Compose.ly is a content writing platform that connects clients with freelance writers based in the US.
The company has been in operation since 2017, and its head office is based in Seattle, WA.
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About Compose.ly
The company is made up of marketing experts, developers, creatives, and most importantly, skilled content writers.
They offer many types and styles of content, including blog posts, newsletters, press releases, white papers, and product descriptions.
Compose.ly points out that its writers are skilled in producing SEO-friendly content. They understand that almost all their client work is going to be published online and because of that, they take care of the on-page SEO for you. Compose.ly’s writers are also experienced in creating content across a wide variety of industries, including:
- Medical and healthcare
- Technology and SaaS
- Finance, business, and real estate
- Legal
- Manufacturing
Major brands that use or have used Compose.ly’s writing services include Mailchimp, WebMD, Avvo, Calendly, and Redbubble, among others.
When you sign up for a plan and order a piece of content, a member of Compose.ly’s team will manually assign your project to the writer best suited for it. This determination is based on your content project’s needs (e.g., the topic it’s about, its industry/niche) as well as the writer’s background and expertise.
Compose.ly’s goal is ultimately to match clients’ projects with the most qualified writers, thereby saving clients from the headaches of recruiting and vetting freelance writers. To that end, the platform has built up a rigorously vetted team of writers with experience across a variety of industries.
Looking through some of its writers, I see why Compose.ly’s price point is on the higher side; some of the platform’s writers have considerable experience and have been featured in large publications.
The turnaround time depends on the content plan used but typically ranges between three and five business days. To communicate any additional project details, you can message your assigned writer through Compose.ly’s in-app chat feature.
Services
When ordering content from Compose.ly, you can choose from the following types:
- Blog post/article
- Newsletter
- Press release
- White paper
- Website article
- Product description
You then choose how many words you want the piece to be. The length of content starts at 200 words for a product description and 500 words for a blog post. It can go up to a whopping 10,000 words for white papers.
Once a writer submits a draft, you can leave detailed comments and request up to two revisions using Compose.ly’s Self-Service plan. The premium content plans, Managed Service, and Content Blocks may offer more flexibility in terms of edits and revisions. You can also contact a member of Compose.ly’s customer support team during business hours via phone, live chat, or email if there is an issue you can’t resolve with the writer.
Plans and Pricing
Compose.ly offers three content plans to match different users’ needs:
- Self-Service – Self-Service is ideal for users who have ad hoc content needs or prefer to take a hands-on approach when managing their content projects. This plan does not include Compose.ly’s in-house editing services, but clients can request two revisions with each project. There is no monthly subscription fee for this plan.
- Managed Service – Managed Service is best for businesses with consistent and ongoing content needs. Compose.ly’s in-house editors’ review content projects ordered under this plan and a client success manager is assigned to each client to help facilitate communication and project delivery. This plan operates with a monthly subscription fee based on the number of words and the complexity of content needed per month.
- Projects & Content Blocks – Compose.ly’s third pricing plan functions almost exactly like Managed Service, albeit without a monthly subscription fee. Clients can purchase projects or “blocks” with a minimum of 10,000 words. This plan includes Compose.ly’s in-house editing services as well as a client success manager. It’s ideal for any business tackling a big one-time project, e.g., creating two ebooks per quarter, or revamping one’s website and needing landing page copy.
To give you an example of Compose.ly’s pricing, its Self-Service plan offers the following prices:
- A 500-word blog post is $74.95.
- A 3,000-word blog post is $449.95.
Why would you need a 3,000-word blog post? Authoritative in-depth content tends to rank better in Google’s search results. Most of the articles I publish these days are at least 1,500 words, which would be $225 with Compose.ly, and many are double that length.
Compose.ly Alternatives
While there are lots of Virtual Assistant companies that also offer content writing services, MyTasker and Copywriter Today seem to be the best other options to check out!
Another all-American writing service that comes to mind is Scripted, though they’re noticeably pricier per-article.
Your Turn
Have you tried Compose.ly? If so, please leave a review of your experience below to help others with their decision.
Compose.ly is a wonderful place to work as an independent contractor. I am currently an Editor for them.
The company is still growing, but the quality of their Style Guides and training materials for writers/editors is excellent. Projects are relatively easy to claim. The average pay-per-word is on the low end for editing, but this is balanced by a consistency in quality, an easy to navigate system that utilizes Google Docs, and a solid overall structure.
Most importantly, the responsiveness of Compose.ly’s full-time staff is unparalleled within my experience with other content writing platforms. They are clearly invested in developing and improving the skills of their freelance writers and editors. I am looking forward to being a part of the continued growth of this great company.
It’s been great to work for Compose.ly as a freelance editor! The staff are very friendly, always answer all of my questions quickly, and give helpful feedback. I just wish there was more communication/structure for when articles become available.
Can’t be relied upon to pay their writers.