Social media writers for hire in the US earn an average of about $22.50 per hour. However, some content creators earn as high as $42 per hour, while others earn as low as $10 per hour. Nevertheless, most social media content writers across the US earn between $16 and $27 per hour.
This disparity means that there are numerous opportunities for social media content writers to advance their careers and earn more, based on the factors mentioned above. This discrepancy in the pay range varies even more in other parts of the world, including the United Kingdom, Europe, and Asia.
However, what you pay your social media writers shouldn’t be the only determining factor when you’re evaluating the eligibility of writers and the overall cost of your project. There are many other important factors that should inform your decision.
Factors that Determine Social Media Content Creator Compensation
Many professional social media writers base their charges on several factors that you, as an employer, should be familiar with. Here are some of the main factors that will determine how much you pay your social media creators:
Content Type
Social media content varies greatly. The most common types of social media content include written posts, blogs, articles, guides, electronic books (e-books), links, videos, images, live streams, and infographics.
Each of these types of content requires a specific set of skills. Some content takes longer to create and requires more specific expertise than others; this alone justifies a difference in cost, such as a straight-forward tweet versus a long-form blog post. Of course, it will cost you more to write an e-book than it will cost you to create a simple Facebook post, for example.
Level of Expertise and Experience
Because your social media posts are part of your overall marketing strategy, they should be done by a professional who understands how to write a social media post for a business. Your writers must have attained a certain level of expertise and experience to create the high-quality content they charge for.
Many reputable brands hire industry experts who have been creating social media content for a certain number of years. These writers have deep knowledge of the specific subject matter at hand and have experience creating content for certain niches and industries.
Scope of Work
Many social media content creators base their charges on the number of words written. This means that longer posts, like long-form articles and e-books, will cost you more than shorter posts. If you’re creating videos, your content creators will charge you based on the length of the video and a variety of other factors, such as filming, editing, and special effects, and more.
For example, if a video requires the creator to conduct numerous interviews and do significant research, it will cost a bit more than a simple video clip of the creator reading a script or simply narrating a story.
Furthermore, if the project has a tight deadline that requires the content creator to work long hours to complete it on time, you will likely pay a higher rate because it means that the writer has to put other commitments on hold in order to finish your project on time.
Location
Of course, writers in cities throughout the US with a higher cost of living will likely charge more than the national average. So, hiring writers from cities like San Francisco, New York City, and Los Angeles will typically cost you more. Still, hiring remote freelancers costs less than hiring on-site writers, as on-site hires mean paying for office overheads, benefits, traveling costs, and other expenses.
Luckily, you can find a wide array of experienced and dedicated freelance social media content creators on Guru—the leading freelance job site. Sign up today to explore our expansive portfolio of content creators ready to give your brand the boost it needs!
