Do you want to be a freelance writer? So the good news is that the market is increasingly heated and offers several opportunities for professionals who have the skills to write and convey their ideas clearly and convincingly to Internet users.
Just to give you an idea, according to semrush, 76% of B2B and B2C companies have marketing teams of at least 3 people and 61% of teams outsource content creation. In practice, this means that content marketing is an increasingly important strategy for companies. Through relevant content, the strategy attracts, educates, builds customer loyalty and ensures a competitive advantage for different types of businesses.
But, what to do to be a freelance writer? How to start in such a competitive market? How to offer something of value to customers? If you share these same doubts, then follow our article. In it, you will learn about the necessary steps to become a good content marketing professional to earn extra money selling your texts or even live exclusively on this strategy.
How to be a freelance writer?
To be a freelance writer, you just need to write well, according to the grammar and spelling rules of the Portuguese language or any other language, right? Wrong! Of course, writing correctly makes a big difference in the result of the content, but this is definitely not the only ability required of a good writer. There are other important skills that, together, will make up a successful journey!
First step to being a freelance writer: invest in professional qualification
To start a career as a freelance writer, you need to know more about the subject. For this, it is important to find out how the market works, what are the needs of the companies, the types of articles and the techniques used, among other particularities of the profession.
Contrary to popular belief, writing for the web is very different from writing a conventional essay, the kind you create in high school or college. Digital content has specific characteristics and objectives, such as, for example, attracting new customers to a blog or website, educating the market or selling a particular product or service.
Therefore, professional qualification is the keyword to take the first steps in this promising career and succeed in this environment. Fortunately, several companies offer free certification in Inbound Marketing and Content Marketing so you can get started, even without making huge financial investments. Not every company requires a specific certification, but the more you can show that you have knowledge and an interest in improving yourself, the better!
Sign up for a platform for freelance writers
I have a good knowledge about the profession of freelance writer, with certification (or not), it’s time to actually launch yourself in the web content creation market. Initially, the best way to do this is to be part of a specific platform for freelance writers, which offers jobs on a variety of topics. Thus, you will be able to put into practice the knowledge acquired in your studies and training without actually having to “chase” your own customers.
The great advantage of registering on a content creation platform is that many of them are already known by companies and independent bloggers. That is, they have clients from varied niches and good work demand. In addition, they still offer all the support you need to grow in the profession, in addition to learning and financial return to encourage you to do a good job.
Make your portfolio as a freelance writer
After you have won your first job as a freelance writer, keep the work done to present it to new clients. Thus, they will be able to assess the quality of your writing and whether it meets their expectations. However, do not forget to ask for the client’s authorization for this, as in some cases it is necessary to maintain the secrecy of the work.
Setting up a showcase with samples of the content you’ve already produced is important to win other jobs, gain practice and make your name in the market. At first, this is an arduous task, but extremely pleasurable.
Practice!
In fact, winning the first customer is not easy. However, this cannot be an impediment to the development of your Freelance writing. Remember that practice leads to continuous improvement, and this is what the market looks for in any professional, and the freelance writer is no exception. Therefore, you need to write, write and write.
Start by choosing a subject you like (finance, tourism, health, wellness, etc.), visit blogs in your chosen niche and see how the most experienced freelance writers explore the subject. On your computer, open a text editor and start transferring your ideas to the document. Repeat the operation several times until you feel confident about what you write.
be persistent
As we mentioned earlier, getting your first client as a freelance writer won’t be easy. By the time you get your first “yes”, you will have collected several “no’s”, but don’t get discouraged. Persistence is a necessary skill for any and all copywriters.
One way to circumvent the competitiveness of the market and start writing is to offer your services voluntarily to a website or blog. In that case, you won’t be paid, but you will acquire practice, name, portfolio and certainly some clients.
Choose topics that you have an affinity with
To be a good freelance writer, you don’t necessarily have to be a journalist. It is possible to write good content even if it is part of other areas of knowledge, such as business administration, nursing, engineering, physical education, among many others.
However, choosing topics in which you are an expert can contribute to more assertive content and increase your productivity.
So choose a comfortable area to put your skills as a web writer into practice.
organize your routine
Another golden tip for being a freelance writer is to be able to make the most of the time you have available, also because it is a profession that earns per production, that is, the more texts you create, the better paid you are.
In that sense, organizing the daily routine can make all the difference between earning R$100 or R$1000. Strategies such as creating a calendar with the demands that need to be delivered during the day or week, keeping your work desk organized, controlling distractions (especially with social networks) and making use of time management tools can increase – and a lot – your productivity.
Become a MEI
Becoming a MEI (Individual Microentrepreneur) is yet another way to show people your commitment to your career, adapt and stand out in the market.
This is because, in addition to serving individuals, you can also offer a B2B relationship (business to business) to your customers, with the issuance of invoices. This, in turn, makes your work more reliable and safe, and expands the range of possibilities for action.
Why be a freelance writer?
Now that you know how to become a freelance writer, it’s time to find out good reasons to choose this career. According to the net craft, currently there are more than 1 billion websites in the world, and this represents excellent business opportunities.
In addition to the financial return, there are other reasons for deciding on this profession, as we will see below:
- Flexible working hours;
- Possibility of working for more than one employer at the same time;
- Convenience of teleworking ;
- A job that never falls into routine;
- Being able to travel and still create texts to sell;
- Work with what you like;
- Have a recognized work;
- Become a reference in the content marketing market and build your personal brand;
- Improve your income;
- Be in constant learning.
Freelance copywriter or content marketing professional?
As you win over new clients and increase your production demand, you can choose whether you want to pursue a career as a freelancer or a content marketing professional. But what is the difference between the two options?
The freelance writer is that person who has a steady job and who uses their available hours to earn extra money. Whether as a hobby or out of necessity, he is the person who has little workload due to his main work activities.
The content marketing professional is the one who lives solely and exclusively from writing. He is usually hired by marketing agencies, directly by companies from different market segments and even by copywriters who tend to outsource their services.
The good news is that on the Meu Redator platform there are opportunities for both professionals. All you need is to register for free, send your portfolio, wait to be approved and start getting good jobs. Did you like it?