What Would You Advise a Non-native Writer Who Is Skillful on SEO and How to Get Native Clients?



Odoh
What would you advise a non-native writer who can craft quality SEO optimized content on how to get clients at $0.03 – $0.05 per word, plus the ability to order 10,000 – 30,000 words per month?
Though i build affiliate niche sites on the side, i still want to do freelance writing. My experience is that most people who can afford this rate will just order 1 – 3 pieces per month, even when their opinion about quality seems positive. But then the retention rates aren't there.
Some will try to give you a fixed rate for every content regardless of word count. Just thought someone here might have some insights words to share.
Thanks.
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McCommon
Plenty of clients are willing to pay more than that. If your writing is good enough, consider raising your rates to market yourself as a premium writer.
What's your current strategy? Do you have a "menu" of services clients can see?

Odoh ✍️ » McCommon
Yes. How will raising my rates solve the problem…? How to identify those clients who can afford to pay more?
McCommon Β» Odoh
Shotgun approach? I dunno how you're set up. Do you have a website/are you reaching out to contacts/do you have a particular niche? The reason I'm suggesting raising your rates is one $.10/word client is more valuable than two $.05/word clients, especially because your extra time can be spent drumming up more work.
Re: how it solves the problem – here's a story. I knew a guy who was a wedding DJ who was struggling for work. He had marketed himself as the budget guy, thinking that was a good tack. It wasn't – by making himself the budget option, he was essentially telling clients he wasn't worth much. So he tripled his rates, and thereafter he was perceived as a hot commodity and had no trouble finding work. Raising the prices simply gave him a new clientele of people who expected "the best." Note nowhere in there did I mention if he was any good or not. I don't actually know.
The point is, if you market yourself as the budget option, people will assume your work isn't the best – whether that's true or not.
The most important part, if you want to keep clients as well as get them, is to actually deliver solid work. But we were talking about acquisition.
Odoh ✍️ Β» MichaΕ‚ Suski
I know that inbound leads is the holy grail. But until then, should I just raise my rates and wait for them to reach out? Got some kids to feed loL!
Odoh ✍️
Trying to niche down into SaaS marketing. Wrote this as a lead magnet. Created a landing page recently. I can share for feedback if you care to take a look.

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what would you advise a non native writer who is skillful on seo and how to get native clients
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McCommon Β» Odoh
Huge market, lots of potential but also lots of competition. No reason it wouldn't work though. Would be happy to look sometime this week, pm me

Vlad
What's is the feedback that you're getting from your clients? Usually, writers are just aren't good. 99% of the time it's that.

Odoh ✍️ » Vlad
Positive feedback most of the time. I am mostly interested in how to solve the retention problem.
Vlad Β» Odoh
If there's no retention, then they're lying with the feedback.
Odoh ✍️ » Vlad
The content needs among these people vary from one context to the other. I have a client who orders a single piece of content every month.
Vlad Β» Odoh
So what's the question then?
Thomas
I am tempted to agree that Vlad probably is touching on the real problem here. If there's no retention, then they are lying with the feedback. "Everyone" I know, would gladly order loads of quality content at .03-0.5 a word.
As we have spoken before Odoh, my biggest issue with working with you (without having worked with you), is the invoicing issue (probably more an issue due to where my business is based).
If I got the content quality I needed – consistently – I would easily keep you on a retainer and give at least 20K words a month. I would easily commit to that volume monthly with anyone who can give me consistent good content at 0.03 or 0.04 and provide me an invoice that states all the details of the company/person (so either business code or personal code), address, name. And of course my company details on the invoice as well. (or alternatively, do it via Upwork/textbroker/any service, but that sucks for the writers, I know).
Odoh I understand your struggles and you have been asking this question in one variant or the other in these forums for a year (or more now).
Maybe there is someone or a service that could give you a third-party objective validation on the content you produce?
Vlad Β» Thomas
Since we're sharing our experiences: my colleagues actually tried his content and they rejected the whole piece outright. He was a good sport about it, asked to rewrite it, but we figured it wasn't worth it.
Odoh ✍️ » Vlad
In most cases, I hear statements like 1) we have changed our operation to use in-house writers only 2) I only need 1-3 content pieces per month.
Odoh ✍️ » Vlad
I don't claim to be perfect at all. I guess no one is. But these words "my colleagues" got me curious because I've never had anyone reject what I wrote. Instead, I've had few suggested edits which I made but not complete rejection. You can ask Bryce or Trevor Tynes. And some others.
Bryce
yeah I've used
Odoh content before for a local business website and it was good quality. I didn't have to do as much editing as I previously had to. I still send occasional content pieces to Don. But only when my in house writer is behind

Kevin Β» Odoh
I feel you. One day you are swamped, the next nothing. And the feedback is great. Probably something we are doing wrong.
Here to learn.

Thomas Β» Kevin
as I wrote above, with Vlad– if there is no retention, most likely they are lying about the feedback. Honestly, I struggle to give "hard feedback" myself and I have also given "yeah, it is good" or "yeah, it is ok", only to not order again. It is a cop-out I know!
I feel for your guys, I really do! But writers who deliver the quality I want/need will have a steady flow of work from me and I will "never" let them go… If I let them go, the quality is not good enough. I simply do not have time to edit stuff or spend time neat picking on things. I am not "big enough" to afford an editor at this stage. I had one before, and she ended up being frustrated with all the edit she had to do, vs writing herself. So that's what we ended up doing… πŸ™‚
Kevin Β» Thomas
Well, now we are getting somewhere. I should probably get someone to review my work and give hard and honest feedback.
Thomas Β» Kevin
It can be hard, but it probably is the only way forward…

Odoh ✍️
Thanks Everyone.

Arindam Β» Odoh
1.Hire an editor (like Spike Wyatt ) who'd just bulldoze every bit of imperfection out of your writing.
2. Once you are confident that your writing is g-o-o-d, create a few articles in your chosen niche and rank them. And make sure they retain their rank. If these are affiliate articles, you'd be earning with them, as well.
3. Use these articles (and what they earn you already – if the amount is worth talking about) as your portfolio.
4. Write about your writing methods/SEO techniques etc on LinkedIn – don't bother selling yourself, just write something that others would find helpful or, at least, an interesting read.
5. Mention clearly on your LinkedIn profile that you are a writer for hire (in your chosen niche). It is also possible to earn high rates as a generalist writer but nicheing down really helps.
Carry om with your normal outreach but with raised rates – be honest with yourself about what you deserve and don't compromise on that. Hopefully, you will also find prospects reaching out to you on their own.
Best wishes
Odoh ✍️ » Arindam
Most valuable response regarding my initial question. About ranking affiliate content, I've got site up and working on that at the moment.
Arindam Β» Odoh
Yes, I noticed you mentioned having created affiliate content already, which is why I thought following this method would be a natural progression for you.
Odoh ✍️ » Arindam
What are the differences in selling as a freelance writer vs agency?
Arindam Β» Odoh
In a nutshell, as a freelancer, you are doing all the work (including deciding how much to outsource) but usually without being a registered business entity.
That registration number matters to some people especially when they live a couple of oceans away and have to pay you … I mean, even after you have delivered good work, who is to say you are not funding a terrorist organization?
So, you need to build your credibility and reputation slowly, through people and businesses who will vouch for you.
There are other differences which you can Google for but I thought this was the most relevant point given your situation (which is in no way unique).
Odoh ✍️ » Arindam
Even from my previous experiences, it's clear that trust is a big influential factor here. It's the same reason I thought about productizing this specific type of content – https://demandloophq.com/case-study-content-advantage/ Once again, thanks for your useful insights.
Arindam Β» Odoh
Glad I could help. Will go through that article you linked to but I can already tell from the slug that you're on the right track. Best wishes
, once again πŸ™‚

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