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Blog Management Prices

Discussion in 'Copywriting' started by poetwarrior, Jan 9, 2015.

  1. #1
    I've been writing online since 2006. I'd say I'm as good as 90% of working online writers. I have recently raised my rates on all my blogging clients and no one has balked. But I have one client, my prize client, that I am preparing a proposal for and would like to see what other writers are charging for a similar service.

    I'm curious what you charge to manage client blogs. Do you charge per article or do you take a monthly retainer? Do you write every day for the fee you take?

    Also, if you manage the blog's guest posting program, what do you charge for that? Do you charge extra or is that included in your fee?

    I'm trying to get a benchmark for my proposal. I'm really curious about what freelance editors charge for managing content presented by other writers? Many blogs are now operating like magazines. Some take content on a freelance basis and pay writers. Others take guest posts but don't pay. But there is still an editor who manages the process. If you're involved in a situation like this, what do you charge for your editorial/management service?
     
    poetwarrior, Jan 9, 2015 IP
  2. goscript

    goscript Prominent Member

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    #2
    Hi,
    Would you be involved just in placing new posts? Or also in things like managing and replying to comments?
     
    goscript, Jan 10, 2015 IP
  3. poetwarrior

    poetwarrior Active Member

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    #3
    I'm talking about the fully monty.
     
    poetwarrior, Jan 10, 2015 IP
  4. Alex Toll

    Alex Toll Active Member

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    #4
    A pretty interesting question. I guess if we're talking about the full package: editorial overview, engagement (comments, etc.), posting and social media sharing - it should be at least a couple of hundred bucks. That's if we're talking about a blog that has at least 2-3 posts per week. If there are daily posts, with comments and the constant need to curate the content and manage new posts, I think it's safe to say that you can request at least 200-300 dollars.

    Then again, I'm pretty sure that there are people on oDesk, who will do this for 50 bucks. It all depends on your relationship with the client and their budget.
     
    Alex Toll, Jan 12, 2015 IP
  5. jhmattern

    jhmattern Illustrious Member

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    #5
    For posts, I charge per post.

    For anything else related to blog management -- content strategy, comment management, editing content from other contributors or guest bloggers, handling maintenance issues, promotion, consulting, etc. -- it's based on my usual hourly rate.

    Every client's needs will be different. A client who routinely gets a few dozen comments per month will require much less time than one who receives hundreds or thousands of comments per month. It also depends if you'll be managing the blog's own social media accounts or if you're expected to use your own (which I no longer agree to do as it isn't fair to my own network to be subjected to paid-for client promotions). If you're the only contributor, that'll be very different than having to manage several others. All of those things have to be considered, and an hourly rate is the best place to start.

    That's not to say you should necessarily charge hourly (I don't, and I don't know many writers / blog managers who would). But you would use that hourly target rate plus an estimate of the time involved to put together a quote for a monthly retainer. Personally, I charge retainers at the start of the month, all paid up front. I know others who charge half up front and half mid-month. How you charge depends on your own preferences and how in-demand your services are (some prefer to have pay spread out so they don't feel tempted to spend it all at once for example).

    For me these gigs are usually tied to company blogs that I ghostwrite for. The clients don't want readers knowing I'm behind the blog -- they want credit going to the CEO, owner, or company in general. And in my experience, if you're willing to do this kind of work, it can pay much better than bylined blog management (in most cases). That's because many business owners don't have the time or know-how to launch and run a successful blog on their own. So you become their full-service consultant. It's not something I like to take on often (I have enough behind-the-scenes management to deal with for my own blogs). But if things work out well with this client and you want to expand, keep that in mind. There is pretty much endless opportunity in this area right now, especially if you can handle the launch phase -- target small to mid-sized businesses without a blog yet. Sometimes the best clients are the ones who don't realize they need you until you reach out to them. :)
     
    jhmattern, Jan 12, 2015 IP
  6. jhmattern

    jhmattern Illustrious Member

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    #6
    I wouldn't worry much about what people are charging on odesk. Because this is a client he's already working with, the best bet is simply to keep the rate in line with what he's charging for other things. So factor how much you make per hour on their other projects, how many hours the blog management would take on average each week or month, and then calculate a retainer quote from that. I know a lot of newer writers who would aim for around $50 per hour for this kind of work. I charge more like $150 per hour. And I know folks who charge even more than that. Bonus points if you have a background in development / design / marketing / PR / etc. because you'll bring extra value to the table, meaning you can charge more.
     
    jhmattern, Jan 12, 2015 IP
    Alex Toll likes this.
  7. poetwarrior

    poetwarrior Active Member

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    #7
    Thanks, Jenn. That was a big help.

    Are you saying $200-$300 per month or per blog post?
     
    poetwarrior, Jan 12, 2015 IP
  8. Alex Toll

    Alex Toll Active Member

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    #8
    Per month. But that's the lowest of possible lows.
     
    Alex Toll, Jan 12, 2015 IP
  9. IG2010

    IG2010 Well-Known Member

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    #9
    it's also based on the blog activity, traffic, etc etc, your price should be set based on multiple factors, if you fully manage a blog that receive hundreds of thousands viewers monthly, it's nearly a full job
     
    IG2010, Jan 12, 2015 IP