Contently Review: How Does This Freelancing Platform Compare?
Is the Contently content marketing platform worth your time as a freelancer or a client looking to hire a content strategist? In our Contently review, we will break down exactly what you can expect from the platform as well as the pros and cons of utilizing this content creation service.
Whether you are a freelance writer looking to grow your portfolio with work from major brands or a client who needs help getting better ROI with your content creation, Contently can help you along the way.
Are you ready to learn more about whether this content marketing platform is the right fit for you?
Let’s get started!
Sign Up for Contently HereContently Review: How Does This Freelancing Platform Compare?
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Ease of Use - 100
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Stability - 50
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Customer Service - 90
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Price - 100
Summary
Contently is a platform that connects skilled freelancers with major clients who require content creation and marketing services. Sign up for Contently today!
Pros
- Great pay for freelancers compared to agency work for other competitors
- Responsive customer service with access to real people
Cons
- Can be waiting a long time between projects
Contents
What is Contently?
Contently content marketing platform specializes in content marketing for clients by connecting them with freelance workers in a variety of niches.
While many Contently reviews focus on freelance writing, it is important to note that this is not the only service that they provide. Clients can also connect with filmmakers, designers, and even editors from leading publications around the globe.
Founded more than ten years ago, the Contently team has grown into a global network with more than 160,000 freelance workers offering their services. They’ve even managed to attract some large household names as clients, including:
- Marriott hotels
- American Express
- RBC
- Dell Technologies
For clients, they boast impressive statistics that prove that the higher rates they command for content marketing are worthwhile. They claim that clients can see six times the ROI on content investment and a 40 percent audience growth in the first six months.
One thing to keep in mind is that not all freelance workers are welcome on the platform. Every freelancer who wishes to work with the Contently content marketing platform is vetted and rated on their performance.
Before you can even take on a client, you must be trained to use the platform.
Once you are cleared to start working for Contently, there is no bidding on jobs like you might see on Upwork or Fiverr.
Instead, Contently manages their freelancers and personally connects them with the brands that need content marketing based on who they think would be an excellent match.
Contently Payment
No Contently review would be complete without taking a look at what they pay writers for completed content marketing.
Writers on the platform can expect to make more than they likely would through other popular platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or FlexJobs.
Contently offers some of the highest rates in the industry – and you don’t have to negotiate your prices with clients!
Payments are based on a sliding scale determined by these four factors:
- Subject matter (B2B or B2C)
- Number of sources
- Amount of original research
- Word count
Articles that will require more work, such as those geared toward finance or tech, will come with a larger payout than those written in the lifestyle niche or other B2C trends.
Think carefully about what niche you will choose based on your experience, factoring in which types of content will reward you with the highest payout.
Here is a breakdown of where pricing starts:
- Short article (500-700 words): starting at $300
- Regular article (701-1,000 words): starting at $425
- Reported article (701-1,000 words): starting at $595
- Long report article (1,000-1,500 words): starting at $1,250
- White paper or e-book (custom length): starting at $0.85 per word
You can view more details about the breakdown of each type of article in their complete guide to written formats.
Contently Review: Pros and Cons for Writers
If you are thinking about becoming a content strategist on the Contently content marketing platform, what can you expect as a writer?
Understanding the advantages and disadvantages of this popular platform is essential to help you decide whether you should stick with this platform exclusively or branch out to other platforms to round out your docket.
Pros
Great Pay
Unlike other freelance online writing sites, Contently is not a race to the bottom where freelancers must actively compete with other writers for a finite number of jobs.
While the other sites may have more of the market share, they do not command nearly the same rates as Contently does.
Charging by the word is common in the industry, and Clear Voice has done a great job of showing just how much the average freelancer charges:
Only those considered expert level are consistently demanding $1 or more per word. Beginner writers or those without much professional experience are more likely to get paid $0.01 to $0.10 for each word – quite a difference from what the experts are charging!
Taking a closer look at what Contently pays their writers, a short article averaging 500 words pays roughly $300. That equates to $0.60/word which is actually pretty good pay for this field. You must be experienced to earn jobs on Contently, though.
Cons
Long Waiting Time
Because the platform must personally approach you and match you with a brand interested in hiring a content strategist, it can take a long time to earn paying work.
Some writers set up their profiles and hear nothing but crickets for months at a time. Breaking into success with the Contently content marketing platform is a real test of your patience.
There are no guarantees about how quickly you will be able to secure your first paying gig on the platform.
As a result, many freelancers don’t want to sit around twiddling their thumbs while they wait for work to come through.
This is why many who are looking into how to earn extra money as a website content writer turn to other freelance platforms to help round out their workload until they can make it big on Contently.
Thinking about signing up for another platform? Check out Upwork here.
Sign Up for UpworkContently Review: Pros and Cons for Clients
In our Contently review, we also need to address the pros and cons for clients who are seeking out freelance help for their own content on the platform.
If you are thinking about hiring someone to help increase your ROI and grow your audience, here is what you can expect to love (and hate) about the platform.
Pros
Qualified and Experienced Writers
When you post your jobs on other freelancing marketplaces to find writers, vetting a potential new hire is solely up to you. You must comb through their portfolio, look at their relevant job experience, and see if they would be a good fit for your brand.
Contently takes away the hassle of outsourcing this element of the content marketing process and refers you directly to qualified and experienced writers who work in your niche.
This can save you hours of time when it comes to browsing through freelancer profiles to figure out who speaks the language natively, what their skills are in relation to grammar, and whether they are reliable.
When your company needs qualified and experienced freelancers, Contently content marketing platform should be your first stop for content creation.
Cons
Expensive
While it is a great advantage for creatives who want to make a full-time income through their art, the price commanded by Contently can set clients back.
You could definitely get the work done for a lesser cost elsewhere. But would you receive the same quality of work from someone who has extensive experience in your field?
Contently claims that clients earn a 6X return on investment when they spend their advertising and marketing dollars on content creation through their platform.
You will have to do the math and decide if your marketing and advertising budget can accommodate this type of expenditure to hire one of the Contently team of writers.
Lack of Editing
You can hire an editorial staff, upgrading to an executive editor who works with internal teams at your company. They make sure that work is on-brand.
These professionals can even come work on-site for those clients who want a high-touch full-service experience.
While some writers complain that the way the Contently team goes about editing content is too hands-on, clients often complain that there is not enough oversight for editing on the platform.
It seems that unless you spring for the more expensive executive editor, you may not get the top-notch polished work that you would expect at such a premium price.
How to Succeed on Contently as a Writer
Are you ready to dive right in and start working as part of the Contently team? These tips will help you to build a thriving career from your freelance writing on this premium platform.
Update Your Portfolio Regularly
When you first start writing on the Contently content marketing platform, you may not have much experience or many relevant examples of past work in content creation. You should be actively updating your portfolio as you earn more gigs and grow your writing practice.
This allows clients to see your true skill level and demonstrates that you are capable of working with larger brands.
Keep Communication in the Platform
Communicating outside of the Contently content marketing platform is frowned upon. Besides, it is more convenient to keep all of your correspondence in one central location instead of spreading it out over the Contently platform, your email, and even social media.
If you do decide to take your talks outside of the platform, then you will want to ensure that all correspondence is in one place. Deciding on email correspondence means you will need to stick with email. This keeps all project details in one location.
Follow Through with Client Work
Nobody wants to hire a freelancer who doesn’t follow through with their work.
When you are working with big-name brands like American Express, you need to ensure that they are getting top-quality work from you.
Don’t pass up an opportunity to significantly grow your portfolio, earn some great cash, and build up a relationship with a major brand!
Be Patient
Last but not least, remember that patience is the key to success on the Contently content marketing platform.
Many writers are frustrated by the long waiting periods before they get their first job and even the lulls that occur between projects.
Keep updating your portfolio with new sample pieces and list new experiences on your resume.
If you need to start making money now, look into other platforms like Fiverr. While you may not earn the same premium rates that you would receive from the Contently content marketing platform, earning something while you build up professional experience is a great strategy.
Sign Up for Fiverr Here
Contently Review: Is It Worth Your Time?
Now that we’ve reached the end of this Contently review, it’s time to answer the main question: is the Contently content marketing platform worth your time?
For freelance writers, Contently is a great platform that will help you to get premium rates for very minimal effort as a side hustle. You won’t have to bid on jobs and experience that desire to get as close to zero as possible.
The only downside is that you must be patient when it comes to being awarded a prestigious job opportunity.
For clients, Contently is a bit expensive compared to other platforms. However, you do get all of your work from qualified and professional writers.
It is a safer bet than hiring an unknown writer on a different platform where you must really do your due diligence in vetting profiles.
Overall, Contently is a great content marketing platform for those who want premium content and don’t mind paying for it.
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