In today’s freelance writing industry, there’s a lot of uncertainty concerning blog postings and articles. Also, how much should each of those forms of writing pay?
I recently received a lot of questions about the differences between freelance article writing and freelance blogging. Many writers were perplexed as to what the distinction was.
So let’s talk about it. Because the world is changing. And knowing the differences between these two types of writing will help you earn more money.
For years, blog posts and nonfiction articles were distinctly different. Then, the line starts to blur.
Confusion Among the Two
Blog posts began to resemble articles more and more. As the Internet became increasingly congested with blogs, the bar began to rise.
More interviews began to appear in blog entries. They offered some fascinating information. As bloggers attempted to distinguish themselves and provide more value, posts grew lengthier, to the point where 1,000 words has become rather ordinary, and 2,000-word entries are not uncommon. As Google tightened down on keyword-stuffed content, the value of SEO keywords decreased. In addition, as blogs became more professional, many of them recruited editors.
There was considerable movement in the article-writing field. Many print periodicals began publishing online versions of their articles. Suddenly, magazine headlines, like blog post headlines, needed to generate traffic, and headline styles developed. They featured more thought-provoking articles from thought leaders. Some also set up blogs where writers can publish their work on their own.
As ad revenue went online, word counts shortened for print. Some publications have gone online-only. Their look became looser and more relaxed.
To summarize, the two styles of writing began to converge. Definitions become squishy, resulting in a lot of uncertainty.
Except for one thing: blog entries are usually low-paying, whereas articles are higher-paying.
Difficulty Bidding on Projects
For years, uneducated clients who don’t understand these two forms have been muddying the debate around them. As a result, it’s been difficult for writers to identify writing jobs and accurately bid on them.
Many clients refer to the 300-word quickie pieces they want as “articles,” yet they still want to pay $5 for them.
Many clients would also like you to write 1,000-word blog posts with two interviews and a research statistic for $20 because “it’s a blog post,” according to them.
As a freelance writer, it’s your job to cut through the BS and figure out exactly what the job entails, and then talk about how much that job should pay.
Earn More as a Writer
Clients, on the other hand, will always want to save money. It is the responsibility of writers to educate clients about what they are asking for and what is reasonable compensation for the work they want you to do.
The good news is that the merging of blog postings and articles should result in higher compensation for writers. Blog posts are evolving, and they’re no longer inferior to articles. As a result, they should be compensated more commensurate with the number of papers they frequently publish.
However, it is up to the writer to take the necessary steps to capitalize on this shift in the market.
What to Charge
Whereas most bloggers are lucky to make $100 per post—and I recommend setting that as your minimum for blog writing — article fees are typically significantly higher. Depending on length and intricacy, I’ve written many for $300-$500 and many more for $600-$1,000.
Many smaller daily papers pay $75-$100 for brief articles, but you’ll get more spectacular clips for your portfolio if you write for them. You’ll also learn how to report a story, which will help you land better-paying articles from businesses or magazines in the future.
Authority is Key
Articles and article-style blog postings transmit more authority. They make a bigger impression on your client’s customers. The projects will be more successful, and those clients will be more inclined to employ you to write for them again in the future. It’s a perfect win-win situation: you can charge more upfront and will almost certainly obtain more work from the client because they’ll be happier with the results.
