So I had a few questions about copywriting (No I'm not a copywriter just more of a client) and I decided to ask you all so I can get your input. Here we go. 1.) What is a reasonable price to pay per article (500 words) to 1000 words? I ask because I know people on DP pay near slave wages, and I want to know what should I be paying for a well written article by a professional. 2.) Any one have any advice on picking a good copywriter? what to look for in a copywriter to distinguish between a subpar writer and a great one? 3.) Finding a writer for a specific niche ? A question I have because I have a client who does real estate and I need material for all of her marketing material. Also along with blog posts about real estate etc. ? So what tips/advice can you give me to find copywriters on a specific niche ? 3.) Editor of all everything I write ? I wanted to ask - I know I'm bad at writing, you might have cringed at my run on sentences, lack of grammar and even this sentence alone. Is there a copywriter who will write up emails,etc anything that has to do with words for me ? 4.)I'm starting a blog ...(here it comes) I wanted to know whats the price difference for having an editor read my blog post and correct everything on it. (Seriously I know that the only thing I will have orignal on it will be the stock photo and maybe the title/idea of the blog post.)
1) Good writers command anything in the range of $20+ for a 500 words article. However, a top notch one can set back your bank balance by $250 for the same article. I know a few writers who are not professionals, yet they write such appealing copy, that the conversion rate of V2C (visitors who end up clicking the `learn more' button) 2) Ask them for their portfolio or a link to samples of their work. 3) Tough question because, real estate, along with finance & politics are the toughest. 4) Yes, you can easily get a personal editor who'll correct your mistakes. The copywriter/content writer will help you with the preparation of fresh copy. 5) The charges for reading and correcting your blog can be ascertained only after going through it. If the editor has to make just a few changes, they will charge less. However, if they have to replace the copy with a fresh one, then the charges might be quite high. In fact, you'd be better off with a fresh copy in such cases.
1.) What is a reasonable price to pay per article (500 words) to 1000 words? $50-$80 per 1000 words for Web Writing. Creative writing prices varies, they primarily depend on the writer (his popularity, experience, career...) 2.) Any one have any advice on picking a good copywriter? It's like picking a good employee. You need to find someone you trust, especially if you don't know about the field he's going to write about. 3.) Finding a writer for a specific niche ? Each writer is professional in a specific niche. That will take us back to question 2. 3.) Editor of all everything I write ? It will be a little boring (for him), won't it? May be you should get an office assistant. 4.)I'm starting a blog ...(here it comes) May be more expensive. Writing is easy when you are free to chose the topic to write on. It's harder when they are you to write for something specific. Think of it, the writer must first read your copy, understand it, do more research and then re-write it.
1. This will vary based upon if you are looking for an essay style (think wikipedia) or sales type article. Not all writers know the difference. Among the professional writers I know, sales oriented pieces can start in the $75 range. If the writer is expected to do all of the keyword and competitor research, the price goes up. If you are looking for essay style writing, prices are literally all over the map. Some say $20 is a good starting point but I would budget at least $50 or more if you want to ensure the piece truly is unique, won't be resold and is well-researched. And by well-researched, I mean it isn't simply a rewrite of Wikipedia or articles from EZine. Keep in mind, the essayist will generally focus on getting traffic while a copywriter will focus on getting targeted traffic that converts. For some sites it's all about attracting masses of traffic. For other sites, attracting one customer a month who buys that million dollar whatever is what counts. 2. Stick to someone who can sell themselves. Read their website. Does it focus primarily on them or does it focus on what they can do/have done for clients? Send an email with your website address and other information along with specific questions. Is their reply a form letter or did they actually take time to think about your project. Pick apart what they've said. Do they spend more time talking about their rates or more time talking about your project? Do they seem actually interested in helping you and your business or are they basically saying, "Yeah, I can do that."? 3. Again, refer to their website. Do they mention that niche? Use your initial email to ask questions specific to working in that niche. Do they know that in the real estate world building a farm has nothing to do with barns and chickens? Someone experienced in the niche will know immediately what that phrase means. A good writer will take the time to find out. A lazy writer won't know and won't bother to find out. 3.2. Make sure you hire someone with all the skills you need. One of my clients happily pays me significantly more for my copywriting and business analyst skills than he paid his previous editor. More than once, I've asked a question missed by all the partners that could have led to big problems. If you don't need that additional level of oversight and truly only need someone to correct grammar and spelling, save a bit of money and hire a copy editor or essayist rather than a copywriter. 4. Based on your writing here, I think you are selling yourself a bit short. Sure, there's some boo-boos in your post but it's far from needing a full rewrite. Again, ask yourself if you need someone to help you make simple corrections or someone to add sales copy into your pieces. Generally speaking, essayists charge by the word or the piece and charge the lowest rates. Copyeditors generally charge more than essayists and charge by the word or by the hour. Copywriters typically charge by the word or by the piece. My advice would be to avoid anyone charging by the word. In my opinion, charging by the word puts too much focus on counting words and not enough emphasis on crafting a clear message. The majority of the writers on DP and elsewhere should be classified as essayists. Some are excellent at what they do and others are outright stealing content or using article spinners. Many copywriters do offer essay content but you will typically pay them more than you would an essayist. Whomever you hire, make sure that you will be provided with full copyrights. It might cost you a bit more, but it's worth it to ensure that the writer never resells what you paid for. Good luck with your search.
Well thanks everyone for your response, I really do apprecaite you answering my questions because I know have a more knowledge of how to approach/value a copywriter.
The others have covered the rate issues nicely enough if you're looking for a professional writer ($0.10 - $0.15 per word starting rates). Remember, too, that a blogger is not always the same as a content writer and/or copywriter. If you're looking for a blogger, you'll want someone who understands your CMS and can work directly in Wordpress (or the like) to save time and effort for both of you. Writing skills are essential, but so is professionalism, experience and communication. Be sure to pick a writer who seems comfortable and confident in all of those areas.