a 5 page document outlining formatting requirements, word count, as well as even minute things like ways to access websites if their country doesn't allow for it. My training videos are of me talking, writing, and researching for 3 hours. Going over start-to-finish how to outline an article and do research before-hand, then going over the writing process as well as research throughout (watching videos, reviewing journals and media, etc). The videos contain secret words that they have to dictate back to me (I even have people state they didn't know the secret words existed -- At which point we stop working together).
I've literally worked with and trained hundreds of Writers at this point (from all different locations (native languages) and experience levels. I've certainly had writers think they were worth $0.1, only to find out they were completely green to writing for people. That number was quickly brought back down to $0.04-$0.05 (People from the States).
I brought this up in another thread: The main thing that I've found that affects a Writer's rate is location and education, in that order.
Just to give examples of people I work with and their education and location:
- Pediatrician - Manila - 7 years clinical experience - $0.02/Word
- Dietician - Manila - 5 years of clinical experience - $0.015/Word + Article Review Rate $2
- Computer Scientist - Luxembourg/Athens - 5 years as a freelance writer - $0.015/Word
- Food Scientist - UAE - Fresh graduate of Uni. - $0.015/Word
- General Writer/Researcher - UK - Writing for over a decade - $0.03/Word
- Automotive Mechanic - USA - Graduate of University/ASE Certified - $0.05/word
- Physical Therapist - Quezon City - 3 Years experience - $0.015/word + Review rate of $2
- General Writer/Research - CA - Writing for over a decade - $0.04/word
I'm super curious to hear what you say in regards to the questions I posed above too.
bernard
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@thisishatred Thanks for detailed response.
You're definitely right that I could do more to train writers. I've been writing SOP's recently, going into detail on exactly the kind of process I use and so on. I am working on a test order using this SOP.
For some reason, I've stopped trying to do quality control with each writer, and rather preferred to pay more in hopes that I won't have to micromanage them as much. I think it's time to go back to being more hands on with training.
As for the cost, I live in a high tax, high salary country, so everything is more expensive. The minimum wage is very high. There are a number government welfare for the unemployed.
Most people here who write for the web do it only as a short term thing, then burn out or move into something else or they jack up the rates to the level I describe.
I solve this by using agencies, but they also have a high turnover and are more expensive.
You're definitely right that I could do more to train writers. I've been writing SOP's recently, going into detail on exactly the kind of process I use and so on. I am working on a test order using this SOP.
For some reason, I've stopped trying to do quality control with each writer, and rather preferred to pay more in hopes that I won't have to micromanage them as much. I think it's time to go back to being more hands on with training.
As for the cost, I live in a high tax, high salary country, so everything is more expensive. The minimum wage is very high. There are a number government welfare for the unemployed.
Most people here who write for the web do it only as a short term thing, then burn out or move into something else or they jack up the rates to the level I describe.
I solve this by using agencies, but they also have a high turnover and are more expensive.