Understanding Draft and UpWork: An Overview

What is Draft? 

Draft is a content marketplace that connects clients with vetted writers to deliver high-quality content quickly. The platform offers a range of services, from blog posts to ad copy, and everything in between. Clients can submit their content requests using the platform's brief builder or by uploading their own brief. Within 24 hours, Draft matches the client with the best writer for their needs, who then begins working on the brief. The platform also offers free revisions and rewrites, ensuring that clients receive publish-ready content by the stated deadline.

Services Offered by Draft

Draft offers a wide range of content creation services. These include blog posts, social posts, web page copy, and marketing emails. The platform also provides preliminary research on all content using publicly available information and includes sources for any facts or statistics quoted. Draft also offers free revisions on any content received, ensuring that clients are satisfied with the final product.

What is UpWork?

UpWork is an online freelance marketplace that connects clients with freelance talent for their projects. The platform is designed to help growing businesses find and work with top-notch talent and agencies. Clients can sign up, post their project, and then review proposals to find the right independent contractor or agency for their needs. UpWork also provides tools for communication, collaboration, and secure payment.

Services Offered by UpWork

UpWork offers a wide range of services, including brand identity design, digital design, animation & motion graphics, development, digital marketing & PR, content writing, admin & customer support, consulting & HR, and lifestyle services. The platform is designed to cater to a wide range of business needs, making it a one-stop-shop for many clients.

Draft vs UpWork: A Comparative Analysis

Vetting Process of Writers

The vetting process of writers is a critical aspect that sets Draft and UpWork apart. Draft employs a rigorous and thorough vetting process, going to great lengths to ensure that clients are matched with experienced copywriters possessing relevant industry knowledge. On the other hand, UpWork's vetting process is less stringent, leading to a significant difference in the quality of writers between the two platforms. Let’s take a look at exactly how writers are vetted on the two platforms.

Draft’s Vetting Process of Writers

Draft takes the quality of its writers very seriously. The platform only accepts native English speakers from countries like the U.S, Canada, the U.K, and Australia. This ensures that the content produced is of the highest linguistic quality.

To sign up, writers must provide their location and optionally, their LinkedIn profile. This helps Draft confirm the legitimacy of the writer and their background. Writers are also required to provide portfolio links with sample writing pieces and select their copywriting background and the type of content they’ve written.

Once this information is provided, the internal Draft team reviews each writer. Only those who meet Draft's highest quality standards are accepted into the marketplace. This rigorous vetting process ensures that clients are matched with highly skilled and reliable writers.

Upwork’s Vetting Process of Writers

Unlike Draft, UpWork does not vet freelancers or guarantee the accuracy of the information provided in their profiles. Any writer can sign up onto the platform and advertise their services, even with a fake profile.

This lack of a thorough vetting process can make it risky for clients looking for high-quality content. There's a higher chance of encountering writers who may not have the necessary skills or experience, leading to subpar content, communication issues, and potential delays in project completion.

User Interface and Ease of Use

Draft's user interface is specifically designed for users submitting content requests, making it intuitive and straightforward to navigate.

On the other hand, UpWork's user interface is a general-purpose platform for hiring freelancers, which can make the process of submitting and requesting your first piece of content more complex. Let's delve deeper into the workflows below.

Navigating Draft's User Interface

Estimated time to submit a content request is less than 15 minutes.

Exploring Draft's user interface, particularly for newcomers, is a smooth and straightforward process. In this guide, we'll take you through the simple and efficient steps to submit your first content request.

Signing up for an account

1. Initiating your journey with Draft is a breeze. Simply click on 'Get Started', input your email and password, and voila, you're all set!

2. Once you've signed up and logged in, you'll find the dashboard quite user-friendly. To request your first piece of content, navigate to the top right corner of the screen.

3. Next, specify the type of content you need, provide a title, select a topic, and set a word count. The more detailed your description of the request, the better the output will be. So, take your time to explain what you'd like. Then, define your audience, set the tone of voice, and add optional keywords, internal links, or attachments for the writer.

4. Before you submit, take a moment to review your request. You'll see the delivery date by which our writer will send over the content. Once you've entered your payment details and finalized your request, you're good to go! The entire process, from sign up to submitting your first piece of content, takes about 10-15 minutes.

Additionally, Draft's interface is equipped with several handy tools located on the left sidebar. One such tool is the Content Idea Generator, which leverages AI technology to generate innovative content ideas for you. The 'Saved for Later' tab is a convenient space where you can store briefs for future use or repurposing.

One of the standout features is the ability to manage your team of preferred writers. These are writers with whom you've established a strong rapport and have consistently delivered top-notch content. This feature allows you to maintain a pool of trusted writers, ensuring quality and consistency in your content.

Navigating UpWork's User Interface

Estimated time to post a job, hire a suitable freelancer, and get them started on your content request is approximately 1-2 hours or more.

1. Sign up for an Upwork account.

2. Craft a compelling headline for your job posting.

3. Select the required skills for your job.

4. Define the scope and rate for your project.

5. Confirm your email to continue with the process.

6. Either invite freelancers to tackle your project or wait for freelancers to apply. Each applicant will provide a cover letter, allowing you to assess their portfolio and background to ensure suitability. It's normal to receive over 20 proposals, so careful examination is needed.

7. Once a freelancer is invited to a project, you'll be directed to a page containing contract details and the total billed amount. Make sure to utilize the "messages" tab to clearly convey project requirements to the freelancer.

Generally, it may not be immediately clear how to submit your first project on Upwork. Plus, with numerous jobs, especially in content writing, frequently receiving upwards of 20 or 30 freelance proposals, it can demand significant effort to sift through each freelancer's profile to find the appropriate candidate.

Draft simplifies this into a 4 step, 15-minute process by ensuring that only qualified and experienced copywriters from English-speaking countries (Canada, USA, Australia, UK, New Zealand) have access to the platform.

Cost-Effectiveness and Pricing Models

Pricing Model: Draft

Draft has a straightforward pricing model. The cost for any job is set at $0.10 per word. Hence, a 500-word article would cost you $50.00.

However, if you opt to buy words in large quantities in advance, the charges are as follows:

- For 50k-199k words, the rate decreases to $0.09 per word

- If your order exceeds 200k words, the cost drops to $0.08 per word

Pricing Model: UpWork

The cost of hiring on Upwork relies on your set budget or the freelancer's specified rates, which are either hourly or project-based. If you're seeking a copywriter, for instance, a short 500-word article could cost anywhere from around $20 to a few hundred dollars; it varies greatly.

Additionally, Upwork charges platform fees that bear considering. As per their website: “When you hire on Upwork, you'll pay a 5% Client Marketplace Fee on all payments that you make to freelancers for fixed-price and hourly jobs, Project Catalog projects, bonuses, and BYO contracts.

You'll also pay a one-time contract initiation fee of up to $4.95 USD for each new Marketplace and Project Catalog contract. We charge this fee when you make the first payment to a freelancer."

Thanks to Draft's straightforward pricing approach, you can easily forecast your expenditure without worrying about freelancers demanding supplementary payments. This pricing model offers unrivaled transparency, saving you from unnecessary hassles and allowing for simple budgeting.

Advantages of using Draft

Choosing the right platform for your content writing needs can define the quality of your content and, by extension, your brand's image. This is where Draft stands out due to its numerous advantages. Here are some key highlights and benefits of using the Draft platform for all your content creation needs.

Why Choose Draft: Vetted Writers

Draft's rigorous writer vetting process ensures that you get access to skilled and experienced writers. The platform accepts native English speakers from countries like the U.S, Canada, the U.K, and Australia, thus ensuring linguistic proficiency. Each writer's credentials are thoroughly checked, including their background, portfolio samples, and previous experience. This meticulous process ensures that your content request is handled by top-quality writers who understand your industry nitty-gritty. So, you can rest assured that your project is in good hands, and you'll receive high-quality content that matches your brand voice and style.

User-Friendly Platform

Draft stands out for its ease of use. Its intuitive user interface is designed to help users effortlessly navigate and submit their content requests. Once logged in, users can easily submit their content request from the dashboard, specify the type of content they need, and provide a detailed brief. Within 24 hours, Draft matches the client with the best writer for their needs. Draft's simple yet effective user interface makes it a top choice for users seeking a hassle-free content creation experience.

High-Quality Content at Cost-Effective Rates

Quality and affordability often don't go hand in hand when it comes to content creation services. However, Draft is an exception. With fixed pricing at $0.10 per word and bulk discounts for large orders, Draft provides an affordable solution without compromising on quality. After all, a well-written piece of content from experienced writers can exceed expectations and provide immense value for its cost.

User Testimonials and Ratings

Many clients have expressed their appreciation for Draft's high-quality content, quick turnarounds, and excellent client service. Here are a few testimonials from our clients:

"As a one woman marketing team, I would have had to write the blog myself, which would have taken forever and we would not be able to keep up with the pace we do today."

- Z., Amanda AI – Read more

"Draft has helped us build a consistent blog that has helped us drive organic traffic to our website. It's easy to use and the writers are extremely knowledgeable and well-researched. We love it.”

- Pay The Nanny

"We've been able to publish over 100 articles, easily saving 100 hours in content time."

- Blake, Varnish and Vine – Read more

These are just a snippet of the positive reviews that Draft has received from its users, showcasing its commitment to delivering first-rate services.

See more ways people have used Draft to scale their business in our customer success stories section.

In conclusion, Draft brings together vetted writers, a user-friendly platform, high-quality content at cost effective rates, and outstanding client service to provide a content marketplace that truly stands out. Its numerous benefits make it a superior choice for businesses looking for top-notch content, whether it's a blog post, ad copy, or any other type of content