If you’re looking for a sustainable way to make money writing, you should consider being a freelance writer. Many companies have blogs (either as their main source of income or as a way to improve customer relations), and they’re always looking to hire new freelance writers.
However, you can’t just start sending in applications and hoping to be chosen. There are several steps you should take before you even start trying to get your first client as a freelance blogger.
I’ve been a freelance writer for the last ten years and worked extensively for various blogs. Hopefully, these tips can help you break into the industry, too.
What is a Freelance Blogger?
A freelance blogger is a self-employed writer who creates blog content for clients on a contract basis. They cover diverse topics, work independently, and manage their own schedules while delivering blog posts for various websites and publications. Typically, a freelance blogger will offer other services, too.
Making Money Blogging vs. Freelancing
If you want to earn money quickly, freelancing and offering your services directly to blog owners is a good option. As a blogger, generating income requires time for content creation, SEO, and audience building, which may take longer to yield significant earnings. Running a blog requires various skills beyond just writing, so monetizing can be more challenging.
Therefore, becoming a freelance blogger is often a faster option, especially for beginners.
How Much Do Freelance Bloggers Make?
According to Zip Recruiter, a freelance blogger makes about $35 an hour in the United States. However, there are some that make as much as $58 an hour. As you might guess, income can depend on many things, including the writer’s experience and the exact freelance blogging niche.
While this does give information as “per hour,” most freelance bloggers charge per blog post.
How to Become a Freelance Blogger: 7 Simple Steps
Becoming a freelance blogger is pretty straightforward. However, becoming a freelance writer does require work and dedication. This isn’t a “get rich quick” scheme.
Step 1: Start Blogging and Polish Your Skills
Before you start freelance writing professionally, improving your blog writing skills is important. There are many ways you can go about this. One of the best is to start your own blog, which helps you showcase your freelance blogging skills to your potential clients.
You don’t have to start a website to publish a few blog posts. Medium allows you to publish blog posts on a professional-looking website about practically whatever you’d like.
You can also monetize some of your posts, as George Acevedo has done with this article. You aren’t going to make tons of money on Medium, but it is a great place to start freelance blogging.
However, if you don’t feel ready to do that. There are quite a few writing courses you may want to consider. HubSpot offers a content marketing course that provides you with a certificate at the end, allowing you to provide some social proof to future clients. (It’s also free!)
You can also try guest posting i.e., providing free articles in exchange for getting your name out there. Guest posting is typically only best if you get published on a huge niche website. That said, guest posting can be a huge boon if your articles land on some popular websites.
Step 2: Choose a Lucrative Niche
Before you move forward, you’ll want to choose a writing niche. Take into account what you’re passionate about, your expertise, and the market demand for particular topics.
Choosing a niche that aligns with your interests and has a target audience willing to engage with your content is best. Focusing on a niche will help you stand out and establish you as an authority within that field.
I chose my initial freelance blogging niche largely based on what freelance writing jobs were available and what I had any sort of experience in. While you don’t have to have direct experience with a niche you choose, having some can make it easier to get a job.
Head to a freelance writing job board website like ProBlogger and look at what freelance blogging jobs are trending on their job board. It’s free and will prevent you from choosing a niche that no one is willing to pay you for.
Step 3: Build a Solid Writing Portfolio
Gather your best blog posts showcasing your freelance writing skills and expertise in your chosen niche. If you’ve been practicing your freelance blogging skills, you should have a few samples available (preferably in your niche). If not, you can try writing blog posts in your selected niche and then adding them directly to your portfolio.
A strong portfolio will help you attract potential clients and convince them of your freelance blogging skills.
Once again, you don’t have to make a whole website to create a writing portfolio. There are lots of websites out there that can help you link to a few of your articles all in the same place, like Clippings.me (which was the website I used when I first started). It makes creating a beautiful portfolio very easy and straightforward.
There is a free and paid version, but you’ll likely do fine with only the free version at the beginning. As you grow, you can pay to upgrade your portfolio to hold more articles.
Caitlin Reid is a freelance copywriter from Australia who hosts her portfolio on Clippings.me. You can see how professional her portfolio looks.
Step 4: Structure Your Freelance Blogging Service Details
As a freelancer, having clear guidelines for your clients is crucial. You need to decide on your pricing structure, freelance blogging services you will offer, and outline processes for working with clients. Remember, you’re running a freelance blogging business — not working as someone’s employee.
It is advisable to create templates for contracts and invoices and define how you will handle feedback and revisions. Having templates and guidelines in place will make working with freelance blogging clients much easier.
You also want to make these services fairly clear upfront. There are many ways to go about this. For instance, Alaine Thomas has a page dedicated to her services on her website, providing a brief description of each.
Alaina doesn’t include the pricing on her website, as she states that her prices differ from client to client. You can advertise your pricing on your website or not. Either way, you do need to know what you’re charging internally.
Step 5: Keep Pitching and Land Your First Freelance Blogger Job
At this point, you’ll look more professional than 95% of the competition out there. While many people want to write online, most just jump into signing up for jobs and never do the beginner steps above.
If you did, you’re already ahead.
Now, it’s finally time to start poking around for your first job. There are many ways to go about this:
- Cold pitch content marketing agencies: Research agencies that may require freelance bloggers and send them personalized pitches showcasing your expertise.
- Utilize job boards: Websites like ProBlogger regularly feature freelance blogging opportunities. Apply to freelance writing job ads that align with your niche.
- Network within the freelance blogging community: Connect with freelance bloggers and appreciate their work. This can lead to collaboration opportunities or referrals. If you make a few friends, one may have a job lead for you.
- Warm up content directors and affiliate marketers: Engage with professionals in your niche on social media and offer valuable insights to grab their attention. This can open doors for freelance opportunities. At the very least, it starts getting your name out there.
Remember, at this point, it’s largely a numbers game. I sent out about ten job applications or cold pitches a day. I got told no a lot (or, more often, never heard back at all). However, I found my first client within two weeks and worked for them for years (until they sold the business).
It would have been easy to give up after the first 50 rejections. However, eventually, someone will say yes, and you only need one “yes” to start freelance writing.
Step 6: Keep Promoting Yourself
Even after landing your first job, it’s important to continue promoting yourself as a freelance blogger- just like you would if you ran any other business. Freelance bloggers tend to jump from job to job a lot. Therefore, it’s important to always be looking for that next job (or have several clients going at once).
Start by building a professional writing website if you haven’t already. This website can host your portfolio, too.
You should also cultivate relationships with those in your niche, especially other freelance writers. Don’t rely on a single method to find clients; you never know when it may dry up. Don’t rely on only one client, either. (I learned this the hard way and lost my main source of income out of nowhere a few years ago.)
Therefore, while you may feel like a successful freelance blogger now, it’s important to keep promoting yourself and furthering your client base.
Step 7: Keep Upskilling and Diversifying Your Offerings
The world of freelance blogging is constantly evolving – and so should you. It’s important to start expanding your freelance skills. Don’t assume just because you’re a successful freelance blogger now, you’re all set. There is always something you need to learn.
Pay attention to what your clients are doing and looking for. Is there a skill they regularly ask you about that you could develop? Check on HubSpot to see if you could take any new trending courses. Follow industry leaders on social media and pay attention to what they’re talking about.
Eventually, you may decide to start offering other types of writing. As you may have noticed from the writer examples above, many freelance bloggers also offer other types of writing.
Start Freelance Blog Writing Today!
The first step to becoming a freelance blogger is always the hardest, so getting started right now is important. Go sign up for that HubSpot course, read our guide on choosing a niche, or sign up for a Medium account. You’ll never go anywhere if you don’t start.
