How to Find Freelance Writers in Singapore And How Much Do They Charge

Content creation not only forms the backbone of your digital marketing, but it also shows potential customers how well you are acquainted with the subject matter. In 2011, Google released the Panda update, which required that sites churn out a consistent flow of high-quality and valuable content. This meant that it was no longer enough to add your desired keywords to make blog content useful directly.

Instead of getting an in-house content writer, there are many people who can provide high-quality and valuable content working as freelancers. The Panda update opened a new opportunity for freelance writers, and they have become an invaluable part of the modern business ecosystem.

Writing blog posts and website content is time-consuming, and it requires a professional to get it right. Besides, digital marketing in Singapore is very competitive, and you need all the help you can get. In this article, we look at how to find freelance writers in Singapore, and we have also provided actionable tips on how to create a job ad and choose a freelance writer.

Platforms to Find Freelance Writers in Singapore

The key to finding good and professional freelance writers is in knowing where to look. These are the top platforms you ought to go looking for a freelance writer.

Upwork

This is one of the largest freelance platforms in the world today, and it caters to a wide range of business niches. You will find freelancers with a variety of skill sets. However, the platform achieved international recognition from its freelance writing section. The platform has filters that allow you to find freelance writers that are within your set budget.

With Upwork, you can find the number of clients a freelance writer has worked with, as well as their rating. You only need to set up a buyer account and publish your ad for free. With that said, the charge for freelance writing depends on several factors, and the writer will have indicated their rate. Upwork takes 20% of the writers’ pay, and in most cases, the writer will have factored in the 10% charge.

Textbroker

Unlike Upwork, Textbroker is a platform that caters only to freelance writers, and it is one of the best places to get freelance writers in Singapore. The unique aspect of Textbroker is that you can engage writers based on their performance rating. The writers are rated from 2 stars to 5, and of course, the higher the rating, the more money you will have to spend.

In the chance that you find a freelance writer who delivers high-quality work, you have the option of contacting them directly without having to go through the filtering process to assign them direct orders. Textbroker allows you to be as specific as possible with your request. Creating an account and posting your ad on the platform is free, easy, and straightforward.

Guru

Guru shares a similarity with Upwork in that it offers a wide range of freelancers catering to a variety of business niches. There are over a million members on the platform from across the world, and it comes with a built-in project management app.

The platform’s unique feature is that it allows you to create an agreement and define milestones with the freelance writers. Depending on the agreement, you can also share documents with the writer during the course of the writing project. You can filter writers based on their rates, reputation, and experience.

Creating an account and publishing ads is free. When you are setting your budget, be sure to account the amount Guru deducts from the writer’s pay; in most cases, the writer will have added the amount into the fee.

ProBlogger

This platform was founded by Darren Rowse, an influential blogger who has more than 312,000 subscribers on his mailing list. He uses ProBlogger to monetize his website, and unlike the above-listed platforms, buyers have to pay to create a job posting, which is $50 for 30 days.

Before you shun ProBlogger in favour of the free platforms, your ad will be posted to over 1,000 RSS feed readers and 42,000 Twitter users. With that said, you will need to negotiate the fee with the freelance writer.

Fiverr

The platform that was awarded the Great User Experience Award 2018 by Finances Online. Fiverr has three levels of sellers, and apart from the new writers, the other two levels are comprised of writers with several gig completion statuses and ratings. Prices start from as low as $5, but there is no maximum amount set. Writers post their services for free and provide work samples, and this ensures that you get the best writer that suits your needs.

Fiverr provides free information about the freelancer writer including the work quality rating, feedback, number of gigs they have completed, and incidences of cancellation. This gives insight on what type of person you are hiring. After you view a job/gig that you think is within your budget, send a direct message to the freelance writer and negotiate the rate and terms of the work.

WriterAccess

Just like Textbroker, WriterAccess is a freelance writing platform, and you only need to specify the qualifications you are looking for and post the ad. Pricing on the platform starts from 2 cents per word and goes all the way to $2 per word. If you have a lot of work that you need completed, but you are short on time, you can put down a deposit of as low as $2500. You will get a dedicated account manager who will deal with the writer and submit to you an acceptable copy of the content. Besides this, WriterAccess membership is free and so is creating and publishing an ad.

AllIndieWriters

Just like ProBlogger, AllIndieWriters requires that you pay for your ad, and prices start from as low as $19.95 for 30 days. For example, if you are looking for a well-researched whitepaper, be prepared to part with at least $1000. Besides this, you have the option of choosing a writer form the directory, but note that the prices vary from one writer to the other.

You need to fill out the account application form, choose your advertising budget, make the payment, and your ad will be available to the writers on the platform. The freelance writers will view your job ad, and they can then make bids.

Craigslist

Craigslist is one of the leading online platforms that have a global reach which means that finding a freelance writer in Singapore is much easier. It might not be a specialized freelance writing platform, but it is the one place where businesses minded writers place their classifieds.

Since Craigslist does not come with filters, you have to define a quality measure for the writer. Posting an ad is free on Craigslist, but the downside to this is that it is not possible to get a refund or dispute a charge.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the social media platform for professionals from all over the globe and it is one of the best places to source a freelance writer in Singapore. LinkedIn has transformed from a platform where you can see your connections’ professional milestones to a content sharing platform.

It also features a job vacancy feature where you can create your ad, and encourage your connections to share. Besides this, the use of tags will help you find a suitable freelance writer. The writing fee will depend on the writer.

Facebook

Facebook is the biggest social media platform, and it has over a million users logging in every day. When looking for a freelance writer, you need to seek out the Singapore writing groups; otherwise, you will not receive much visibility when you post the ad on your personal profile. The best thing is that you can search and easily find the reviews about the writer. The fee will depend on the writer, and you have to negotiate to fit your budget.

The modern social media platforms have made short commentary the best way to engage. Suppose you have posted on one of the Singaporean writing groups on Facebook take note of the members writing an informative comment on your post. Book an interview with the writers that show that they can clearly expresses their thoughts in writing.

HARO

This is an abbreviation for Help a Reporter Out, which is a website that helps with press coverage. It has created a network of marketers, bloggers, and journalists. This is an alternative platform to the dedicated freelance sites, and it is an excellent place to connect with professional writers who are open for a freelance gig.

Forums

Various platforms offer people with a common interest to share their views. Some of the infamous forum sites include Quora and Reddit. These forums have an engaged community, and some members offer thoughtful and well-structured answers. Be proactive in the forums and engage the users who show mastery in expressing their ideas and thoughts in writing.

Average Freelancer Fees in Singapore

When it comes to freelancer fees, various factors determine what you will pay. With that said, no matter the amount quoted by the freelance writer, you are at liberty to negotiate. Some platforms require you, as the buyer, to set the price you are willing to pay for the project. Always have an open mind when it comes to price negotiations, but do not settle for expensive writers without experience or rating on the platform you choose.

Currently, the minimum pay is 50 cents per word for writers who have not been rated or have a rating below 3 stars but the price is higher for writers with a rating above 3 stars.

How to Create an Attractive Job Ad and Pick the Best Freelance Writer

There is an increase in the number of freelance writers in Singapore, and you will have several writers bidding to get the job. However, certain jobs seem to be more attractive than others. Your job posting ought to answer two questions

• What do you require of the writer?
• What is the start and end date of the project?

By answering these questions, your job ad will attract high calibre writers. However, to see who of the interested writers pay attention to detail, add an extra request with the order. With that said, here are actionable tips to consider when creating your job ad to attract high calibre freelance writers.

Eliminate Weak Candidates

When you are satisfied with the number of applicants, start by eliminating the weak applicants. These are those that have grammatical and spelling mistakes in their response to the ad. Next, eliminate the candidates who despite being unqualified, applied for the job. With the remaining applicants you can contact them in the order that they replied to the job posting.

Arrange for An Interview

By conducting interviews, you will get to know prospective writers better. You do not have to settle for face to face meetings, you can use platforms such as WhatsApp, Google Hangouts, or Skype, that provide an excellent video calls platform. During the interview, take note of the tone of the writer’s voice as well as their body language. This will give you a deeper insight into their written submissions.

Give A Test Article

With your final batch of candidates, it is still a tall order knowing who among them is the best to undertake your project. The industry standard is that buyers should give a test project to the freelance writers to gauge their competence and professionalism. Make sure that the project instructions are clear, and despite the fact that it is a trial project be sure to pay the writers for the work.

Lastly, analyse the work from each of the writers and settle on the freelance writer that best fits your content creation goals. However, ensure that the writer you choose is creative, has an attention to detail, follows instructions, among other factors.

Conclusion

Freelance writers have become the backbone of digital marketing, they not only save on time, but also add a professional touch to your content marketing campaigns. The above platforms will help you in getting freelance writers for your projects. In addition, the tips will help you create a community of freelance writers who you can count on to deliver high-quality and valuable content.