I haven’t been shy in the past about accepting low paid work from Copify. When I’m in a pinch and I have no other pressing work projects to keep me occupied, I’ll usually accept a couple of the professional rate articles just for something to do. But now I’m looking for an alternative to Copify.
Let me explain why…
In the midst of a global pandemic, as many people have found themselves out of work, looking for ways to make ends meet, Copify has chosen to slash its rates for freelancers.
A 350 word blog post will now pay £3.50.
And a 400 word web page will now pay just £6. (This was a professional rate job.)
The client, on the other hand, will still pay the usual rate of £16.80 for 350 words.
Wait, are you sure?
I couldn’t tell if I was just being dramatic, so I looked back into my old completed jobs to see what kind of rates I’ve been paid in the past.
Back in March 2019, I was paid £14 for a 350 word blog. This was probably a professional job.
In August 2018, I was paid £9 for a 600 word blog.
All the way back in December 2017, I was paid £5.25 for a 350 word blog. And this was before my “professional” status was granted.
That stinks. What’s going on?
The Copify rates do fluctuate from time to time. They will often increase slightly if the deadline is approaching and no freelancer wants to bite.
But I have never seen the rates go down before.
There are a few possibilities here:
Copify is feeling the sting just as much as the rest of us and has been forced to reduce freelancer rates to cover their own costs. With fewer orders from clients, they have to squeeze a little more value from their orders.
Or, Copify has recognised the increase in freelancers looking for work and decided to slash their rates. With a larger pool of workers willing to work for lower rates, there’s little sense in paying £5.25 for something you can get for £3.50.
I get that we’re all struggling at the moment, but cutting rates so dramatically sends a really bad message. The standard of work expected remains the same. There is no additional support from Copify editors. And some of these jobs ask you to read through pages and pages of briefing notes before you can even get to the task at hand. The Copify rates went from being embarrassingly low to insulting.
What are the alternatives to Copify?
I’ve pretty much accepted that I won’t be getting any more work from there for a while. Unless their rates dramatically increase, I can’t see a time when I’ll be happy working for these lower rates.
I do wonder if the change to rates will be reflected in the quality of the copy. If you’re looking for copywriting support, and you would rather your money goes to the person writing the words rather than to the platform that introduces you, there is an alternative to Copify.
Working directly with a copywriter might be daunting, but there are so many benefits that Copify cannot offer. When you work directly with a copywriter, they get to know you, your business and your customers. Instead of getting bland, one-size-fits-all copy, you get something that fits in with your brand voice.
You also get far better support when it comes to shaping your content strategy. When you commission work through Copify, your articles will go to individual writers. You can ask them all to come up with topics, but you can’t ask them to come up with a wider strategy.
If you’re looking for a professional copywriter for an upcoming project, get in touch for a quick chat. I might be able to convince you that working with me is a better alternative to Copify.
