How Much Should You Charge as a New Content Creator? No BS Guide

If you’re starting out as a content creator—whether you take photos, shoot videos, design websites, or create graphics—you’re probably wondering, “How much should I charge?”

You want to make more money. You want to charge more than what you earned at your last job flipping burgers or driving Uber. You’ve invested in yourself—bought a camera, learned some skills, maybe even taken a few courses. Naturally, you feel like you should be making the big bucks now, right?

Wrong.

Your Investment Doesn’t Equal Instant Value

Here’s the harsh truth: just because you’ve spent money on gear and training doesn’t mean the market sees you as valuable.

Right now, all you’ve done is learn the baseline skill—how to do the job at a basic level. But businesses and clients don’t care about your gear or how much time you’ve put into watching YouTube tutorials. They care about results.

And guess what? As a beginner, you’re not delivering massive results yet. And that’s okay. But it also means you need to set realistic pricing and expectations.

Hourly Rates? Hell No.

You’re no longer an employee. Nobody is paying you just for showing up. You’re not on a payroll. You’re an independent contractor, which means every expense is on you.

• If your camera breaks? That’s on you.
• If you need new software? That’s on you.
• If a job takes longer than expected? That’s on you.

So, stop thinking in terms of hourly wages. Instead, set clear flat rates.

Start with Two Simple Rates: Half-Day & Full-Day

Instead of overcomplicating your pricing, start simple.

🔹 Half-Day Rate (4 hours) – This is your base rate for short projects or quick shoots.
🔹 Full-Day Rate (8-10 hours) – This covers full coverage, longer shoots, or larger projects.

How Much Should You Charge?

A good starting point is to base your rates on what you used to earn at your last job.

If you were making $100-$150 per shift at a regular job, then aim for something similar as a new content creator:

✅ Half-Day Rate: $100 – $150
✅ Full-Day Rate: $200 – $300

This allows you to start breaking even while gaining experience. You’re covering your time, travel, and equipment use, while also improving your skills.

Focus on Getting Better, Not Just Getting Paid

Right now, your priority isn’t charging $1,000 per gig. Your priority is getting so good that clients start paying you more naturally.

That means:
✔️ Improving your shooting & editing skills
✔️ Understanding client needs & results
✔️ Learning how to make engaging content that actually converts

You’re not there yet, and that’s okay. Your first year is about building experience, gaining confidence, and stacking up wins.

Don’t Overcomplicate Pricing with Per-Photo or Per-Video Rates

Too many beginners try to break down pricing into “per-photo” or “per-video” rates. Stop doing this.

Clients don’t care about the quantity. They care about results.

20 generic photos won’t do anything for them. But 5 high-quality, engaging, and well-planned shots that actually help their brand? That’s what they want.

The sooner you stop thinking in terms of “how many photos/videos do I give them?” and start thinking “how do I create something effective?”—the faster you’ll start making real money.

Final Thoughts: Get Paid While You Learn

If you’re just starting out, don’t worry about charging top dollar. Instead, charge fairly, gain experience, and build a solid portfolio.

As you get better and start delivering measurable results for clients (more engagement, more leads, more sales), that’s when you can start increasing your rates.

For now, keep it simple: Half-Day Rate. Full-Day Rate. Show up. Do the work. Get better.

That’s how you set your foundation for long-term success.

See you in the next lesson. 🚀