How to Earn Your Living as the Freelance Blogger

Breaking into the job market is tough. Today, working students and graduates are looking for creative ways to earn money. They are increasingly using the opportunities provided by media. For many, freelancing is associated with doing business in your pajamas and celebrating the fact that you aren’t stuck in a 9 to 5 job. One won’t get anywhere with that attitude. Only those with a knack for writing can make their living by blogging. How can you start working as a freelance blogger? Here are seven tips from EssayPro professional writers.

1. Start a blog

As a beginner, you probably have no portfolio. A blog where you can post your own articles is a practical demonstration of your writing abilities. You can also put up a “Hire me!” page on your blog. Let your readers know they can order essay writing from you. Find your niche and write about it on a regular basis. You can command higher rates for subjects you know inside and out.

2. Build your portfolio with guest posts

Make guest post pitches. If everything goes well, you’ll get a byline on the websites, clips for your portfolio and cash on your card. Submit your post ideas on sites that:

• are interesting to read;
• are in your niche;
• pay writers for guest posts.

Consider the next options:

• check 45+ Authentic Websites that Will Pay You to Write
• write personal essays and submit to Boston Globe, Extra Crispy, Dame Magazine, or The New York Times Modern Love feature
• create an interesting top 10 list for Listverse and TopTenz
• pitch your Alma Mater (interview a successful alumnus).

3. Pitch yourself for jobs

This tip may sound evident. But to get your first blogging gig, you simply should submit a few applications and cross your fingers. Here’re some great places to look for a job:

• Upwork;
• Blogging Pro;
• ProBlogger’s;
• Paid to Blog Jobs;
• Freelance Writing Jobs.

These sites can help you get regular clients. That’s beneficial. Every time I start working with someone new, I need to spend time (unpaid time!) for learning their expectations. Writing for long-term clients means saving time on the analysis of their needs. It also gives a more stable income and a prospect of setting a higher rate in future.

4. Set Goals

One of the reasons people fail at any business is not having a clear idea of what they want. Define where you’re going and what steps you need to take to get there. Be realistic. Earning $5000 is not an appropriate goal at the very beginning of your writing career. Start small. When I made up my mind to become a freelance blogger, my goals were like the above tips:

• Launch my own blog;
• Get published on one of my favorite blogs;
• Land a client willing to pay me $100 per post.

If you outline and record your goals, you’ll be on track to achieving them. Set new goals as you tick off the completed ones.

5. Provide value

There’s a lot of writing competition out there. Clients prefer hiring experienced authors that can write outstanding essays for them. Here’s my advice for the beginning bloggers:

• Become grammar- savvy. Learn AP Style. Error-free content is a sign of professionalism;
• Always deliver your work on time (or before the deadline). Adhere to a high standard. It leads to satisfied clients who remember about you when more work comes up or recommend you to others;
• Offer to manage your clients’ social media and press releases. Your clients’ brand gets more publicity, and you get extra writing work.

6. Be ready to write a lot

Many people choose to freelance because the couch is comfier than 9-5 cubicles. Hate to disappoint you, but working freelance means working. Bloggers with a monthly income of $5,000 produce about 70 posts per month. Once you start taking on more writing jobs that bring in income, keep updating your own blog in order to get more followers. Thus, you could benefit from affiliate marketing.

7. Raise your writing rates

As a freelancer, you’re your own boss. Nobody assesses your professional growth and tells you when it’s a right time to increase your salary. This is your decision to make. Most experienced freelance bloggers raise their rates once a year or so. As you enrich your essay writing experience, it’s time to start earning more money. Don’t be afraid of a client drop. Raising your rates is important to the quality of clients you have access to. High profile clients usually choose expensive writers. These effective tips will be useful for you at the start of your blogging journey. Remember, all successful freelancers were beginners. The more writing you do, the faster you’ll level up and become a professional freelance blogger. About Author: Michelle Brooks is the independent blogger and contributor to the educational resource. She specializes in education, career and self-development.