10 Tips To Use Your Blog to Land Paid Writing Gigs

There’s a huge demand for quality online content and if you enjoy blogging or writing this is a great way to pick up extra money. In fact, several bloggers I know have turned little article writing gigs into a full-time income.

paid writing gigs

Here are 10 tips to use your blog to land paid writing gigs, but be careful… if you like it, this can change the course of your blogging business.

Learn how to use a wide variety of platforms in a wide variety of styles: Bloggers and website owners need all kinds of content – blog posts or articles, Squidoo lenses, Hubpages, Weebly blogs, ebooks, white pages and mini-guides. The more proficient you are across a wide variety of platforms and styles, the more attractive your service will be. Knowing how these different sites and styles work will also let you see exactly what type of content your clients are looking for.
Blog to attract clients: Use your blog to attract clients who’d be interested in your service. For example, if you want to promote your article writing service, blog about the benefits of article marketing. Talk about the different directories like Ezine Articles or GoArticles. Blog about how to write great titles, how to get past the editors, where to put your links. And don’t worry about sharing your secrets. This information lets potential clients know that you’re an expert on article marketing and well worth the price. They’d rather hire someone who knows what they’re doing than try to do it themselves.
Create a Hire Me page: Don’t be shy. Put a prominent Hire Me page on your blog, along with a contact form so people don’t have to hunt for your email address. If you’re unsure of pricing tell prospective clients to contact you for more information.
Link to your writing samples: As you’re learning how to use Ezine Articles or Squidoo or Weebly, put links to that content on your blog, too, so potential clients can see writing examples. Include links to guest blog posts that you’ve done, too. Again, make sure these are prominently displayed.
Start a newsletter: Put an opt-in form on your site and start a weekly newsletter where you’ll share helpful tips about how to use various types of online content to promote your online business. Don’t get this confused with helpful writing tips. Writing tips are fine every now and then but you’re not trying to attract people who want to learn how to write. You’re trying to attract people who want to hire a writer. To do that, you have to show them how your service will benefit their business.
Prominently display contact information: Make it easy for clients to contact you. Use a simple WordPress Contact Form plugin to put a form right on your blog and post it every where.
Give away free guides: You’re a writer, right? Write. Create free guides telling people how to use Ezine or how to build a Squidoo lens and give them away in exchange for an email address. You need to start building a list, too.
Post client referrals: Some of your clients won’t want to give you a testimonial because they don’t want people to know someone else is doing their blogging. But if you ask, most of your clients will be happy to give you at least a referral. And if you do manage to get a testimonial, make sure you display it on your blog.
Blog frequently and regularly: Your blog is a business blog, too. Blog frequently and regularly to attract the search engines and keep your readers coming back for more.
Get out there and network: Get out there and socialize on Twitter and Facebook. Post links to all of your own writing and any other writing you’re allowed to lay claim to. In your profile make sure you include the fact that you’re a writer and you’re available for hire.

What do you think? Let me know in the comments below!

George from seekdefo

Do you plan to get writing gigs too?

Sté Kerwer

I am so busy already that there is no way I could fit that in my schedule. But I’m really convinced that it’s a good way to make money with absolutely no financial investment in the first place.

Andi-Roo (@theworld4realz)

Awesome — thanks for the tips! I have made a note to add a “Hire Me” page to my blog, on which I plan to include contact info, links to places I have written guest posts, & testimonials. I had always meant to get this put together, but your reminder made me actually add it to my TO-DO list. So again… TY! :)

Sté Kerwer

You’re welcome Andi-Roo! I’m always glad if I can help ;)

Art Williams

This is an interesting article in that it recognizes that writing is a reputable, viable and potentially profitable gig. Seems to me the problem though is that to ‘pull it off’ successfully one has to really have a broad, well balanced marketing/activity schedule. I’m kinda doing that myself right…i.e. been blogging for MANY years (Google “wanderingsalsero”) and just recently realized I can make money at it.

I think for those who are attracted to the activity of writing, it’s a great gig because it’s so mobile. Me….I’m single and I’m very enticed by the idea of traveling and writing (I live in Manila now but I’m originally from Texas).

I was reading just last night over on a blog something to the effect that, “people don’t care whether you learned to write under a bridge or in Harvard…they just care if you can write.” I’m sure that’s true. It’s a huge market.

There’s a lot of decent, mid-level writing talent over here in Manila and I’m thinking about putting some of it together into an agency.

I write too..of course.

Regards,
Art

Sté Kerwer

Hey Art, funny that you are in Manila, I was in Philippines just last week.

I think writing is an online activity that has a lot of potential because the only things you need to get started are time and a computer. Even if your writing skills are not perfect from the beginning, you can sell your services lower and increase the prices as the quality goes higher.