Are You the Right Writer For That Project?

When you're a freelancer, it can be tough to say no to any work that comes along. But sometimes money isn't the issue--there are legitimate reasons why you should turn a certain project down. Sometimes you can spot these signs a mile away--and other times you need to get your hands dirty before you find out.

The industry requires specialized knowledge. For many industries, the principles are the same for good copy. Know your audience. Emphasize benefits. Prove your claims. Paint a picture. But for some, specialized technical knowledge is required. I tend to avoid all but the most superficial copy in the tech and medical industries, and the legal industry is a whole 'nother ball of wax--it's extra sensitive to any possible misunderstanding, and sometimes you need to be a lawyer to know where to put the disclaimers. Even if you work for a wide variety of different industries, you need to know where to draw the line.

You're not comfortable in that format. I'm a strong believer in the idea that you should try new things, especially when you're first starting your business. But sometimes you know enough to know that you don't like writing a certain type of project. When I first started, I was uncomfortable with sales. I quickly learned that if I wanted to have a thriving business, I'd better get comfortable--and I took steps to become a strong sales writer. But I believe that the clarity and organization skills I learned writing primarily educational copy still serve me well. Some people aren't crazy about writing press releases or prefer writing for print than online. As freelancers, we have the freedom to follow our joy--so follow it.

This is a job for...not you. Some clients want you to be more than a writer. They want you to be a business adviser, a marketing strategist, sometimes a graphic designer or SEO or administrator. I stick to work that requires just the writing--I especially don't like technical troubleshooting, so I stay away from anything requiring uploading or maintenance of a site. Occasionally I'm willing to do basic formatting, but I always let people know up front I'm not a designer.

You and the client work very differently. This is tough to spot, but sometimes the client lets you know off the bat how they work. I've seen gigs advertised on bidding sites where you have to have your computer camera enabled so the client can see that you're working a certain number of hours. Even if the pay was good I'd avoid those gigs; they're a little too Big Brother for me, and I got into this business in the first place so I wouldn't have to put in face time. Sometimes the client won't go for your non-negotiable business terms, or is a micro-manager while you're a free spirit. To keep yourself happy, weigh the level of hassle with the level of pay--and get out if you're miserable.

You're not the right writer for every project. As a freelancer, it's key to know thyself--and what you'll put up with for a certain amount of money. Sometimes these guidelines are worth bending if the price is right.

Clients to Target in a Bad Economy--And How to Appeal to Them.

It's all over the news--the economy is going from bad to worse. Stocks are plunging, the government is considering massive bailouts to financial institutions, and it's increasingly difficult to get a loan to start a new business, go to school or buy a home. Recently a family member looked at me sympathetically and said, "your business must really be suffering with the economic downturn."

Actually, it isn't. Copywriting is one of those businesses that can thrive even during economic downturns, if you play your cards right. The truth is that every business needs to market in good times and in bad--and they need writers more than ever to boost their bottom line. Here are a few clients to keep an eye out for in a failing economy, and how to ensure you get the job.

Resume writing firms. With all the layoffs going on, plenty of people--including C-level executives--are facing unemployment. And many of them know the value of a professionally written resume. Business for top-level resume-writing firms is booming right now, and many of them outsource their writing. Get in touch with some executive level resume-writing firms, or market on your own to individual clients.

Companies that usually do copywriting in-house. In an economic downturn, many larger companies tend to lay off and outsource wherever they can. It's bad news for in-house writers, but great news for freelancers. If you've ever been told "no" by a company because they do all their writing in-house, now is the time to get back in touch. They may have let go a lot of key writers, but that doesn't mean they need less writing done.

Entrepreneurs. You have to watch it with entrepreneurs; sometimes start-ups can be financially unstable, and I know some writers who generally don't work with them. But when the economy is winding down, many laid-off employees will be opening their own businesses. And although the economy isn't great, some of them won't be doomed to fail.

If you're going to work with entrepreneurs in an economic downturn, do a little investigation into their background. Do these people have a background in sales or in their industry that will give them strong contacts? Make sure your contract is iron-clad and consider taking 100% up front for smaller jobs. Start small with entrepreneurs to give working with them a try--if they prove to be good clients, move on to larger projects with them.

Now you know who to target--how do you make sure they hire you instead of the other guy? Here are a few suggestions.

Offer better value for the money. No, you don't have to lower your rates--in our business, it's generally not a great idea to compete as the cheap option. But make sure potential clients know that they get more from you than the other guys. Do you offer free e-books and information products along with hiring? Do you offer value-added services like marketing consultation, connections with graphic design or SEO firms, or press release submission? If you do, now's the time to emphasize those in your marketing materials.

Position yourself as the economical choice. You are cheaper than an in-house copywriter. When companies hire you they don't have to pay a salary plus health benefits, sick days and Christmas bonuses. They just have to pay the cost of the project. This enables companies to buy what they need from you and save money where they have to. This is a big selling point, especially in an economic downturn.

Put a heavy emphasis on your past success. Selling is supposedly more difficult than ever--and that means results matter. Think back on past projects and consider what you've done to help your clients--concrete facts and figures are going to be very helpful here. Did you increase response rates by 25% in your last promotion? Increase click-through rates or have articles and content go viral? Boost your company's bottom line by 50% with your website rewrite? Check with past clients to see if you can get some to give you figures like this if you don't have any on hand; these will definitely set you apart.

An economic downturn doesn't have to be bad news for your business. Emphasize how great of a deal you are by saving the company money and boosting their bottom line, and you're sure to do well no matter the state of the economy.

Finding Your Niche: Walking the Tightrope

Reading over some comments from a previous post, I've noticed that there's some confusion out there surrounding finding marketable niches. I've definitely had the same problem: I want to focus on web content and copy, but I don't want to turn away clients looking for brochures, resume rewrites, editing, video scripts, and all sorts of other fun projects. I want to build a business brand that encourages a certain type of project, but I don't want to turn away other projects.

This isn't that organized, but here are a few thoughts I have on the balance between developing a profitable niche and avoiding turning away other work.

Don't actually turn away work until you're really established. There's really no point in turning away non-niche work unless you're doing so well in your niche that taking on an outside project means turning away a more lucrative, easier niche project. Your niche is supposed to make you money, not cost you.

Concentrate on your niche in your website. Experienced niche marketers will probably tell you that you should have a different website for each niche you're breaking into. I love writing web copy and am starting to build a website that focuses on that--but I'd also like to focus on scriptwriting for radio and online video in the future, and as soon as I've gotten enough credits in that I'll think about building another website that highlights my experience there. But while you're a still a generalist with specific tendencies--like me at the moment--it's okay to have just one website that features your niche, but still includes samples and services that are outside of that.

Market aggressively within your niche. There's no other way to become known in your niche than by putting yourself out there. Focus your marketing efforts on companies and projects within your niche. If a different type of project happens to come your way, no problem--don't turn it down, especially if you have the time to do it.

Develop a specialist network. Once you're established--and even before--it can be very beneficial to form a network with other writers who specialize in different things. Once your niche work starts rolling in, you can refer outside work to colleagues who specialize--and if they get offers for projects in your niche, they'll pass the business along to you.

Six Ways to Build Credibility on Your Website

As a web writer, your website is your storefront. And it's out there online with millions of other websites advertising the services of your competitors. When clients find you, often the first thing they see is a website. And even though the Internet is a crucial marketplace for freelancers--so many of us work almost exclusively online now--it's often difficult for prospects to trust you with their business based on your website alone.

If you can inspire trust on your website, you'll generate more business from the site--and have to do less work reaching clients in other ways. Here are five powerful ways to build trust and attract business online.

Testimonials. Testimonials do a lot to build trust. When a prospect sees a list of quotes from previous clients raving about your work, they're much more likely to be interested in your services. Of course, to get a testimonial from a client you often have to ask--and some of us just don't. To ensure you gather as many as possible, make a testimonial request part of your regular project routine. Whenever you complete a project with a client, ask for a testimonial and send a short questionnaire over. A list of ten or so testimonials will do wonders for your business.

Case studies. Case studies are an excellent way to show prospects exactly how you help your clients. Pick a few projects that went particularly well, and write long articles on them--complete with client quotes. Your case studies should demonstrate the problem the client had, any special challenges that came with the project, and exactly how you solved the client's problem and met those challenges. Display them on your site for prospects to read, or include them in your regular e-zine if you have one.

Portfolio descriptions. Porfolio descriptions work the same way case studies do; they're just shorter. Next to each sample in your online portfolio, write up a brief description of what the client needed and how you provided a solution. These don't have to be long--a paragraph or two will do. The idea is to write a small story giving prospects a behind-the-scenes peek at how you help clients solve their problems--and how you can help them solve theirs.

A client list. A list of your previous clients is always a good way to show you have experience. If you've worked with any nationally recognized businesses, that's great--but even without a few famous names up there, a list of previous clients will show that you've got a long work history in a specific industry or across several industries.

Focus on results. Results sell. If you have clients who give you testimonials that tell about a result your writing got for them--they closed a deal in record time; they have an enormous boost in traffic; sales are through the roof--hang on to those. Those are your most valuable testimonials. Put them in a prominent place and make sure all your prospects see them. Emphasize your results in your website copy, as well. If your articles often go viral; if a client once got so much traffic from your content that the server crashed; or if your clients regularly tell you your writing helped sales--those are definitely powerful selling points to emphasize in your copy.

Write a blog. Blogs build credibility because they get your name out there and showcase your expertise. There's also something about being published; even if it's on a blog, people assume you're the voice of authority. If you're known in your industry's blog circuit, your profile is higher and people will believe you're an expert in your field.

My current website doesn't do much to build my credibility. Not to worry--all that will change soon. All of these techniques can do the work of selling for you, if they're used right. And that's good news for your business.

Five Ways You Sell Yourself Short

"Fake it til you make it." I hate that advice. I hate the idea of being fake, first of all; I may be an actress in my second life, but there is a big difference between acting and being fake. But perhaps even more importantly, I don't think anyone ever feels like they've "made it." I found this post over on the Well Fed Writer blog the other day on how even old pros get nervous turning in first drafts. If Peter Bowerman still gets nervous sometimes, there's really no hope for me.

But even so, a lack of confidence can and will hold you back from reaching your potential as a freelance writer. I struggle with doubt all the time--and as I've grown and handled more types of projects successfully, I've learned that many of the things that have held me back have been all in my head. Here are five ways you may be selling yourself short--and earning less as a result.

You think you can't do it. Doubt has kept me from pursuing all kinds of projects in the past--from lucrative landing page gigs to simple press releases. You name it, and at one time I probably thought I couldn't do it. Of course, eventually a long-term client would come to me asking for help on the very thing I thought I couldn't do, and of course I said yes anyway, since I knew these businesses so well by then...and I did a fine job each time. Believe me, as long as you know how to educate yourself on how to do new types of writing, you'll be fine.

You think you need a certain type of experience. In the beginning, I was very nervous about talking to clients because I had never worked at an on-site agency before. While that kind of experience is great to showcase if you have it, you don't need it. My nervousness over my lack of on-site experience held me back from putting myself up for all kinds of jobs that I probably would have handled just fine.

You think you're not "professional" enough. I didn't have loads of experience in the corporate world when I started out. Because of this, I doubted what I saw as my professionalism. I thought I didn't look like a businessperson--let's face it; I still look like a college student--and I thought I wasn't sales-and-business-savvy enough to be able to present myself professionally to professional people. Today my idea of professionalism has evolved a lot--and even though I know it's still evolving, I also know I'm darn good at what I do and I treat my clients very well--and that's enough for success.

You need an attitude adjustment. Sales used to freak me out. You can imagine the damage that caused my business. Sometimes our preconceived attitudes about something like sales, math, or website design--i.e. that you can't do it, shouldn't have to do it, and refuse to learn--can keep you from running your business and promoting yourself effectively. This is something you grow out of pretty quickly if you want to succeed.

You don't consider what your writing is worth to your clients. One of my clients just emailed me to let me know he landed a huge contract the day his new website copy went up. Another client has seen his traffic skyrocket because the articles I write for his site go viral all the time. How much is that traffic and business worth to your clients? A lot. And there are plenty of other businesses out there that want your skills. You have to know the value you bring to businesses if you want to set prices that are fair to you.

Your success is all in your head. It's definitely important to stretch outside your comfort zone every so often--especially when you're first getting started. If you do, you may find you can do more than you thought.

Developing a Sales and Marketing Mindset

I had a client write me a testimonial the other day. It was great. Here are a few of the high points:

"From day one of our new and improved website copy we received favorable comments and leads. We had one prospect that we were waiting to contact until the new material was available and as soon as it was we sent a link. It led to a sale that closed in the fastest amount of time in our company’s history...through Jennifer's research, I actually learned something new about a segment of our market. Now that’s the way to deliver above and beyond expectations!"

This is exactly the type of testimonial I used to read on other writers' sites and think to myself, "I don't think I could do that." Not because I didn't have confidence in my writing ability, but because I had this idea that writing and sales were two separate things. In my mind, I kicked arse in the writing department. But I had no confidence in my ability to sell.

I think the problem was that for a long time, "sales" was kind of a dirty word to me. It made me think of overbearing used-car salesmen and telemarketers. The closest I ever came to sales at work was a college job I had my Freshman year, where I had to call alumni and persuade them to donate to the school. I stunk at that. I think I raised about $50 the entire semester I worked there, and it was from my dad.

But through working with clients and honing my skills, I've realized that my perception of sales and marketing was entirely wrong. I didn't have to change my writing ability, but I did have to change my mindset. Here are some of the ideas I learned that completely changed my attitude towards sales.

By pitching your services, you are not doing anything dishonest. I think my biggest block about sales and marketing was that I felt like it was fundamentally dishonest. And sure, some ads exaggerate. But as a writer, I offer something of great value to clients--the ability to explain why customers want their services, educate readers and connect with an audience. Think about it--you might charge a certain amount to write a website, but how much will the client make as a result of your rewrite? Each time this particular client lands a gig, it's thousands of dollars. If my writing lands him even one such client, my services are well worth it. I'm not lying when I tell potential clients my writing can boost their bottom line.

If you're not preaching to the converted, you're talking to the wrong market. Another thing I hated about my perception of sales was its pushiness. I hated the idea of trying to make someone buy something they didn't want. But most seasoned salespeople will tell you not to pitch to people who don't want what you sell. The right audience is an audience of people who need what you sell and who are used to buying it.

Writing is sales is writing. I also thought there was something mysterious about sales that set it apart from typical writing skills. There really isn't. When you sell your client's service or product in writing, you're simply explaining in clear, simple language--your target audience's language--how your client can solve their problems. The business that explains it best wins. You're building a case for your client. It's the same basic skills you used to write A+ research papers, but with a more accessible style.

By letting businesses know about your services, you're doing them a favor. Businesses need copywriters. Anyone with a website needs a copywriter. Especially people with any kind of e-commerce website. If they're looking for good writing, they want to hear from you. There's nothing bad or intrusive about contacting these businesses.

If you are a writer, you can be a great in-writing salesperson. Maybe you don't shine in in-person sales or over the phone, but you don't have to. If you can simply explain what you do and how it helps your customers, you'll get business--and you'll make sales.

Is Social Networking Overrated?

Is it just me, or is Twitter everywhere these days? I wasn't familiar with this social networking tool at all until I read this marvelous post on Inklit comparing Twitter to, well...me. Of course I was thrilled to come out looking good in comparison to a popular social networking tool, but I didn't know much about Twitter at all until that point... and then all of a sudden Twitter exploded all over my screen.

Over at Brazen Careerist, they've completely redone their design to incorporate Twitter posts. Penelope Trunk is completely obsessed with Twitter. There's a Twitter writing contest at Copyblogger. And that only scrapes the surface of all the social networking sites out there that people believe will bring them fame, notoriety, and business. Meanwhile Lori Widmer is doubting the value of all these social networks, and frankly so am I. Here's why.

Because social networking takes time. It takes time to build a profile. It takes time to connect to other people. It takes time to build a presence big enough to draw significant traffic. It takes time to be active in these communities--often a must if you want to get noticed. Why spend all that time on something that offers a very shaky ROI, when you could spend it on proven marketing strategies to clients who buy? And if you're not doing it to boost your business, why are you doing it? What's the point of all that time spent?

Because fame on a social networking site is like fame everywhere else. Many people half-believe that social networking sites will bring them some sort of notice. And some people actually do get that--look at Tila Tequila, a girl who got a Playboy spread, an MTV show, and a record deal from her activities on MySpace. But if you think you personally are going to wind up in Hugh Hefner's mansion--or on TV--just because you made a MySpace profile, well...I've got a bridge in Brooklyn you might be interested in. Maybe it does happen, but to one in a million.

Because many people on these sites aren't looking to buy. An interesting point John makes on Inklit is that people on Twitter are looking to be heard--not necessarily to hear others. And in my experience on social networking sites, I've found this to be true: most people there are interested in themselves. They're interested in making themselves heard. In connecting to their friends. In getting attention. In expanding their business networks. Most people are not interested in you, and most aren't looking to hire you--I would say the chances of that are probably best on a site geared towards professionals, like LinkedIn, but even so I've been on LinkedIn for a while and I can't say I've gotten business from it.

Because established markets don't go trolling for writers on social networking sites. Maybe those $5-an-article people do. But high-paying, established companies and markets don't--they don't need to. Writers come to them. If you really want to make progress with your career, maybe you should put yourself in front of them through marketing materials, direct contact, and so on instead of expecting them to come to you on a social networking site.

If you're into social networking sites to have fun and connect with friends, that's one thing--my problem with them comes in when people see them as a way to get business. I'm on FaceBook and LinkedIn. I originally joined FaceBook thinking I'd find clients there, but so many of my friends from college are on FaceBook that my profile has degenerated into something that's mostly social now. As for LinkedIn, I've connected to a small number of previous clients there, but I can't say it's given me a discernible boost in business. What's worked for me is doing a good job for my clients, getting referrals, and getting in touch directly with companies I want to work for. And this blog. I believe blogging and a great website can do wonders for your business--but social networks are generally not much more than a time sink.

When You Don't Know What to Charge

Every so often, especially in your first year, you'll get someone asking for a quote on a type of project you've never handled before. If you've never written a video script or a landing page before, it might be difficult to figure out how to quote one--but there are still some concrete steps you can follow to get to the right price.

Know what you're writing. What is a case study or a white paper supposed to look like? Your first step should be to do some research on the type of project you'll be doing. The Internet can help you out here; I've found some great resources on how to write good press releases, white papers, and other projects that were new to me at the time. There are also plenty of offline resources that will help; I recommend Bob Bly's The Copywriter's Handbook.

Just to get you started on your research, here are some sites on various kinds of writing that have helped me in the past:

Press releases
Case studies
Newsletters
White papers
Email marketing
Radio commercials

Break it down. Okay, maybe you've never written a case study before. But now that you've done your research, you have a general idea of the steps you need to take. Break the project down into a series of tasks. You'll find that even though you've never handled a project of this type before, you've probably done a lot of things on the task list plenty of times--things like research, outlining, and interviewing. You should probably have a good idea of how long each task will take. Estimate the timeline, add on a few days or weeks (depending on the size of the project) to account for your learning curve, and base your price quote on that.

Estimate based on similar projects. So maybe you've never done an e-book before--but you've easily written over a hundred content articles for a certain client; enough to fill an e-book. How long would it take you to write those hundred? If you can, base your estimate on a similar project you've done.

Consider technicalities, length, and people involved. Certain things make projects more time consuming and worth more money. Remember that the technical level of the copy will add to the time and difficulty involved in the project. Whether the project is commercial or educational can also make a difference; I find commercial copy is a bit more involved and requires more back-and-forth with the client. Some writers might find informational copy more difficult because of the research involved. Interviews will always add time and effort to anything you're writing; the price should go up depending on the number of interviews involved. Length can also affect the price you'll want to charge, although I usually consider other factors first.

There are many different types of writing projects. But in the end, it's all writing. If you can handle the tone they're looking for, chances are you can handle the format--whether it's a brochure, website, sales letter, or white paper. Do your research, and you should be able to come up with a spot-on estimate even if it's your first time with this type of project.

Five Clients Who Will Buy Your Articles for a Decent Price

Sometimes I hear from people who are selling articles for $5 or less, wanting to know how on earth to sell their articles for a better price. The type of articles we're talking about here are usually simple online how-tos or overviews of a topic. They can take as little as a half hour or as much as two hours to write. Because they're easy and quick to do, they can be lucrative--but not if you're selling them for $5 apiece. There is a large section of the online marketplace that thinks $5 or so is a reasonable price for this kind of work, but there are also other markets that will pay quality prices for quality work. If you're looking to make good money writing articles, here are five potential clients who will buy.

SEO's. Article marketing is just one among many weapons in a search engine marketer's arsenal. Many SEO's sell articles to their own clients in addition to other services intended to raise their clients' search engine rankings. They charge high prices for these articles--sometimes as much as $100 each--and they can get away with it by selling their own SEO credentials and claiming these articles are ultra-optimized for the best placement possible.

However, a lot of SEO's don't have time to actually write these articles, so they farm them out. A lot of my SEO clients start off by using college interns, friends and family, and others who can write on a part-time basis--many of them don't use the $5 article writers because they're looking for high quality to justify their high prices. But as their workload increases, they find they can't rely on part-time help. That's where you come in. Offer reliable service and high-quality articles your SEO client can sell to his own clients for a marked-up price, and you'll have a client who keeps coming back with large orders.

Online marketing agencies. Even if they're not specifically focused on SEO, many online marketing agencies will use simple how-to articles for a variety of purposes. I've worked with agencies that package my articles into e-books and e-courses, set them up in e-newsletters and educational autoresponder series, and build article libraries. If your work is good, you can charge higher prices because these agencies will turn around and sell the writing to their own clients for an additional markup--so your price isn't a tough sell, as long as the marketer thinks his own clients will accept the price.

E-business owners. You can also sell your articles directly to e-business owners without going through SEO's, online marketing agencies, and other middlemen. They use the articles for the same reasons and purposes the middlemen do. They may be a tougher sell, because they're not making the money they pay for your writing back quickly by turning around and selling them to a new client; instead, they're making it back more gradually through increased exposure, rankings, and sales. But a web- and marketing-savvy e-business owner can also be a great buyer for articles.

Online publications. I know a lot of websites depend on users to write content for free--think Wikipedia, EzineArticles, and even Blogger. But some websites want to position themselves as authorities in their niches, and some of these are willing to pay for your articles. They're likely to operate more like print publications than your typical online client--most of these sites expect to set their own price and pay on publication, and you should check their guidelines or contract for usage rights and kill fees. But some can pay decent prices for articles.

Offline markets. Every so often I get an email from someone who found one of my articles online and wants to use it for a print newsletter, magazine, presentation, brochure, speech--the list goes on and on. This shows that there are people looking for well-researched, well-organized and approachable writing that serves their market both online and off.

These markets expect quality; your grammar and spelling must be perfect, your research must hold up under scrutiny, and you'll be expected to come up with unusual angles, know how to write with web readers in mind, and know the basics of effective keyword usage. It goes without saying that these clients also expect original work--no cutting and pasting. But if you can deliver a quality product and you've been selling your articles for $5 apiece, you owe it to yourself to look into markets that will pay more.

PLR: Legitimate Business Model or Morally Bankrupt?

I went over to InkThinker the other day and found an interesting article on PLR (Private Label Rights) articles. For those who don't know, writers sell PLR articles numerous times rather than just one time. There are two basic ways to sell PLR articles. With the first method, you set up a cheap subscription service that delivers dozens of articles per month to customers on a variety of topics. With the second, you sell "packs" of articles on different topics, and you let your customers buy what they want without subscribing.

At first glance, PLR looks like it might be fairly lucrative. But I've seen writers argue that it's not only a bad business decision, but it's morally wrong. I'm on the fence about this. I'm not sure PLR is for me, but I'm not convinced it's the devil, either--and I know a number of experienced freelance web writers who include it as part of their business model. I don't sell PLR and I'm not promoting it here--I have absolutely no reason to--but some objections to it strike me as a bit overblown. Here are the arguments I've come across on why PLR is the spawn of Satan--and my responses to these arguments.

PLR articles simply rehash the same content over and over--and that's bad for the Internet. Many people buy PLR articles to provide quick, ready-made content to get a site going. I absolutely believe that original content will do better things for a website than rehashed PLR--but some people can't afford the thousands of dollars it would cost to hire a quality writer to build a comprehensive content library from scratch. That's where PLR supposedly comes in.

I agree that it's probably not great to keep recycling the same old content on the web, but I'm a bit of a hypocrite--I've already published quite a few articles on sites like EzineArticles, where they've been syndicated to other websites. I've increased my SEO rankings for targeted keywords a great deal this way--it's done a lot for my business. I've never heard the same objections raised against article marketing. Some writers might say "well, yes, but with article marketing at least you get lots of links back to your site." To which I respond: "well, yes, and with PLR at least you get paid."

In addition, not everybody who buys PLR just posts it on their sites without changing it. Most webmasters these days are aware that Google penalizes duplicate content, which is why those who buy PLR sometimes rewrite or use the articles simply for a research source--or they might use them for an offline newsletter, brochure, or report. That's not to say that clients wouldn't be better served with original content that's tailored to them; but not all PLR just gets posted online as-is.

PLR articles undermine the copywriting industry. The problem with PLR is that it's cheap. You sell a pack of ten articles fifty times for $10 each instead of once for $25 each. I've heard writers argue that PLR is bad for all writers, because it floods the market with cheap writing.

But just in case you haven't noticed, the market is already flooded. You can get original content for cheaper than some PLR packs. Somehow, writers who charge a fair wage still stay in business; that's because some clients know the value of professional, personally-tailored copy that's designed to generate sales or make their site the resource in a certain niche. They can already get original content for pennies on the dollars you're charging, but they don't. My hunch is they don't want PLR content, either.

From what I've seen, the people who buy PLR articles are not the same people who buy fairly priced content. They're the people who buy $5 articles from India. They're the people who reject your Elance bid because it's "too high"--you dared to charge more than a fraction of a penny per word.

PLR articles are crap writing. I've also heard some claims that PLR writing perpetuates badly written, grammatically incorrect and badly researched trash content. I don't subscribe to any PLR services, so I can't judge whether it's any good as a whole. However, I do feel that PLR can't be any different from other types of writing--some of it's probably crap. Some of it might be decent. Just because it's sold multiple times doesn't mean it's automatically bad. And I know that original content can be absolutely horrible--originality is no guarantee of quality.

I'm not convinced about PLR articles for my own business, but I'm in favor of keeping a fair, objective opinion on it--and I don't look down on writers who offer it. There will always be cheap writing out there that undercuts your prices. To compete, you can't expect to stem the tide. It didn't work for record companies to eradicate song downloads; instead, they joined the market by offering affordable, legal downloads--and made money on the new trend. I don't see anything wrong with writers doing the same thing. Selling one article for $10 might not be worth it. But selling one article fifty times for $10 might be smart business.