Web Site Content (Copy) Creation...

[iGary]

I am currently writing creative content for a Web site that focuses on recreational boating. Basically, I write descriptive technical navigation information on yacht harbors, rivers, water features and other nautical topics. Each piece is around 400 words and takes me about 30-45 minutes to do.

I charge from 13 to 25 dollars per article, depending on complexity. I think I am charging way too little - I originally planned for it to equal out at about 30 dollars an hour, but by the time they hit me with revisions and proofreading issues, it gets down below my comfort level for the time invested...

Does anyone have any idea what a "professional" web design firm would charge per hour to create content? I am on a 30-day renewing contract, and I want to adjust my prices with the market. I looked online, but couldn't find much.

Thanks.

 

[iGary]

OK, I dug a lot deeper and it turns out I am way off the mark.

Most professional copywritiing firms charge at least $50.00 an hour on the low end for content creation.

I need to change my rates - but they are not going to like it.

 

[AvSRoCkCO1067]

That does sound very, very low for your talents...

Even at 25 dollars per article, you're looking at 50 bucks an hour tops - on the other end, with 13 dollars per article, you're looking at only 26 dollars an hour tops.

Good luck - they'll probably end up paying it if they're happy with what you've done so far.

 

[iGary]

That does sound very, very low for your talents...

Even at 25 dollars per article, you're looking at 50 bucks an hour tops - on the other end, with 13 dollars per article, you're looking at only 26 dollars an hour tops.

Good luck - they'll probably end up paying it if they're happy with what you've done so far.

Well, its kind of a tenuous situation. We know we need each other, but that is about as far as it goes. There's no real love lost between us.

I am going to take a bold step and make it so the articles equate to about 40-50 an hour. If the don't like it, they can try and find someone else to do it.

If it were just copy editing, I wouldn't mind working for the lower rate (I actually like editing), but to try and write 10 different pieces a day at 30 an hours just isn't making me happy.

We'll see.

You won't have to worry about such things with that fancy Chemical Engineering degree.

 

[frankblundt]

The copywriter we use charges NZ$100/hr (that's about $65 US I think). He's experienced but only just started out doing freelance so I'm guessing he's being conservative. The designers charge $120, web development $100-$140+ (depending on the technicality).

 

[iGary]

The copywriter we use charges NZ$100/hr (that's about $65 US I think). He's experienced but only just started out doing freelance so I'm guessing he's being conservative. The designers charge $120, web development $100-$140+ (depending on the technicality).

Yeah, thanks.

See I do a LOT of work for them, so the volume means a great deal as far as pricing, but the fact that I am having to write for 10 hours a day to keep things floating is kind of crazy. I think I am going to price everything out at ~$40 an hour. The only way they will be able to beat that is to hire soemone on at a salary with minimum daily delivery expectations, and that will cost them at least $50,000-$60,000 a year (unless they hire a totally inexperienced writer, which is not unlike them to save a dollar).

My real goal is to get more in line with the market, and also educate them on what a great deal they are currently getting (and still will be with the rate increase).

Thanks.

 

[frankblundt]

Maybe we should be using you instead.

Any good with wine writing? You have to be able to come up with 150 different ways of describing essentially the same thing - the crap ones have to sound fabulous and the good ones somehow come across as even better..

 

[iGary]

Maybe we should be using you instead.

Any good with wine writing? You have to be able to come up with 150 different ways of describing essentially the same thing - the crap ones have to sound fabulous and the good ones somehow come across as even better..

See that's the biggest frustration with what I am doing now - I have like 500 river entrances to write about, and I have about a half-dozen mixed openings for each section that I use to keep it different, but the client still bitches about finding similarities between them. There are only so many words in the language, you know? Plus it gets fracking boring. Both good reaosns to charge more for my time, I think.

I like drinking wine, does that count?

 

[frankblundt]

I think it's a requirement for employment. You have to drink every variant of every range, twice.

We have one site well overdue for an overhaul. The current version is just a cut and paste from the domestic version, with the name changed out for the different name for that range that we use in the US, and the spelling changed to American and the odd description altered when we used terms that are apparently foreign to you fellows (capsicum > bell pepper) where i could spot them. The domestic one was already a hack together of existing copy, so it was already a bit of a mess, and the US version is even worse.

It really needs someone to vet the whole thing and re-write it with a sense of consistency and with an understanding of the American market.

The current version is here. If you think you might be interested let me know.

 

[iGary]

I think it's a requirement for employment. You have to drink every variant of every range, twice.

We have one site well overdue for an overhaul. The current version is just a cut and paste from the domestic version, with the name changed out for the different name for that range that we use in the US, and the spelling changed to American and the odd description altered when we used terms that are apparently foreign to you fellows (capsicum > bell pepper) where i could spot them. The domestic one was already a hack together of existing copy, so it was already a bit of a mess, and the US version is even worse.

It really needs someone to vet the whole thing and re-write it with a sense of consistency and with an understanding of the American market.

The current version is here. If you think you might be interested let me know.

I'll have a peek - thanks.