Just a quick question... Could you elaborate what you mean when you say "optimization/marketing?" Also -- why did you place the article on Wikipedia? Isn't Wikipedia your competitor? Plus, that would mean that your content would not be unique.
marketing/optimization includes my free marketing methods. I don't spend a dime, but do manage to bring in a lot of traffic. I don't share these methods, however. Wikipedia is not my competitor. If anything, it gives me some of the best traffic I can hope for. And lots of it too! When I say I placed my article on Wikipedia, it means that I just placed a link to my article on Wikipedia, not the actual article. There is no duplicate content issues.
A few would argue that $15-20 is still "cheap," but it all boils down to perspective. Good luck with your experiment! Congrats, Zac on the overall success of yours!
15-20/article is the only reasonable scale for me at this time. I am not going to throw big bucks at a project which I cannot devote proper time to. Ofcourse, if I do spend $xxx and the site takes off real nice, then it'll automatically become a project I can devote quality time to . But I do have to ask, If you consider $15-20 as cheap, what do you pay for an article? Or ar you a writer? EDIT: I just realized you actually are a writer.
- Yes, I'm a writer - My typical rate is $0.10 per word or $50 per 500 word article. Quite honestly, I've browsed more than a few samples from time to time when I'm considering buying content for my husband's sites, and even decent $15-20 writers are hard to come by. But they are out there, so good luck!
Sorry about that, I hadn't noticed your sig links when making fun of the rates. . No disrespect meant. I just have a slight case of signature blindness. I think I'll include a $xxx project along with the 15-20 and 3-5 experiments. Are you free mid december? Also as you are a writer, how do you find the work? i.e you enjoy writing? or is it irritating to write what others demand instead of what you want?
Do you sell your marketing/optimizations services? Interesting project, by the way. I don't believe you posted the URL in the thread anywhere -- so would you care as to fill me in?
Most of the writers I know do not write what a client demands (including myself.) Rather, I choose clients based on the types of writing they need. If it's within my area of expertise and something I enjoy, I don't feel pressured because of it. I don't randomly apply for every job around simply because it's there. I seek out opportunities that seem interesting. As a result I always enjoy the subject matter.
That's no problem - I didn't even read your original post as making fun of rates. I figure professional rates are no laughing matter! LOL Yes, I enjoy writing. Unlike some of my colleagues, I'm not writing the next great American novel, but I like to write for websites. It's fun and always changing. I specialize, like most upper end writers, but do take on projects outside of my specialties that sound fun. If I don't like a topic, or a client is TOO demanding, I simply pass. That helps keep it more entertaining than drudgery. I find work primarily through referrals and occasionally interested parties in forums such as this one. I also do a substantial amount of repeat business. To avoid hijacking the thread any further, I'll shoot you a PM with specifics about your potential project.
So, say you specialize in IT topics and you know nothing about geothermals, would you take on the topic or decline? After all, it might be a fantastic learning opportunity. You would learn tons about the topic. Then again, it might just waste too much time researching something you have no idea about. I'm too much of a knowledge hound. having only 24hours in a day is just not enough when you want to read every word ever written. Probably why I wont make a succesful writer. But I do want to know what a proffesional writer would select. By the way, are you a guy or a girl? I'm not that good with names.
Wow, congratulations, that is pretty awesome! You inspire me to work harder on my site - I know I could quickly produce twice as much traffic and money as I do now if only I actually tried harder. Thank you
I don't tend to take on topics I know absolutely nothing about, no. I prefer to write content within the niches that I specialize in. Why? Because that way, I can guarantee exceptional content from someone who actually knows what they are talking about. On the other hand, if a project sounds interesting and I know a fair bit about it to start with I may decide to take it on. Honestly, it depends on the specific project. I am a knowledge hound as well but I prefer to research topics of interest to me in my spare (haha!) time rather than feel pressured to research a topic that I'm unfamiliar with for a client. To answer your last question I am a girl (in case you couldn't tell from the avatar )
Yes, that seems to be the right approach, only take on what you can deliver quality for. But I still believe writers should go on exploring new topics. The niche you specialize in might stop being in demand some day. Ok, another question, do you only stick to writing or do you also do projects like zac439's experiment? Also would your answer be typical for the writing community? Are denise and dennis similar names? I stopped trusting avatars after I saw a thread in which almost everyone was using buffalo's avator.
Denise is a girl name (dee-neese) and Dennis is a boy name (den-es). And you're right, usually you can't trust avatars, but Denise's is her real picture. If you'd been around a lot longer, you would know exactly what she looks like thanks to a competition a few of the DP ladies had a while ago. I can't speak for Denise, but I haven't done many experiments like Zac, but my work with my various clients (and friends) has shown many times over that quality content is more than just effective...
I almost agree with that, but I feel that while quality content will give an overall bigger return, the cheaper stuff would have higher returns percentage wise. I'm almost tempted to completely ignore the $3-5 stuff, but I want the complete stat's to draw my conclusions from. I'm sure someone must have some success stories with cheap content. If noone has, then I am hoping to be first
Could be there just aren't that many success stories with cheap content. Zac, my thanks to you, not just for the effort made and shared, but for opening my eyes to a site I've grossly overlooked...Wikipedia. Honey
As Rebecca already pointed out, Denise is a feminine version of Dennis. I've never done a project like Zac's because I already know that quality content will be what attracts visitors to a website - and keep them there. I've come across many websites that were riddled with poor content and I didn't stay there for more than 2 seconds. I explore new topics as I can, but I'm not going to write about something I know absolutely nothing about. I prefer to leave that to the professionals in that specific niche rather than try to pass myself off as an expert when it's clear I am not. Like I said, I prefer to explore topics of interest to me in my spare time.
I can't see anything great about it. Probably, because I am new to this stuff. Also a lot depends on what you mean by good content and cheap content. Content written in an interesting way without any grammar mistakes might help keep readers longer. It would be great If you had compared the results of two different sites one with good content and another cheap content, of course in the same niche with same marketing strategies. Anyway, I would like to know about it. Can I know the URL of the site? Thanks in advance.
Great point... I'm looking for writers now and have been weeding out the good from the bad while saving money... maybe I just need to bit the bullet and make my money back in the long run.