There are lots of reasons to hire freelance writers to execute your marketing plan. Freelancers can fill in gaps until you grow enough to hire full-time staff. A stable of freelance writers can add a variety of perspectives and keep your content fresh. And freelance writers can complete projects your regular staff doesn’t have time for. But what will freelance writing cost you?
The answer depends on the type of project and the skill and experience level of the freelancer, among other factors. When you enter the transaction with upfront knowledge about freelance writing costs, you’re in a better position to manage your budget. In addition, understanding freelance writing pricing will help you negotiate with freelance writers.
Freelance writing hourly rates
Some freelance writers charge for their time by the hour. Hourly rates can vary widely. If you hire someone on a site like Upwork or Fiverr, you could find writers with rates of $25 an hour or lower.
An experienced writer will probably charge hourly rates of $50 to $100 per hour. If you need a writer with technical expertise, such as a medical or legal writer, expect to pay higher rates, usually $100 per hour or more.
An experienced writer with a higher rate can be a better deal than a newbie with a lower hourly fee. Consider this scenario: You hire a writer who charges $20 an hour to research and write a 1,000 word blog post for you. It takes him six hours to complete then job. Then you have to spend another two hours fact-checking and correcting mistakes, so add on an hour of your time.
Or you could hire a seasoned pro who charges $80 an hour. She finishes your job in two hours. After a read through, you are satisfied that the voice and tone are right and the author has the facts down cold. Plus she’s hit SEO out of the ballpark.
In the first case, your cost is $120 plus two hours of your time. In the second scenario, you spend $160 plus less than half an hour of your time. And you end up with better content.
If you have time to groom a less expensive writer with potential, you could gain a valuable team member. However, if you need it done right, fast, a seasoned pro might be worth the extra freelance writing cost.
Most professional writers, however, won’t charge you by the hour. Rates by the word or by the project are much more common. Projects that don’t have a lot of words but can require extra time, such as ad copy, are an exception to this rule.
Per-word rates
Freelance writing costs per word can range from $0.10 to $0.40 for general marketing and content writing, and around $0.50 to $1.00 for magazine writing and specialized content.
The per word rate that freelancers charge depends on experience level and the difficulty of the project. For example, a blog post that takes minimal research might command a lower rate than one that requires extensive interviews.
When you pay for a freelance writer by the word, you can control your freelance writing cost by setting word limits on your projects. Billing by the word benefits the writer as well. If she’s able to complete the project quickly, her hourly rate goes up. If she needs more time to do a thorough job, on the other hand, she can take the time she needs without worrying that she’s costing you more money.
Project rates
Sometimes freelance writing cost is based on a project rate. Project costs are usually based loosely on per-word rates. The specs of your project might include a word count within a certain range and other conditions of delivery. Project billing can work well when an assignment includes additional tasks beyond the actual writing, such as posting to your CMS or sourcing photos and graphics.
I almost always work with clients on a per-word or project billing basis. This gives my clients the benefit of predictable freelance writing costs.
Factors that affect your freelance writing cost
In addition to the difficulty factor, there are other things that can affect your freelance writing cost. Some writers offer reduced rates to nonprofits. If you do a lot of work with a freelance writer, you could put him on retainer and pay a guaranteed monthly fee for a certain amount of work at a reduced rate.
A byline is valuable to a freelance writer, since it helps fill a portfolio. However, if the only compensation you offer your contributors is a byline, you’ll fill your blog with posts from inexperienced or amateur writers. I don’t recommend this if you’re serious about content marketing.
The rate you pay your freelance writers could affect your marketing in another way. If you’re able to find writers who produce great content for below the standard market rates, you may feel like you’ve won the jackpot. If you don’t reward those talented writers for their great work, however, someone else will. You could lose your valuable freelancers to better-paying clients.
If you have a limited marketing budget, talk to your freelance writers. Writers are creative people. A freelancer may be able to help you figure out a way to get top-notch professional content while staying within your marketing budget.
Feel free to contact me if you have questions about freelance writing cost – mine or someone else’s.