I think we can all agree content is essential.
You can’t go anywhere without coming across content. Content is everywhere, from the emails your favorite brand sends to that meme your dentist posted on social media.
However, budgeting to create all that content is another beast you might not be ready to tackle.
We have some good news for you. Content marketing doesn’t have to be an overwhelming beast that will gobble your budget. You can take it in levels like tackling a video game. You won’t need to graduate to the next level of content marketing until you defeat the one you’re at and receive the profits.
Those profits allow you to scale up, creating more content and generating even greater rewards.
Content marketing doesn’t feel so daunting anymore now, does it?
Let’s break content writing pricing down to see what costs to expect and how to fit them into your budget.
How to Craft a Content Marketing Budget
Before diving into the numbers, it’s crucial to understand your budget and what factors play into content marketing costs.
Sure, Suzy in HR says she likes to blog in her spare time, but can she give you the content you need to achieve your marketing goals?
Use these factors to evaluate where you are at as a business and what content writing pricing you can afford.
Understand Your Target Audience
Content is for your audience. You’re writing to the people you hope will eventually become clients.
So, the first place to look when deciding your marketing budget is your target audience.
Ask yourself:
- Who do I want to reach with my content?
- What do I want my content to tell that audience?
- What action do I want my audience to take?
- Where can I reach that audience?
These questions don’t just tell you which content marketing channels to prioritize but also tell you what level of content you need. HR Suzy might be able to craft a fun social media post, but can she also write an authority piece for financial leaders?
While everyone’s content needs vary, the average monthly content marketing budget ranges between $5,000 and $10,000.
You’ll be on the higher end if your target audience has higher educational levels or is in a complex industry like the medical field or cybersecurity. You will fall on the lower end of that range if you’re a B2C business in a more common industry like fashion that doesn’t have too much industry-specific jargon.
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Factors Impacting Pricing
What might make a project or freelance agency cost more than another?
- Writer Experience: You will pay more for subject matter experts with more experience. Industries like the legal industry, finances, and tech usually charge the highest prices because they require significant niche knowledge.
- Research Requirements: Topics requiring more extensive research will also be more costly to account for the extra time the writer needs to find that information. Search engine optimization (SEO) research is also an additional charge. For example, Express Writers charges $10 for a meta add-on and $60 for keyword research if you want to optimize your content for search engines.
- Content Volume: If you order content in bulk, you can often receive a discount, which makes creating regular content more budget-friendly.
- Turnaround Time: Do you need content by yesterday? Expect to pay more for rush orders. Express Writers already prides itself on our fast delivery, with delivery times ranging from 3-10 days, depending on the content’s complexity and length. But, if our delivery is still outside your window, we also offer rushed orders for an additional fee.
- Managed Options: How much help do you want with your content creation? Adding on services like Express Writers’ Managed Content will increase your costs but will also decrease the time and mental load of content creation.
Image from Express Writers
To find the right package for your marketing needs, you need a careful balance of cost and quality. Investing a little more in content today can increase your rewards tomorrow. Investing in consistent quality content over time will significantly boost your web traffic and conversions while saving you hours of valuable time.
Budgeting for content marketing comes down to how much your time is worth and what rewards you hope to achieve. The value of those items will define your budget.
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Average Content Writing Pricing Based on Content Format
Now, it’s time to dig into the actual numbers behind content marketing based on average industry prices. Use our freelance content writing pricing as guidelines to budget for your marketing strategy.
1. Average Blog Post Cost
Average Cost: $640-$3,600 monthly for eight blog posts.
Web content and blog posts will comprise the bulk of your content. Aim to create two to four weekly blog posts to maintain a consistent, high search engine ranking.
If you’re posting twice a week, that’s eight blog posts a month, which you can order using a volume discount to make it more budget-friendly.
How much will that cost you?
A quarter of businesses pay between $500-$1,000 for a month’s blog content. Content marketing pricing varies greatly depending on the business. The average includes different blog post lengths and quality levels. You can easily spend much more than that in a niche industry.
At Express Writers, a month’s worth of general blogs will cost $640+ for a basic package with minimal research or expertise. If you’re looking for a month’s worth of high-quality, authoritative content, expect to pay $3,600 for eight highly researched, 1000-word posts crafted by subject-matter experts with experience in your industry.
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2. Average Case Study Cost
Average cost: $140 per page
Case studies require a different skill set than general writing and are often more expensive than what you’d pay for a blog, quickly reaching over $1,000 per case study. What you’re paying for is the marketing experience of crafting a story that highlights your best features while showcasing previous wins.
At Express Writers, single-page case studies start at $140 with a $125 design add-on available. Each additional page increases the price by the same amount.
Since the average case study is between 5 and 15 pages, expect to pay $700+ for a case study written by a trained marketer who understands the complexities of this unique and highly effective marketing format.
3. Average Email Campaign Cost
Average Cost: $475 for a five email sequence
Email campaigns are essential for inbound marketing and can also offer some of your highest returns on investments. The average email marketing return on investment is $36 to $40.
Email writing at Express Writers costs $475+ for a 5-email sequence, which you can use to nurture new leads. Because email writing requires extra training (like learning how to pack a powerful punch in a small space), it costs a little more than regular blogs at the same word count.
Image from Omnisend
4. Average Press Release Writing Cost
Average Cost: $199 per 500-words
Press Releases allow you to build high-quality links from leading publications while increasing your brand awareness. The average press release runs under 500 words, and most companies don’t submit press releases more than once a month or every other week.
There is no guarantee your journal of choice will publish your press release. You need to step up your game and craft a press release that thoroughly covers a topic, makes it relevant to the publication’s audience, and appeals to the host publication. The $199 per press release is higher to account for this extra training and experience your subject matter experts need to craft news-worthy stories.
5. Average White Paper Cost
Average Cost: $105 per page before design
White papers turn information into a downloadable asset or lead magnet. They are a cornerstone of your lead generation content.
Because white papers tend to be more in-depth than your average blog post, they usually cost slightly above the average, sitting at about $105 per page (about 500 words).
6. Average eBook Cost
Average Cost: $112 per page
Thinking of writing an eBook? You should!
They are a longer format to dig deeper into a topic than white papers. You can sell eBooks to generate passive income or use your eBook as a free lead magnet.
A beginner to intermediate writer’s average cost per page is $25-100 per page. An authority subject matter expert’s freelance writing rates land at $250+ per page.
Express Writers has highly trained subject matter experts who create authority eBooks at $112 per page.
Find Content that Fits Your Budget
What content do you want to order to get started with your content strategy?
We can help you find the right fit.
Use our managed content option to receive additional help finding the best fit, or book a call with a content strategist for a curated content plan based on your goals and budget.
Contact us to get started with your first order.