Freelance blogging has exploded in popularity over the last decade. An increasing number of writers are leaving behind traditional employment to work for themselves – on their own terms and schedules.
The best part? If you play your cards right, it‘s entirely possible to earn a full-time income through part-time freelance blogging work.
So how do you get started and make it happen this year? Let‘s dive in.
Step 1: Build Your Blog and Establish Your Brand
Your blog will serve as your online hub and portfolio. Invest time in setting it up properly right from the start.
Choose a Profitable Niche
Select a specific niche that you‘re passionate about and that has strong monetization potential. Some current top-earning niches include:
- Personal finance – earned $107K average salary in 2021
- Digital marketing – grew by 15% from 2021-2022
- Career and business advice – expected to grow 24% by 2027
- Food and recipes – worth $12.5B+ in 2022
- Parenting and family – projected 8% CAGR through 2026
Ensure there is decent search volume and demand for information in your niche. But don‘t obsess over competition – with a unique angle and high-quality content, you can carve out your own readership.
Set Up Your Website Technically
- Register a custom domain name that clearly communicates your niche. Choose a .com if available.
- Host your blog on a fast, reliable web hosting service like SiteGround or Bluehost. Install WordPress.
- Pick a simple, professional WordPress theme and tweak it to fit your brand. Elementor or Divi make customization easy.
Create Authoritative Author Bio and Media Pages
- Help readers understand who you are through an engaging about me page.
- Have a professional headshot photo and include your credentials.
- Set up media and press pages showcasing guest posts, brand mentions, downloads, and speaking experience.
Network and Establish Your Reputation
- Comment on influencer blogs in your niche to raise your profile. According to Brian Dean of Backlinko, quality comments can help content rank higher in search engines.
- Guest post on relevant, reputable sites to demonstrate expertise. Top bloggers like Darren Rowse of ProBlogger have grown through strategic guest posting.
- Be active on Twitter and LinkedIn, building connections. 62% of marketers say Twitter success comes down to engagement.
- Consider starting a podcast, YouTube channel, or hosting local events. 70% of consumers today prefer video content from brands.
Gaining visibility and trust will attract freelance writing opportunities down the line.
Step 2: Find Freelance Blogging Gigs and Clients
Once your blog and brand are ready, it‘s time to start searching and pitching for paid freelance work.
Leverage Online Job Boards and Marketplaces
Sites like ProBlogger, Blogging Pro, Contena, and Flexjobs regularly post quality freelance writing gigs from blogs and companies. Filter by niche or content types you are best suited for.
For example, a pitch for a 1,000-word guide on minimalist budgeting strategies tailored to your personal finance site’s experience.
Pitch to Companies Directly
- Identify brands you‘d like to work with and directly send personalized pitches offering your writing services. Matthew Woodard of The Six Figure Blogger Academy recommends a minimum 10-15 pitches per week.
- Get contact details for their content or copy teams. Send pitches to the hiring manager‘s name directly, not just a generic email.
- Follow up respectfully if you don‘t hear back after 1-2 weeks. Freelance writing coach Carol Tice suggests following up 2-3 times total.
Utilize LinkedIn to Connect
- Search for in-house copywriters, content managers, and marketing specialists within your niche on LinkedIn.
- Send personalized connection requests highlighting why you’d be a good freelance partner. Forbes recommends keeping connection requests to under 150 characters for best results.
- Check new job listings and reach out about contributing.
Market Yourself on Twitter
- Build lists of blogs and companies related to your niche and engage regularly with relevant tweets. 79% of Twitter users say relevant content drives engagement.
- Respond to tweets from prospective clients about needing freelancer pitches. Set saved searches for relevant keywords.
- Use hashtags like #HireFreelanceWriters, #HireBloggers, and #FreelanceBlogger.
Cast a wide net with personalized, targeted pitches until you build up a steady client roster.
Step 3: Produce High-Quality, Engaging Content
Consistency and value are key to retaining your hard-won clients long term. Apply these best practices to all freelance writing projects:
Always Thoroughly Research Your Topics
- Dig deep into background information and underlying issues using reputable sources. 93% of content based on original research and insights gets over 3 times more links.
- Interview experts for unique insights and perspectives. Quotes directly relevant to your content will boost engagement. Content with expert quotes receives 84% more amplification.
- Share relevant data points and statistics. Factual stats make your work more authoritative. Articles with data points see 94% more links on average.
Craft Compelling Headlines
- Spend time wordsmithing your headline and subheadings for maximum impact. Titles account for 50-80% of clicks for most websites.
- Use emotional triggers like "How to" and "Complete Guide". Reader magnets get opens.
- Test different options with tools like Coschedule Headline Analyzer. Find what resonates.
Employ a Reader-Centered Structure
- Ease readers in with an intro pulling them into the topic and outline the value they’ll receive. Post intros should establish relevance within first 25-30 words.
- Break concepts down into easy-to-digest sections and subheads. Posts over 1K words see more shares when formatted well.
- Close with clear next steps and a call to action. Strong conclusions inspire action from the reader.
Showcase Your Expertise
- Provide actionable tips and advice from your experience. Neil Patel notes list-based posts attract more social media shares.
- Weave in relatable examples and stories to illustrative points. Anecdotes make concepts resonate on a human level.
- Quote outside experts and references to reinforce credibility. Attribution builds trust and authority.
Meet Length Requirements
- Use tools like Word Counter to ensure you meet the agreed upon length.
- Shoot to submit final drafts that are 5-10% above the minimum word count. Google prefers long-form content of over 1,800 words.
These elements will set your writing apart and have clients eager to work with you again.
Step 4. Diversify Your Revenue Streams
While direct freelance writing fees may be your bread and butter, building multiple income streams will help you maximize earnings.
Run Affiliate Offers
- Incorporate affiliated product recommendations in posts through sites like Amazon Associates or ShareASale. Top programs depend on your niche.
- Transparently highlight offers you genuinely believe in. 78% of consumers trust well-marked affiliate recommendations.
- Place FTC affiliate disclaimers to build reader trust. Required by the FTC for US-based affiliate publishers.
Sell Your Own Products
- Offer eBooks, online courses, or membership communities related to your niche. Promote to your email list. Email marketing sees $42 return on investment for every $1 spent.
- Consider co-creating a product with another blogger for faster creation. Collaboration expands value.
- Outsource fulfillment tasks that aren’t your specialty, like tech setup. Zapier, Spotify, and Slack were all launched in a single weekend with outsourcing.
Accept Relevant Brand Partnerships
- Develop media kits showcasing your blog’s audience and sponsorship options to pitch to brands. Paid sponsorships drive as much as 40% more traffic back to your site.
- Ensure sponsored posts align closely with your niche and reader interests. 92% support brands that align with their values.
- Maintain full creative control over branded content you produce. Your credibility rests on it.
Display Targeted Ads
Use an advertiser network like Mediavine, AdThrive, or Google AdSense. Place thoughtfully, without saturating site experience. Well-integrated ads can deliver upwards of $100 RPM across sites and niches.
Diversified income sources contribute to earning a full-time living from a part-time workload.
Step 5: Manage Your Freelance Blogging Business
Running all aspects of an independent blogging business presents certain challenges. But implementing organization systems makes juggling everything much smoother.
Block Off Writing Time in Your Calendar
- Mark non-negotiable writing sessions in your calendar app and set notifications. Treat this time as seriously as you would for a day job.
- An average of 3-5 hours of daily writing time can result in full-time earnings depending on rates. Top freelance blogger Carol Tice blocks 6 hours a day for writing.
Automate Admin Tasks Where Possible
- Use project management tools like Trello or Asana to organize workflows. Standard operating procedures create clarity.
- Automate social media scheduling and email newsletters with Buffer or ConvertKit. Over 95% of PewDiePie’s views rely on algorithm rather than subscribers showing automation power.
- Have Zapier eliminate manual busywork by connecting your apps. Mid-sized agencies recover around 20 days annually through automation.
Outsource What You Can
- Consider hiring a virtual assistant for 10-20 hours a month to edit blog posts, format ebooks, schedule social media, or manage advertising. Cost averages around $4-12/hr on freelance sites.
- Sites like Fiverr and Upwork offer affordable providers that extend your bandwidth. Freelancers can complete tasks for as little as $5/task on Fiverr – budget-friendly for any bootstrap business.
Maintain Clear Client Agreements
- Use contracts for all client work clearly specifying your rate, deadlines, payment terms, rights requested, and policies. Clearly defined expectations mitigate problems down the road.
- Manage expectations upfront to prevent misaligned understandings. Ambiguity risks disappointment on both sides.
- Invoice promptly upon completing deliverables via QuickBooks, Freshbooks or Paypal. Invoice within a week for highest probability of fast payment.
Investing in structures that maximize efficiency allows you to focus efforts on income-generating tasks in your sweet spot.
Ready to Shift to Full-Time Freelance Blogging?
As you can see, with the right strategic foundation in place, it‘s entirely possible to earn a healthy full-time income through part-time freelance blogging work.
It does require consistent effort and commitment in the beginning to establish yourself and find reliable clients. But once up and running, you get to do work you love on a schedule that suits your lifestyle.
If you‘re feeling inspired to make a career shift this year, here are a few parting thoughts from me:
- Leverage your current skills but stay open to expanding your expertise over time as well. Ongoing learning is key according to all long-time top bloggers from Darren Rowse to Derek Halpern.
- Tap into communities like the Freelance Writers Den to connect with fellow bloggers succeeding professionally. I‘ve found masterminds to accelerate growth.
- Remain persistent through client dry spells knowing they are usually temporary if you continually nurture your pipeline. Consider offering coupon codes or specials during slower times to incentivize.
- Have faith that with dedication to providing value around your niche, the finances will build. Passively monetized content pays its dividends long term.
Now, go ahead – start that blog, craft amazing content, land awesome clients, and commence living life and earning income entirely on your own terms!
I‘m rooting for your freelance blogging success in the year ahead. Please reach out if you have any other questions arising on your journey!
