TextBroker Review: Is TextBroker Worth It?
Jason Quey
Updated:
February 4, 2021
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Securing quality content for your business or website can be a challenging task. For this reason, many turn to content marketplace sites to find freelance writers. However, there are many different platforms to choose from, and it isn’t easy to know where to start.
TextBroker.com is a content marketplace that connects freelance ghostwriters with companies in need of written content. One of the most effective ways to promote your website and boost SEO is to have a content marketing strategy, but finding writers who can meet deadlines and align their content with your brand messaging is not easy.
In this TextBroker review, you’ll discover how the freelancing platform works, what it can do, and how best to use it. By the end, you should be able to decide if TextBroker is a good freelance platform for your needs or if you need to look elsewhere.
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TextBroker offers two levels of service: Self-Service and Managed Services. The Self-Service option enables you to post a writing job you need to do. From there, content writers will apply for the job, and you can choose who you would like to work with based on the writer’s profile, rating, experience, and writing samples.
When posting a project, you can do it in three ways:
Of course, if you prefer, you can sign up for Managed Services. This plan outsources the administrative work to the TextBroker team, including creating briefs, selecting writers, and seeding content.
TextBroker is an excellent way to get inexpensive content. However, it doesn't offer much more than that. If you sign up for the Managed Services plan, you gain access to writer selection and management options, as well as content tracking and seeding.
That said, TextBroker keeps things simple. There is an option to order a proofreading service separately, but the company doesn't provide quality-check or editors to review content before it is delivered.
This doesn’t mean that the company is a scam. You just have to remember that TextBroker is a simple writing service. It can be an excellent way to get inexpensive content, but you may need to employ your own editors to improve the final product's quality before publishing.
TextBroker is, in every sense of the word, a content mill. It's designed to generate content for the lowest possible cost. As such, its writers generally receive a low pay rate and have little recourse when it comes to mistreatment.
On top of that, the quality of content that companies receive from TextBroker is generally on the low side. There are also reports that it can take a long time for content to be completed and delivered.
Overall, if you're going to use TextBroker, know what you're getting into. If you need a few simple things written up, you can probably find a decent freelancer to help you out. However, for larger and more complex projects, be careful.
With TextBroker, you'll pay between $0.013 and $0.072 per word for Open Order content. For commissioned content, rates start at $0.024 per word. You can pay with PayPal or a credit card. Overall, these rates are on the less expensive side when it comes to content.
The Self-Service plan enables you to select the price you pay based on a writer's ranking. However, it's essential to realize that you get what you pay for. Given these low prices, you should not expect to receive high-quality content. In fact, TextBroker gives a disclaimer that having work done by writers with lower-ranking can contain grammatical errors.
Of course, to avoid misspellings and punctuation mistakes as much as possible, you can opt to work with higher rated writers. For those, expect to pay around $0.06 per word.
There are several threads on Reddit where writers share their experiences working for TextBroker. In general, writers report a lot of negative experiences. They complain of being underpaid, and there is a lack of effective communication with clients. What's more, some clients can be unreasonable when it comes to revision requests.
That said, if you require quality content, you can post a Team Order and find some quality writers on the platform. However, be prepared to pay them a decent amount, or you may end up with low-quality material.
The unfortunate truth is that because of TextBroker's low rates. Writers are encouraged to write as quickly as possible with minimal research. If they don't, it's not worth their time and effort. If you use TextBroker, be prepared to work with the freelance writers you hire to ensure both parties know the project's expectations.
On SiteJabber, Textbroker has an overall score of 3.33 out of 5 stars. Customers using the site to procure content are generally happy with the results once they find a quality writer to work with. However, there are many reports of low quality work.
For the most part, TextBroker is a safe and straightforward service. There are many quality freelance writers on TextBroker, but there are also many low-quality writers working on the site. To have a positive experience, you'll need to weed out writers with low writing skills and find those that can deliver content that meets your standards.
There are reports on SiteJabber that they have received content that appears to be written by non-native English speakers, despite the fact that the site claims they only hire those who are. On top of that, some report bugs in the interface and poor customer service.
In several reviews, customer support was unresponsive or rude to both clients and writers. Multiple clients have expressed concerns and have been unable to get them resolved because of poor customer service.
On top of that, it is difficult for writers to make money with the work they do. Even for those just starting out, it's hard to justify the amount of time, research, and effort required to complete a project for such a low payout. Even for experienced writers with high ratings working on the site, it's challenging to maintain status and easy to have your account suspended.
All in all, the reviews on SiteJabber are not very good. While some clients may be happy with the work they receive, the general consensus appears that even the top-quality writers working for the site deliver average-level content. Plus, you have to ask yourself if you're willing to work with a company that pays so little to its writers.
On TrustPilot, TextBroker has an overall rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars. Interestingly, this is because of the many positive reviews from international accounts. Many German-speaking clients are happy with the quality of the freelance writing they received from TextBroker and continue to use the site successfully.
However, most of the negative reviews are from writers who feel they've been mistreated. They complain of low rates and stressful working conditions. Many of them are trying to warn other writers to avoid working for the website. There are also reports of poor customer service.
So, on the one hand, it appears that many companies have success procuring content from TextBroker. On the other hand, it looks as if there are many dissatisfied writers, although there are several negative reviews from clients as well for receiving low-quality content writing.
All in all, TextBroker seems to be a mixed bag. If you happen to find and work with the experienced writers working for the site, you'll likely have a positive experience. However, there appear to be many low-quality writers and clients using the site as well. The bottom line is, be careful.
TextBroker can be an excellent way to have simple projects completed when your in-house staff is too busy to do them. However, it’s crucial to quality-control every piece of content you receive from the platform, as there are concerns over the level of quality you can expect.
That said, if all you need is a few simple things done, then TextBroker could be the solution. But remember that you get what you pay for. Look for freelance writers with experience who can deliver quality and meet deadlines. Depending on the type of writing you need, TextBroker may be just what you need.