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What Are Content Mills? Everything New Writers Should Know
Semrush Team

Sep 13, 2023

15 min read
What Are Content Mills? Everything New Writers Should Know
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Content Mills vs. Content Marketing Agencies
What Does Writing for a Content Mill Look Like?
6 Popular Content Mills
Why Content Mills are Problematic
The Case for Content Mills
How to Use Your Time in a Content Mill to Grow as a Writer
Advance Beyond Content Mills
Content mills, also known as content farms, are companies that use freelance
writers to produce high volumes of content for clients. Mills offer a wide range of
written content to help clients looking to build awareness, generate leads,
increase sales, or rank well in search engines.

For clients, content mills help them keep up with the demand for fresh content at
an affordable price.

A company can submit a brief and have it fulfilled for as little as a few cents per
word by gig workers ghostwriting on behalf of the mill.

Here’s an example of packages offered by iWriter:

"Premium" "Elite" and "Elite Plus" packages offered by iWriter

These rates are attractive to businesses looking to keep content marketing costs
low.

Unfortunately, rates this low mean writers often have to sacrifice quality for
quantity to make a living.
But fast writers keep volume high, which keeps clients happy and orders coming in.
This, in turn, keeps writers working.

And that’s how mills keep churning.

Content Mills vs. Content Marketing Agencies

A content mill is all about quantity. Their main focus is pumping out content to
fit a topic or keyword.

Companies that use mills grab their audience’s attention by flooding their
marketing channels with content.

For example, an IT support company might identify “Dell laptop repairs” as a

popular keyword. Ordering and publishing 100 articles based on that phrase gives
them a fast boost in search engine visibility.

But it’s short-term thinking. Low rates and tight timescales mean writers’ research
is minimal. This results in inaccurate or thin content and eventually loss of
organic traffic.

But more on how you can use content mills to your advantage later.

an infographic on content mills vs content marketing agencies

On the other hand, a content marketing agency focuses on quality over quantity.
Their strategy and long-term thinking help clients achieve their goals.

Agency teams are made up of experienced writers, editors, marketers, and SEOs who
take the time to:

Understand the client’s business objectives and audience

Research trends, keywords, and competitors
Create a long-term content strategy
Develop content according to industry best practices
Measure and analyze performance for long-term gains
This expertise comes at a cost. Clients might pay hundreds or thousands of dollars
per month for agency services.

This means better rates for writers.

The average salary for a marketing agency content writer is $55,000. Most of these
writers create a small number of high-quality pieces of content per week.

You’d have to write 200 articles with 1,000 words each to make the same salary at a
content mill paying 2 cents per word.

Granted, time served is a big factor. An agency writer likely has a few years of
industry writing experience under their belt. Most content mill writers are at the
start of their career.

But it gives you an idea how different the salaries and workloads are. And why, for
content mills, quantity is everything.

What Does Writing for a Content Mill Look Like?

The process of writing for a content mill differs by company. Typical steps are:

Complete an online writer application or submit a portfolio

Take a grammar or English proficiency test
Submit an audition article or piece of writing based on a prompt
Each content mill has its own standards for grading writers. Getting accepted by
one company doesn’t mean you’ll be accepted by all of them.

Once you’re in, you bid on projects that interest you based on topic, word count,
and pay rate. If the client accepts your bid, you complete the project and submit
it for review.

The client will either request amendments or mark the project complete and payment
is released.

an infographic on how to write for a content mill

Most content mills don’t pay you automatically. Your payment goes into an
intermediary holding account you withdraw money from. In some cases, you need to
reach a certain threshold before cashing out (e.g., $10).

Besides getting paid, your biggest goal as a content mill writer is to get as many
good reviews as possible.

A higher ranking or rating makes you more appealing to clients. It also opens the
door to higher-paying projects.

6 Popular Content Mills

As an example of how each company or platform differs, here are six popular content
mills, what they typically pay, and how to get in.

Textbroker
Textbroker homepage
Textbroker is one of the biggest content mills and boasts clients such as eBay and
Staples.

Rates range from 1.1 cents to 5.5 cents per word. You can request a payout via
PayPal only when your account balance reaches $10.

Textbroker rates ranges

To start with Textbroker, you have to be over 18 years old and a U.S. citizen.

Textbroker asks you to submit a 200-plus word writing sample on a topic of your
choice. Editors review the piece and provide a rating from three to five stars.
This reflects your content quality and payment rates.

ClearVoice
ClearVoice homepage
Unlike other content mills, ClearVoice lets writers pitch directly to clients. They
also recommend clients who match your criteria.

However, this service costs a finder’s fee for every successful project, which eats
away at your earnings.

To get started with ClearVoice you have to submit a writer’s CV that includes your
role and specialties.

You can set a minimum rate for receiving notifications about projects. In theory,
this could increase your earning potential, but project fees are often low. To land
more gigs, you’ll need to set a competitive rate.

WriterAccess
WriterAccess homepage
As with Textbroker, WriterAccess uses a quality-based grading system to set your
pay. Rates range from 1.1 to 4 cents per word.
The application process is more thorough. You need to connect your LinkedIn profile
and submit a resume, as shown below.

WriterAccess "Apply in a jiffy" page

WriterAccess gives you a portfolio to show off your expertise to clients. You can
use their AI search to find projects that match your skills.

Landing a job works in two ways:

1. Choose a job from the open gig list

2. Apply to a casting call, where clients choose from a small pool of writers

Contently
Contently homepage
Contently positions itself as a content marketing platform as opposed to simply a
content mill.

Companies can use Contently for writing, design, photography, and videography. All
projects can be managed from a single dashboard.

There’s no job board or bidding here. Writing work is based on the portfolio you
create when you join Contently’s network. This showcases your work and expertise to
clients. Contently uses it to recommend you for projects that suit your skills.

The downside to this is you can’t proactively search for work. You have to wait for
Contently’s team to contact you.

Contently boasts clients such as American Express, Dell, and Marriott. Having such
high-caliber clients means rates are more favorable than other content mills.

The platform also has dedicated publications where writers can earn $300-$400 per
article.

Verblio
Verblio homepage
Verblio (formerly known as Blogmutt) is another content mill similar to Textbroker.

To use the platform, you need to be a U.S. citizen with a valid social security
number (SSN). You also need to prove your skills by:

Passing a grammar test

Completing a plagiarism training module
Submitting a writing sample for review
Verblio prides themselves on having diverse and interesting clients, including
companies in niche industries:

"Industries we serve" section on Verblio page

Pay at Verblio starts at $11.50 for a 300-400 word post. This rate increases as
your experience and star rating rise.

Constant Content
Constant Content homepage
Constant Content differs from other platforms in this list in that you sell
existing content.

Writers produce a piece of content, set a price for it, and upload it for review.
If it’s accepted, it goes live on the Constant Content Marketplace for customers to
buy.
Constant Content Marketplace
A benefit of this is you can write about whatever you want. The downside is there’s
no guarantee your piece will sell.

You’re also competing against hundreds of other writers, so you’ll need to price
work competitively.

Constant Content isn’t a great option if you want a steady stream of work. But it
can make use of any unpublished articles you have or want to write in your spare
time.

Why Content Mills are Problematic

The biggest issue with content mills is the rates.

Pay that doesn’t reflect the work you put into creating content is by far a
complaint from freelance writers who have spent any time using mills.

To keep costs low for clients, content mills keep rates low for writers.

Low pay means writers need to work longer, harder, and faster to make a living.

It becomes a process of: write, finish, hand over, repeat. Time for researching and
pouring your heart and soul into creating the best possible piece of work often
isn’t possible.

Faced with a lot of work and quick turnarounds, you have to cut corners.

On top of this, you typically work to a strict word count (e.g. a 500-word article
or 5,000-word ebook). This means you may either have to hold back on value or fluff
out pieces with irrelevant filler content to meet targets.

The need to win bids to get paid also creates more competition. This turns job
boards into a race to the bottom.

Take this example of a job post on Freelancer.com:

an example of a "Content Writer" job post on Freelancer.com

Writing 13,000 words for $90 works out at a little over half a cent per word. Yet
the project attracted over 100 bids—many of which were $50.

Compare this to a freelance writing rates study by Peak Freelance, which found the
most popular rate for a 1,500-word blog post was $250 to $399.

a freelance writing rates shown in graph from the study by Peak Freelance
It’s a simple supply and demand problem.

If companies can get work done at bottom-of-the-barrel prices, there’s little

incentive to pay more. Especially if their primary concern is quantity, not
quality.

In many cases, the low-pay, high-volume model leads to lower standards across the
board, including:

Thin briefs that lack business goals, audience insights, or tone of voice
guidelines
Lack of feedback or editorial process from content mills or clients
Inability to scale due to competition keeping the price ceiling low
In short, content mills aren’t well suited to writers who want to do work they can
be proud of and get paid fairly for.

But if they’re so problematic, why do thousands of writers use them?

Because in the right circumstances, they can work in your favor.

The Case for Content Mills

If you’re a beginner and want to get paid for writing, a content mill can make
sense.

You can land your first freelance writing job without experience or a portfolio.
Many writers start out working on content mills for this reason.

They can be a good way to develop writing skills and a professional approach around
other commitments such as family or a job.

If you sign up for more than one platform, content mills can provide a consistent
stream of work across a broad range of topics and clients. You also get paid
quickly.

Unfortunately, the low pay factor outweighs these pros. These platforms are only
viable short term.

How to Use Your Time in a Content Mill to Grow as a Writer

For long-term career progression, you have to think beyond content mills.

All writers have to start somewhere and mills can be a good place to practice. What
you learn churning out content will contribute to your future writing career.

an infographic on using content mills to your advantage

Here’s how to use content mills as a stepping stone to a bright career:

Choose a Niche and Make it Your Specialty

Writing for a content mill opens you up to a wide range of topics. Use this as a
way to find a niche that you enjoy writing about and make it your specialty.

Why?

Because a niche will help you become an authority. It helps you move from jack-of-
all-trades to a subject expert.

Ultimately, this will lead to you working with better clients for more money.

For example, freelance writer Kat Boogaard grew her business to six figures by
establishing herself as an authority in career advice:

I wrote about storage unit insurance. I wrote about healthcare. I wrote about
careers. Heck, I even wrote an entire piece about how fish finders work.
As a result, my reputation (not to mention my portfolio) was scattered and
unfocused, and I struggled to land the opportunities I really wanted. Career
websites just weren’t impressed by my storage unit writing samples.
I knew I needed to narrow things down. After writing a few career profiles for The
Everygirl, I realized I loved talking about the world of work—and just like that,
my niche was born.

Just to be clear: You can have a specific niche and write about other things. You
can also expand your niche to include related topics. Kat Boogaard also writes
about productivity, entrepreneurship, and project management.
But having one thing you’re known for will help you stand out from the crowd.

As you take on new projects, ask yourself:

What topics am I passionate about?

What expertise do I offer in that industry?
Is there a demand for it? It’s worth researching how many brands or publications
publish content on your topic.
And when you’re ready to dive into a niche, use Semrush’s Topic Research tool to
find relevant headlines, questions, and trending topics.

For example, say you want to write exclusively about the pet industry. And you want
to write content about dog food. Enter your topic, select your country, then click
“Get content ideas.”

search for "dog food" in Topic Research tool

Once the report is ready, click “Show more” on any subtopic card to see headlines,
questions, and related searches.

Topic Research report showing headlines, questions, and related searches for "dog
food" query
Subtopics marked with a flame icon are trending. Toggle the switch to display
“Trending subtopic first.”

Subtopics marked with a flame icon are trending

Pro tip: You can also use Semrush’s SEO Content Template and SEO Writing Assistant
to create an optimized content piece.

Develop Your Organization and Productivity Skills

Your content mill experience serves as proof you have the self-discipline to meet
deadlines. This is important when you work with clients directly.

Use the fast pace and quick turnarounds to get a feel for how and when you work
best.

For example, do you focus better in the morning or afternoon? Are you more
productive at home or in a cafe?

If you work better at home in the mornings, this can be the time when you do the
bulk of your writing. Afternoons can be used for other tasks associated with
writing:

Sending emails
Pitching clients
Invoicing clients
Generating topic ideas
As you establish a routine, experiment with tools to help you cut down work time
without impacting quality. Here are a few suggestions:

For time tracking: Harvest

For focus: Tomato Timer
For content optimization: Semrush’s SEO Writing Assistant
For editing: Grammarly
For improving writing clarity: Hemingway App
For to-do lists: Trello
For keeping track of ideas: Evernote
Turning out great work on time will grow your reputation and keep clients coming
back.
Get Writing Recommendations

with the SEO Writing Assistant

Try for Free →

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Audit Your Content Writing
Gathering feedback is the best way to improve your writing skills.

Unfortunately, this can be hard to come by on content mills. Projects are often
signed off immediately or clients request changes with little explanation.

If you can interact directly with a client, ask them what they liked about your
content and if there’s anything they’d like to see in future work.

If you don’t have the opportunity for feedback, you can hone your skills by
learning from other writers in your niche. Find top industry blogs and
publications. Study how they make content engaging and informative:

How long are the posts?

How do they structure headlines?
How do they format posts?
Do they use examples?
Do they include images, screenshots, or videos?
How do they use calls to action (CTAs)?
an infographic by Semrush titled "The Anatomy of Top-Performing Articles"
High-paying clients want valuable content that’s delivered in an easily digestible
format. By mimicking successful content, you’ll hone your skills and attract
clients of your own.

Pro tip: You can level up your writing by learning about SEO, a desired skill by
many content creation companies.

Stabilize and Increase Your Rate

You’re not getting paid enough as it is. Dropping your rates to win a project only
sets a bar you’ll struggle to raise.

Remember: Clients will expect the same quality of work at the lower rate. And
you’ll only cause yourself more stress trying to work faster to maintain an average
income.

Know your value and stick to your principles.

Will this mean missing out on work?

Probably.

But there are things you can do to grow as a writer that will be more beneficial in
the long run:

Create writing samples. For example, start blogging on a platform like Medium or
Wordpress.com.
Look for guest blogging opportunities in your niche. These will give you the chance
to earn bylines.
Search job boards. Use Indeed or LinkedIn Jobs to find higher-paying freelance
writing gigs.
Subscribe to industry newsletters and publications. Increase your niche knowledge
and truly become an expert.
Find Your Community
A freelance community lets you network with fellow writers in a way that isn’t
possible in a content mill.

Within the confines of a mill, every writer is a competitor looking out for their
own interests. It’s not an environment for collaboration and communication. But
these things are critical to growth.

An active community is a place to:

Ask questions
Get advice
Share ideas
Learn new ways of working
Find referrals
Vent on frustrations
Celebrate your wins
All of which help you transition away from content mills and become a better writer
with higher-paying clients.

Here are some communities to check out:

#WritingCommunity on X (formerly known as Twitter)

The Copywriter Club on Facebook
Peak Freelance
Freelance Writers Den
AWAI Digital Copywriters’ Group
r/writing on Reddit
Gather Client Testimonials
In the absence of published work under your own name, testimonials are a great way
to convince clients to hire you.

Reviews of your work are social proof. They give prospects confidence you’re the
right person for the job.

The more reviews you have, the more it shows potential clients you have a track
record of delivering quality work. It makes you a safe bet.

If a client is happy with your work, ask for a review. Help make feedback relevant
by offering prompts or reminding them of the project details.

For example, if your exchange is over email, it can be as simple as this:

Thank you, [client name]! I’m glad you’re happy with my work.
Would it be okay for me to use your feedback as a testimonial?

Screenshot your best testimonials. Use them to secure your first clients outside of
content mills.

Work on Your Personal Brand

A strong personal brand ensures your target audience knows who you are, what you
stand for, and why they should choose you.

Honing your brand while you’re working the content mills will help you stand out
from the competition. It will also sow the seeds for being an expert in your niche.

Listing the publications you’ve worked with, it adds weight to your personal brand.

Your portfolio also works to hammer home your area of expertise, focusing
specifically on published articles about your chosen niche.
Like in this example of a writer specializing in money-saving tips:

an example of posts by a writer specializing in money-saving tips

This establishes you as a name people think of when they need a certain type of
content.

Use your content mill profiles to clarify your niche and the value you bring.
Showcase work that’s relevant to your ideal clients.

Expand this to social media:

Post about topics related to your niche

Follow and interact with people in your industry
Use industry hashtags to amplify posts and find conversations to join
The more people who are aware of your specialty, the easier it is to become a go-to
source.

The result?

More leads, referrals, and an easier transition from content mills to clients of
your own.

Build a Freelance Writer Website

A website isn’t something you need when working for content mills, but it’s
essential to have when you leave them behind.

You can use a website to:

House your portfolio

Showcase your niche expertise
Grow your personal brand
Create and share content
Start building a website alongside your content mill work. This way, when you’re
ready to make the leap, you have somewhere to send prospective clients.

A website doesn’t need to be expensive or elaborate. It should include your

services, a personal profile, testimonials, and a contact form.

You can build a simple personal website using a customizable template on a web
builder platform such as WordPress.com, Wix, or Squarespace. All offer low-cost
personal plans and include a domain name and hosting.

Tip: You can also build your LinkedIn profile to do all the above as well. For
free.

Advance Beyond Content Mills

There’s no getting away from the negatives of content mills. But if you’re
completely new to freelance writing they can be a positive learning experience.

Think about what you want your writing career to look like. If you decide to give
content mills a go, use your time there to develop and grow as a writer.

If you’re ready to get out of the content mills and break into content writing,
level up your skills with these 14 writing tips or see how Semrush’s SEO Writing
Assistant can help you write better content.

Get Writing Recommendations

with the SEO Writing Assistant

Try for Free →

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