Write online
Freelance writing is one of the best ways to make money online fro
m home and you don’t necessarily need a website to get started, so the startup cost is $0. If you do own a blog or website to showcase your work then it can give you more credibility.
If you take a look at some of the freelancing sites (upwork.com, iWriter.com) you will see that different sorts of writing are required for example article writing, ghostwriting, industrial or technical writing, web content writing…
There is a great demand for freelance writers because now more than ever websites need original content and they are willing to pay for it. One problem is that there is a lot of competition out there. Hundreds of thousands of freelance writers are searching for work or submitting articles.
How to start freelancing.
If you’re new to freelancing you can use bid sites such as Upwork, getAFreelancer, or ifreelance to start in freelance writing. If you join one of these sites you can solve some of the problems that a new writer might have: the need to earn some money, lack of an online presence, and the need for professional references.
Some sites share ad revenue. You submit your article to these websites and they place ads on your page. When someone buys or clicks on the ads you get paid. This is also a good place to start, publish some articles that you can later show to potential clients. One such website is hubpages.com.
Make money writing online.
Once you have an online presence you can either become a freelance writer and hope you can attract clients via your website, publicity, or reputation or you can contribute content to other websites. To find your own clients is harder and will take a certain time unless you already have a reputation. Contributing to an article/content marketplace is easier, you can sell your quality content and get paid instantly if your article is accepted.
Here are some websites that pay upfront for articles. You contribute articles to the sites and get paid.
This is just a small selection, there are many others.
Verify the company is legitimate.
As with all business propositions on the internet, if the company you work for is not well known make sure that the company is legitimate. When you are searching for legitimate online work from home jobs and you come across an unknown company or website that offers you work that interests you, always find out as much as possible about the company. They should have a page with their terms and conditions. They should also have their contact information address, telephone number, and email. Search the internet for positive or negative comments.
In general, don’t join websites that charge a membership fee, there are numerous free sites out there you don’t need to pay to find legitimate work, that said, there are some reputable sites that charge a monthly or annual fee.
Writing samples.
Some companies ask new writers to submit a writing sample before giving work. Obviously, this is to determine your writing skills. Be sure to read all the instructions given before you submit your writing sample. Research the subject that you will be writing on.
Finding the best writing opportunities for the web.
A lot of would-be writers think that writing content for the internet means they will be writing for very little money, but that is a generalization and is not necessarily true.
As we have seen there are loads of sites with thousands of opportunities for freelancers, many of which pay well. You just have to find what suits you best, what markets work for you, learn how to write for online sites, and hopefully, you will grow initial assignments into ongoing long-term relationships.
In recent years, with the internet becoming more and more important, most businesses now have their own websites and of course, they need original content and lots of it. Countless companies are turning to freelance writers as they look to appeal to consumers, through articles and other content. Also, the search engines love regular fresh content – which is great for writers!
Find your own online writing markets.
Apart from the article sites, it is also possible to go and find a market. Find a site whose subject interests you and try to decide what its needs may be in way of content. In general, the more content there is on a site, the more it’s likely to need freelancers. Some sites post writers’ guidelines, but if your target market doesn’t, you will have to do a little research. Look at the sections of the site that are updated regularly, and see if it has any blogs.
Once you have found your target company you can send a letter of introduction or a letter proposing a specific article. Of course, emphasize any web writing experience you have and also highlight any pertinent background you may have, whether that’s expertise in a topic or prior work in the same field. Give them a reason to make them think you know what you’re writing about, what makes you especially qualified.
If you are seriously considering becoming a freelance writer you should look at this article, which gives you a step-by-step way to begin making money and building a career as a freelance writer.
Start your own blog or website.
Another alternative would be starting your own website, this way you keep control and are not relying on a third party who could close their site and stop paying at any time.
Having your own site or blog will not give you instant revenue, but you can start with affiliate marketing and you will keep 100% of the money you earn. This way you will have complete control over your own product without someone else taking a slice of the money you have earned them with your writing.
If you do decide you need a website you can get 2 free websites and excellent training at Wealthy Affiliate.
If you have any questions or comments? I would love your feedback!
Hi! I think it’ll make sense if you mention other places where people can find freelancers/freelance jobs. For example, XPlace . It’s a freelance job board with higher rates than on other marketplaces, no commission, and a multitude of freelance job offers!
Thanks for the suggestion Irina.