Content Writing

 Online Business Ideas- Content Writing

Online business ideas in Pakistan .Working as a content writer is an easy and satisfying way to make money from your own home. Since websites and social media keep growing, companies always need fresh and well-written content. This constant need means those who love writing have a big chance to put their skills to work.

If you enjoy turning your words into blogs, articles or other pieces, it can feel great being paid to do what you love from the comfort of your home. As long as the internet keeps growing, your talents as a writer will be in high demand.

Let's explore how to break into this growing field.

Understanding the Content Writing Landscape

Nearly every company and brand relies on compelling written content to share their message and serve customers digitally. Whether it's blogs, articles, website copy, social media posts or more - businesses are consistently in need of fresh written works. There will always be a need for great writers online. As more companies use the internet, they need fresh blogs, articles and other content every day. This huge and growing demand means freelance writers stay busy.

Freelancing has gotten really popular too. Some studies show that over half of all businesses in America will hire freelancers within the next couple years. Places like Upwork, Freelancer and other websites connect tons of companies looking for writing help every day. So there are lots of opportunities out there!

Major players like Upwork report hundreds of thousands of writing and editing projects posted annually, with estimated earnings in the billions. These numbers indicate solid prospects within the industry.

Required Skills and Traits

Strong communication abilities through high-quality written English are essential. Freelance writers must demonstrate meticulous attention to spelling, grammar and formatting in all projects. Additional skills like conducting research, interviewing sources, and digital literacy also serve writers well.

Organization and reliability are valued traits when delivering work directly to clients. Showcasing a broad scope of topics and niches covered proves versatility. Punctuality, meeting deadlines and maintaining open communication streamlines the client experience.

Getting Started in  Content  Writing

To attract early clients and build a portfolio, focus on producing many samples across various content formats. Start a personal blog and contribute regularly to build an archive of published works.

Signing up on major freelance platforms is one way to source clients globally. Familiar sites like Upwork, Freelancer and PeoplePerHour post thousands of writing gigs daily across every industry.

Local opportunities may also exist by researching businesses and organizations within your community. Cold pitching quality sample writings and inquiries can drum up interest. Discussing deliverables, rates and turnaround times is key.

Spending time learning content strategies proves you understand how to serve target audiences. Familiarity with content management platforms like WordPress is a nice bonus. Stay active learning new techniques and researching industry trends.

Promoting yourself on social networks helps expand reach. Share published works and engage with other writers' communities to grow professionally. This grassroots networking supplements marketplace profiles.

Factors Affecting Rates as a  Content  Writer

Freelance writing incomes fluctuate greatly depending on experience level, specific skills offered and demand within focused niches. Generally rates tend to align as follows:

• Entry Level Writers: $15-25/hr
• Mid-Level/Multi-Skilled: $20-40/hr
• Advanced/Highly Specialized: $30-75+/hr

Though initially building a portfolio for lower rates, over time writers can regularly command high hourly costs or project fees. Supplemental income through affiliate marketing relevant products/services is an option for some.

Understanding optimal pricing structures, knowing your worth, and negotiating favorable terms are ongoing learning experiences. Tracking hours worked aids accounting and future estimate accuracy.

Is Content Writing a Stable Career Path?

For those motivated to continuously develop their skills and client base - absolutely. While flexible work defines being a freelancer, establishing reliable habits and rewarding client relationships provides steady opportunities.

Developing niches within high-growth fields like technology, online education or ecommerce ensures relevance. Continuing education maintains expertise as industries evolve.

Proactively seeking testimonials and referrals strengthens any writer's reputation over the long haul. Strategic uses of timesaving software tools allow maximizing productivity and revenues as well.

Through passion and persistence - freelance writing offers a viable full-time or supplementary income source for creative individuals willing to market their talents online. As technology expands content needs, the field remains ripe with potential.

Popular freelance platforms to find work:

• Upwork - One of the biggest online marketplaces. Allows you to browse various writing jobs and apply. Fees take a percentage of earnings.
• Fiverr - Known for $5 gigs but also hosts higher-paying content jobs. Simple profiles showcase services. Transaction fees apply.
  
• Freelancer - Another large marketplace with global clients. Pitches, contests and hourly gigs are common. Project fees are competitive.
• PeoplePerHour - Specializes in part-time freelance work. Good for smaller blogs and businesses. Streamlined proposals and payments.
  
• WriterAccess - Geared specifically towards writers. Clients include publishers, brands and agencies. More professional profiles and job opportunities.
• Contena - Finds work within the tech industry. Popular for blogs, e-books and documentation projects. Technical expertise is valued.
  
• LinkedIn - While not a dedicated marketplace, networking on LinkedIn often lands long-term clients or agency work.
• pitching local businesses - Cold emailing area companies can supplement platform jobs with steady gigs writing for blogs, newsletters, more. Choosing the right platforms based on your skills and experience level expands reach to more clients and writing roles.

effectively pitch local businesses for freelance writing opportunities

Research businesses in your area and identify the ones that could benefit most from content marketing. Focus on industries like healthcare, real estate, professional services. Customize a concise pitch email with the subject line "Freelance Writing Proposal". Highlight how you can help drive traffic, leads or sales through blogs, social posts, etc. Include 2-3 relevant samples of your published writing as attachments. Keep the samples short (1 paragraph each). In the email, call out your specialization in their industry and mention any local ties that show your understanding of the market. Offer a phone call or meeting to further discuss strategies. Provide your availability and motivation to understand their specific goals. Follow up professionally if not receiving an immediate response. You can also call if email goes unanswered after a week. Consider offering an initial discounted rate for a trial project to prove your value. Build personal connections by joining any relevant local business groups and contributing helpful content. Ask satisfied clients for referrals to others. Positive word-of-mouth is powerful locally. Follow up with leads regularly with new samples or industry insights even if no immediate work available.

Here are some effective ways to ask for referrals from satisfied clients:

• After completing a project, send a message thanking them for their business and collaborating. Mention how much you enjoyed working with them.

• Casually ask if they were satisfied and would recommend your services to others they feel could benefit. Something like "I'm hoping I can ask you for a recommendation."

• Highlight any positive feedback, metrics or results they saw from deliverables if applicable. Remind them how you helped solve their problem.

• Make the referral request easy by providing a pre-written recommendation or testimonial they can forward with one click. Flatter their expertise too.

• Ask if they would feel comfortable giving a positive review or rating online on their platforms of choice like Google.

• Follow up the referral ask by expressing your appreciation for any helps spreading the word. Let them know new clients means supporting your work.

• Offer incentives like a discount on future work if they refer leads that become clients. Positive motivation works!

• Send a thank you gift if they provide an especially glowing review or lots of new leads over time. Handwritten notes are personal.

Consistently delivering value is the best key to turning clients into brand ambassadors eager to endorse your services.

Consistently delivering value to clients as a freelance writer:

• In-promise and over-deliver. Set realistic timelines but aim to complete work earlier than expected.

• Provide more than what's requested - include extras like a style guide, topic tags, etc. free of charge.

• Focus on quality over quantity. One well-researched article is better than 5 rushed ones.

• Offer revisions or minor edits at no extra cost to refine pieces to perfection.

• Be responsive - reply to queries/edits promptly via the client's preferred method.

• Personalize content for each client's unique audience/brand voice.

• Suggest new story ideas aligned with their industry/goals to add ongoing value.

• Provide analytics on article performance to demonstrate real impact of your work.

• Regularly check-in, not just when you need payment. Build relationships.

• Ask for feedback and actively implement suggestions to improve.

• Share industry insights/trends via a quarterly newsletter or LinkedIn.

• Thank clients for referrals/repeat business with a small gift or discount.

Delivering excellent work on brief while seeking new ways to help the client grow their business is key.

For beginners

I’m going to give you everything you need to know to build a successful freelance writing business that you can get started with right now and then over the course of just a couple weeks you can actually start bringing in money on the internet. That sounds good to you then uh let’s do this. Okay, so before we go into the how-to you may still have questions, you may be like you know what I'm not sold on freelance writing, that’s, that's not for me I don't think. Well, let me tell you, let me give you three reasons why I think you should consider freelance writing. The first, it's a skill you've already got if you're reading this blog you know how to write.

 On some level you might be a good writer, you're not maybe not such a good writer but you can write and there's all sorts of different types of freelance writing out there so whether you're a great writer or just an okay writer, there's going to be a type for you. We're going to cover those here in just a second. All right, the second reason I think you should consider freelance writing is because it's the best bridge business that I know of, yes. So that’s a bridge and you might be thinking sean what the hell is a bridge business? Bridge business is the thing that's gonna get you from point a to point b. If you're reading this chances are you're not like totally stoked on your life, you may need more money you may, you know want to quit your job you may just want more free time to spend with your family or kids or on hobbies or whatever it is so you're looking to make a change.

Build the Skills

Well, freelance writing is the best way to get to that kind of dream life down the road. That is that because it's going to help you build the skills you need to be successful with any online business you can start making money quickly and you can start building momentum. Finally, the third reason I think you should consider freelance writing is because there has never been a greater demand for freelancers. There are all sorts of reasons why this is first off, let's look at search traffic. Everybody's trying to get free traffic these days when ads are starting to become less effective due to algorithm changes and laws. People aren’t seeing the results they were seeing with ads so how are they going to get search traffic? By creating more content and so businesses need content writers to continue churning out a steady stream of new content so that they can get search traffic to their website and get new customers and make more money so that’s that’s one example another example is think about all of the content creators out there people that are full-time content creators whether it's bloggers, youtubers you know influencers, tick talkers whatever it is all of these people that are now trying to treat that as their livelihood they’re going to need more content as well and so who are they going to turn to to help them grow that content, freelancers. All right now you might be saying well okay freelance writing, great that’s cool what freelance, what types of freelance writing are out there? Well, I’m glad you asked,

So there’s basic freelance content writing.

A business or a person needs a blog post written about a certain topic they can hire a freelance writer to do that. There’s also b2b writing that’s where you’re writing content specifically for businesses that market to other businesses. There’s copywriting this is kind of like the pinnacle of freelance writing copywriting is any time you’re trying to be persuasive with your words and if you know how to be persuasive with your words you’re never going to hurt for money ever again that’s why copywriting is probably the most highly paid type of freelance writing because that’s where all the selling happens and so if you can create content that is going to make other people money they’re going to pay you well for that. There’s also technical writing so let’s say you’re in a field where you’ve got some knowledge that other people don’t necessarily have around a technical topic. There is an opportunity for you to go freelance within that field and make a bunch of money in the process.

So for me I know I have really unique knowledge when it comes to golf, I have unique knowledge when it comes to teaching people out of freelance writing. Back when I was working as a portfolio analyst there was a piece of software called portfolio center that I became a wiz in and that’s not something that most people know about so I add that to my list. I know a lot about travel, I know a lot about electronics, I know a lot about like whatever it is so what you want to do is you want to create that list and we’re using that as a starting point we’re trying to figure out what your unique angle is that might be different from the freelance writer down the street because all of those unique skills that you’ve got and that unique knowledge that is all going to give you a little bit of a leg up over other people that might be vying for the same jobs. All right, so there you go make a list of all the things you know, how hard can that be? That takes us to step number two which is to choose a niche.

I like to say niche but over the years of making these blogs everybody yelled at me when I said niche so now I have to say niche and I sound like I’m trying to pretend to be European or something by saying niche I’m like friend, I digress you choose a niche. Real quick one note on that, you might not have a niche, you might not have a specific set of knowledge that you think you can build a whole freelance writing career around. No problem you can become a freelance writing generalist. That's where you basically say you know what I can write about anything, I’m going to look for different clients and honestly you can look at being a generalist as a little bit of a niche within itself.

10 articles about pelotons

So let’s say somebody comes to you, you find a potential client they’re like I need you to write you know 10 articles about pelotons and you may say I know nothing about peloton, I don’t have a peloton, I don’t want to have a peloton, I don’t even own a bicycle but if you are able to hop on the internet spend half an hour do a little bit of research learn a bunch of things about peloton and then write a cohesive article about that or in this case 10 then that is a skill that is in demand. If you can take a topic, learn about that topic and then write a good quality piece of content around it then that is going to give you a huge leg up over other people and as a generalist that’s kind of a niche within itself like I said but let’s say that’s not you. Let’s say you do have a specific set of knowledge that you think there’s going to be a market for that other people don’t have. So examples of this might be: do you have a health healthcare background, do you have a technology background, do you have a finance background, do you have a legal background? Is there a specific hobby that you know something about that a lot of people don’t? So for me I have a background in finance and I have a background in golf.

I know that I can write better, more in-depth content about certain finance topics as well as certain golf topics when compared to the average writer. So for me I decided to narrow my freelance writing into golf because I travel for golf, I know golf and I know direct response marketing which makes me a really unique person within that world. So if you have a unique background you might consider choosing that as a niche and really narrowing in to go for clients within that industry. So just to bring this whole concept of niching down home a little bit let’s give you an example. Let’s say you work for a medical device company and you’re in charge of creating content uh to try and get more search traffic to try and build the stature of your brand and the industry. You’ve got two writers you’ve found that both seem equally competent, they’re both equally good writers but one used to be a salesperson for a medical device company so they know all the ins and outs of the different products of the industry and how to go about that and navigate it. And then you’ve got another person who, they’re a great writer and they’re really good at research but they don’t necessarily know a whole lot about medical devices, they’ll probably learn but they don’t know about it right off the bat. Who are you going to hire? You’re going to hire the person that has that background. So that’s why niching down can be so beneficial, you want to become the no-brainer hire for all of those people within your industry.

Now don’t get me wrong, that's not to say you can’t have success as a generalist because so often a lot of these marketing agencies and businesses they’re not so niched down that they need someone with that level of technical expertise. So don’t let that discourage you if you’re starting as a generalist but know that if you are going to niche down there’s probably going to be a big opportunity for you. All right let’s take just a quick stretch break, this is a this is this is a meaty blog but uh if you’re getting value out of it maybe consider thumbs up also if you go to locationrebel.com fwg we have a whole freelance writer’s guide we have put together. So if you want a little bit more hand-holding if you want some more details about everything that we’re covering here go sign up for that, we’ll send it to you right away I think you’re going to find it really really really helpful.

Building a successful freelance writing business

All right, so the third step when it comes to building a successful freelance writing business is one that a lot of people tend to skip and that’s spend a little bit of time researching your niche because what you want to do is you want to figure out where the opportunities for writing within this industry are. So a great place to start is industry freelance writers see what comes up. So for instance I just recently googled freelance golf writer and you know what came up? The PGA Tour is looking for freelance golf writers, I wouldn’t have even thought to write for the PGA Tour but here they are with one search I can see that that’s exactly what they’re looking for and that could be a great opportunity. So by doing a quick search that’s just freelance writers in whatever your industry is you’re gonna start to get a sense of who is out there looking for freelance writers but then I want you to go a little bit beyond that.

I want you to figure out what are all the blogs, what are the businesses, what are the magazines, what are the trade publications, what are all of the outlets within your industry that you might be able to write for and start making a huge list of all of those different places because those are going to be the people you’re going to start building relationships with to try and get your first jobs. The more you know about the industry the more you know about the players the more you know about the landscape the more knowledge you just have about that particular topic the easier it’s going to be to communicate with people and to prove that you know what you’re talking about and get the job.

So if you’re not totally confident in your niche, maybe like I said you’ve got some sort of unique background but you still need to do a little bit of research and spend a little bit of time doing it because it's truly going to pay off. Okay, step number four you’re gonna need a portfolio because what’s gonna happen? You’re gonna start reaching out to all these people that you just made a list of and we’re gonna talk about how to do that outreach here in just a second but what’s the first thing they’re gonna do? They’re going to look you up, they’re going to be like Sean Ogle, golf writers, this guy actually knows what he’s talking about and what do you want them to find? You want them to find your portfolio website where you make yourself look like a badass and someone who is very confident and has personality and knows what they’re talking about because that’s what people do, they look up other people because they want to make sure that you are reputable and you are who you say you are.

Some additional tips 

• Keep skills and knowledge up to date through regular training. Provide clients the latest in best practices.

• Maintain organization by keeping past work files accessible and following up on potential future opportunities from clients.

• Be flexible when needed - provide rush delivery if a deadline shifts or tweak content if a new strategy emerges.

• Offer archives of all past work so clients can easily reference or repurpose older content as needed.

• Ask for feedback throughout projects, not just at the end. Make real-time adjustments when able.

• Go above and beyond on first jobs to really impress - this could lead to more work and referrals.

• Provide temporary access to relevant industry reports, templates or assets that help the client's team too.

• If you gain expertise in new tools, outline how you could now better serve the client's evolving needs.

• Hand off contacts smoothly when unavailable so clients always have someone to assist them.

• The goal is to deliver the highest possible value repeatedly so clients perceive you as an invaluable resource they want to continue working with.