What Should I Pay a Content Writer?

Pay rates for content writers vary. Did you know you can buy 250-word articles for $4 to $8?  Especially when they are written as poorly as this:

“We’ve done it through junior high, it expanded longer through high school, then on college it became chapters. No matter how many times a person have done it, writing articles has proven to be a task many has continuously avoided. Now at a time when writing articles could help your job or work, facing the job at hand can be still faced with unfriendly behavior.”

How much are 17,500 words worth? At .028¢ a word, the client below may find a stressed out amateur blogger with productivity problems:

“I am looking for 50 blog articles that I can post on my blog. I will use these articles to post periodically. Word count between 300 – 350. Topic is workplace productivity, organization, focus, reducing workplace stress, etc. Fixed price (Less than $500)”

Need a content editor to give your website some spin? Viewers might get dizzy reading “good enough” content from this client:

“I am looking for a talented writer to revamp my website content and give an edgy spin. Project would be initially for 5-7 pages of content but would turn into more if the content provided is good enough. Hourly (1-2 wks ($5-$10/hr))”

Based on my experience as a professional content writer working in a variety of client environments from corporate to solopreneur, these rates are unrealistic and will only lead to disappointment.

Content writer rates may be paid by word count, by hour, or by page. Rates are influenced by geographic area, experience, industry focus, and scope (how much research, source interviews, etc.). On average, an article written by a professional writer will cost in the range of .25 to $2 per word. Hourly rates average between $75 and $125. Website content page rates can average $75 to $250 per page. Content for specialized audiences may be more.

To edit existing text many writers charge between $35 – $50 per hour checking for grammar and misspellings. A rewrite of the text will be more, often charged by the page.

Again, this is based on my experience not on an industry survey. Writers may charge more or less depending on their workload. Ongoing relationships are valued by both writers and clients so that may be a pricing factor as well.

Before discussing pay rates with a content writer describe the scope of the project and a timeline. Good content is a valued asset. It works 24/7 delivering information to the marketplace. How do you find the right writer for your project?