👋🏽 Who pays $500+ for articles?

Howdy, ‘Lancer.

Last year, I talked about how I’m thinking about my business this year. This week, let’s get tactical.

If you want to charge $500+ per article, you need to know who pays those rates.

Many companies nowadays don’t, with most giving the “well, AI can do it” excuse. 

And that’s okay. You’re not looking for most companies. You’re looking for the specific ones who have a budget, see the value, and need what you offer.

Let me break down who these clients are and where to find them.

Not everyone, but in my experience, these types of companies do:

They’re past the scrappy startup phase but not yet enterprise giants. They have marketing budgets, need consistent content, and understand that cheap content doesn’t move the needle.

They’re usually Series A/B-funded or profitable, bootstrapped companies.

Content agencies need reliable freelancers who can match different brand voices and deliver on time. These agencies typically charge their clients $8,000-$10,000/month for content, so it’s not far-fetched to think they can pay writers upwards of $500.

Here’s an example from Grow and Convert.

Fintech, HR tech, cybersecurity, and healthcare SaaS. These industries have longer sales cycles and higher contract values. A single customer might be worth $50K to $500K annually.

So spending $500 on content that helps close one deal is an easy decision.

Knowing who pays well is one thing. Finding them is another.

Here’s where I look:

Search for:

Filter by:

Engage with their content before you pitch. Show you understand what they’re dealing with.

Companies hiring for content roles often need freelance help too. If they’re posting for a “Content Marketing Manager” or “Content Writer,” they probably have a budget and an immediate need.

Check:

Even if you don’t apply, you can pitch them for freelance help while they’re hiring.

Many agencies list their clients on their site or case studies. If you see they work with 10 SaaS companies, there’s a good chance they need more freelance capacity.

Look for agencies that specialize in:

People post when they’re looking for help. Search for phrases like:

Ask existing clients if they know anyone who needs help with content. Most good clients have peers in similar roles at other companies.

Send a simple message: “Hey [name], I’m taking on 1-2 new clients in Q1. Do you know anyone at other SaaS companies who might need content help? Would appreciate an intro.”

People hardly recommend those they don’t trust, so ensure you’re already doing great work for the existing client. 

Use startup directories to find companies in your target range. You can check:

These clients don’t just want “a writer.” They want someone who:

If you can do these things, $500+ becomes the floor, not the ceiling.

Pick one of these strategies and commit to it this week.

Spend 30 minutes on LinkedIn finding 10 content managers at companies that fit the profile. Engage with their posts. See what they’re talking about.

Or search a single job board to find 5 companies hiring for content roles. Research them. Decide if you’d want to work with them.

You don’t have to pitch yet. Just start seeing where these clients actually are.

See you next week :)

P.S. Next week, I’m breaking down positioning. Because “I'm a freelance writer” isn’t going to get you hired by these companies. You need something sharper.