Have you ever wondered why most of the blogging gigs you see pay $20 a post or less?
There are two main reasons.
With writers I mentor, I’ve always emphasized one of them.
Common topics = low rates
Your topic is key.
Are you blogging about pets? Kids? Gaming?
If so, my condolences.
The problem is there are umpty-million people who are qualified to write on these topics.
These hobbyists would love to write about them for free or thereabouts. They just love writing and seeing their name on the Interwebs!
Startup clients = low rates
There are also scads of startup websites trying to monetize lots of content on these basic subjects. These companies seem to place the majority of the online ads for bloggers that you see.
They still don’t know how to make money with their site, in many cases. They may aspire to sell ads against their hoped-for big traffic, but so far it’s not working.
These are not established, successful businesses. Therefore, they don’t have much budget to pay you for blog posts.
Topics and companies that pay well
On the other hand, if you write about surety bonds, or actuarial consulting, or sophisticated medical procedures, you’re in good shape.
Far fewer writers can write intelligently on these topics. Also, these clients tend to be long-established companies in financial services, healthcare or technology.
These organizations make money, so they have more substantial marketing budgets.
So — sophisticated topics and established companies tend to mean better pay.
The other reason good blog-post pay happens
But last week, when I had copywriting coach Chris Marlow on my Freelance Writers Den podcast, we were running down a list of lucrative types of copywriting.
When we got to blog posts, she talked about another important distinction between the type of situation that gets you $20 a blog post and the type that gets you $300 a blog post.
This is such an important difference, I wanted you all to hear it. It’s just a short, 3-minute recording so give it a listen. (Chris also reveals the going rates for blog posts as reported in her in-depth Copywriting Rates Guide.)
[hana-flv-player video=”https://media.makealivingwriting.com/Marlow-Cut-Blogposts.mp4″ width=”175″ height=”40″ description=”Chris Marlow podcast” player=”3″ autoload=”true” autoplay=”false” loop=”false” autorewind=”false” /]
If that doesn’t work, you could download it here:
https://media.makealivingwriting.com/Marlow-Cut-Blogposts.mp4
What have you gotten paid for blogging? Tell us what types of work you did for that money.
