SEO Writing: Advice on How to Price Bulk SEO Copywriting Jobs
Publisher Note
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Last week here, I told you about a new SEO writer who landed her first gig –10 SEO blog posts for a large web developer who specializes in building real estate websites. She had a problem pricing the job and I offered her some advice.
This past week, her “problems” escalated. Problem is in quotation marks because many new SEO writers would love to have this problem.
When she turned in her project, the client was so pleased that they immediately contracted with her to provide 50-100 posts (250-300 words) per month. They liked her work (obviously), particularly the “area specific” detail she included in each post. She was thrilled at the offer, but nervous about how to price the job, especially as the client requested a discount.
Now remember from last week’s post, she’d already discounted her rate (against my advice) for the last job – going from $35 to $29 per post. Now, the client wanted her to go to $20 per post because they were giving her volume.
Not wanting to lose such a large order, this new SEO writer asked for my advice. I told her to tell them that she couldn’t do the job for that rate, especially if they needed research, because: (i) her rates for SEO writing was for “easy, breezy” content that didn’t require any research; and (ii) she’d already extended a discount.
I also advised her to explain the amount of time she’d spent on the initial order and that the reason she didn’t charge more for those was because she wanted to stick to the original contractual terms.
The client still hired her, saying how impressed they were with her professionalism — as an SEO writer and as a businessperson. Then, they immediately sent her keywords for 38 of the 50-100 posts they wanted her to write.
My Rule of Thumb for Pricing Bulk SEO Writing Jobs
In my opinion, New Media Words’s, my SEO writing company, rates are below industry standard to begin with for the quality we offer. I feel that I could easily double our rates and still be quite busy. Hence, I rarely offer discounts – unless it’s a long-time client who has a good payment history.
Most of my clients don’t even ask for a discount (maybe they realize what they’re getting too).
2 Things to Keep in Mind When Pricing Bulk SEO Writing Jobs
The Offer of “More Work to Come: Sometimes clients will try to get you to discount your rate with the offer of “future bulk jobs” to come. This time, it actually panned out. But, don’t get in the habit of offering discounts BEFORE the actual “bulk jobs” have materialized.
Be Willing to Walk Away: Many SEO writers – in fact, small business owners in general – operate from a position of fear when they’re pricing jobs. They are so afraid of losing a potential client that they don’t think of what they gain by being willing to walk away.
Why Learning to Say No Can Be the Best Thing You Can Do to Achieve Success as an SEO Writer
No is one of the most powerful words in the English language. Use it wisely and your power — and worth — will soar. How/why?
You know your worth and if you feel like you’re being gypped (you’ll feel it in your gut), you not only devalue your skills, you devalue yourself as a human being. And this will weigh on you. You just have to trust me on this. It will affect you in ways you can’t even begin to fathom – and it will permeate every facet of your life; not just your professional life.
I’ve found that when you devalue yourself in one area of your life, often, you’re doing it in other areas too – eg, staying in bad relationships, overworking yourself, cowtowing to friends and family, not eating right, etc.
And while you may be shaking your head wondering how pricing an SEO writing job can impact your life in other ways, it’s very simple.
When you get in the habit of operating from a base of fear, you do all sorts of things that are not good for you. So, don’t even start it with your SEO writing business. You may even find that you’re able to stand up for yourself in other areas of your life as well.
Now, who woulda thunk that learning how to price a simple freelance writing job could be so powerful?
SEO Writing Ecourse News: 1 New Signup Since Yesterday’s Post on InkwellEditorial.com – Class is Now Over 50% Full
FYI, the next SEO writing ecourse commences on April 26th. As of today, there are 9 slots remaining. You’ll learn 4 ways to make money online using your newly acquired skills that will give you financial security. Get full details on the SEO copywriting training this ecourse offers — and the most recent updates on how many slots are left.
Happy Easter and Happy Passover everyone.
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