What do you pay VA's to blog and post on forums for you?

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Kirk Ward

Thinking of hiring a skilled poster to help me build some backlinks by commenting on forums and blogs around hither and thither and am unsure what to pay per successful post or comment.

What have you been paying?

How do you make sure they're providing quality posts in your name and not spamming?

Thanks,
Kirk

Well Kirk I have a a sectioned answer for you.

First off I wouldn't Look for someone to charge by post, that could get expensive.

Personally I would look for someone who charges by the hour and then discuss with them what you want accomplished and what they are capable of within an hour.

That being said to get good quality posts I would shoot for around $8 an hour. I say this because if you go too much lower you may end up with someone who cannot write decent posts and may also have trouble with the english language. (I've outsourced several times and ran into this problem) In my experience you want to try at least 2 or 3 people out to before you commit to one.

If you go too much higher than $8 an hour than you may run into that expensive range again. You will get good quality posts but are they really worth $300 a week?

It's easy to check on them if they are using your account, just go in and check what posts have been made in your name.

Now on to a little self promotion. I do this kind of thing for my customers a lot and I charge $8.50 an hour. Depending on what exactly you want done i.e. length of post, number of posts an hour I can get this done for you no problem.

I can easily write several posts a day (I'd say about 4 an hour depending on length) about as long as this one.

I am very knowledgeable in many subjects and if I come across something I'm not educated on I will educate myself before posting so you don't end up with a bogus post.

If you are interested we can discuss what you are looking for so just PM me.

If you are still interested in look elsewhere than I'd say follow those little guidelines above. Hope that helps.

Thanks

Signature

Highest Quality Content Written For You - Articles, Ebooks, Blog Content and Copywriting.

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2426299].message }}

Steven Carl Kelly

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Kirk Ward

Thinking of hiring a skilled poster to help me build some backlinks by commenting on forums and blogs around hither and thither and am unsure what to pay per successful post or comment.

What have you been paying?

How do you make sure they're providing quality posts in your name and not spamming?

Around $4 an hour, to the Philippines. You can find some excellent workers in that price range, very well qualified and experienced in that area, and highly rated by past employers. Check their feedback. I recommend oDesk.

When working with new contractors, I or one of my associates reviews all postings to ensure they meet our standards, before payment is issued. Once trust is established, they are allowed to do more on their own.

Thanks

Signature

Read this SURPRISING REPORT Before You Buy ANY WSO! Click Here
FREE REPORT: Split Test Your Landing Pages the Easy Way

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2426310].message }}

djbventures

16 years ago

I pay $1 to $3 per hour. I make sure they document every post and provide a link in a google doc. They'll do it...just ask.

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

Deirdre J. Baker
CEO - Superior Business Management Solutions, LLC
Support Services for Small Biz and Entrepreneurs

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2426336].message }}

Kirk Ward

16 years ago

Quite a range of suggestions here.

The niche is a rather technical one, and I'm torn about using an outsourcing service because of that. I've found a local person, who knows the technical, but knows nothing of the internet marketing aspect.

However, the suggestions here may cause me to rethink the extreme technical accuracy I have been going for. I'll be back with more questions on the morrow.

Cheers.

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

"We are not here to sell a parcel of boilers and vats, but the potentiality of growing rich beyond the dreams of avarice."

Dr. Samuel Johnson (Presiding at the sale of Thrales brewery, London, 1781)

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2426511].message }}

Steven Carl Kelly

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Kirk Ward

Quite a range of suggestions here.

The niche is a rather technical one, and I'm torn about using an outsourcing service because of that. I've found a local person, who knows the technical, but knows nothing of the internet marketing aspect.

However, the suggestions here may cause me to rethink the extreme technical accuracy I have been going for. I'll be back with more questions on the morrow.

Cheers.

Increased technical writing requirements increases costs for outsourced contractors to ensure technical accuracy. You may want to offer the local authority a flat rate for X number of articles on the subject.

Thanks
2 replies

Signature

Read this SURPRISING REPORT Before You Buy ANY WSO! Click Here
FREE REPORT: Split Test Your Landing Pages the Easy Way

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2426540].message }}

phmoisan

16 years ago

Call me stupid, but the idea of hiring people from countries like the Philippines because it costs less annoys me. A lot.

1st : I call that exploitation. Maybe I'm wrong. Haven't be thinking that hard on the subject. But here are real world examples that speak to me.

a) I live in the Quebec province, in Canada. During the summer, farmers hire people from Mexico to do work in the fields. I think they pay them well, though. The reason they hire them is because the unemployed here don't want to that kind of "lowly" job. Don't think I judge badly people who do that kind of job. I have done it for a few years as a teen, and I enjoyed it because I was with friends.

b) I work in the software industry. For years, we've heard of companies hiring people from other countries to help with software development, and it costs significantly less. Well, in the last year, the company I used to work for has been bought by an international player, and some of my ex-colleagues have lost their job cause the parent company has begun giving work to people in other countries.

The first example is not really a good one for the point I'm trying to make, sorry about that.

Thanks
2 replies

Signature

Philippe Moisan
my blog Video Marketing Champions

my blog Be Proactive Now

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2426580].message }}

Steven Carl Kelly

16 years ago

Originally Posted by phmoisan

Call me stupid, but the idea of hiring people from countries like the Philippines because it costs less annoys me. A lot.

The average hourly salary in the Philippines is $1.40 per hour. If I pay a contractor in Manila $4.00 per hour, I'm paying that person THREE TIMES the average wage in their country.

These are educated, competent, professional people who are using technology to earn well above the national average in their country. Do they not deserve to market their skills outside the borders of their land and to improve their lifestyles while we, as consumers of their services save money by hiring competent people who are pleased to work for a lesser wage than some in other countries?

It sounds like a win-win situation to me.

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

Read this SURPRISING REPORT Before You Buy ANY WSO! Click Here
FREE REPORT: Split Test Your Landing Pages the Easy Way

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2426635].message }}

Kirk Ward

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Steven Carl Kelly

The average hourly salary in the Philippines is $1.40 per hour. If I pay a contractor in Manila $4.00 per hour, I'm paying that person THREE TIMES the average wage in their country.

These are educated, competent, professional people who are using technology to earn well above the national average in their country. Do they not deserve to market their skills outside the borders of their land and to improve their lifestyles while we, as consumers of their services save money by hiring competent people who are pleased to work for a lesser wage than some in other countries?

It sounds like a win-win situation to me.

How would I go about finding someone in the Philippines who is EXTREMELY knowledgeable about US Tax Law? Not just accounting, mind you, but the US Tax Code and all the 97,423 gazillion pages of regulations they create new each day.

I agree with you that paying an above average wage in a low cost environment benefits both parties. I find that the level of wages is not an accurate barometer of a persons skillset. I've had better results with providers (coders) in developing nations than I have in developed countries. The one problem I have had is one that affects trust. The low wages and distance provide a motivation and an opportunity for abuse with little recourse. I have had instances where code developed or created for me was resold to others, with the result that my development costs paid for a competitors product.

While that is not germane to this instance, it is the only major hazard I run into in outsourcing development.

Thanks for the feedback folks.

Thanks

Signature

"We are not here to sell a parcel of boilers and vats, but the potentiality of growing rich beyond the dreams of avarice."

Dr. Samuel Johnson (Presiding at the sale of Thrales brewery, London, 1781)

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2429320].message }}

Black Hat Cat Banned 16 years ago

Originally Posted by phmoisan

Call me stupid, but the idea of hiring people from countries like the Philippines because it costs less annoys me. A lot.

1st : I call that exploitation.

You can call it a unicorn too, if you'd like. You'd be wrong on both counts.
- Thanks
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2426772].message }}

Kirk Ward

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Steven Carl Kelly

Increased technical writing requirements increases costs for outsourced contractors to ensure technical accuracy. You may want to offer the local authority a flat rate for X number of articles on the subject.

That's the direction I'm leaning. $per post with monitoring for quantity and quality only ... also keeps it in the realm of contractor rather than employee, which makes tax reporting easier.

My niche is accounting and tax marketing and I'm talking to a local "Enrolled Agent" (that's a USA designation/certification for a tax law expert on a par with attorneys for law and CPA's for bookkeeping auditing.) I'm thinking that there will be very few low cost providers who can post intelligently about US tax law.

Thanks

Signature

"We are not here to sell a parcel of boilers and vats, but the potentiality of growing rich beyond the dreams of avarice."

Dr. Samuel Johnson (Presiding at the sale of Thrales brewery, London, 1781)

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2429275].message }}

Matt Morgan

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Kirk Ward

How do you make sure they're providing quality posts in your name and not spamming?

Thanks,
Kirk

You state that the posts must be
-original posts
-no advertising in the post
-2-3 paragraphs minimum
-proof read posts
-no copies and pasted stuff from other webpages
-copyscaped posts
-helpful and knowledgeable posts, nothing dull.

and you tell them that you will be checking their posts regularly so if they dont meet these requirements they will have to 'redo' them all.

Thanks

Signature

-> [FREE WSO 1] Discover 77 FREE Ways To Generate Traffic!
-> [FREE WSO 2] Discover 67 Killer Traffic Methods Which Will Crush Your Competition!
-> [FREE WSO 3] Discover 77 Amazing Blogging Tips To Explode Your Profits!

...â€¦..Now LISTEN CAREFULLY! ===> [WSO REPORTS 4, 5, 6 are >> Found Here]

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2426529].message }}

myeanne

16 years ago

Compare to other outsourcing countries, I can say that Philippines has lots of advantages in terms of communication and proper English write ups. I would like to discuss your need, it would be great if you could provide your contact information so we can have a detailed discussion.

Thanks
1 reply

Signature

Staff Leasing
We Lease Offshore Employees
Hire inexpensive labor from the Philippines!

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2436353].message }}

xnice 16 years ago

You may take sometime to find the right man who have good knowledge, hard working with low price. If you operate a company, you may see it is not easy to find the good one, and they may not work for you long time. Find more people and split your works, it can help you have more choice.
- Thanks
Signature
Need Quality Backlinks: Check Out How To Buy Quality Backlinks in 2018?
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2436829].message }}

sbucciarel

Banned 16 years ago

I would never want someone else to building a reputation for me in a forum. I think there's a lot more to gain by building a solid reputation in a forum than by chasing backlinks around.

[ 1 ] Thanks

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2437138].message }}

seobro

16 years ago

The going rate is a dime per post, but that seems a bit low to me. Check out microworkers and see what "forum angels" are getting there but for US posters it is I believe 50 cents an hour, post I mean.

Thanks

Signature

http://www.seobro.com

{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[2437233].message }}

What do you pay VA's to blog and post on forums for you?

Trending Topics

Hello there

Kicked the diet coke addiction ...

AEO/AIO/GEO differences

Veteran bloggers, do you notice a decline in visitor comments?

The Masters....