What Should A Web Content Writer Charge

There comes a time (or a few times) as a web content writer begins to transition from content mills to personal clients that he may panic and think “what should I charge for this?” It is very common to have no idea what is a fair rate or what you are worth when you are just starting to take on clients, so here are a few tips to save you from being overworked and underpaid.
Consider the work to be done
Most will tell you to work off of the “going rate” when you write up quotes for your clients, but this is only half-helpful. At the time of this writing, the average rate is between 1 and 10 cents per word. Where does one find out where they fall in this range? Instead, consider the actual work your client is asking you to perform. The more difficult the task, the more you should charge. A technical paper which will require an hour or more of research to write should be priced higher (more like 10 cents per word)than a simple blog post which will require about ten minutes or less of research (closer to 2 cents per word). Be honest about how hard you think you will have to work to produce great content, and set your quote accordingly.
Never accept less than your highest paying gig
As a web content writer, you always want to be moving up the ladder. Think of this as giving yourself a raise – if you don’t, who will? So, if you’ve got a regular gig which earns you 3 cents a word, do not quote a client any less than this, and always try for a cent more if you can justify it.
Clearly define job specifications
Don’t walk into every job assuming the client is going to take advantage of you, but do cover all bases to protect yourself. If the client is willing to pay you 5 cents a word for 15 articles, and 1 cent a word for rewrites of said articles, be sure to clarify how many rewrites you are willing to do. Specify that your quote covers original content, 1 or 2 rewrites of each article, and basic grammar and spelling corrections ONLY. Without being very clear, you may end up doing much more work than you bargained for, and earn considerably less on a per-hour basis.
There is really no way for someone else to tell you what to charge a client, but recognize that your work is valuable. Following these tips can help you evaluate exactly how much you are working for currently, and how to increase the amount steadily. A web content writer must always be looking to move up, or risk remaining stagnant and even getting left behind by the competition.