Web Content: How Much Should I Pay?

When web content gets discussed on webmaster bulletin boards, the most common question is, "how much should I pay?" That question is both perfectly logical, and perfectly stupid:

  • Logical, because the biggest expense of any website, with the possible exceptions of advertising and promotion, is the content. You only have to get web development and design once, but content needs to be added regularly for your site to be successful.
  • Stupid, because the real question isn't how much you are going to pay, but how much you are going to invest. Your content, if it's done right, will make you money. In fact, it can easily make back its cost within a month. So the real question you should ask a web content provider is: how much will it make me?

Calculating Your Web Content's Value

Ultimately, your web content is the one part of your site that makes you money. The code, design, and even traffic, while important, are not what ultimately get a visitor to take action. You have to tell or ask visitors to take action. Telling and asking take words.

Small changes in your web content can make big differences in the bottom line. Take a look:

Advertising/affiliate revenue

Let's say you have a web page that averages $25/day in revenue from advertising and/or affiliate links. You have a professional writer optimize the content on the page to get more clicks. Watch what happens:

  • If just 20% more visitors click on affiliate or advertising links, your revenue will increase $5/day, $150/month, and $1825/year. If your page maintains its current level of traffic for three more years, that's a $5475 increase, just for that one page.
  • But it gets better: the improvements to the page will easily increase traffic by 20%, as more visitors return, more visitors refer your site to friends, and more webmasters, bloggers and others link to your site. That brings a total of $6570 more revenue from that page over three years.
  • If you get the same results with 50 pages with similar traffic levels, that's an increase of $328500. Now multiply that by however many sites you or your company owns. Can you say, "early retirement"?
  • Keep in mind, that's only the additional revenue you get from the improved content compared with what you were getting already from your work. No extra work needed.

    Sales/leads model

    If your website is a promotional vehicle for a business, the results can be even more spectacular. If a page nets you $500/day in sales or leads, website content improvements that increase your sales or leads by 20% will pay for themselves within a month, if not a week.

    In reality, if your current content is really weak, the improvement is likely to be even more spectacular. Traditionally, overhauling bad sales writing doubles or even triples the response rate.

    The best part of all this is the advantage you'll gain over the competition, with so many website owners in the dark about their content. If you are earning 20% more than the competition on the same advertising or promotion expense, you will ultimately carry the day.

    Making a Content Investment

    Now, back to price. What would you expect to invest to see a $6570 return?

    Writer's Market, the blue book of professional writer fees, says web content averages $300/page, which would mean a 2000+% return on investment.

    But you can actually get away with paying only half that if you don't need research or meetings-the biggest time-sucks when it comes to creative projects. If you order content in bulk, you'll likely get an even steeper discount.

    Why not see for yourself what kind of an improvement professional writing can make on your site's revenue? Every day you wait is another day of lost revenue-and why should you be content with that?

    About the author Joel Walsh is the head content writer for UpMarket Content. Mention this article and get one trial page of website content at no charge: http://upmarketcontent.com/website-content

    In The News:


    pen paper and inkwell


    cat break through


    10 Tips For A Successful Website

    Have you ever thought the secret behind the success of... Read More

    Learn What 98% of Targeted Visitors Do On Your Website

    Getting a Targeted Visitor to a website is a waste... Read More

    Do You Really Need A Website To Succeed

    Rosalind wants to share her inspirational poetry with a wider... Read More

    Web Content: How Much Should I Pay?

    When web content gets discussed on webmaster bulletin boards, the... Read More

    Website Value - Whats Your Business Website Worth?

    If you were asked to put a value on your... Read More

    Websites for Writers ? Why You Need One and How to Get Started Today

    It may seem like the publishing industry's equivalent of Beanie... Read More

    Improve Conversion Rates ? Load Times

    Your site is getting traffic, but conversion rates are horrible.... Read More

    Ten Ways NOT to Set Up a Website-based Service Business

    1. As the first step, "Hire a web designer."First create... Read More

    How to Promote Your Law Firm Website On the Internet for Maximum Profit

    Making maximum profit from your law firm website is important,... Read More

    The 5 Biggest Mistakes Almost All Web Designers Make

    Huge Mistake #1: Creating a Website with Flash -- Did... Read More

    Running An Effective Website

    Running an effective website is a continuous process. I have... Read More

    MySQL Database Handling in PHP

    Most interactive websites nowadays require data to be presented dynamically... Read More

    Seven Daft Things Not To Do To Your Website

    1. Splash pagesMost of the time splash pages are uncalled... Read More

    But My Business Doesnt Need A Website!

    Revenues are often lost because many business owners don't see... Read More

    Free Webmaster Tools - 7 Things Every Webmaster Needs in Their Toolbox

    Webmaster tools are vital to becoming both efficient and effective... Read More

    A Website Is Not Enough

    Your ObjectiveYour small business needs an appealing and professional website... Read More

    Do You Need a Web Database?

    Does My Web Site Require A Web Database?If your web... Read More

    Website For The Company Store

    If your company own one or more stores, you might... Read More

    Building eCommerce Websites that Work - Part 3

    An interesting eCommerce success factor that isn't precisely overlooked, but... Read More

    How To Get Profits From Your 404 Page Not Found File

    "'Page Not Found' on this Server. Check the URL and... Read More

    Free Isnt Always Good - 5 Reasons Why You Need Your Own Website

    Often time I've browsed sites and seen the same thing... Read More

    Wheres Your Focus, Money or Customer?

    Is your website Really useful?I had a 'rep' in yesterday... Read More

    Web Design for the Professional Magician Part I - Selecting the Perfect Domain Name

    Selecting the Perfect Domain NameThe first issue I have with... Read More

    Website Sales: 10 Reasons Why People Dont Buy From You

    You've put up a website to promote a product or... Read More

    Five Reasons You Have to Stop Your Web Site

    That's right. Your method, behavior and strategy you are now... Read More

    Tips to Protect Your Downloads or Products

    1. Upload robots.txt file in to your root directory and... Read More

    Are You Overlooking the Benefits of Using Sub-Domains within Your Web-hosting account?

    One of the most useful features offered by some web... Read More

    Why Is No-one Buying From My Website?

    Are you, like many other website owners, frustrated at the... Read More

    7 Questions to Understand Your Customer Better

    Customer service questionnaires can help your clients better understand their... Read More

    Website Development: Become Your Own Expert

    Starting and maintaining a business is challenging enough without the... Read More

    Web Coach Tip: What You Should Know About DIY Web Sites

    Recently, a friend asked "What's the deal with those DIY... Read More

    Make Your Web Site User-Friendly!

    Making a web site is easy. Making a good web... Read More

    1 Simple Solution to All Internet Marketers about Their Website Design Needs

    It is an undeniable fact that not everybody is keen... Read More