Editor's note: This article is based on a talk I gave at the BlogWorld Expo '08 conference. It has more information than the talk because now I don't have time/space constraints. If you want a shorter version, check out the one-page handout on blogger pay (pdf) I gave at the conference.
Think of your website or blog (same thing) as opening a storefront. You want a blogger that's like a manager, not just a counter clerk. Your Web team fulfills several positions:
- writer
- community manager
- salesperson
- customer service agent
- online marketer
Like my partner Will Chen, editor of the personal finance site WiseBread.com, likes to say:
[blockquote shade=1] You want to hire a blogger, not just a writer. There's a big difference.When you use performance metrics to pay your blogger, you're incentivizing them to grow your blog, not just churn out posts.
There is no one-size-fits-all blogger compensation model. As you think about these blog metrics and how you can pay blogger, keep these tips in mind:
- Align performance bonuses with your business goals. If you don't care about getting lots of commenters, you don't have to pay a bonus based on that metric.
- Keep payment structure as simple as possible. This will seem like contradictory advice after I mention over a dozen metrics below. You don't have to (and probably shouldn't) use every metric mentioned here. Pick the ones that are important to you. Keep your blogger compensation fairly simple so they know what to expect.
- Use maximum caps on the performance bonuses for cost control.
I'll present three major types of metrics you can use to measure the performance of a blog (and blogger), explain what each type of statistic tells you about performance, and show how you can use these metrics to pay your bloggers.
- Base pay: Consistency metric
- Bonus: Internal metrics
- Bonus: External metrics
1. Base pay: Consistency metric
You can also call these the "post count" or "word count" metrics. These metrics track the baseline responsibilities of your blogger. They ensure that your blog has a consistent publishing schedule.
Consistency is especially important to a business blog. When readers (potential customers) know what to expect from your blog, they're more likely to come back tomorrow.
What you're counting:
- number of posts per week
- minimum (and/or maximum) post lengths
If you have no idea where to start, use the following numbers as a guide. Adjust them up and down based on your specific business goals and your budget.
Rules of thumb:
- $5 - $10 per 100 words. So a mid-length blog post of about 300 words is worth about $30. A long, in-depth article (usually around 1,000 words or so) is worth approximately $100. You can find cheaper rates, but you won't be happy with the quality.
- Aim for 1,000 words per week. That's the equivalent of 3-4 shorter blog posts or 1-2 longer articles.
Again, these numbers are just starting points. There are no hard and fast rules in terms of pay or weekly word counts that will make your blog a success.
Quick tips about the consistency metrics:
- Pay per-post, not per-word. It's a lot easier to manage that way. So your contract might require something like "3 blog posts of at least 300-words a week for $30 per post".