by Leo Wiles
03 August 2016
Everywhere I turn it seems blogging is the new big way to make a name for yourself – and, of course, a way to the live the dream by working from home. I’ve even done courses on how to make a career blogging! However, I’m finding pitiful rates wherever I turn. Am I being unrealistic? Should I be sucking it up and diving in anyway? Emilia
Some things really ARE too good to be true, Emilia, and while there are people out there making good money for blogging (for themselves and other people), I tend to think it’s few and far between.
Case in point: Two days ago I read and responded to a fab job for a new mummy site looking for single mums to write inspirational and humorous stories about the trials and tribulations we face.
Armed with my recent adventures of a full nappy in the blacks wash (and an online dating Romeo who asked me for coffee – and whether he could, ahem, lick me all over) I called the job-poster for an initial chat.
Ten minutes in, my would-be employer dumped the F bomb. Finances. For 900 words, she apologetically admitted that the fee was $30. She offered to sweeten the deal by making it a 600 word count, and the opportunity to write about anything and everything, including using it as a platform to publicise my other services as a photographer (with no editorial changes and full link backs).
While I liked the site, the owner and of course love writing and sharing stories to make other realise they’re not alone in the parenting minefield, I simply cannot afford to write for 0.03 cents per word – and neither should you.
It can be really hard not to take work like this during a dry patch or starting out – but the reality is saying yes is a slippery slope to confidence-busting, low-paid jobs for the foreseeable future.
Yes you need to make a name for yourself, but also a reputation for good quality respected work. So hang tough and vet like crazy so you don’t waste your time.
Have you made good money blogging? Or do you agree it’s a hard road?
I have to jump in here because I DO think there is decent pay for client blogging out there. I too have stumbled on those 3c/word jobs and worse, the dreaded ‘but we’ll give you EXPOSURE!!!’ blogging jobs (just, no). Sadly, there are a lot of them out there, and a lot of sites looking to exploit writers to pad out their content. Unless it’s a reciprocal deal or you’re helping out a mate (which I have done and will do), I don’t work for free.
That said, I have managed to get work blogging for clients where I set my own rates. Generally for a client’s blog, I charge between $200-400 depending on what’s involved, the length, any interviews or whether it’s straight research. It can lead to regular, ongoing bread-and-butter work which is great, and not at all difficult.
More and more small businesses have blogs and want/need regular posts so finding this work for me has generally been an organic thing with clients I already work for as a copywriter. I just shamelessly ask if they’re looking to outsource any other writing tasks such as blogging, social, and so on. Followed swiftly by handing over my rate card 🙂
Couldn’t agree more Rachel and Leo. Blogging for my own clients or the clients’ of digital agencies is a good chunk of my business now. Trick is to focus on hourly rate rather than word rate. I do some blogs for $160 but I can knock them out in about an hour – which is a terrific hourly rate – but try to stay within the $200 – $300 band.
Don’t give up on the online dating Leo – I met my wife via RSVP.
Hi all, it helps to have a specialist skill. I’m a finance writer and I’m doing quite a bit of blogging for businesses. I get offers for between 50c -$1 a word and it’s writing that I enjoy.
Good for you Jan! And agree that having a niche can be very lucrative for some.
Hi. I’m intrigued by your rate card Rachel. I have a lot of associates and acquaintances I reckon I could lobby for contract work, especially copywriting and blog posts. Just not sure where to start. The vexed question of money can be a bit awkward to raise on the kids’ sporting sidelines. Any posts / resources here about how to cost your work and format it on a friendly ‘hire me’ card?