There is no exact amount that you should charge as a content writer. It really depends on a variety of factors.
To begin with, you need to take into account your experience level, training, and the amount of work you’re willing to commit to.
Let’s examine each of these points in turn.
Experience Level
The first step to getting paid what you’re worth is to figure out your experience level. You should note that the demand for content writers is continuously on the rise and the barriers to entry are extremely low.
According to the International Labor Law Association (ILTA), employment of contract employees in online journalism jumped from 1.9 million to 3.1 million between the years 2019 and 2020.
Even though these numbers are only estimates and the methodology behind the data is questionable, it’s still a staggering indicator of the growing demand for content writers.
Training
The International Education Association (IEA) estimates that there are currently 81,500 trained content writers in the world.
This is clearly a massive pool of potential employees, and coupled with the fact that many content writers start their careers as interns for free, it’s an employer’s market.
If you have a specific software engineering, copywriting, or content creation background, you’re in luck because there are multiple job opportunities in this field.
On the other hand, if you don’t have a specific background in writing or content creation, you might have to look for job opportunities in other industries where your skills can be applied.
Willingness To Commmit
The next step is to establish how much time you’re willing to commit to. You need to assess whether you’re willing to take on a project or commit to a full-time position.
If you’re inexperienced, you might not have the necessary tools to properly negotiate the terms of a contract. In these instances, your best bet is to enter into a verbal agreement with the business. You can ask for a project proposal in return for your services. From there, you can negotiate the terms of the agreement.
The Freelancer’s Advantage
A lot of people consider remote work a distinct advantage because it allows you to work as much or as little as you want. This is particularly applicable for contract work.
When you freelance, you set your own hours and take on as much or as little work as you can handle. You also get to determine your own pricing structure since there is no set rate per unit. In other words, you control your own destiny.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to have a million-dollar portfolio to get paid what you’re worth. As a matter of fact, you don’t need any sort of portfolio to begin with. All you need is a strong email profile and some sample work to present to potential clients.
Establishing A Negotiation Strategy
Your salary is only as good as your skills and the market will determine your value. In some instances, a significant amount of money can be put into your hands without you having to lift a finger. In these situations, it is advisable to establish a strategy and follow the steps outlined below:
1. Create A Business Plan
The first step is to create a business plan and follow the instructions very carefully. You need to include all the essential details regarding your product or service, pricing, and the demand for your product or service. In instances where you don’t have much experience, it might be a good idea to seek the help of a professional.
2. Identify Your Product Or Service Strengths
After you’ve established a baseline of how much you should be compensated, you can move on to the next step. To do this, you first need to identify the product or service strengths that you’re uniquely equipped to provide. In some instances, you might not be providing a product but can instead offer a service. For example, you can become an online proofreader. In this case, you would establish that you have a strong knowledge of English and the ability to perform flawless proofreading services for businesses based in the UK.
3. Identify Your Product Or Service Weaknesses
The next step is to take a hard look at the things that you’re not equipped to provide. In cases where you don’t have a specific background in software engineering or writing, you might need to look into the other areas of business that you are capable of contributing to. In these instances, you’re identifying the areas where you lack the necessary skills to produce high-quality content. For example, you might not know how to write a sales pitch, create a product description, or design a user experience (UX) mockup. In general, you’re assessing the unique skills you have and can offer.
4. Identify Your Target Audience
Once you’ve established your product or service strengths and weaknesses, you can move on to the next step. To do this, you need to identify who your target audience is and what they want. For example, if you’re a copywriter, you’ll need to determine who you’re writing for – business owners, marketers, or web designers. You also need to think about what action they’re taking (or plan on taking) after reading your content. For example, if you’re writing for a business audience, you’ll want to include some marketing tips or suggestions on how they can grow their business. In most cases, you’ll want to write for the individual or group of individuals who will consume your content. In other words, you want to make sure that your content is relevant to the people you’re writing for.
5. Determining Your Publishing Platform
A good rule of thumb is to write for the platform that your audience uses. This means that you should develop and maintain content for as many platforms as possible. Keeping up with all these different types of content can be extremely time-consuming, so it’s worth the effort. In most cases, you’ll want to publish content on one site but link back to relevant content on another site when appropriate. In these instances, it’s a win-win because the reader experiences are typically much better when the content is relevant compared to when there’s a mismatch. In other words, it’s better for all parties involved when journalists, bloggers, and other content creators develop content that is as unique as possible. Of course, this means that you need to make sure that your content is relevant to as many platforms as possible.
How Much Should You Make As A Creative Director?
A creative director is a person who is in-charge of the overall look and feel of a brand or product. In most cases, a creative director will work alongside a graphic designer, photographer, and/or copywriter. In some instances, they’ll work independently.
To begin with, you need to establish how experienced you are in working with a digital team. Having an understanding of how a website or app functions and looks is only the beginning. You also need to know how to bring that vision to life through design. In most cases, a creative director will be paid more than a typical content writer because of their expertise. However, the exact amount depends on a variety of factors including the size of the company and the work that you’re willing to commit to.
Final Takeaways
Getting paid what you’re worth is a lot easier said than done. To begin with, you need to have a clear understanding of how much you should be paid based on your experience level, training, and the amount of work you’re willing to commit to. In most cases, a good rule of thumb is to write for the platform that your audience uses. This means that you should develop and maintain content for as many platforms as possible since keeping up with all these different types of content can be extremely time-consuming. In most cases, you’ll want to publish content on one site but link back to relevant content on another site when appropriate. In these instances, it’s a win-win because the reader experiences are typically much better when the content is relevant compared to when there’s a mismatch. In other words, it’s better for all parties involved when journalists, bloggers, and other content creators develop content that is as unique as possible.