Express Writers’ current job post at Indeed.com expresses the complete and unrealistic expectations of every content mill, as well as the lie about pay. $20 to $30 an hour? Not a chance.
Express points to this page as a great writing example:
https://smartblogger.com/best-about-us-pages/
That guide is well done, however, it is also 3,222 words and involved researching 29 separate web pages. This would be exhausting work under deadline, with the quickest writer finishing a well polished guide like that in no less than 13 hours. That’s at 500 words every two hours.
Mind you, it’s not so much the writing but the reading and research one must do before any writing comes together. You need to understand something before you can explain it. You also need to figure out the right SEO tweaks. That all takes time and much experience. Still, the example article represents an assignment with a potential of $390 based on $30 an hour.
Express later shifts gears in their job description, however, moving from their initial salary listing of $20 to $30 an hour to $20 to $25 for each 500 words. “This is not a salary position.” Did you get that? They changed from an hourly rate to a flat rate in just three paragraphs.
At $25 for each 500 words, that pay rate drops to $162.50. You’re working for $12.50 an hour if you’re the quickest writer out there. And if Express doesn’t kick back the piece to you for revising. Which will be on your dime.
Realistically, I’d expect a writer to take at least two days or 16 hours to complete the example given. Again, an analysis of 29 individual web pages. You’re now at $10.00 an hour. Quite a distance from $30.00. And totally consistent with the false expectations of a writers’ speed and the lie about pay from every content mill.
Of course, the content mills know exactly how long quality writing takes, they just don’t want to pay for it. You can expect $25 or so from these employers for a 500 to 750 word article. That’s it. That’s common.
If they’re paying less, they should advertise on a Philippine job board and you should not participate in their low rent hustle. No professional American writer deserves Philippine wages. And to think, Express wants years of writing experience. Get lost.
I come to this post with a hard background. As a writer, I produced many 750 word articles for Catalogs.com at a flat rate of $25 to $30. As an editor, I see our writers taking from two hours, exceedingly rare, to seven hours, also exceedingly rare, to complete a 650 to 1,000 word assignment.
If you want to dispute what I’ve written, tell me about your experience both as a writer and an editor. If you don’t have that experience, don’t tell me about how long it takes to complete online writing. You can stay in that alternate world the content mills occupy, with their insane expectations of speed and experience and their outright lies about what they will pay.
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September 27, 2020 — From Indeed.com. My notes in red.
Content Marketing Writer
Express Writers – United States
$20 – $30 an hour
We are a content agency of 9+ years, and we are searching for TALENTED expert content writers who can research and write SEO content (blogs, pages, on-site guides) that will captivate and engage human readers online.
Please read to the end of this post to learn how to apply!
We are searching for savvy writers willing and able to write creative, thoughtful, well-researched content in marketing categories (content marketing). In this role, you will work alongside with our CEO Julia personally and receive mentoring and critique on your work. We will expect you to be able to accept assignments, adhere to deadlines, and be reliable.
You MUST know how to research, write, and structure online content. DO NOT APPLY if you have no experience in this area.
Pay: Level 1, $20-25/500w pay.
This is ONGOING work at a great fixed rate!
Our writing jobs are 100% remote! We have immediate paying assignments at fixed pay — this is not an hourly position.
Please read to the end of this post to learn how to apply!
This is 100% work from home. We are looking for writers that know how to write great online content, how to be detail-oriented, can follow directions, can take the time to research and write with care. If this is you, WE WANT TO HIRE YOU!
Here’s a great example of what we consider an engaging web page/guide: https://smartblogger.com/best-about-us-pages/
You should:
— know how to create great content at a capable, in-depth, high-quality level
— be available and ready for work, including revisions if the work is not up to par (be open to improving)
— have relevant industry experience and work history to the position you’re applying for (we have two levels of pay, generalized and specialized, and areas of industry expertise.
Pay/opportunity
Set your own availability and tell us how many words you can do per week.
Pay depends on experience in online writing and outdoor topics listed above, ranging from $20-25/500w.
(Ed. note. They can’t edit their own copy. Outdoor topics? None listed in this post. It could be that Indeed.com badly copied and pasted this job offer, but then we’d have to doubt the competence of Express and Indeed. Great.)
Pay is made every two weeks, consistently, via PayPal, on our payroll. You get set up in our system, with a thorough, detailed orientation; and communication is only between our management, editorial team, and you!
You never have to deal with the client. Ever. This is a dream situation for many of our writers.
Also: this is CONSISTENT ongoing work. This is a work-from-home position. You must be serious! No dilly-dallying: write, get paid, and keep writing and getting paid. Do you have experience working productively from home? Do you pay attention to details? Do you like to write and research? You’ll thrive in our environment and earn real income.
You set your own availability. You should at least have 3-4 years of experience as a content writer. Be willing to learn or know and be familiar with SEO standards and writing optimized content that will rank in Google, and win with readers. Ideally, you should know some conversion standards. If you’ve taken Brian Dean or Joanna Wiebe’s courses, that is a huge plus.
Ongoing education: For our serious, full-time writers, we offer ongoing training, offer free mini courses (on content strategy, SEO, etc.) at no cost, and provide long-term, stable opportunities to those that are serious and ready to take on the work. You’ll get to work with a team of passionate content creators that care about their job.
HOW TO APPLY
Please email us directly at hr @ expresswriters .com with your content writing experience, and pay rate you’re applying for. Keep an eye out on your email – we will be sending you next steps immediately if we think you’re a great fit! We are hiring right away!
Job Type: Contract
Pay: $20.00 – $30.00 per hour
Schedule:
Monday to Friday
Weekends
Experience:
Content Creation: 2 years (Preferred)
Work Location:
Fully Remote
Work Remotely:
Yes
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