When I surveyed freelancers last year about the
types of work they were doing, more than three in four said they write for
online markets. Yet some writers mistakenly think that there's no money to made
writing for the Web, assuming that most online work is for “content mills”
that pay a pittance (say, $5 for an article or blog post).
Actually there are thousands of online
writing opportunities for freelancers, many of which pay well. Want proof? More
than half of the six-figure freelancers I recently interviewed for Six-Figure Freelancing said that the
majority of the work now comes from online markets instead of print. If you
want to add online writing to your freelance mix or want to do more of it,
follow these five simple steps:
Step 1: Locate Markets
Looking for online markets? Look for the
electronic versions of your favorite print magazines, and check out company's
websites, which often use freelance work. And check out free websites
including:
Fee-based websites that provide online market
information include:
Step 2:
Analyze your Target
Just
as you would with a print magazine, analyze your potential market before you
query. What types of subject does the site cover? How long are the articles or
blog posts? How often are different sections of the site updated? Which
sections seem to use the most freelance material? And of course, read the
writers' guidelines if they're available online.
Rates vary
widely, but promising online markets pay anywhere from $50 to about $500 for a
blog post of 500-800 words and $0.25 to $1-2/word for articles. If you can't
tell what a market pays, don't hesitate to email and ask.
Step 3:
Pitch the Market
Next up, send a
query letter or LOI to pitch the online market. Make sure you
play up your online writing experience in your pitch. If you have zero
e-clips, consider creating a blog to get some practice with the online form as
it's a bit different than writing for print.
Step 4: Write
your Piece
Researching an
online piece is no different than researching one for a print market, but there
are some significant differences between writing for online versus an
online market. In general, online articles tend to be shorter, more timely, and
more "chunky" than print stories on the same topic. Online stories
tend to include more subheads, bullets, and numbered lists than print articles
might, and their visual impact (how they'll appear on the page) should always
be kept in mind. Another critical factor is a compelling headline, which draws
readers--make it as attention-getting as possible. The same goes with the
lead--it should grab readers and make them want to stay on the page.
As you’re
writing, model your work after the site's style and tone. You may also want to
consider including certain SEO, or search engine optimization, words as you're
writing. Not every editor expects this, but offering to include SEO keywords in
your piece, if desired, may endear you to yours.
Step 5: Turn
the Piece in--and Pitch Again
Just as you
would with a print story, turn the piece in on time and with any necessary
backup, or fact-checking information. Offer to promote the story through social
media when it appears, and answer your editor's questions promptly. And be sure
to pitch another idea when your editor lets you know he has approved your
piece--it will help you create an ongoing relationship with him.
***Want to
launch your freelance career--or make more money as a freelancer? Check out
Improvise Press' first two books: Dollars and Deadlines: Make Money Writing Articles for
Print and Online Markets, and Six-Figure
Freelancing: The Writer's Guide to Making More Money, Second Edition.
You can order them through any bricks-and-mortar or online bookstore, or
directly through www.improvisepress.com.
Use the discount code, IMPROVISEPRESS (all caps, no breaks) for 20 percent off
of your order--and please let your friends who would like to make money writing
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