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Topic: what to charge? website content writing
| Author | Message |
| urgent! | Posted – 5/31/2007 11:34:32 AM | show profile I've never written for the internet before, and was asked what my fee would be to write content for a basic website - 4 - 5 pages. What is the usual fee procedure for writing for the internet - per word or page? per hour? any insight... and typical fees... would be appreciated greatly! |
| JimmyG | Posted – 5/31/2007 11:52:39 AM | show profile Some web sites pay very little for content, particularly if the topic is enthisast-driven. You might expect $200-$400 for a 1,000-word article on a given topic. On the other hand, if it's a commercial site, put together by or on behalf of a large corporation, you can change premium rates as high as $2 a word, or per-hour on a par with doing work for a large ad or PR agency. One thing to keep in mind as you negotiate -- content on a web site tends to remain "current" for a lot longer than with any form of print publication. If you cover, say, "how to buy a widget" once the site may run it without change for years to come, whereby a widget enthusiast magazine might run a fresh version of the same essential article as often as once a year. |
| urgent! | Posted – 5/31/2007 12:05:11 PM | show profile thanks Jimmy! So it's more about writing per article for the website than charging overall for content? The way the request to me was put was writing website content - 4 / 5 pages thanks! |
| Astera | Posted – 5/31/2007 12:56:51 PM | show profile I've found that people often want a "project price." I recently did a major rewrite for the Web site of a small electronics company, and I got $5,000. My work included a mission statement, company history, staff profiles, branding information, and lots of product descriptions. This project also had a tight turnaround. For four to five pages of content, you might charge $500 or so, depending on if you're just doing the writing, or if you're expected to write keywords and do basic HTML, too. You can also charge by the hour, if you prefer. For copywriting, I charge between $60 and $70, depending on how involved the project is. Just be wary...there are some Web companies that expect to get content for next to nothing. I just had a phone interview with one such Web site. I had done a writing test for them (against the advice of many MBers), and they loved my work. When they learned that my salary expectations were much more than they were willing to pay, they asked if I'd be interested in freelance work. I told them about my hourly and project rates, and they said they paid by the word--TWO CENTS a word. That's $6 for a 300-word article. Even if I could write two an hour, that's only $12 an hour. Good luck in your negotiations. Remember, good writing has its price. ------ www.adventuresofastera.blogspot.com |
| urgent! | Posted – 5/31/2007 1:27:47 PM | show profile Thanks so much for all the great advice. It is so difficult to walk the fine line between getting the job and not being taken advantage of for wanting it! I may have more questions.... your answers have been so helpful! |
| jerseygal526 | Posted – 6/2/2007 9:58:13 AM | show profile Astera has some great points. I try to keep it to $100 for up to 500 words. I believe it's writersmarket.com that has a How to Charge guide based on projects. ------ http://www.kristenfischer.com http://www.creativelyselfemployed.com |
| chanvish.c | Posted – 8/5/2007 8:51:43 PM | show profile | email poster I am a bit concerned Hi Guys I came up on this post and discovered that content writing is indeed not to be done at a cheap rate. I have done content writing for about 10 folks till now and I charge them $5 for a 500 worder. I realize that it is dirt cheap. Can you guys recommend me a way to come out of it |
| JeanMarie | Posted – 8/5/2007 10:49:46 PM | show profile The first clue... ... that you might be dealing with low-ballers is the initial request. Four to five pages means what? A single "page" of a website can go on to infinity. And what does a "basic website" mean? Writing is writing, whether online or on paper. Find out specifically what they want. |
