{"id":558,"date":"2019-10-31T09:24:39","date_gmt":"2019-10-31T09:24:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clippings.me\/blog\/?p=558"},"modified":"2021-05-10T06:35:09","modified_gmt":"2021-05-10T06:35:09","slug":"best-content-mills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clippings.me\/blog\/best-content-mills\/","title":{"rendered":"The 10 Best Content Mills to Work For in 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Among freelance writers, 23 percent spend at least 7 hours a week<\/a> looking for work. I can\u2019t always afford to put in that much unpaid time, so I put together a list of the best content mills that can help me \u2013 and you \u2013 fill in the gaps this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Brief Disclaimer<\/strong>…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Content mills can be a great way to make ends meet when times are lean or get your foot in the door of freelance writing. For most people, though, it\u2019s just a stepping stone, often at a lower pay rate. The real money is in pitching projects to editors<\/a> and negotiating compensation directly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That said, it\u2019s difficult if not impossible to get a pitch accepted if you\u2019ve never written professionally before. That\u2019s where content mills come in \u2013 they help you pay the bills while you get started, when you\u2019re building up your portfolio<\/a> and learning what editors want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how to make that strategy work for you without getting stuck writing for peanuts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Five Best Content Mills For Beginners<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Writers don’t always have the best impression of content mills, but some actually pay fairly and offer good opportunities. Here are five of those.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Constant Content<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Constant Content is a marketplace where you can fulfill an article request from one of the platform\u2019s clients or write an article of your choice and offer it for sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you choose the second option, you have the freedom to choose your purchase price. You get 65 percent of that amount if the article sells. Constant Content takes the other 35 percent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a minimum purchase price of $7, but most articles are priced at around 10 cents per word. That’s high compared to many other content mills. Textbroker, for example, pays no more than 5 cents per word<\/a> on its OpenOrder platform and as little as 0.7 cents per word to lower-tier writers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Scripted<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Scripted is a competitive platform that hires only 2% of applicants<\/a>. Accepted writers are free to set their own rates, the average being around 10 cents per word<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You get work on Scripted when clients post project requests with basic descriptions and you respond with a proposal. The client can approve more than one proposal, each of which is accepted, rejected, or returned for edits. You get paid after the article is accepted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The client does have the option to reject an article, in which case you can receive partial payment. Scripted doesn\u2019t post details of this stipulation publicly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One caveat: Scripted charges a non-refundable fee to apply – $19 at the moment \u2013 which goes to the company\u2019s \u201ctesting partner\u201d and employees who evaluate applications. This is rare for a content mill. However, they do promise a one-time bonus of $50.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CrowdContent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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CrowdContent markets itself to writers of all levels, from beginner to experienced, so it makes a good jumping-off point for new freelancers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two channels for getting work, the Freelance Writing Marketplace and the Managed Content platform. Writers on the Marketplace work directly with clients and those in Managed Content work with in-house editors and project managers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are opportunities on both platforms for writers of all levels. Some newcomers might feel more comfortable with Managed Content<\/a> since in-house people will see your work before the client does.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pay on CrowdContent is decent by content mill standards. Base rates<\/a> are 1.2 cents for one-star writers up to 6.6 cents for four-star writers. Writers who submit quality content in a timely fashion can qualify for bonus rates, which range from 1.4 cents per word to 7.6 cents per word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WriterAccess<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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WriterAccess divides applicants into two categories<\/a>. You start out in the Basic Marketplace, where you earn between 3 and 8 cents per word. Your pay level depends on a star rating that is determined by the quality of your work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you reliably produce high-quality content for WriterAccess, you can work your way up to the Pro Marketplace, where you can make 11 cents per word up to $2 per word depending on the project and your experience. This is at the higher end of most beginner content mills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clients who are impressed by your work can add you to their \u201clove lists<\/a>,” at which point you can get offers that a company only sends to writers on that list. Clients may even send you solo orders when they want you and only you to work on a particular project. The better you do, the more project offers you receive and the more you get paid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ContentGather<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Like Constant Content, ContentGather<\/a> lets you offer a pre-written article for sale or claim a custom job. ContentGather does have a leg up on those pre-written article sales, however, since they pay an advance when you first post your offering, something that’s rare among traditional content mills. When your article is accepted, whether it’s pre-written or custom, you’ll earn between 2 cents and 12 cents per word.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Higher-priced articles typically go to writers at higher levels. ContentGather classifies writers into Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, and Diamond categories. Your classification depends on your<\/p>\n\n\n\n