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You’ll hear all about how content mills are bad for writers. Yet, they stick around. Just how are they still available for writers?
You’d think if enough writers tell people to stay away from content mills that they’d disappear, right? You’d think more writers would find clients through other methods, getting more control over the amount they charge and more control over the type of work they take on.
That’s not the case. Content mills aren’t going anywhere. They’re going to be around for the foreseeable future. This isn’t just because there are people looking for cheap content to buy, but because of the writers.
People want a somewhat stable way to get clients
While content mills offer low pay, they can be stable. This depends on the content mill you go to, but in many cases, there are always plenty of articles available to write. You just need to claim the odd article here and there and get to work.
Stability is important for freelance writers, especially those who are just starting out. I get that. I remember worrying about whether I was going to make enough each month with private clients. So, I turned to content mills for the stability.
I’m still a member of a number of content mills. I want to remain there because there’s always a risk of instability here and there. I’m always going to be worried about losing clients and not having enough, especially now that I’m in a one-income household.
Writers are going to flock to where there’s stability, especially when starting out. And there are always going to be people starting out in the writing business. WIth that in mind, there will be a need for a content mill or two.
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Clients like the low rates and quick turnarounds
Then there are the clients. There will always be those clients who love the low rates that they can get from a client mill. There’s little risk when they come to getting their writing work done.
I’ve seen plenty of Facebook groups suggest that people turn to a content mill to get their work done at a low cost. Usually, a specific mill is suggested because of the quality of work, but in other cases, it’s just a general suggestion for the low cost.
Then there’s the fast turnaround time at the low cost. It’s not often that an individual writer can offer turnaround times of 24 to 48 hours. A content mill can, though. There are hundreds of writers offering their services, making it possible to get a lot of work done in a short amount of time.
As long as there are writers willing to work for the low rates and there are clients looking for the articles, content mills aren’t going anywhere. There’s no reason for that to happen.
MORE: 5 things I’ve learned from content mills
What do you think about content mills? Are you still writing at them? Share your thoughts in the comments below.