Item: Contently
Rating: 5
Author: Kristi Porter

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

I opened my Contently freelancer account in August 2016. I created the account for two reasons: First, so that I'd have an online portfolio, since I didn't have a website at the time. And, second, to try and find new clients to write for. At the time, a blogger and podcaster that I followed had received multiple projects from the site, and others she knew had also found new clients as well. Even though they were finance writers, and I wrote about other topics, I decided to give it a try.

Pros and Cons

Nice and easy space for an online writing portfolio
Supposed to be a space to find and attract new clients
An online space for clients to find new freelancers
They have a blog with some good articles and resources.
They have a rates database where you can see what some publications pay.

I have been using it for 3.5 years, and have had no response from potential clients.
The portfolio section is pretty easy to use, but I don't love the format.
Since I'm not a client, I don't know just how easy it is for them to find new freelancers or how often it is actually used.
Probably more suited for some types/concentrations of freelance writers, like finance, tech, or healthcare.

Return on Investment

Since I've never received any work from this site, it hasn't made much of an impact.
I do appreciate being able to see what some online publication pay rates are from time-to-time.
I do think some of their blogs/resources have been helpful as I grow in my business.

Alternatives Considered

Skyword

I also opened an account with Skyword in 2019, which is a similar service. The person that recommended it was a travel writer, and since I've done that as well, I thought it might be a better fit. To this point, I've received no work from it either, and don't hold out a lot of hope. As previously mentioned, where I think Contently does well is by giving you an online portfolio, additional resources like a blog for learning, and a rates database for publications.

Support Rating

I'm giving them a 10, but honestly, I've never reached out to them. I do see them putting out regular content on social media, so they might be responsive to questions there as well as regular customer support. In their posts and communication, they do seem to value their community, so hopefully, they have good customer support. And I've seen them asking for pitches from their community to publish well-paid articles during this stressful coronavirus time, and I really appreciate that.

Key Insights

Do you think Contently delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Contently's feature set?

Did Contently live up to sales and marketing promises?

Did implementation of Contently go as expected?

Would you buy Contently again?

Other Software Used

Asana, Zoom, G Suite

Likelihood to Recommend

Because I've been using it for over three years, and never had a single bite from a prospective client, I can't recommend Contently for that reason. This is the sad part, because this is what they are supposed to be suited for, but I've had no luck. The people I would (and have) recommended it to are those that need a free, online portfolio for clients, and also for journalists who are curious as to what specific outlets pay.

Not Content with Contently

Overall Satisfaction with Contently