Honestly people..... I really don't understand why you would buy content. It's written by people that don't give a S about your site. How can you expect people to stay on your site if you don't have stuff that they can't read elsewhere? DUH!? Sam
Buying something is faster than wasting your time actually creating your own content. Besides, writers need writing jobs. Seriously, I'd like to read what buyers have to say.
You are generalizing a bit. Not all the writers are bad, and we both know it. Stop acussing everybody, cause you are not right at all. And by the way: why most of the people want to buy cheap articles? Well, they receive cheap articles. And when a reputed writer comes and tells that he charges more, most of the buyers don't even consider him as on option. And after that, buyers complain of the quality on the forums. Want quality? Pay for it and you will receive it.
Well, 5-dollar articles may not be "that" bad. I can't imagine how 50-cent articles will read like. (chuckles)
People buy content because it's part of an overall outsourcing strategy. As people outsource content generation, they're more than likely outsourcing things like software development, web development, and PR as well.
By buying articles, you are saving time. By outsourcing them to good writers, you are saving more time. And in Internet Marketing, wealth is measured in time, not in dollars.
Buying articles not only saves time, but if you buy from those with experience in a field (the cost is higher but worth it), you get better content that people will read (they stay on your site longer). Content from an experienced writer has better quality information than stuff cut and pasted off the net.
1. Those who buy the cheap crap variety of content seem to do so either because they don't know any better (maybe English isn't their first language so they really can't judge the quality fairly) or they intentionally buy content that drives visitors away (to click on ads to exit). I don't care for that business model personally, but it's an explanation, not an excuse. 2. Those who value writers' contributions and pay for quality get several benefits. For example, as others have said they'll free up their own time to worry about more direct income-generating activities. Some buyers simply can't write, and they know they need the help. Others outsource to niche experts / specialists because those writers can help them build authority status in the niche (attracting more readers, natural incoming links, etc.). And of course there are plenty of folks who fall somewhere in between. They all have their own goals and budgets, and they work within them.
There are people who buy content just to fluff their site. In that case, what you say is often true. On the other hand, when you take the time to find the right writer and you are willing to pay for them, then you will likely find that they do sincerely care about how your site performs. That's because it's a direct reflection, partly, of them. Of course, the writing and content are only a portion of the big picture. You can pay top dollar for the best writer in the world for what you need. But if your site is so poorly designed that people immediately turn away, then that doesn't fall on the writer's shoulders. If no one ever sees your site, then you're obviously not going to see conversion no matter how good your writer is. A good writer will take the time to understand your objectives, your audience, and where you stand. They'll do everything they can to ensure your content is useful, informational, and/or engaging... depending on your site and your needs.
There are two major kinds of webmasters 1] Who mainly care about search engines 2] Who mainly care about website visitors The first variety prefer cheap content. The second variety prefer quality content that visitors would like. Don't be too sure about that. Most content writers do care about the people who give them writing jobs, and their sites/business, especially if they are treated and paid well. More so in the case of repeat clients.
lightless makes a good point. When a writer has repeat clients, they essentially become invested in the clients' sites. They get to know their clients' businesses intimately. They know they're clients' target markets. They also know that their clients' success can tie into their own. For example, a sales letter writer who doesn't care about a client's results probably isn't goin to worry much about conversions. One who feels more invested in that client's success is going to do their best, test, and let's say earn the client $100k in sales they otherwise wouldn't have had. They know that doing that and caring about the client's needs means they're going to have ongoing work. That client's going to come back when they need another sales letter because they know the writer will deliver. They know that case study could lead to more work from other clients. And they also know that delivering high-converting copy means they can charge more (much more) than someone who can put words on a page but not deliver real value. Professionals understand this, and that's precisely why they do care about clients' sites.
I write great stuff when i have my own head. But when people who can't write try to drive the job it ends up in disaster. They don't know how to order content and they aren't responsible for what they communicate. When people say 500 words this, that the other, times this it works out fine. And some webmasters CAN write. but if you hire someone to copy a neighbor site, don't blame the writer when third parties come along and say "the writing is horrible". they have NO idea what the person hiring the work demanded.
I tend to write my content for my visitors. The serach engines haven't been to great to me yet, but I hope one day that will change. Honestly though, it pisses me off that those who buy content FOR the search engines get higher ratings when I work my ass off to create great content for all. And then the search engines don't even find it.
sdiener - Don't worry about. Just keep doing what you're doing. Eventually you're likely to improve your rankings with that original content as you naturally attract more links. It takes longer, but in the end it's far less work and leads to more stable results. You don't have to constantly build more links yourself, b/c good content attracts them naturally. You also don't have to constantly work on maintaining your rankings once you do get them just because a search engine algorithm changes, making all your old SEO "tricks" useless. It's well worth it. Just have patience until you get there.
Just imagine yourself to be the busiest=richest person in this world.Wouldn you prefer to just buy instead of writing stuffs yourself?
I can't speak for other writers or "writers" as the case may be, but I don't take a job I don't want to do. I work on projects I like or for people/companies I like. For many of the content-based sites I work on, I'm the sole or lead writer. I've written countless sites for and brainstormed with clients about their target market and message. I've worked with many of the same clients on a weekly or monthly basis consistently for more than five years now - I'm most certainly vested in those sites and care a great deal about providing the right content. But then I fully recognize that I'm not necessarily the norm, although I'd be willing to be there are more than a few writers around the Copywriting section at least with similar experiences.
And produces better results if you choose the right writer. Moreover, some webmasters are much better at promotion, SEO or other aspects compared to writing content, so they can free up time and dedicate more time to things that they excel at, by buying content. I would do neither. I would go to the Bahamas and lie all day in my luxury yacht, sipping champagne.
Since newspapers and magazines buy content from freelancers, I dont see a reason why the webmasters cannot buy content. Many publishers are buying content in Helium too. They are paying about 5 cents per word, and some publishers are even paying $80 to $120 for an article.