Copify. Friend or Foe?

April 27, 2010 at 9:50 am, Category: Business, General Computing, Reviews, Uncategorized, by Mike

Here at Nublue, we have some new neighbours in the form of copywriting platform Copify. For the uninitiated, Copify operate a website which has been designed for customers to source written content from writers. Its introduction in February was somewhat controversial, with many established copywriters crying foul play over the site’s policy of charging its clients per word for copy. In this blog, we’ll outline the case for and against the site, for both clients and the writers themselves.

Pros for clients

Speed – Copify has a pool of writers, all of whom are notified of new jobs immediately after they are posted. This means that clients can often have a writer working on a new assignment, minutes after they have placed the order.

Cost – Copify is undoubtedly much cheaper than using most freelance copywriters. By charging per word, the site offers standardisation, which is often not the case with copywriters who bill per hour or per day.

Mediation – If clients are not happy with the copy they receive, they can either send it back for editing or reject it. If it is believed that they have a valid complaint, Copify will refund the cost of the job.

Cons for clients

Communication – When it was introduced, Copify offered no means for clients to communicate directly with writers. Although this has since been rectified in the form of a messaging system, it still doesn’t offer the same level of communication you would have with a traditional copywriter.

Creativity – Critics of the cost per word model state that it restricts creativity by encouraging writers to write more than is necessary, leading to copy which is irrelevant and not fit for purpose.

Quality – Many have questioned the motivation for Copify’s writers to create quality copy, due to the low amount they will receive for each job.

Pros for writers

Experience – Any writer who is starting out will tell you that building up a decent portfolio can be tricky. Competition for agency places if often fierce, meaning that some writers can struggle to establish themselves. Copify offers a good place to gain valuable experience, whilst at the same time receiving payment for work.

Hassle Free – Payment for jobs is taken up front by Copify and is then available for withdrawal by the writer, once their copy has been approved. This removes the common headache that many freelancers have in chasing clients for money.

Cons for writers

Exploitation – Some of the more vociferous copywriters have condemned Copify for exploiting its members, citing the fact that paying as little as £0.02 and £0.04 per word amounts to nothing more than slave labour.

Devaluing – Critics claim that Copify serves only to devalue and undermine the craft of copywriting by treating words as little more than a commodity.

The verdict?

The jury is still very much out on Copify. For writers, particularly those starting out, it offers a good opportunity to gain experience. It also offers a reliable and relatively hassle-free means of earning money. More established writers, meanwhile, may find it more profitable to seek their own clients directly.

For clients it offers a quick and cost-effective way of sourcing copy. However, whether or not it is as effective as using a copywriter directly remains to be seen…

Click here to try Copify today