Sick & Tired of Incompetant Writers & Cheapskates

I am seriously getting tired of trying to do business here on DP involving copywriting. When I began about 3 years ago, things were a lot different. Unfortunately within the past few months, the quality of work I have been seeing in the Content Creation areas on this forum have been anything but acceptable.

First of all, how can you offer copywriting services when you cannot even word a proper sales thread? More importantly its an insult when people ask me to do 500 word articles for $2, yet have the nerve to ask for native English speakers.

Business is still going pretty good for me, but the amount of crap I have to deal with, its not worth it. For that reason I'm upping my rates and looking at other forums to market my business.

Any other writers or those looking to buy content experiencing the same problems?

 

I'm a writer and I have seen other threads on here that are just sub par. If your offering a service then you need to put it out there. It is the first impression that matters.

Other writers who cant even write a thread are not going to be chosen by anyone. I for one think that I also will be raising my rates and maybe it will result in less work, but Ill make more for the time I spend on researching and writing.

 

My company does copywriting as part of its business, but we wouldn't dream of doing it via digitalpoint. The rates here are ludicrous for a start, as you say, and even people who think they are good writers on here make silly mistakes in grammar - using 'its' where it should be 'it's' as in 'it is', and 'it's' instead of 'its' as in ‘for its own reasons’, and 'your' instead of 'you're', as in 'if you're offering' - and that's just the native English speakers.

 

DP needs more writers who can write. Offering our services here will help eliminate those who can't. There is nothing wrong with wanting to help others, but if you can;t then you can't.

Writing can actually be a simple service to offer. You just have to pay attention to detail. Knowing what to write is the key. With other competent writers moving away from DP then the rates will always stay low, and the content sub par.

 

I share your thoughts. While my concern is not directly related to copy writing, I'm truly frustrated and PO'd with the number of scam artists on DP in the recent months. I've been scammed 4 or 5 times in the past couple of months, even from guys and gals with decent iTraders.

 

Those are minor mistakes even Word can fix. I write all articles in Microsoft Word and the only thing it has trouble distinguishing is between 'then' and 'than'.

 

There are already plenty. And the clients with serious budgets manage to find us well enough without even "offering" our services in the content creation section. If you're still using it, you're way behind the times in effective marketing on DP.

You'll never "eliminate those who can't." There will always be a demand for cheap content, regardless of the lousy quality. Most webmasters buying in content creation aren't exactly geniuses looking for the next big site launch. They just want BS keyword-stuffed copy to attract search engine traffic and then appall those readers so much that they click away the first chance they get -- on an ad. It's a business model. Yes, it's stupid as far as long-term potential, but deal with it.

The only real problem is that good writers are awful marketers who don't know how to set themselves apart from the low-rate crowd. If you can't figure out how to make DP work for you, there's a simple solution. Get out of DP and market your services elsewhere. It's not for everybody.

 

I agree 100%. That is why I only go for established websites as the owners are looking for content actual people will read and not bots.

 

Don't be too quick to judge new sites though. Some of my best clients have been serial entrepreneurs who launch one after another (quality sites; not rubbish).

 

I should rephrase that lol. Clients who either have established sites and or are starting new ones.

 

Hi,

When I first started out, I didn't know about the going rates. I would take $2 dollars for 500 word articles myself. I also didn't feel like my work was worth more because I don't have a degree in college. It wasn't until someone took me under her wing (on DP), hired me and showed me the right way. Of course, that was after I got tired of doing lots of 500 word articles for nothing and gave myself a raise to one cent per word. Now my work is published on websites and it goes without saying that my rates are higher.

I guess we all learn and in time, if they are from the USA and English is their first language chances are they will learn also and get tired of being used.

Kari

 

Since business is going good then why complain? It is a negative reflection of your anger issues. I don't think it will help your business much. If you are good and you are making money... Bravo!

Why complain?

 

Well, I noticed an example of your/you're 'silly mistake' right here in this post.

I won't even bother to name who dunnit!

Hersh

 

LOL....I'll name who "dunnit"

I made the small error. LOL

Not afraid to make mistakes and own up to it.

 

Hey Gvannorman, I really appreciate your spirit mate. But listen, I am offended that you pulled my 'dunnit' out. LOL!

These are very common mistakes to do and are typical for native speakers. They tend to sometimes write the way they speak. There/They're, Kates/Kate's, Would have/would of, Its/it's etc.

Hersh

 

LOL! It is common and I guess that is why the mistake was made by me. These mistakes are the reason I use MS Word to write. It helps correct these little often made errrors.

 

If I want to buy some good copy, how should I find people who can do it well? I'm not going to assume a higher price means better work. What's a fair price to pay for 500 words. I need text on landing pages for a web store, so it needs to hit the keywords for SEO and also convince people to shop at my store.

 

To design a successful landing page you need either a great copywriter, or, an expert SEO guy who can write well.

You're right in saying that you can't judge a writer here at DP based purely on his/her price. Works both ways- a cheap service provider is not always a crap writer. I myself have been guilty of offering my writing service for below par rates simply because that's what I saw being offered. I did'nt know the rates.

I have designed landing pages. For 500 words web copy for a landing page I expect at least $10. There are a lot of good writers out here who won't touch your project for this rate. Again, price don't reflect quality.Here is one critique of a landing page I did here:-
http://forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=1572680

Thanks,
Hersh

 

Just because business is going good doesn't mean it is not stressful. That is the point of my whole thread.

 

I feel you. People are always looking for the cheapest crappiest service ever. Personally, I like to pay a unpopular(but skilled) writer to save a little money.

But what I don't get is that you are surprised. Look around at DP. Its full of people who own "How to earn with adsense" asking in the adsense forum how to make more with adsense. Its full of kids with minimal education and absolutely no respect to understand that quality is worth over 70% more than saving money for crap.

It doesn't get any better in elsewhere. The internet is piled full of internet trash site after site.

That makes no sense at all. I have a pet store and it makes good money. Its still really stressful when people come in and say "yo, you should drop the reptiles, put more fish tanks." "bring in this, bring in that", "no, you need to add more small animals and get rid of fish" "no, more dog food"......................

Jeez, with all of their idiot idea's I'd be out of business in a week. I make good money but its still almost too stressful.