Good luck.

I didn’t mean that as somber as it sounded.

But, let’s be real. Learning how to start a content writing business—any business, really—is tough.

Hopeful entrepreneurs start around 543,000 businesses every month. And according to the Small Business Association, barely half of those businesses will still be around in five years. The other half will be long gone, with the majority of them failing in two years or less.

Yikes! That’s why I wrote this guide on how to start your own content writing business.

If you want to start a content writing business, you’ve got your work cut out for you – but fear not! Every truly great accomplishment at first seems impossible. I’m not promising it’s easy, but it will be worth it.

Everyone knows my writing agency was my primary source of income for ten years before my exit in 2021 (exit story here). Here’s why I’m sharing this guide:

a.) I was personally asked by several readers for this guide, and I like to write about topics my audience cares about.

 b.) I believe there is room for everyone in today’s market. With nearly 5 billion people and 60% of the world’s population online, now is a better time than any to seek to build a brand in the digital space.

As the former 10-year CEO of a successful content writing business, today’s guide will walk you through the things you must consider when you’re embarking on your own journey in building a writing biz.

• What skills and tools you’ll need to succeed
• How to build your brand and reputation
• The inside scoop on hiring and managing writers

By the time you’re through, you’ll have everything you need to lay the groundwork for your own content writing business.

Without further ado, here’s how to go from unpaid to paid and start a content writing business. 

Want to sit with me and learn? Join me for a free class on content strategy, skills and systems, customized to your level (solopreneur or established founder). Over 2,000 entrepreneurs have LOVED this class. → Watch now.

How to Start a Content Writing Business: Table of Contents

Part 1. How to Start a Content Writing Business: Do Your Homework Before You Start That (Content Writing) Business!

Part 2. Identify Your Priorities & Goals for Your Content Writing Business

Part 3. Transition from Presence to Process When Starting Your Content Writing Business

Part 4. Get Your Team Together for a Content Writing Business

Part 5. Leverage the Power of AI Content Writing Tools (and AIO Writers)

Conclusion: Start a Content Writing Business in Months, Not Years

Watch Me Explain What Goes Into Starting a Content Writing Business

Part 1. How to Start a Content Writing Business: Do Your Homework Before You Start That (Content Writing) Business!

Succeeding at planning is planning to succeed.

The single most important thing you can do when starting a content writing business (or any business) is laying your foundations. And how do you get started with that?

By doing your homework.

Transforming your freelancing efforts into a full-fledged content writing business takes a few specific steps. Here are the two specific things you need to do.

1. Identify Your Area of True Expertise

Your research into the industry should give you insights into who and what is out there – and what isn’t. That’s good, because you’ll need to niche down into a specialty to succeed with your content writing business.

We’ll refer to this niche as your Area of True Expertise. It’s what you’re known for and what you strive to be the best at as you can.

When I was just getting started with Express Writers way back when, I wasn’t terribly picky about my clients. I picked up all manner of content, often starting my days at 4 a.m. just to send out dozens of emails to potential clients and agencies. It eventually worked, but that was because the industry at the time simply needed writers to stuff keywords into posts.

That will not work today.

In 2020, the content writing industry has matured and become more sophisticated. Your clients will expect you to be an expert in what you do. Therefore, it’s better to be a True Expert in one or two things than it is to be adept at several.

As you review the state of the industry, think about where you fit in (or where you don’t). This will give you a sense of what you need to do to begin scaling your operations. In particular, identify these things:

• Who is your ideal client? Startups? SMBs? Fortune 2000 companies? SEO agencies? You’ve got a lot of options.
• What do you do (and not do)? You may already have specific areas of expertise, such as executive ghostwriting or long-form content for tech startups. You may be still finding your feet but have nature aptitude at things like SEO or content marketing.
• Is what you want to do sustainable? Identify what you do and figure out whether or not you can position yourself as a True Expert. Then, identify whether a market need exists – some 42 percent of businesses fail because there isn’t one. Finally, determine if you can turn your position into a unique selling proposition.
• How can you turn your Area of True Expertise into a USP and a CDF? You want to differentiate, offering something your competitors can’t.

Your CDF is your “it factor” and you need it when starting a content writing business.

2. Analyze Your Business Competency

As a writer, you already know how to do a lot. However, starting a content writing business and scaling one both take skills that you may not have developed in your freelance writing career. Some things you should pick up if you haven’t already:

• Marketing. If you don’t have a grasp on marketing, you’ll need to get it down ASAP. This includes everything from digital marketing to content strategy and marketing.
• Project management. Ultimately, your goal will be to remove yourself from your agency’s processes so you’re no longer trading time for money. You’ll need to know how to manage projects to create project processes.
• Accounting. You must know how to manage money. From paying your subcontractors to dealing with taxes, consider taking a basic course in accounting.
• Leadership skills. As your team grows and your business takes on more ambitious projects, you’ll find yourself leading teams and people. Make sure you know how to handle them.
• Communication skills. You’re probably already versed in dealing with clients. Now, you’ll need to learn to deal with managers, contractors, business partners, and more.

3. Build a Business Website

You’re a content writer.

And all the content you create gets published on your clients’ sites.

But have you stopped to build your own online presence? 

If you haven’t yet, you need to put together a professional-looking website ASAP!

This will help you display your portfolio and expertise.

It will also help you leverage SEO to reach a wider audience and generate organic leads.

Part 2. Identify Your Priorities & Goals for Your Content Writing Business

So, you know who you are, what you’re doing, and what you’re up against. Now, it’s time to establish where you want to go and how you’re going to get there. In the next phase, you’ll need to do three things: identify your priorities, establish your goals, and write your business plan.

What Do You Want Out of This?

People go into business for many different reasons. Sometimes it’s because we feel stifled by the corporate world. Sometimes it’s because we’re chasing a passion.

Before you sit down to actually build your business, spend some time identifying your priorities with your business. These are the things that are important to you and will impact your goals or strategies. Some examples of priorities include:

• Profitability. Who doesn’t love making more money?
• A superior customer experience. Are your clients waiting weeks for content?
• Free time. Perhaps you need to delegate or automate aspects of your business. 

Here are a few things my students have said about what they’re trying to accomplish.

“I have been a freelance copywriter and editor for just over five years. I haven’t niched the work I do, but I’m fortunate to have some very loyal clients who have achieved impressive results with my content thus far. Although I have a company, that is merely a store-front for the solo work I do. I have become so busy that I am turning work away and some of my very patient clients are waiting 1-2 weeks for content. This is far from what I want for them, and for me.” – Elizabeth

“I have a natural love for writing as well as for fitness and motivating others. But I have been stuck in HR/recruitment jobs in the corporate world. I’m looking to break out, follow my passions and do what I love … trying to start my own business, my own website, but I also still have to work while doing all that.” – Heather

You can see that each of these two students has different priorities. Elizabeth needs to scale an existing operation to provide better service to her clients. Heather needs to develop a profitable, sustainable content writing business to pursue her passion.

Establish Your SMART Goals

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Relevant, and Timely. It’s a formula for creating achievable goals with defined steps.

Some SMART goals when starting or scaling a content writing business might include:

• Land three clients in a specific niche by the end of the year.
• Build a five-page website showcasing my expertise within the next 30 days.
• Produce ten pieces of thought leadership for the blog to support the content marketing efforts in the next 90 days.
• Delegate five projects to five writers this week to free up 20 hours of my time for other activities.

Build Your Writing Business With a Slow, Steady, Practitioner-First Approach

Do you know the top reason why startups fail? According to CB Insights, 42 percent of failed startups indicated they found no market need.

In other words, they created a product that nobody wanted.

That’s one of the dangers when you simply get a team together and go into business.

Fortunately, you can sidestep that by becoming a practitioner in your field first. That means going out, getting clients of your own, and learning what it takes to create great content.

Once you go into business, you’ll find that things become so much easier. That’s because you’ll:

• Know what the final deliverables should look like.
• Have the ability to step in at any point in your business to help make things work.
• Understand how to sell your service or products.
• Be able to identify new hires who know what they’re doing.

How do you build your skills faster?

Mentors are an age-old recommendation to accelerate learning that’s well-regarded in business. Yet, it’s a tool that’s routinely under-utilized. In one study of 3,000 people, 76 percent of respondents agreed that mentors were important. Yet only 37 percent of people currently had one.

I highly recommend you find a mentor. Identify who’s a voice of authority in your industry and take them on as a role model. These are my three:

• Jon Morrow at Smart Blogger.
• Joe Pulizzi at Content Marketing Institute.
• Kimanzi Constable at Results Global Impact.

And remember, an investment in your skills is not an expense; it’s an investment.

I may have written a book called Skip the Degree, but that doesn’t mean I don’t advocate paid training. (I’ve invested over $8,000 into my own in the past six months.)

In contrast, don’t be shy about investing in paid courses, seminars, workshops, or anything else from your mentors or other industry leaders. Small doses of the right training can accelerate your career much faster than any degree that takes years to complete.

Your professional development is not an expense. It’s an investment that pays dividends in the long run.

Of course, not all courses are created equal or of equal use to everyone. When considering whether or not to invest in a course, ask yourself:

• Will it help me move forward? Is this a hard or soft skill I need to be successful at [x]?
• Are they credible? Is the instructor someone who’s known and respected in my field?
• Do they have proof? Does the instructor have their own business that proves their teachings work, or does their business seem to be simply teaching certain skills?

If the answer is yes to all three, figure out how to make it happen!

Part 3. Transition from Presence to Process When Starting Your Content Writing Business

Have you made it this far? Congratulations!

But if it seems like I frontloaded this guide, it’s because I did. Everything covered so far is the groundwork upon which you’ll build the next steps. The more thoroughly you’ve completed parts one and two, the stronger foundation you’ll have for starting your content writing business.

So, spend as much time as you need on the above. Once you know where you’re going and why, you can begin to build the engine that allows your brand, client base, and profits to scale.

I’m talking about your processes.

Processes Keep You Focused, and Help You Scale

If you’re a solopreneur, you’ve been doing everything on your own this whole time. That might have worked for you. Or, like Elizabeth, you quickly discovered that you have more demands on your time than you can manage.

Now, you need more writers. Maybe even a project manager, a bookkeeper, and a social media marketer. You need a team.

But with more hands touching the business, there are more opportunities for it to get pulled in multiple directions. How do we solve that?

By creating processes. Having detailed, documented processes lets you:

• Standardize the business and amplify the brand. Everyone will do everything the same way. Additionally, you can develop templates that keep branding and image consistent.
• Accelerate new employee or subcontractor training. Imagine explaining the same thing over and over again to every new hire. Now imagine handing them a document that they can study before getting to work.
• Lets you maintain your Area of True Expertise. Stick to your processes, the things you do. Say no to everything else, and you’ll never water down your brand.

How to Create Processes for a Content Writing Business

Creating processes for your content writing business doesn’t need to be difficult. However, you should be consistent with them. Do:

1. Identify things that you already do a lot. These business activities are the best candidates to be standardized and replicated across the board. Some examples of this might include:

• Client onboarding and interviews
• Writer interviews and onboarding or offboarding
• Content creation
• Content strategy or keyword research
• Quality control
• Editing and revisions
• Client invoicing
• Subcontractor payments

2. Document everything. Even if it’s simply in Google Docs, make sure that you’ve written down what to do. This gives you a paper trail for others to study and for you to improve upon.

3. Identify where you need technology and invest. This may include hardware or software, subscriptions, services, and the like. I highly recommend that you invest in:

• Accounting software
• Plagiarism detection
• Cloud storage
• Audio and video calling software

4. Create templates. Templates help standardize the formatting, language, and layout of your most critical documents. Such consistency helps you present a more professional image to your clients and saves your team time.

5. Disseminate the processes to your employees or subcontractors. Build into your processes a process for getting information into the hands of the people who need to know. Again, it can be as simple as a Google Drive that has everything your writers, managers, or clients need to know.

6. Check in with people about what’s working and what’s not. At the end of the day, it’s your people who will make the processes run. Check in with them to learn what’s working and what isn’t. Then, make changes to improve your processes.

Part 4. Get Your Team Together for a Content Writing Business

Up until this point, you’ve been at it solo. But that means the business stops working when you stop working. That’s what we’re trying to escape.

At some point, you’ll realize you need people power to drive your content writing business to the next level. However, you don’t want just anyone touching the business you’ve built.

As you get your team together, let your mantra be: People create value. When chosen well, your people are your most valuable business asset.

In general, you’ll interact with three groups of people:

Writers & Editors

You’ll need writers (and if you invest in AI tools to speed up content production, you’ll specifically need AIO writers – more on that later) to delegate work to and editors to check the work.

It’s very easy to access writer pools, but your writers will make or break your reputation for quality.

Upwork is a great place to look for talented freelancers, but plenty of other places exist as well. Wherever you go, to succeed with hiring writers:

• Require fluency in the language you work. In most cases, that’s English. It’s up to you whether you want to hire U.S.-based writers only, or if you’re willing to look globally. Just be aware that will have tax implications and potentially complicate quality.
• Headhunt, don’t post jobs. Content writing is one of the easiest careers online to get into, which means everyone is doing it. Posting jobs is a great way to get flooded with randos. Instead, identify talented writers with expertise in your company’s niche, then approach them.
• Don’t ask for lengthy, unique “samples.” Instead, ask for a portfolio. If they don’t have one, consider giving them a writing test and requesting a unique paragraph or two. Asking for an entire article as part of the interview process (especially if you have no plans on paying for it) is something scammers do – and good writers know that.
• Be upfront with what they can expect. Don’t promise $2,000/month in work if they’re not going to consistently make that.
• Pay by the word. The industry standard for content writing is to pay your writers by the word. You may charge your clients a lump sum for the entire project, but your writers are expecting a per-word agreement.
• Don’t go for the cheapest you can find. You get what you pay for. Avoid sites where you can hire writers for rock-bottom rates.
• Set up an NDA and a contract ahead of time. Protect your processes and internal documentation by having everyone you hire sign a non-disclosure agreement.

Support Staff

Support staff may or may not be necessary depending on where you are in scaling your operations. They can help a business run more smoothly, especially if you’ve got multiple processes that require the human touch. Bring on support staff as you need. They may include:

• The web admin or IT support
• Customer success agents
• Writer support agents
• Business and project managers
• Specialists, such as content strategists or SEO experts
• Marketers

Business Partners

Business partners can breathe life, perspective, and capital into a growing enterprise. However, if you’re just starting a content writing business, it’s unlikely that you’ll need one. You may naturally have one, such as a spouse. That’s also fine!

Bringing on a business partner lies beyond the scope of this guide, but it’s worth mentioning because some people have asked me if they’re critical when you start a content writing business.

When you have a partner whose skills and competencies complement your own, that relationship will propel your business to profitability. However, don’t feel pressured to bring one on if you don’t feel like you need it.

A Few Other Tips for Working With Subcontractors

At the end of 2019, freelancers and independent contractors constituted some 36 percent of the U.S. workforce. It’s expected that they’ll be the majority by the late 2020s.

When you hire your writers and editors (and possibly others), you’ll likely hire them as independent contractors. However, you need to be aware of what that means for you as a business owner.

Here are a few tips:

• Be wary of the IRS rules around employees and independent contractors. The IRS is very clear about what you can and cannot require from independent contractors. Familiarize yourself with these rules before hiring anyone.
• Be careful with non-compete agreements. NCAs are extremely common, but come with some major caveats. In the U.S., enforceability varies by state (they’re often unenforceable with online work). However, they may scare off some potential hires.
• Get your subcontractors’ availability and work around them. The easiest way to keep your staff happy is to work with them. Have everyone give you their availability, then task out work accordingly. This makes it easier to enforce accountability and deadlines, while making it more obvious when you need to hire more writers.

Part 5: Leverage the Power of AI Content Writing Tools (And AIO Writers)

AI (artificial intelligence) is one of the best inventions of modern times, especially for writers. It has brought so many benefits to the content marketing industry that you, as a writer and business owner, can’t ignore.

AI comes with many benefits and opportunities that can significantly enhance your productivity, creativity, and overall success. Here are some compelling reasons why you should integrate AI into your writing business:

Why Should AI Be a Critical Part of Every Writer’s Business?

So why should you embrace AI as a critical tool in your business?

Sure, the camp is divided on whether using AI is good or not.

And others advocate for AI-generated content to be labeled.

However, at the end of the day, one thing is certain — AI is an excellent tool for boosting your writing business. 

The main reason for that is AI can help you run a writing business with tantalizing profit margins of over 70%!

Here’s why:

• Scalability: AI helps you write faster without compromising on quality. Because of this, you can easily take on more clients and projects. You can scale your business and exponentially grow your income.
• Speed and efficiency: AI-powered tools can automate various writing tasks, such as idea generation, grammar and spell-checking, proofreading, and content formatting. This allows writers to focus more on their creative process and spend less time on mundane editing tasks.
• Content generation assistance: AI can assist in generating content ideas or even drafting portions of articles, blog posts, or other written content. While the final creative touch remains with you, the writer, AI can serve as a valuable co-writer, offering suggestions and inspiration.
• Enhanced content research: AI can assist you in finding relevant and reliable sources quickly. Other more powerful ones, like Content at Scale, even add links to sources in their drafts. With the ability to process vast amounts of information, AI-powered content writing tools can streamline the content creation process and help you discover valuable insights and facts to add credibility to your content.
• SEO: SEO is an integral part of content creation, and AI can help ensure your content is SEO-friendly. It can suggest relevant keywords and analyze search trends, ensuring that your content is primed to rank and drive traffic. 

However, it is essential to remember that while AI can be an incredible tool, it’s not a replacement for creativity or the human touch. You should only use AI as a complementary tool to enhance your skills and efficiency rather than relying solely on it for content creation. 

By combining the power of AI with your unique perspectives and creativity, your businesses can enjoy a significant advantage in today’s competitive digital landscape.

By the way, I used to be THE biggest AI critic. I was totally against using it in my content marketing for a long time — but then I came to my senses once the right tool came along that emphasized integrity in content.  

Need help convincing or converting your team, business, bosses, or clients to the AIO way? Want me at your next event? I can teach your people how AI in content can be done ethically, with that aforementioned integrity. Get me to speak at your next event! 

Best AI Content Writing Tool

Now that you’ve seen the value AI adds to your writing business, let me show you the best AI content writing tool. 

It’s called Content at Scale.

Content at Scale AI has the ability to produce a high-quality 2,000+-word blog draft in mere minutes!

This is the first-ever content automation platform built to help writers and business owners scale content marketing without losing touch with quality, authenticity, and accuracy. This is a powerful tool built by long-form SEO content marketers for long-form SEO content writers who want to create impeccable content at scale.

Unlike most AI content generators out there, Content at Scale outputs content that is truly human-like, bypasses AI content detectors, and is optimized for search. 

As if that wasn’t good enough, Content at Scale also integrates with Copyscape, so you can rest assured your content is plagiarism free. It also has a WordPress plugin that enables you to sync your content directly to your blog right from the Content at Scale dashboard.

It also has my personal stamp of approval, which isn’t easy to earn. Plus, as an AI speaker, I’ve tested a lot of AI-powered tools and this one is by far the best one I’ve tried.

Check out my tutorial below to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how powerful this tool really is.

Find and Train AIO Writers

As your reputation grows, you’ll soon find yourself with a good problem — more clients than you can handle as a one-person team.

When this happens, you have two options — pass on the work to other businesses, or hire writers to help you with the workload.

I’d personally go with hiring and growing my business into an AIO writing agency.

But where do you find writers who can use AI tools proficiently and produce fantastic content? Plus, how do you vet, hire, and train them?

No need to fret – I’ve got you.

I’ve created an in-depth guide to help you source and hire the best AIO (artificial intelligence optimization) writers. 

Check it out here.

However, here’s a simple 3-step process:

• Craft a detailed job listing 
• Use relevant and reliable hiring platforms
• Train your new hires

Here’s a short video tutorial explaining the process

Growing your team may be a daunting step if you’re a solo writer, but it’s a critical part of business and personal growth.

AI: Supercharging Your Content Creation

Leveraging AI in your writing business is a no-brainer.

It’s the missing piece in your content creation production line.

With your processes and team in place, AI gives you that extra boost you need to ensure content production is effective and runs like a well-oiled machine.

So, don’t be discouraged by the naysayers. AI is here — and it’s here to stay.

Those who embrace it early will have a huge advantage over the competition.

Part 6. 6 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Starting a Content Writing Business

Whether you’re starting a content business or scaling up a solopreneurship, there’s plenty of room for things to go wrong. I’ll round out the guide with a few lessons I’ve learned the hard way over the years.

Some common mistakes include…

1. Scaling Too Fast (or Too Slowly)

If you scale too fast, you end up with bloat that eat away at your profits. This may include things like hiring too many people or jumping into too many projects. At the other end of the spectrum, scaling too slowly may mean overworked people or lacking the infrastructure you need to take advantage of opportunities.

To fix this: Think long-term, identify your priorities and your goals, then focus on creating value with your people and your processes.

2. Not Doing Content Marketing for Your Business

I didn’t start content marketing with Express Writers until 2016. The moment I did, the brand took off and became the multi-million-dollar agency it is today.

Why? Content marketing is one of the most powerful ways for you to demonstrate your expertise and showcase your content differentiation factor. It’s how you prove you’re a True Expert at what you do without pushing yourself into people’s faces.

To fix this: Draw up a content strategy when you do your business plan. Your content and your business goals should align. That will also help you produce content without feeling burnt out.

3. Saying Yes to Projects Outside Your Scope

The most valuable weapon in your arsenal is also one of your smallest: It’s the word no.

Most freelancers aren’t trained in this weapon. As a business owner, you’ll need to be because you don’t want to take on projects that are outside your Area of True Expertise. There are several pragmatic reasons for this:

• They’ll take longer because you don’t have the processes or people for it
• They’ll water down your brand
• They’ll force you to tweak the very processes you built to try to make them fit

To fix this: Go back to your Area of True Expertise. Develop processes for everything in which you’re a True Expert. Say no to any jobs or work for which you don’t have processes already.

4. Not Learning How to Handle Money

You need to learn how to manage money – and no, I don’t mean simply hiring a bookkeeper who will handle everything.

I learned this the hard way when I discovered the people that I had put in charge of money were stealing from me.

Even if something as severe as that never happens to you, not knowing how to manage money may mean unnecessary expenses, lost revenue, or inaccurate records that get you in trouble down the line.

To fix this: Take a course on accounting for business online or at your community college. Then, play an active role in the money of your company.

5. Being Scared of Delegating

I get it. Your business is your baby. You’ve worked hard to build a reputation and a client base. Handing that over to someone else can be terrifying.

But you’ll need to do it to grow. Getting in the way by trying to continue to do everything yourself will only hamstring the rest of your efforts.

To fix this: Make your processes extra well-thought-out to give you the peace of mind that everyone is doing things correctly. Then, hire the right people. Here’s a good video from my archives on what I learned from hitting $180k in one month in my agency.

6. Not Firing People When They Need to Go

It sucks to fire people, but sometimes it needs to happen. Having the wrong members on your team is just as bad as not having any people at all – in fact, it can be worse as your reputation will be on the line.

Don’t be afraid to put your foot down and make room for better professionals to join your team.

To fix this: Create a list of behaviors for which you have no tolerance, then refer to this list to determine if someone needs to be let go. Some examples may include consistently missing deadlines or going MIA when you need revisions from them.

Conclusion: Start a Content Writing Business in Months, Not Years

There you have it – close to everything you need to consider when you start a content writing business.

From thinking about your position in the industry to the details of dealing with independent contractors, you’re now equipped with the insights you need to get started.

Plus, with the power of AI to help you, there’s no reason why you should struggle to scale and grow your business!

Of course, the skills I’ve outlined here are just the tip of the iceberg of what you need to know. The content writing industry itself is constantly changing. In addition to running your business, you’ll need to keep pace with the state of content writing best practices and tools.

Knowledge is power, as they say.

And if you want to turn insights into action, with 1:1 guidance from me along the way, you need my Content Transformation System.   

This strategic coaching program teaches you the skills, systems, and strategies to turn your struggling business into a sustainable, cogs-turning, 6 and 7-figures-busting brand.

Apply today to start your journey to the next level.

Get a taste of my program for free right now in our training class.

The post How to Start a Content Writing Business That Succeeds (for Beginners) appeared first on Content Hacker.

Do you know how to write them? Do you know what a good press release can do for your brand? For your clients’ brands?

If you’re blanking right now, you’re in the right place.

In today’s rapid-fire, information-overloaded world, it’s hard to conjure up buzz around a business – unless you create it yourself.

Enter the humble press release (also called a “news release” or a “PR”). With the right press release template, you’ll have a winning formula to grab attention, control the story you’re trying to share, turn heads, and build that coveted buzz that’s so hard to muster these days.

And, if you write press releases as a service for other businesses, you could potentially make a good chunk of change.

In this guide, we’ll discuss all of the above:

• The definition of a press release and why you should write them
• The ROI of providing press release writing as a service
• How to write a press release, with a press release template to help you with formatting
• The 5 basic questions every news release should answer
• Press release examples and types

What Is a Press Release? Why Should You Write Them?

I talk about press releases, their value, plus how to write them and get paid in this video:

“Press release” sounds a little old-fashioned, right?

It conjures the image of an old-timey newspaper office and a journalist with a vintage typewriter tapping out a news release. (They might be wearing a derby hat, smoking a cigar, or have a pencil tucked behind their ear, too.)

But that couldn’t be further from the modern reality.

A press release is a written statement, announcement, or news story released by the brand or organization it’s about. (Literally, you’re “releasing” news or information to not just the “press,” but the news media in all its forms and the world at large.)

Ultimately, the goal is for your PR to be picked up by a news outlet or PR distributor like PR Newswire, PR Web, Business Wire, etc.

Once it’s picked up, you want influential people to see your press release and spread the word, whether that’s a journalist writing a news story, a blogger writing a blog post, or someone sharing the content of your PR on social media.

Press releases also stand on their own in terms of content – they live online indefinitely on distribution sites like PR Newswire, where your audience can easily find and read them. Sometimes, press releases even get indexed by Google (however, relying on syndicated content to drive search traffic and backlinks is NOT a good strategy – more on that below).

So, now that we fully understand what press releases are and why they’re valuable… why should YOU write them, whether you’re an entrepreneur, run an online writing business, or write content for clients?

Want to get the exact template, over-the-shoulder-video, and tutorial on how to write press releases — from me? Get inside the press release writing workshop I teach for just $27.

Why Should You Write Press Releases?

Press releases are super-valuable pieces of content (read: they’re money-makers ) for a few reasons:

1. Many people – including copywriters! – don’t know how to write them, let alone write them effectively (i.e., your PR gets picked up and garners attention from the right people). If you or your team nails this skill, you’ll be in demand.
2. Press releases are great tools for building buzz and grabbing attention. In many industries, they’re the standard for brands that want to control the narrative when announcing news, events, new products, business deals, etc.
3. If your PR contains truly newsworthy information presented well, it WILL get picked up and shared, which equates to immediate ROI for you or your client.

When NOT to Write Press Releases

On the flip side, do NOT write press releases for SEO or backlink purposes. Syndicated press release distribution will not help you in terms of link juice, traffic from search, or anything related.

A few years ago, I talked to Tim Grice, a search marketing expert and CEO, who wrote a great Moz article about this very topic that’s still utterly relevant. This is what he had to say:

“Online PR done right is not a bad idea, syndicating crap stories around the web for a handful of links on press wires is a terrible SEO strategy; no relevance, no authority, no trust.”

What he saw from his experience was businesses investing in channels like Business Wire and PR Newswire for the express purpose of link-building. As he said, they were “firing out boring stories that got absolutely no pick up and the online links created were from low value directories.”

In 10 years of running a content agency, I saw the proof in the pudding, too. Press releases do very little, if nothing, for SEO.

Instead, what press releases actually accomplish is getting your brand pushed to a wider audience IF you share stories that are legitimately newsworthy. Journalists will take note, and you might get mentions on major networks, which will result in non-SEO-driven traffic and leads coming your way.

The ROI of Providing Press Release Writing as a Service

Back when I ran that aforementioned content agency full-time (learn how/why I sold that biz), we wrote over 3,000 press releases in 10 years for clients. We sold each one for $199. If you do the math, that’s nearly $600,000 in sales from PRs alone!

BUT – we had to have training and guidelines in place for our writers so they could produce amazing press releases consistently.

Here’s how we did it:

After studying PR Newswire guidelines (the main network our clients used to release news), I wrote my own internal guidelines. We trained people with journalism and communication majors in college on how to become online press release writers — and it worked!

Needless to say, this could be a valuable addition to the services you provide in your own writing company. You just need to become an expert on press release writing so you can share your knowledge with your team and create magic for your clients.

With all that in mind, let’s get into the nitty-gritty: how to write press releases, including press release templates and examples.

Prefer to learn by watching a video? Get inside my Press Release Writing Workshop. You’ll learn my exact rules and standards for creating PRs and tools to help speed up the process. You’ll also get a downloadable press release template with examples. Enroll in this workshop here.

Prefer to learn with templates and step-by-step instructions? Get inside my Press Release Writing Workshop. You’ll learn my exact rules and standards for creating PRs and tools to speed up the process. You’ll also get a downloadable press release template with examples. Enroll here.

Press Release Template: How to Write & Format a Press Release

Ready to learn how to write a press release? I’ve got all the details, including a press release template for your perusal.

First, let’s cover the general information every press release should include. It can be boiled down to five basic questions.

What 5 Basic Questions Should a News Release Answer?

Every single press release needs these elements:

1. Does it have a newsworthy, clear headline?
2. Does it include the location of the news release and the time/date of release?
3. Does it have up to 650 words of content?
4. Does it include the contact information of the press release author?
5. Optional: Does it include a short promo video for the news release?

Let’s break them down using a press release example from my own archives to illustrate.

1. Does It Have a Newsworthy, Clear Headline?

Forget clickbait. For your PR headline, you always want to prioritize clear over clever.

That doesn’t mean you won’t draw attention. As long as your press release is actually newsworthy, your headline will naturally be an extension of that.

If you struggle to come up with a headline for a news release, consider it a red flag that the information you want to share isn’t newsworthy enough to warrant a formal release.

(In my content business, we actually had to turn away clients who wanted press releases written because their information just wasn’t newsworthy!)

Using my example, here’s what a clear, newsworthy headline looks like:

It goes without saying, but strong online writing skills will come in clutch for writing your press release headline.

2. Does It Include the Location of the News Release and the Time/Date of Release?

This is pretty straightforward. Every news release must include location and time/date information.

Where is your news coming from? This will look different depending on the type of news you’re sharing. For example, if you’re sharing a brand merger, you might include the location of where the deal was inked. If you’re sharing an event, you should include the location of that event, etc.

Here’s our press release example with the location and time/date specified. Note that since my business was centered in Austin, TX, that translated to the location for announcing the release of my book:

Here’s an additional example from another PR centered on an event. Note that the location included is Las Vegas, which is where the event in question occurred:

Source: PR Newswire

3. Does It Have Up to 650 Words of Content?

Next up, let’s talk about the content of your press release.

You need up to 650 words of content clearly stating what the press release is all about. This amounts to about 6-7 paragraphs:

• Your first paragraph should be attention-grabbing and interesting. Announce your news while telling the reader why they should care. Add in some context for people unfamiliar with your topic.
• The following paragraphs should detail the “who,” “what,” “when,” and “where” of your news. Why is it important? Who is involved? Ensure you keep a good flow throughout – you want this to be easy to read, interesting, and engaging.
• Including direct quotes from the subject(s) of the press release is a great idea and standard practice. In my PR example, the site even grabbed my quote to display as a larger pull quote!

• Your last paragraph should be a short “about” section, where you share information about the company or brand in question and what it does. This is also a great place to plug in a site link. In our press release example, the last paragraph is about my business at the time, Express Writers, with a link to our Content Shop at the very end.

• Generally, keep your entire press release informational, NOT salesy. You are not trying to sell, rather, you’re sharing newsworthy information people should know about.

I said it once already, but let me hammer it home: Good writing skills are vital for creating an effective press release. Ideally, someone with experience in journalism or communication should helm this task, but a regular-old copywriter also can be trained to write amazing press releases.

If you or your team needs a brush-up on how to write for the web with flair, I have a course for that. Inside Unlearn Essay Writing, you’ll learn exactly how to nix heavy essay-style writing in favor of nimble online writing that sings. Enroll today for this 1-week course.

4. Does Your Press Release Template Include Contact Information?

Don’t forget to include a way to contact the press release author (i.e., the owner, author, salesperson, stakeholder, etc., for the company, product, book, event, what-have-you).

This can be through the company if you’d prefer, which is what I included in my press release.

5. Optional: Does It Include a Short Promo Video for the News Release?

This element is optional but recommended: a short promo video that clearly talks about the product, service, or offering that is featured in your news release.

It doesn’t have to be an elaborate production, either. 1-2 minutes long is perfectly okay, and the video can be as simple as you talking to the camera about the product (and demo-ing, if relevant).

In this video-forward age, including a short video that gives a compelling visual of your news is a no-brainer. A few examples:

• If you wrote a book, talking about it in a short promo video helps your audience put a face to a name and supports your expertise on the topic. I did this in my PR for So You Think You Can Write? It was super simple and short, but effective.

• If the PR is about a product release, a video can show off the product in ways you can’t capture with text.
• If the PR is about an upcoming event, a video could show off the event location and hype up the people/organizations involved.

The key with a promo video is to get creative and enhance your press release. There’s a lot you can do/show in a video that you can’t get across in writing, so use this to your advantage if you opt to create one.

Press Release Template: How to Format Your PR

Figuring out the content for your press release is great, but what about the proper press release format?

When you submit to distribution sites like PR Newswire and others, you want your press release to look professional on top of including all the necessary components.

Here’s a general press release template for how your PR should be formatted. (Make sure you remove the brackets when inserting your own information. Key formatting areas are highlighted in red, but your finished PR should be all in standard black text.)

Want a downloadable press release template with examples, plus an hour-long session with me teaching you how to write them? Enroll in my Press Release Writing Workshop for just $27.

6 Press Release Examples & Types

Beyond press release templates, checking out some press release examples is really helpful for figuring out what your own PR should contain, as well as what it should look like.

Here are some super-common press release types you’ll find in most industries, with real examples.

1. Event Announcements

Press releases are a great way to announce a big event you want to spread awareness about and hype up. The following press release announces the “Strength of a Woman Festival & Summit.”

Source: PR Newswire

2. New Product Launches (Including Book Launches)

Launching a new product deserves all the fanfare a PR can drum up. The press release we talked about earlier is a good example of a book launch PR, which is somewhat similar to a product launch.

The following press release is about the launch of a new sandwich at Subway:

Source: PR Newswire

3. Brand Mergers and Acquisitions

Big business deals, including brand mergers and acquisitions, are fodder for press releases. Here’s an example from Arctic Glacier, which acquired the company North Star Ice.

Source: Business Wire

For smaller brands, this type of press release can translate to new partnerships, collaborations, or smaller-scale business deals that have a big impact on their industry or community.

4. Survey/Study/Research Press Releases

Many companies use press releases to announce new, important research they have published in reports, studies, and surveys. This McAfee PR announcing their “Connected Family Study” is a great example:

Source: Business Wire

5. Award Announcements

Earning recognition, awards, or accolades merits a press release announcing how awesome your brand is (obviously). Here’s a good example:

Source: Newswire

6. High-Level Brand Hiring & Promotion Announcements

When a high-power company hires or promotes a high-power exec, that’s also press-release-worthy news. (Generally, whenever a lot of money gets tossed around, a copywriter will pen an online press release about it.)

Source: Business Wire

7. New Location Press Release Announcement

If you or your client’s brick-and-mortar business opens another location (or moves locations), yep, you guessed it: Announce that juicy news in a press release!

Source: Newswire

Are you seeing a theme running through all of these press release examples?

“Newsworthy” doesn’t just mean the information or announcement is important to the brand. It’s also important to the wider world, as the news will impact their community, industry, employees, or audience.

Remember that when you’re trying to determine if a piece of news warrants a press release or not. For example, if you’re just trying to spin a blog into a press release, that’s a no-go. The news you want released should have some impact on someone, somewhere.

Press Releases: Just One Piece of Your Overarching Business/Content Strategy

A well-written press release template can absolutely get you noticed, not to mention drive traffic and leads to your business (or your clients’ businesses) through the power of mentions, word-of-mouth, and increased brand awareness.

Heck, who knows? Your news story could even get featured in a major media outlet.

Learning exactly how to write press releases is thus a valuable skill for content business owners, copywriters, and entrepreneurs – whether you’re writing and submitting them for your brand, or for your clients.

If you have a gift for writing, creating press releases for clients could be a great way to get paid. (Remember, we made nearly $600,000 on press release writing alone at my content agency!)

Start your skill-building journey with press release writing skills.

I’d love to welcome you in my press release writing workshop today. Get the templates, the videos, and the how-to from yours truly and build a lasting skill. Enroll now.

The post How to Write Press Releases & Get Paid: Press Release Template & Examples appeared first on Content Hacker.

Is the process of learning how to create content for your business without burnout… defeating?

Do you feel like you’re working hard but spinning your tires and going nowhere with your content?

You’re putting in a ton of hours and working your you-know-what off without seeing the leads and ROI that you were expecting.

Been there, done that, and I know – it’s frustrating.

Luckily, that’s in the past for me. And I want to help you move forward, too.

That’s why I’m here to share my secrets and walk you through the life-changing process that eliminated my content burnout and turned my struggling business into a success.

Think of me as a marriage counselor, and I’m here to save your relationship with content.

Learn how to create content for your business using smart, simple processes that can change everything.

New around here? Want to learn my secrets on how build a 7-figure business on the power of content marketing? Sign up for my FREE training and watch now.

How to Create Content for Your Business: YouTube Video

Just How Important is Content for Your Business?

Short answer: VERY!

Google is the top dog of the search engines with a near monopoly over online search queries (more than 90%), and they tell us outright in their SEO starter guide that creating good content will likely influence your website more than any other factor.

See for yourself:

The numbers back up Google’s statement. Check out these insane content statistics:

• Every month, around 409 million people view over 20 billion web pages. (OptinMonster)
• 68% of all online experiences begin with a search engine. (BrightEdge)
• SEO traffic is 5x greater than PPC and 10x greater than social media. (Google)
• Websites that have a blog have on average 434% more indexed pages. (OptinMonster)
• There are about 6 billion searches per day on Google. Compared to the pre-pandemic daily average of 3.6 billion, that’s a 1.67% increase! There have never been more people turning to Google for answers and content. (Worldometers)
• Companies that have an active blog get 97% more links to their website. (OptinMonster)
• 70% of marketers are actively investing in content marketing. (HubSpot)

The takeaway from all of this? Content creation is an absolute MUST to build your business. But the question isn’t just how to do it – it’s how to do it successfully.

I’m living proof that content marketing works. For almost a full decade, I’ve been using blogs to build my business from the ground up.

I’ve never missed publishing at least one blog post per week since 2011. I started with less than nothing, but at one point I managed, oversaw and ran the content production for three businesses – Express Writers (which I sold in 2021), The Content Strategy Blog, and Content Hacker, not to mention I’ve produced content for more than a dozen other websites as well.

I’m much more efficient now than I was when I first started. Gone are the 12-hour work days downing coffee while developing and producing my content!

I work smarter, not harder, to produce high-quality content on a consistent basis without burning out.

As a full-time business owner, I have the freedom to leave after lunch on a Monday and know that my brands are still reaching over 100,000 visitors – and that number grows weekly thanks to the content my team and I produce.

Keep reading, and I’ll share how I do it.

The 3 Stages of Content Creation

My first content creation business, Express Writers, just turned 10 years old, and I’ve learned a lot of lessons along the way.

Content creation is not a blind shot in the dark and praying to hit the target. It’s a strategic, coordinated approach that happens in three main stages:

1. Content Creation
2. Content Publishing
3. Content Promotion

Each phase has important sub-stages, which we’ll examine in greater detail.

1. Content Creation

A lot of people assume the first stage of content creation is writing.

In reality, the first stage should predominantly be research.

Before you write a single word, you need to know your target audience and what topics will attract them. This phase also includes keyword research, search intent, and topic ideation.

The real secret to successful content creation without risking burnout – knowing what and when to delegate.

The willingness to invest in your content marketing is what separates a successful, enthusiastic content marketer from an overworked, frustrated one.

However, it’s important that you, as the business owner, make the important distinction to delegate the right tasks.

DO delegate:

• Keyword and search intent research (post-ideation)
• Most of the writing
• Image design and creation
• Formatting, optimizing, and scheduling the post
• Social media promotion

DON’T delegate:

• The ideation process
• Content goals
• Key research points
• Proofreading and editing
• Adding personal stories into the content

Key takeaway: you should never, EVER delegate the ideas.

You should always be the mastermind behind your own content marketing strategy. If you’re invited to be a guest blogger, participate in a panel of experts, or do an interview, you’d better know what topics are currently being explored on your website.

Remember not to put the cart in front of the horse. The research HAS to come before the writing. If you’re writing on nothing but a whim and a prayer without solid research beforehand, you won’t see results.

From there, set up your outline with subheadings so you can stay organized and minimize going off on tangents when you actually start writing. Using an outline also helps you keep everything formatted nicely for SEO.

Don’t forget to edit, edit, edit! If possible, have multiple eyes look over the article before it’s published.

2. Content Publishing

If you want to create and publish content on a consistent basis (which you definitely should be doing), the best way to stay on track is to create a content calendar with topics and due dates.

When you publish your content, make sure it’s search engine optimized (SEO).

What exactly does that mean?

Basically, your content should be formatted in a way that makes it easy for both your human readers and search engines like Google to skim and understand.

Your content should:

• Be organized with H2 and H3 subheaders
• Be broken up into short paragraphs
• Have both internal links as well as high-quality external links
• Be set up so links open in a new window
• Include CTAs with hyperlinks
• Feature at least some multimedia content such as infographics, videos, gifs, images, etc. with SEO-friendly alt text

Be sure to proofread and edit the final post one more time before publishing or scheduling. Nothing slashes your credibility quite like content riddled with typos and errors.

Remember that building the actual post and going through all of these SEO checks are tasks that you can be delegating to someone on your team. Don’t make more work for yourself than you have to.

3. Content Promotion

There are tons of channels to promote content. Some are better for long-form content than others (i.e. Pinterest and LinkedIn are suited for VERY different types of content).

You should already know where you audience is most active, and that will be a guiding factor in your content promotion.

My two must-have channels that I recommend for smart content promotion:

1. Promote Your Content Through Email

Schedule an email to go out with each blog post. Make sure you optimize the headline, have the “hook” or CTA before the first H2 header in the post, and double check that your link is correct.

Example of an email for one of my combo Youtube + blog on mindset and avoiding burnout:

Psst… if you need a simple, easy-to-use email marketing solution, I HIGHLY recommend ConvertKit. I’ve been using it for more than four years now. Start your free trial today.

2. Promote Your Content Through Social Media

Brainstorm new and creative ways to highlight your content on social media. Think about tools such as the swipe-up feature in Instagram stories and a scheduling app to make sure your post goes out at the right time.

Don’t forget, the blurb you (or your social media manager) write for the post can have a big impact on performance, not to mention the headline you chose for your content.

Here’s an example of how we promote our blogs through our Instagram channel:

An optional third way to promote your content would be paying to have it featured. However, let me point out that I rarely use this method. When done correctly, your content will be discovered without having to shell out dollars to get it in front of people.

Rinse and Repeat

Consistency is key when it comes to content. Once you’ve got the steps down for each phase and you know which tasks you should be delegating, you can get into the pattern of producing and publishing content.

Want to dive even deeper beyond the basics of these repeatable cycles?

A student of my mine requested a roadmap showing the process from A-Z: how to develop content, what to delegate, who to delegate to, and every sub-step in the content creation, publishing, and promotion phases.

So, I sat down and wrote this 19-page guide, and it’s available to you as well!

My process map goes through every step in how I’ve produced and managed my own successful content for a decade, all without overworking myself and sacrificing family and leisure time.

Get this POWERFUL resource.

This guide breaks down the process of content creation step-by-step, but that’s not all you need to build a sustainable, successful online business.

What else do you need?

Business skills. Strategies to grow and scale. Systems to keep it all running like clockwork, so you can step away and enjoy life, too.

The good news is I teach all of these key elements — not just content creation, but hiring, delegating, scaling, promoting, managing, and more — inside my Content Transformation System.

This mentorship program is for you if you’re stuck in the endless hamster wheel of online business building, and need to get out NOW.

Apply today and see if you’re a fit. 

The post How to Create Content for Your Business: Profitable Content Strategy with Zero Burnout appeared first on Content Hacker.

You can do it. It’s totally possible.

But how do you start???

Most people will tell you to start like this:

1. Maybe get a degree or take some fancy course
2. Offer up your services for free until you’ve built up a portfolio
3. Eventually, you’ll be “good enough” to charge for your services

Doesn’t sound like fun, does it?

It’s not.

It’s also not the only way to go about living the dream.

I’ll let you in on a little secret: you can get paid immediately as a freelance writer – even if you’ve got little to no experience under your belt. Whether you’re starting a content business or striking out as a freelance writer, here’s everything you need to know to get started and grow your career from the ground up.

Let’s go!

Here’s How You Can Start Making Money Freelance Writing Today

Everyone starts somewhere.

I started in my early 20s with $75 and no idea what I was doing except that I was going to write for my life. (As you do. )

I tried a lot of things (a lot of it didn’t work), and I talked to a lot of people (many had good ideas, some didn’t). As it turns out, it’s totally possible to make this dream a reality. You just need a few specific things.

What things?

Here’s what I discovered you absolutely must have to get paid immediately as a freelance writer:

1. A Website and/or Portfolio

And when I say a website, I don’t mean a profile on Upwork. You want your own turf to house your portfolio and blog, with no middleman getting in the way.

If that sounds daunting, take a deep breath. You don’t have to do it from scratch. There are a lot of sites out there that specialize in portfolios for writers.

That’s because a website:

• Lets you establish your thought leadership (demonstrated expertise, anyone?)
• Is better for SEO, especially when clients are searching specifically for YOU (content differentiation factor FTW!)
• Isn’t at the mercy of the platform if you get kicked off or outgrow it (I’ve been there – it’s not fun)
• Offers more freedom and flexibility to build out your site or services (and thanks to templates it’s easier than ever)
• Is easier to brand (no annoying platform logos anywhere)

If you’re just starting out and don’t have anything for your portfolio, this article is for you. It covers everything you need to know about establishing yourself as a freelance writer (including how to build a portfolio with no experience.)

Content differentiation factors aren’t just for your clients. You can use it to set yourself apart from the competition, too! (But you need a website to do it.)

2. The Skills It Takes

I use this term a lot when I’m talking about getting into freelance writing: demonstrated expertise.

It simply means that you have the hard skills that it takes to be a freelance writer, and you’re demonstrating them with the work you put in your portfolio. (That work doesn’t have to be for other clients, either. Mockups, or spec ads, are fine. Just be transparent.)

Your prospective clients want to know that you know what you’re doing before they entrust you to become the voice of the brand they worked hard to build. They want to see that you’re committed to helping their brand grow. Expect to demonstrate your skill as a growth-oriented content creator by showcasing skills like:

• Writing and editing for the internet
• Content types
• SEO
• Content strategy and marketing
• Digital marketing
• Research

3. A Means to Get Paid

If you’re working on a platform, they’ll often handle payment for you. Expect to hand over a social security number and possibly a bank account number. However, if you’re totally freelance, you’ll need a way to collect payment from your clients.

Some common payment methods include:

• PayPal
• Payoneer
• Zelle
• By business check – only do this for local clients

Most platforms take a percentage as the cost of doing business on them. Another advantage that your own website has involves eliminating this cost, but you need to be up to doing your own marketing. Source: Upwork

4. Clients Who Will Pay You on Day One

There’s a myth that you need to start out offering your services for free.

It’s not true.

In fact, you shouldn’t if you can help it. There are two reasons for this:

1. As soon as you’ve developed the hard skills you need, you’re fit to charge for your services (there’s no degree needed to become a freelance writer).

2. Some clients seek out new freelancers knowing that they can get work for cheap or free because they expect you to not have the competence or confidence to charge. These are some of the worst possible clients you can take.

Remember: If someone tries to tell you the exposure they can offer you is a great opportunity for you, politely let them know the utility company stopped accepting exposure as payment last week. They aren’t worth your time.

5 Quick Tips for Getting Paid as a Freelance Writer

Knowing that you can get paid immediately as a freelance writer – on day one – is good knowledge to have, but how do you go about actually getting paid immediately?

Just like waiters learn to gauge the right moment to drop the check, you need to know how to go about actually hitting clients up for their cash. Here are five tips I’ve learned the hard way over the years:

1. Get Payment Terms in Writing

It’s a very good idea to have a contract that you send off when you onboard a new client. Make sure you’ve got a clause in there that includes how you accept payments.

If you’re subcontracting from an agency or another freelancer, always make sure to confirm how and when payment will be received.

At Express Writers, clients pay upfront when they order content. Writers are paid after they complete an assignment. Most agencies follow a similar pattern, as do platforms like Upwork.

Some clients may be hesitant to pay upfront with individual freelancers, but be wary if the client isn’t willing to commit to milestone payments or pay half upfront.

Always spell things out clearly so you aren’t left to decipher smiley faces and other obscure lingo. Source: BBC

2. Invoice Promptly

Don’t wait around to send the invoice until you’re absolutely sure that all work is complete – that just gives the client another chance to vanish. I recommend that you either send the invoice:

• With the contract at the beginning
• With the initial draft
• On the first of the month for ongoing work

Pro tip: If you’re going to complete more than $600 worth of work, send your W-9 with your first invoice. That’s especially helpful for agencies or companies with a payroll department who need this information to release payment.

3. Create Follow-Up Sequences

Some clients will pay minutes after receiving the invoice. Those clients are both dreams and unicorns.

Most clients will take a few days or a week, and a precious few will take longer than that. Unless you’ve negotiated monthly or bimonthly payments, most businesses understand that it’s poor form to take longer than 30 days to pay their subcontractors.

Some will. In these cases, you may need to follow up. Here are some tips:

• Always be polite. Running a business is chaotic. Things get lost or misplaced. Checks take longer than they’re supposed to in the mail. Do not assume it’s the client’s fault you haven’t been paid.
• Never pester clients for payment. At best, they’ll stop working with you. At worst, you’ll undermine your lawyer if it comes to that.
• Examine your contract and resend the invoice with a polite message. They may simply have lost it in their email. If that doesn’t work…
• Send a letter to the business manager. Include your contract and the invoice, as well as a letter explaining the situation. A letter can be a little formal, so you can instead…
• Follow up with a phone call. Sometimes, a friendly phone call can be enough to get the lay of the land. Make sure to confirm if they’ve received your invoice before taking any other actions.

According to Bonsai, you can expect to be paid on time around 71 percent of the time. Source: Bonsai

4. Vet Your Prospective Clients

Here’s another secret to keep in mind when you’re just getting started: you don’t have to take every client or job who comes your way.

It’s an unfortunate part of freelancing that some people will try to scam you. The good news is that learning to spot the telltale signs of a potential con artist can save you time and frustration. Make sure to follow these rules:

• Research your prospective clients. Google the business and the people involved. See what you can dig up because word does get around.
• Pay attention for red flags when you interact with the client. If they consistently avoid the topic of money, offer vague reassurances but keep stalling, or try to rush you into completing work before a contract is even signed, beware.
• Never pay for supplies or subscriptions. Never shell out money for something at the client’s insistence, and never accept checks or payment for supplies that the client wants you to buy.
• Beware of scope creep. Scope creep occurs when a project turns out to be bigger than what was agreed or expected. It’s often accidental but sometimes it’s not. Clients that want to add more and more to projects (usually without discussing payment) are bad clients.

5. Be Known as a Professional

Finally, remember that your clients will take you as seriously as you take yourself. Present professionally and you will be treated professionally.

This is one area where having a good work ethic comes in handy. Clients who are impressed will pay promptly because they feel good about handing over their cash.

Likewise, if you’re lazy about deadlines and sending invoices, expect clients to respond by being lazy about paying you.

Lazy ants get no crumbs. Source: Calvin and Hobbes

You CAN Get Paid Immediately as a Freelance Writer

It’s totally possible to get paid immediately as a freelance writer even if you don’t have all that much experience under your belt. I’ve outlined the four things you need to get started today, plus provided a handful of actionable tips to ensure that you get paid on time by clients who LOVE what you do as much as you do.

Of course, there’s a lot to learn when you’re diving into the world of freelance writing. While you don’t need a degree, you do need specific skills (and knowledge of how to demonstrate those skills) to win clients and do good work.

If you’re missing those skills, and are looking for strategies and systems to build, market, and scale your freelance writing business, I have a solution for you.

The Content Transformation System is my 12-month mentorship program that gives you every single piece you’re missing if your brand is struggling.

Learn how to:

• Overcome burnout and stagnation
• Implement repeatable systems you can use to bring in leads and sales on autopilot
• Discover strategies to market and scale your brand effectively while keeping your sanity
• Get the skills you need to map out your product-market fit, create amazing content, launch your website, pitch to clients, and more

Ready to do this thing? Apply today for The Content Transformation System.

The post Do You Get Paid Immediately As a Freelance Writer? appeared first on Content Hacker.

According to Indeed, that’s the average annual income of freelance writers in the U.S.

​Average – ​not the high end.

And you read that right – even without a degree.

A question new students ask me is whether they need a degree to be a freelance writer.

Short answer:

Generally, no.

Long answer:

There are a lot of successful writers out there who don’t have a degree in anything, let alone one in English, communications, journalism, or any other “education requirement” you’ll find listed on Google.

I don’t have a degree (actually I’m a college dropout) and I made it work.

You can, too.

So, if writing is your passion and dream job but you’re feeling down at the degree requirements that get bandied around, chin up!

Here’s a bit of good news:

Freelance Writing Is a Results-Driven Career That Emphasizes Skills

There’s a myth out there that you need some fancy writing degree to make a living writing.

It’s not true.

The neat thing about freelancing is that it really is a meritocracy. Anyone can get started, and anyone can learn the skills.

Your clients are going to look at your past performance first, and your demonstrated skillset next. When it comes to a writer, they want to see that:

• Your writing rocks. They’re paying you for flawless grammar, smooth sentences, and punchy headlines that stop scrollers in their tracks. You prove this every time you type – from client communications to the final invoice.
• You’ve got your content types down. Writing marketing emails requires different skills than writing web copy or white papers. You prove this with your portfolio.
• You can convert customers and boost brands. 90% of the time, your job is to grow a brand’s reach, authority, and fan base using only words. You prove this using metrics.

Sure, some people have a talent for writing. That doesn’t mean they’ll be a great freelance writer.

To succeed in this gig, you need a whole assortment of skills. Those, my friend, you can learn.

Except in Very Specific Cases, You Don’t Need a Degree to Be a Freelance Writer

When you’re searching for freelance writing jobs, you might come across job postings where a degree is required. In my experience, those fall into two categories:

1. They’re exploitative, clueless, or the post was machine-generated. Are they asking for the moon on a stick, desiring only the brightest and the best? The pay and position better reflect it – if it doesn’t, it’s a red flag. Move on to another one that does.
2. It’s a regulated industry and they need someone who really knows what they’re talking about. You’ll typically encounter these jobs in the business, finance, medicine, legal and scientific industries. In these cases, there’s specific knowledge and expertise you must have that you can’t self-teach. You need a degree to qualify for writing on this topic.

When It’s Not Necessary, But Helpful to Have a Degree

One other instance exists when it’s helpful to possess a degree in the topic on which you’re writing.

Can you guess? (I talk about it a lot).

It’s when you’re writing a piece of content that would fall under Your Money or Your Life (YMYL).

YMYL is a special quality category in the Google evaluator guidelines for any content that may potentially impact a person’s health, wealth, safety, or future happiness. In these cases, Google looks extra carefully at both the quality of the content, and the quality of the content creator. A degree can help when:

• You’ll have a byline or an author bio where it can be mentioned to help build authority
• You spot a YMYL content project and have additional qualifications to include when bidding or making a proposal
• You’re trying to establish yourself in a niche as an authority writer

4 Things You DO Need to Be a Freelance Writer

You don’t need a degree to be a freelance writer. You also don’t need to:

• Be super talented and perfect
• Have an office
• Buy a fancy laptop and writing software

That’s not to say you don’t need anything at all. It’s simple to get into freelance writing, but you do need a few things.

If you’re just getting started as a freelance writer and want to succeed ASAP, I recommend these four things:

1. (The Right) Technical Skills

There’s a lot more that goes into making a living writing, especially making a living writing online. You need to know:

• The right type of writing. News flash: You aren’t writing essays anymore, so make sure your writing skills are up to date. You’re writing engaging, edifying pieces that grow brands and audiences.
• Content strategy and marketing. Knowing how to write is great but you must also know what to write. And what should you write to become a growth-focused content creator? Pieces that meet the specific goal of aligning your clients’ business strategy with their content.
• SEO. You should have a working knowledge of search engine optimization since it affects the way you create content.
• Storytelling. Want to connect with readers? Find the story and tell it. Good writers (and good marketers) know how to spin a tale that keeps an audience fascinated.
• Content types. You’ll need to master a variety of content types as they’ve each got their own nuances.

2. Soft Skills for Freelancing

Freelancing is hard. From day one, you’re responsible for everything on both the business and employee sides. The buck stops with you – and the hammer falls on you if you screw up.

Curious self-starters with a passion for learning do well as freelancers. That’s because you’ll find yourself learning things like:

• Active listening
• Networking
• Leadership
• Self-discipline
• Conflict resolution
• Communication
• Project management

Some freelancers manage to go at it solo. Others will transition into a content writing business. Any way you go, get ready to wear many hats with (seeming) ease. You’ll need to develop a whole array of skills you never even knew existed.

3. A Solid Work Ethic

If you take nothing else from all of this, take this: if you’re known for having a rock-solid work ethic, you’ll always have work.

You’d be surprised at the number of freelancers (writers or otherwise) who don’t have a great work ethic. I’ve met more than a few in my day.

Treat your freelancing like a job because it is one. And freelancing isn’t a job where you can drop the ball and a coworker will pick up the slack. If you don’t consistently follow through, present your best work, and always take it seriously, you’ll start having trouble finding work before long.

4. A Portfolio

Last but not least, you need a portfolio… even if you’re just starting out.

Think of your portfolio like your resume. It demonstrates to future clients that you know what you’re doing and shows them what sort of value they’ll get out of hiring you.

I cover how to build a portfolio website in detail, but here are a few pointers. Your portfolio should:

• Include your best work. Use paid and non-paid pieces. Spec ads or copy are also perfectly acceptable when you’re just starting out, but you should label it clearly.
• Check with clients before posting. Get clearance from your clients first, especially if you’re writing sensitive things like whitepapers.
• Never disclose the authorship of ghostwritten material. This includes everything from web articles to books. It’s bad form. Don’t do it.
• Stay fresh and updated. Since SEO and content best practices change over time, review your portfolio so that it reflects current practices.

Remember: Portfolios are about demonstrated expertise, not experience. Once you’ve got the hard skills down, you’ve got the expertise to show no matter how early you are in this game!

Be More Than a Freelance Writer: Be a Content Hacker

You don’t need a degree to be a freelance writer – I’m living proof and so are many of my students. However, you DO need a few specific hard and soft skills to succeed both as a freelancer and as a writer online. I’ve covered those skills and given you a bunch of actionable tips on getting started as a freelance writer.

But you don’t have to settle for being yet another freelance writer on the internet in the 2020s. Set yourself up for lasting success by learning the skills you need to become a growth-focused business builder — not just a freelancer.

For example, imagine the freedom of running a business with smart delegation to a few fantastic hires, with your marketing running smoothly in the background and bringing in leads on autopilot thanks to the incredible content you publish on your blog.

You could become the head honcho of a content operation versus a struggling freelancer scraping the barrel for clients and hustling to do it all yourself.

Good news: I teach you exactly how to do it in my Content Transformation System.

In this one-of-a-kind coaching program, I give you the skills, systems, and strategies to build your business sustainably, whether you’re starting from scratch or ready to scale.

If you’re raring to move from freelancer to business owner, if you’re ready to get out the grunt work of running/building your biz, apply today to learn a better way to grow.

To get a taste of my program and methodology, watch our free training (customize to your level—new or established), here.

The post Do You Need a Degree to Be a Freelance Writer? (Hint: Nope! Here’s Why) appeared first on Content Hacker.

How do you know your SEO writing techniques will, well, work?

This question is more vital than it’s ever been.

There are 6 billion searches a day that now happen on Google.

(That’s up from 3.5 billion in January of 2020! )

Today, more than 90% of the world’s online traffic now originates from search. (Sparktoro)

What this means is you have the opportunity to reach a MASSIVE number of people if you have quality, SEO-optimized content.  

In this blog, I’ll show you three foundational SEO writing techniques that win.

Ready to dive in?

3 SEO Writing Techniques That Will Work to Get Your Written Content to Rank in Google (Video)

The 3 Techniques I Use to Rank in the Top of Google in No Time

In the nine years of running my content agency Express Writers, we’ve been able to rank for 20,000 keywords on Google. 400 of these keywords are indexed in the top results. And what’s amazing is that it takes only 30-60 days for my content to start ranking in Google’s top 10.

So how do I do it?

Here’s my 3-step SEO writing technique-based strategy.

1. Find the Right Keyword

The first step is to find a high search volume, low competition keyword to write your content around.

Remember, it’s a great idea to go for a long-tail keyword. Long-tail keywords have a lower difficulty score, plus people searching for them have higher buying intent. For example, someone searching for “little black dress for prom” is closer to buying than someone simply searching for “black dress.”

Here’s how I map out keywords on one of my favorite keyword research tools KWFinder.

As you can see, the keyword “press release sample” has a keyword difficulty score of 42. Go for a score below 40 if your site is new. For more established sites, you can go for a score below 60.

Another great tool you can use is SEMrush. SEMrush not only allows you to do keyword research, but also helps you keep track of which keywords you’re ranking for and how well you match up against your competitors.

2. Write and Optimize for Both Google and Readers

Once I have my keyword ready, I work towards writing a long-form, comprehensive piece that will show up on Google’s top SERPs AND answer readers’ questions.

Here are seven things to keep in mind.

Step 1. Go In-Depth

Don’t merely scratch the surface of your topic. Flimsy, worthless content will turn your readers off. And Google will notice.

Instead, go comprehensive. Write 2,000-word pieces. Add in power stats, graphs, and stories.

Here’s an example of one of my Write Blogs that ranks #1 for the keyword “press release samples.” If you go over and look at it, you’ll see it’s LONG and DEEP with 3,500 words, multiple subheadings, images, examples, and stats.

Need to learn every step in SEO writing, stat? Enroll in my SEO writing course.

Step 2. Plug in Great Graphics and Social Sharing Options

Graphics give readers a break from the monotony of text. As a rule of thumb, I try to add in an image for every 400 words of text. For example, I had 15-16 images created for the post above.

Bonus: add some ‘tweetable’ snippets that make it easy for your audience to share your content. Here’s how it looks in the blog using the Click to Tweet Plugin for WordPress:

Step 3. Optimize your Headline and URL

Add your keyword into your content’s headline, but make sure it’s not forced. In the example above, I worked the keyword “press release samples” into a natural, enticing headline.

Also, keep your URL neat with your keyword placed nicely into it.

Step 4. Optimize with Great H2s and H3s

Treat your subheadings like mini headlines. They should have a variation of your keyword and be crafted to encourage readers to continue reading.

Step 5. Make Sure Links Open up in a New Tab

You don’t want your readers to leave your page early on. To lessen your bounce rate, make sure links open in separate tabs.

Step 6. Add a Call to Action

You want your readers to act and buy your product or service, but you don’t want to be spammy. To achieve balance, go for natural CTAs that are related to what you’re talking about.

For example, in my press release piece, I link to our Express Writers press release services.

Step 7. Add in a Meta Title and Description

If you’re using the Yoast SEO plugin, all you need to do is write an enticing description of your post. Make sure to add your keyword in both meta title and description.

3. SEO Writing Technique #3: Remember, Consistency is Key

If you want your SEO efforts to pay off, you need to be diligent and consistent. Publishing content whenever the mood strikes you will never translate into results.

As a rule of thumb, stick to publishing 2-3 posts per week. However, never push out a post you’re not sure of. Quality trumps quantity every single time.

SEO Writing Techniques to Get You Winning in the SERPs

If you’re new to content writing, the term “SEO techniques” can be intimidating.

But the truth is, it’s not.

All SEO stands for is to give users the best experience when they search online.

And when you follow the three steps I use to optimize my content, you will fulfill this goal right off the bat.

If you want to learn the full arsenal of SEO writing skills, check out my comprehensive course The Expert SEO Content Writer Course.

The post 3 SEO Writing Techniques That Work to Push Your Site Up in Google & Help You Get Found (Video Recap) appeared first on Content Hacker.

You’ve always loved writing.

…After you graduate college, you immediately set out to take the world of online writing by storm.

You craft a beautiful, in-depth piece that would do your professor proud, confidently thinking of all those A’s you got on your writing assignments in college.

You polish that piece until it shines.

You publish it on your brand-new site. Then, you wait confidently for the legion of readers who will like, comment on, and share it.

No one comes.

You wait a day, a week, a month.

But even the readers who do land on your site bounce the minute they see your content.

You decide to try applying for a writing job…

And after the tenth position, you realize there’s a pattern.

Your potential writing clients have stopped emailing you back after they saw your writing samples.

Radio silence.

What’s going on? Didn’t you rock college writing back in the day?

Well, here’s the thing.

Being a rockstar college essay writer and being a rockstar online writer are two COMPLETELY different things.

In this blog and YouTube video, I’ll teach you how to “unlearn” the essay writing style that’s driving your readers away, and then learn the online writing standards that will earn real results.

Want in-depth help unlearning sticky, bad writing habits, and learning online writing skills that work? After a successful beta launch, my Unlearn Essay Writing program is now open and enrolling.

The Online Writing Standards You Need to Know (Video)

7 Rules for Online Writing that Pulls in an Audience

Follow these rules, and you’ll never again scare your online audience away.

1. Stick to Typo-Free, Well-Polished, High-Quality Online Writing

Online writing doesn’t mean sloppy writing.

Before you publish, make sure to go over your content with a fine-toothed comb. Get rid of typos and grammar mistakes.

Remember, you want to gain your audience’s trust and it’s impossible to achieve this with careless writing. 

2. Throw Out the Styling Nuances Your Professor Taught You in College: They Don’t Work in Online Writing

We all know what a college essay looks like. Wordy, stuffy writing that will put the stoutest reader to sleep.

Here’s an example of the essay style vs. what good online writing should look like.

On the left, we have heavy paragraphs and big words. Imagine your distracted, time-pursued online readers. Would they stick around to wade through all that text? You got it: nope.

On the right, we have shorter paragraphs. The sentences are direct, the words simple, and the content broken up by subheadings. The flow is easier on the eyes, and you can imagine online readers sticking around for this one. (I bet you would too. )

3. Never Double Space Between Paragraphs in Online Writing

If your college professor taught you to hit that enter button twice between paragraphs, you need to unlearn that formatting habit and stick to single spacing. Always.

4. Keep Your Online Writing Paragraphs and Sentences Short

An online reader is different from your typical reader.  

She doesn’t have a quiet corner, a cup of tea, and hours of time to dive into beautiful, spellbinding literature.

Instead, she’s inundated with distractions. There are pop-up ads. Social media notifications. Demanding emails from her boss. Instant messages from friends. 

To keep her attention, you need to be as brief as possible. Cut the fluff and tell her immediately what she needs to hear. And then stop.

5. Stay Updated on Changing Internet Grammar Rules for Accurate Online Writing

The scary part is internet grammar is always changing. For example, did you know that the word “internet” was once capitalized?

To maintain authority online, you need to walk the thin line between uneducated and outdated in your writing.

One way to achieve this is to grab great resources that deal with writing and grammar rules.

Here are three I recommend.

#1. How to Write Copy That Sells: The Step-By-Step System for More Sales, to More Customers, More Often, by Ray Edwards

This book highlights the use of bullet points in your content, capital case for email subject lines, and a host of useful tips for strong online writing.

#2. The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr.  (Author), E. B. White (Author)

This book dives deep into the details of good grammar in a simple, readable way. While some of the rules don’t apply to online writing, you can find a ton of great advice to help you shape powerful, engaging, readable content. (For example, they’re pro Oxford comma.)

#3. Grammar Girl’s Podcast and Resources

Grammar Girl has been around for a while, and her resources are top-notch. Plus, she’s always sharing new info to help you stay on top of current trends.

6. Unlearn the Habit of Writing Sticky Sentences

A sticky sentence has bloated, useless, meaningless words. If you stuff your writing with these sentences, your reader will feel exhausted simply trying to get what you’re saying.

Here’s an example of a sticky sentence (and how I rewrote it to be better).

Follow these four steps to quit writing sticky sentences once and for all.

#1. Read Your Content Aloud

Does it sound natural? Does it flow well? Do you feel like you’re talking to a friend?

If not, there’s something wrong with it. 

#2. Go over each paragraph 3x

That’s right! Three whole times. You’ll be surprised to find how much you can improve even after two rounds of serious edits.

#3. Cut Icky Words and Phrases Relentlessly

Scrutinize each word or phrase and ask yourself, “Is this crucial to the meaning of my sentence?”

If it’s not, cut it.

#4. Rewrite Your Sentences to Flow Better

Once you’ve removed the fluff from your writing, rewrite your sentences so they flow smoothly into each other.

7. Stick to the Right POV

In online content, the second person point of view is the most important. This is because you want to connect with your readers and make them feel like they’re the heroes of the story.

How to Wow Your Audience with Your Online Writing

Sadly, being a rock star college writer does nothing to prepare you for the world of online writing.

The good news?

Where you are is a great place to start.

You already have a passion for writing. You know the basics of good grammar.

Now, all you need to do is “unlearn” the sticky styling nuances of essay writing…and absorb the standards of online writing.

Soon enough, you’ll have your own legion of fans.

If you want to truly go in-depth on “unlearning” the bad habits of essay writing (and learning how to craft content your audience will devour), check out my course, Unlearn Essay Writing.

The post Unlearning ‘Sticky’ Essay Style Writing: What You Need to Know to Switch Gears to Online Writing (Video Recap) appeared first on Content Hacker.

More and more people are turning to online work, including learning how to write and get paid online. They’re finding ways to turn their passions into a career.

From 2005 to 2018, online work grew by 159%. And during the pandemic, over half of the U.S. population worked from home, with 70% of companies transitioning to hybrid work models for the foreseeable future.

If becoming a freelance writer and writing online for income is at the top of your list, this guide is for you. I’ll teach you everything you need to know to start getting paid to write quickly, even if you have little to no experience.

I’ll cover:

• The hard and soft skills you need to succeed to become a working online writer
• How to create a portfolio even if you’ve never landed a writing client in your life
• A few things I learned the hard way (that would have made my life easier if I knew them before)

By the time you’re through, you’ll know exactly what you need to do to get started. You’ll learn how to get paid to write online.

Let’s go!

How to Get Paid to Write Online: What’s Inside

Part 1. Learn the Skills You Need in the 2020s to Get Paid to Write

Part 2. Create Your Writing Portfolio (Even If You Have No “Experience”)

Part 3. Places to Look to Get Paid to Write

Part 4. Getting Paid to Write: Why the Riches Are (Still) in the Niches

Part 5. Other Tips, Tricks & Things to Be Aware of When Getting Started Writing & Freelancing

Part 1. Learn the Skills You Need in the 2020s to Get Paid to Write

The beauty of the internet is that anyone can teach themselves skills and build a career from scratch. In fact, people sit down every day and figure out how to get paid to write online.

You can be one of them. It’s totally possible.

If you’re approaching writing online as a career for the first time, and have little or no experience, that’s all right! Freelance writing is a viable, thriving career even in the 2020s.

Of course, a big part of getting paid to write online involves understanding the skills you need. Here’s a closer look at the soft skills and the hard skills that you must develop to succeed.

First: Do You Have What It Takes to Freelance? A Word About Soft Skills

I’ve worked with freelancers for over a decade, so allow me to let you in on a little secret:

Despite the fact that 36% of the U.S. population works as independent contractors, not everyone is cut out for the freelance life.

There are a lot of people out there who frankly shouldn’t go into self-employment as a writer or as anything else. 

Freelancing is not a walk in the park. You’ll need certain soft skills to succeed, including:

• A solid work ethic. Do you have follow-through? Will you meet deadlines without fail and always present your best work? A lot of freelancers don’t. Guess what? Clients and agencies also stop sending them work before long. This is by far one of the most important skills you need to keep in mind as you get ready to get paid to write online.
• Good communication. From comments in your writing to emails with clients and editors, you’ll need to know how to present yourself professionally and communicate in a way that moves the project forward. (Here are some great tips for professional communication for freelancers.)
• Research skills. How do you write authoritatively on a topic you know little to nothing about? Simple: Have stellar research skills. You don’t necessarily need to know everything about a topic, but you DO need to know where to find the information you need.
• Active listening and asking questions. Interviewing clients is hard. So is discerning what the client really means when they type something out in a creative brief. You’ll not only need to develop the ability to understand what’s really before you but also to ask the right questions to get the information you need.
• Networking. Finding clients presents its own challenges (we’ll look at that below), but do you know how to find other professionals? Editors? Subcontract writers? A business manager? There are all sorts of ways to network, from LinkedIn to joining skills academies where you can connect with other like-minded professionals.

The Hard Skills You’ll Need to Get Paid to Write Online

It’s often said that success is half sweat, half skill. If you’ve got the soft skills above, then you’ve got the mindset you need to thrive as a freelancer. But if you really want to get paid to write online in 2020 and beyond, you need some specific technical expertise:

• SEO. You may not necessarily specialize in SEO writing, but you must be aware of the best practices surrounding it. In the 2020s, SEO remains a major feature of writing. I recommend that you learn basics like keyword research, identifying good quality links, and how to use keywords in your writing so that you rank while sounding totally natural.
• Content types. Not all content is the same, and you’ll need to master the various types that exist.
• Content strategy and marketing. It’s all but taken over the online writing industry. Again, you don’t need to be a guru at it, but you should be familiar with how and why online content is most effective when it aligns with a brand’s business goals.
• Digital marketing. You should have a solid grasp on digital marketing topics. This will help you if you write landing pages, social media content, or similar advertising copy.
• Writing for the web. You probably learned a very distinct way of writing in school – but it won’t help you get paid to write online. Consider reviewing the basics of writing for the web, or even taking a course.
• Storytelling. Angles aren’t just for polygons and journalists. Knowing how to tell a good story will amplify the effectiveness of your writing, especially if you choose to specialize as a growth-focused content writer.

If you want to dive into top resources to follow and learn from, check out my free Content Hacker educational resource list.

Part 2. Create Your Writing Portfolio (Even If You Have No “Experience”)

So, you’ve been studying the skills you need to get paid to write online. You may even already have most of them, which brings us to our next step: putting together your portfolio so you can start winning clients. At this point, you may be asking yourself:

How on earth do you do that without any experience?

I hear you. In fact, a lot of my students have asked me this exact question. Here’s what I recommend you do.

(In my Content Transformation System, I walk you through EVERY step of creating a brand content strategy, step-by-step. I also teach you the skills, systems, and strategies you need to start, grow, or scale your biz successfully and sustainably. Ready to make the leap from freelancer to business owner? Learn more about CTS and apply here.)

1. Collect 3-5 of Your Best Pieces From All Sources

A wealth of tutorials and information exists about learning how to write for money online. As you research, you may even come across courses you decide to take. You’ll notice that good ones will usually have assignments and “homework” for you to do.

This isn’t just to keep you busy. It’s supposed to help you create presentable pieces that you can use early on to promote your services.

Remember: It’s okay to use mock-ups and “samples.” Just make sure that you label these as such in your portfolio.

2. Write a Bio

Create a simple bio for yourself that highlights your professional interests, skills, and experience. Make sure to include your position (“freelance writer” or “copywriter” or “SEO writer”) and sell yourself. A photo is also a good idea to help potential clients get a sense of your vibe.

While it’s okay to include interesting factoids about yourself, I would caution you against things like how many pets you own or your favorite flavor of tea unless they directly relate to your writing or specialty. Including things like how you live in northern Vermont with three cats, your spouse, and two kids simply isn’t relevant, interesting, or polished.

Pro-Tip: It’s a good idea to create a “longer” bio for your portfolio and a shorter version for things like blog posts and social media. You can always link to your portfolio there and drive interested people to your site.

Your professional bio is an opportunity to showcase your personality. Source: HubSpot

3. Pull It All Together in a Simple, Modern Portfolio

Armed with writing samples and a bio, you’re ready to create a site.

It doesn’t need to be a complicated one – in fact, at first, it shouldn’t be. Your focus should be telling your potential clients who you are, what you do, and how they can contact you.

If you’ve got the skills and gumption to build it yourself, you can get a web host and download WordPress. I only recommend this route if you’re able to build a site with a modern, professional presentation.

Otherwise, plenty of resources exist that make it super easy. Consider one of these hosts specifically designed for writers who need portfolios:

• Clippings.Me. Easily create a customizable portfolio and upload an unlimited amount of “clips” (online links or PDFs of your work).
• Journo Portfolio. This site is free, lets you choose from a variety of cool, customizable themes, and is easy to use. It’s mobile-friendly, too!
• Pressfolios. This journalist-friendly site lets you organize your body of work in a quick and easy way.

Part 3. Places to Look to Get Paid to Write

You’ve got the skills and you’ve got a portfolio to prove it. You’re now ready to hit the keyboard and find your first clients. YAY!

If you got onto Google and searched “freelance writing jobs” you probably came across something like this:

Cool! But then you clicked on it and saw things like this:

And not just one. There are dozens of jobs that pay less than what you’d make waiting tables for tips only.

Low-paying gigs are a reality of the online freelance writing world. And if you’re just starting out, it’s easy to believe that you have to settle for this because you’re “a beginner.”

You can not only get paid to write online, but you can – and deserve to – be paid well.

There are two routes you can consider: working with an agency or going solo. I’ll look at both right here.

Working with an Agency

An agency can be a shortcut into getting paid to write online. Many hire writers as subcontractors to handle gigs, and they can be a great place to start. I’ve written a guide on how to apply for jobs for you to consider.

There are numerous pros to working with an agency:

• They handle clients for you. That can be a load off your shoulders if you’re just starting out or don’t want to deal with it.
• They can mean steady work quickly. Agencies pick up freelance writers to handle overflow that their own writers can’t take. They can hire you and hand you work that day.
• You might be able to work with a local agency. Look on Indeed for content marketing, branding, digital marketing, SEO, or writing agencies in your area.
• Many will train you into other areas. Many agencies help their writers develop skills because it’s a win-win situation when they do good work.

There are also some disadvantages:

• Some don’t pay well. In general, expect them to charge between 40 and 60% above what they’re paying you.
• You need to be careful with NDAs. It’s not unusual for agencies to forbid you from using anything you create for them in a public-facing portfolio.

Going at It Solo

Many people also get paid to write online by going at it solo. This can be a great option if you truly value freedom. But the onus is wholly on you to bring in the dough.

There are advantages to going at it alone:

• More freedom and flexibility. You have much more freedom with what you charge, how you work with clients, and you choose to work with.
• Unlimited earnings potential. You don’t have an agency taking a cut.
• It’s a good option if you want to build a reputation. You’ll have a byline and be able to advance your own authority.

But there are also some disadvantages:

• Greater vulnerability to scams. It’s an unfortunate reality that some people will try to scam you. I’ll look at some common ones in section five.
• It can be a lot more work. All marketing, client attraction, and project management will fall directly onto your shoulders.

Going solo is right for many people, and neither option is ultimately better or worse. As you’re just getting started, you may want to try doing both to see which you like better.

Looking for clients and gigs can also be more challenging. In general, there are two things you can do:

• Cold emailing. Spend some time researching companies you want to work for and approach them. You’ll need to learn how to pitch yourself, and those networking skills will come in handy. Be careful not to spend too much wasted time here. Some freelancers swear by cold emailing, but as of this year I think it’s getting overly saturated. It doesn’t work for me — full disclosure.
• Working on a platform. Many platforms exist where writers (and other freelancers) can sign up to access clients. This makes the marketing easier, but there’s more competition. Additionally, most platforms take a cut as payment for connecting you with clients. Here are 50 places for you to look for work.

Part 4. Get Paid to Write: Why the Riches Are (Still) in the Niches

Ever hear that saying?

Conventional wisdom holds that you’ll make more money if you specialize, rather than become a generalist. In writing online, that’s true.

Although you should be able to write competently on a wide range of topics, developing a specialty lets you delve deep into a particular topic.

The better you know the topic, the more likely people will seek you out for your expertise in it.

If you don’t already have a niche, don’t worry. Many writers start out as generalists. This can be a great way to identify interests and hone your skills early on. However, you should keep your eyes peeled for lucrative, interesting niches that you would be interested in pursuing.

When it comes to writing online, there are three ways to niche down:

1. Niche by Industry

Specializing by industry is perhaps one of the most common ways to niche down in the writing world. In fact, most job listings that you see will prefer writers with specific industry expertise.

One advantage of specializing by industry is that it allows you to niche down further. For example, if your industry of experience is cybersecurity, you might niche down further by:

• Working with cybersecurity startups
• Ghostwriting for cybersecurity
• Specializing in content strategy for cybersecurity firms

When you first get started with getting paid to write online, keep your eye open for industry niches that interest you. You can always go more specific from there.

2. Niche by Content Type

Another common way for writers to niche down include specializing in content types. This is a great way to develop expertise in specific types of documents, many of which frequently have technical requirements that you must master. This allows you to raise your rates far beyond what a generalist would be able to do.

Some common examples of niching by content type include:

• Ghostwriters. These are writers who craft documents or content where someone else gets the byline.
• SEO writers. These writers specialize in SEO content.
• Grant writers. These writers only do grant writing.

Like with industry, content-type niches can go further. For example, you may specialize in grant writing for a specific type of non-profit, or niche into executive ghostwriting. Other content-type niches include:

• Resumes
• Product descriptions
• Emails and e-newsletters
• Scriptwriting
• Speeches
• Proposals
• eBooks

3. Niche by Approach

Niching down by approach is a new philosophy that’s appearing in online writing. In essence, rather than specializing in an industry or content type, you’ll brand yourself based on your approach to writing.

For example, I consider myself a growth-focused content writer. That means my approach is designed to grow your brand and its reach.

Other approaches include:

• Conversion-oriented. That’s a writer whose approach emphasizes conversion. Copyhackers is perhaps the most well-known voice of this niche.
• Investigative. Although you typically see investigative writing in relation to journalism, this is a writer who focuses on original research and uncovering original stories.
• UI or UX focused. UX content, or content meant to enhance the user experience, qualifies as a content type. It’s also a philosophy that suggests good content is good UX because it’s rooted in user needs.

(Want more ideas about how to get paid to write online? Check out my book: So, You Think You Can Write.)

Part 5. Other Tips, Tricks & Things to Be Aware of When Getting Started Writing & Freelancing

At this point, you should have a pretty good sense of what it takes to get paid to write online. Hopefully, you’ve also been able to compare where you stand and think about the next steps you need to take.

I’d like to round out this guide with a few tips and tricks that I’ve learned from being a freelancer for over a decade.

Here are four things you should absolutely do as early as possible in your freelancing career to maximize success, ones you might not have considered:

1. Set Up Your Office for Comfortable Functionality

You’d think that working from home is a cakewalk – after all, your commute is 20 seconds and you get to spend all day in your PJs, cozied up with your pet and favorite mug.

And you can. They don’t tell you how sore you might be from it, though.

Working from home catches people off-guard with how stressful it can be. However, part of that stress occurs because we’re rarely set up with ergonomic solutions. Forcing your body to lounge on soft pillows without the proper support will take its toll.

You don’t need to rush out and buy a whole new office, but you should put some thought into your workspace.

Check out this guide on creating your dream home office with ergonomic solutions to stay happy and productive.

Setting up your office is an opportunity to establish physical boundaries for a work-life balance… something freelancers are notoriously bad at! Source: deMilked

2. Get Familiar with Tools but Don’t Overdo It

Feeling overwhelmed by the number of tools and apps out there? If you check out my Content Hacker starter kit, you’ll find close to 40 of them.

There are tons. And yes – your clients will expect you to know at least a few of them.

Many of these tools come with pricey subscriptions, and that can prove daunting if you’re just starting out. However, as much as possible, I highly recommend that you take a moment to play with some of the major tools used by writers in your specific niche or industry. That may include even the free trial versions. This way, you aren’t blindsided when a client suddenly starts referencing metrics in Ahrefs or rankings in SEMrush.

Here are the big ones I recommend you review:

• Ahrefs. It’s an SEO tool set that’s most commonly referenced when it comes to link-building.
• SEMrush. It’s a go-to for SEO, content marketing, and competitive research.
• Google Analytics. Almost anyone who has a site uses Google Analytics to track traffic and content performance.
• Google Office. From sharing documents to collaborating on creative briefs, expect to use it. A lot.
• Alexa. Yes, the service by Amazon is a great way to check out site performance and research content.
• Slack. A collaboration tool, it’s becoming more common for teams to keep in touch with each other.
• CoSchedule. A leader in the content strategy industry, it’s great for topic planning as well as learning how to make the most out of your content.

3. Learn About Taxes A.S.A.P.

Another common subject that blindsides new freelancers? Taxes.

In case you didn’t know, freelancers in the U.S. fall into a special tax category with the IRS. You must follow certain rules, but you also have certain privileges that traditional employees don’t. In particular:

• Get in the habit of saving money. You’re responsible for both the business and personal taxes from everything you earn. You’ll pay a self-employment tax, plus federal and state income taxes. Your tax bill will be somewhere between 15-25% of your annual income every April.
• Learn if you need to file quarterly. Check the IRS website for guidance on this.
• Understand what it means to be an independent contractor. The IRS lays out an exact definition of an independent contractor. This includes what clients can and cannot force you to do.

Working with an accountant can help you get the most out of your tax deductions – but be careful with them. Freelancers are more likely to be audited than other professionals. Source: Debbie Ridpath Ohi.

4. Keep Your Eyes Peeled for Scammers

It’s an unfortunate reality with online work that scammers exist everywhere. I’ve come across many as a freelance writer over the last decade (and even fallen for one or two!). Many are quite clever and experienced at what they do. Keep your eyes peeled and your wits about you. If it feels wrong, it is!

Some common scams that exist in freelance writing online:

• Extensive “samples” to “test” you or “determine writing quality.” A portfolio is your first line of defense against this. Legitimate clients will never ask for free articles, product descriptions, or anything else. Some agencies might, but this should never be more than a paragraph or so.
• Clients who want to take you off-platform. If you’re working on Upwork or another platform, you may come across clients who want to take communications off the site. Be very careful doing this, as some clients will ghost you after taking the final product. And since you violated Upwork terms by going off the platform, they won’t do anything.
• Clients who want you to deposit checks, purchase certain things for a project, or otherwise send money to places. Although it might sound obvious when stated like that, similar scams have successfully conned people out of thousands of dollars in 2020 alone. If they’re asking for money from you, look twice!
• Fake job posting scams. You’ll find them most frequently on Craigslist, but they exist everywhere. The job doesn’t actually exist. They just want your information.
• Tax document phishing scams. Be wary of clients that want you to submit tax documents to them. You should never hand over anything other than a W2 or a W4 – and you should definitely never do it on a platform like Upwork, where the platform handles that information for you.

Summary: You CAN Get Paid to Write

If there’s anything you took away from this, I hope it’s this one thing: You CAN get paid to write online and you CAN turn your passion for writing into a career.

I’ve covered everything you need to know, from skills to things to beware as you set out on your new career.

Freelance writing is a fun, challenging, and fast-paced career that demands a commitment to constant learning. It’s been a wild ride of the past decade, and I’m looking forward to the next ten years.

So, don’t be shy!

Get started today as a freelance writer and get paid to write online.

…Or, if you’re ready to move beyond freelancing altogether…

If you’re looking to start your own writing/content business…

Good on you! You’re in the right place. 

I built my Content Transformation System with YOU in mind.

I’m here to coach creative entrepreneurs on how to build their businesses sustainably using proven systems, skills, and strategies — the exact same ones I used to build a 7-figure business through content marketing.

You’ll get 1:1 help on building an entire set of creative/business skills, but also a complete roadmap to growing your business and getting your marketing running like clockwork.

Ready to get more out of your life by building a powerful digital business through content, and leading a business and marketing plan that DOESN’T suck you dry?

Apply today!

The post How to Get Paid to Write Online (Quickly & with Little to No Experience) appeared first on Content Hacker.

You’ve finally found your DREAM JOB.

You know the months of searching and questioning what you really want are over.

Your career can take off and every day will now be exciting, inspirational, and successful (because it’s true—success is 1000% about doing what you love).

But suddenly a roadblock jumps out and hits you in the face.

It’s just two words, but it changes your horizon from sunny to bleak.

WRITING SAMPLES.

Every dream employer you want to write and get paid for is requesting one.

What are writing samples?

What if you don’t know how to write content writing samples your future employer will even look at?

In a panic, you dig through your computer’s folders for pieces you wrote in the past.

There’s nothing you can use. All you find are:

• The stuffy papers you created for that cheap academic writing platform you used to work for
• The half story you wrote when you were young and in love
• The academic paper your professor graded A, but doesn’t feel right for the online writing world. (Hint: It’s not.)

What do you do?

Walk away with dragging feet? Let go of your dream job?

Of course not.

Remember: you might not have the perfect sample to stun your interviewer right now. But you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.

If you don’t give it a try, you’ll NEVER get the job you want.

The good news?

I’ve put together this guide to help you craft the perfect writing sample from start to finish. This guide will help you stand out in a crowd of applicants, even if you don’t have credentials or experience. Ready to get started?

How to Write Content Writing Samples that Nail Your Spot (Every Time) for a Writing Job Opportunity: What’s Ahead

What Are Writing Samples and Why Are They Important?

How to Write Content Writing Samples: Be the 1% Companies Hire

The Four-Step Process Big Brands Use to Sort through and Hire the Best Content Writers

Step 1: Review Initial Writing Samples

Step 2: Send the Interviewee the Guidelines of Creating Content

Step 3: Send the Interviewee the Final Test

Step 4: Evaluate Your Final Test

How to Write Content Writing Samples: A Step-by-Step Guide

How to Write Content Writing Samples, Step #1: Do Your Research

How to Write Content Writing Samples, Step #2: Brainstorm Ideas for Your Sample

How to Write Content Writing Samples, Step #3: Select One of Your Ideas

How to Write Content Writing Samples, Step #4: Write Your Sample

How to Write Content Writing Samples, Step #5: Edit Your Sample

How to Write Content Writing Samples, Step #6: Submit Your Sample

How to Write Content Writing Samples that Win You Your Dream Job

What Are Writing Samples and Why Are They Important?

Writing samples are pieces of content you submit to a company you want to work with. They demonstrate your skill in a certain discipline, especially disciplines which require extensive communication skills.

Why is it important to nail your perfect writing sample?

Because that sample is a sneak peek of the work you’re capable of doing. If your ability matches what an employer or client is looking for, you’ll be hired in no time.

How to Write Content Writing Samples: Be the 1% Companies Hire

A quick background before I go in-depth on how to write content writing samples.

I used to run a content agency, Express Writers, and it always amazed me how many applicants we got per year (think thousands!).

A ton of these people came to us with all the right credentials:

• A bachelor’s degree
• Writing experience
• Certificates and badges from workshops and courses they completed

The only problem?

They didn’t know how to write.

Let me clarify. They DO know how to write. In fact, a ton of them have great GPA scores and even degrees in writing-related courses.

But their writing was simply not the kind of writing I was looking for.

They DIDN’T KNOW how to create the content I sold: engaging, quality content created for a web-based audience.

That in itself is enough to turn away 99% of applicants (we only hired 1% of the people who wanted to work with us!).

Sound intimidating?

It’s not.

Actually, it’s super simple.

Create the kind of writing I’m looking for, and you’ll be part of the 1% of applicants I hire.

It all starts with the writing samples I get from applicants. These alone tell me whether or not people will fit in my team.

Not their education. Not their GPA scores. Not even their experience.

So, how do you write these winning samples?

What are interviewers thinking as they go through your work?

The Four-Step Process Big Brands Use to Sort through and Hire the Best Content Writers

Before we go into the step-by-step process of creating winning writing samples, let’s get into the minds of interviewers as they sort through piles of samples and decide who to hire.

This will help you prepare for what’s coming and get an idea of how you’ll impress them.

Step 1: Review Initial Writing Samples

In this step, interviewers sort through tons of samples and choose the ones that catch their attention. Here’s what they’re looking for:

• Clean writing free of grammar errors and typos
• An interesting and stimulating topic (for example, they’ll choose “The Little-Known and Surprising Benefits of Getting a Mortgage” over “All there is to Know about Mortgages)
• Engaging writing style crafted around a deep knowledge of the topic and audience

Yes, they might also ask for your resume. But don’t worry. In most cases, they’ll overlook your lack of education and experience if you can prove you can do what they need you to do (create amazing content).

Step 2: Send the Interviewee the Guidelines of Creating Content

If you make it to this stage, give yourself a pat on the back!

Your writing samples stood out from A TON of noise and now you’re onto the next step of the hiring process.

At this stage, take extra care. Your interviewer will send you a handbook of rules and guidelines to follow when you take the next test. These include:

• Formatting guidelines
• Style guidelines
• The kind of content they’re looking for

Remember, pay close attention to this. If you follow everything to a T, you’ll show your interviewer that you won’t be hard to train and work with.

Step 3: Send the Interviewee the Final Test

The final test is usually a writing sample based on real work you’ll be doing if you get hired.

If you’re applying for a content agency, you’ll likely get a brief describing exactly what you’ll create. This brief contains:

• The topic of your writing sample
• Your target audience
• Word count (although usually you don’t have to write the whole thing)
• A background of the client you’re writing for
• The point of view and tone of voice to use

At this point, you want to get into your interviewer’s mind and know exactly what they want to see. This will help you pass the test and get the job.

Step 4: Evaluate Your Final Test

Follow the instructions on sending in your final sample.

After it’s sent, your interviewer will decide if your content is what the company is looking for.

If it is, congratulations!

If it’s not, give yourself a pat on the back. Failure is the first step towards success, and you’re now one step closer to the job of your dreams.

If you’re a creative entrepreneur, you’ve probably considered building a brand around your writing skill and scaling up. Maybe you’ve even considered hiring writers, yourself! Get the pathway you need to make it a success in my free class: How to Build a Sustainable Online Business. Watch now.

How to Write Content Writing Samples: A Step-by-Step Guide

Before we get started, I want you to remember one thing.

If you finish reading this guide with only one takeaway, let it be this.

All companies are looking for JUST ONE THING: the ability to do the job.

Everything I talk about, all the steps I mention in this guide all boil down to this.

You can have half-a-dozen degrees and 20 years of writing experience. But if you can’t write the kind of online content the company is looking for, all these bells and whistles mean nothing.

Want proof?

Here are three job descriptions on LinkedIn.

This is for a content writer at Ten Square Games.

Source: linkedin.com

This one is from Mondo.

Source: linkedin.com

And this one from Info Tree Global Solutions.

Source: linkedin.com

Any of them mention a bachelor’s degree?

Nope.

It’s all focused on the skill these companies need. That’s it.

How to Write Content Writing Samples, Step #1: Do Your Research

“Gain in-depth knowledge on the company you want to work for before your interview.”

You’ve heard this tons of times.

And it’s true.

Before going in for an interview, it’s important to find out exactly what this company does. What it believes in. Its goals, mission, and vision.

Why?

• You’ll show your interviewer your passion and attention to detail.
• You’ll know how to approach the job. For instance, if the company’s vision includes sustainable marketing, you can showcase your knowledge and skill in that area.

The same is true when crafting your perfect writing sample.

Before you type in the first sentence, you need to dig deep and find out what the company WANTS. You need to help them envision how great it will be to work with you.

1. Dig Deep into the Company’s Website

When I say “deep” I mean it. Dig deep.

Don’t content yourself with browsing the company’s homepage and coming up with something like, “Yeah, OK. They offer content writing services.”

Sink deeper. Study every page on their site.

Let’s imagine you’re applying for a job at Express Writers.

Here’s content you’ll see on one of the pages.

Source: expresswriters.com

From this page alone you’ll learn:

• The kind of writing done for “content mills” just won’t work at my agency
• A writing sample with grammar or spelling errors will never pass
• This is a company that values writing passion and lifetime learning

But don’t stop there. If the site has a blog, go ahead and steep your mind in it.

Take note of titles they publish.

But don’t stop there! Read the posts and absorb:

• The point of view
• The writing style
• The word choice
• The tone

Source: expresswriters.com

Notice the tone of voice? It’s:

• Fun but not lightweight
• Authoritative but not yawn-inducing
• Creative but not fantastical

Why is this important?

Because you can be the #1 dissertation paper writer in the world, but never get hired because you simply can’t write the kind of content a company is looking for. So, be aware of what content they do publish and love. This will give you a huge bump up in their hiring process.

2. Study the Job Ad Carefully

A company’s job ad will give you a ton of clues on how to craft your content writing sample. 

Let’s look at a job ad posted by The Corporate Agent.

Source: directresponsejobs.com

What insights can we grab from this ad?

• A skillset for promotional email writing is a plus
• They’re looking for a writer who can create engaging conversion copy
• Grammar errors and typos are big no-no’s
• They’re looking for writing with a sense of urgency

About to send off your first round of samples to this company?

Don’t dig into your computer files and send them your best how-to article (even if it really is the best you’ve ever seen).

Create a writing sample that’ll make the interviewer say, “Hey, I can see myself working with this person!”

Idea: your sample can be a zero-fluff, urgent, well-polished, engaging email.

Sound good?

Here’s another example from Guru.

Source: directresponsejobs.com

What kind of writing are they looking for?

• Well-researched
• Creative
• Centered around big ideas

To get the interviewer’s attention, sit down and create a writing sample that fits all these criteria.

How to Write Content Writing Samples, Step #2: Brainstorm Ideas for Your Sample

It’s time to sit down and let your creative juices flow!

The trick here is not to hold yourself back. Don’t go for the perfect idea. Perfect ideas don’t exist.

You simply let ideas flow, get them all down “on paper,” and you can refine later. Perfect ideas are created, not found.

So, let’s begin!

1. Think of Your Audience

All GREAT writing needs to have at least one outcome for your audience.

• They’ll learn a new skill.
• They’ll solve a nagging problem.
• They’ll buy something.
• They’ll feel a certain way.
• They’ll enter into a certain belief system.

To figure out what you’ll write about, you need to know your audience and what they want.

Let’s say you’re applying as staff writer at an auto repair company.

When you start your job, you’ll be writing to people who have car problems.

Now, let the brainstorming begin!

Do research on the common problems car owners face. By “common” I don’t mean generic. Go deep. Enter these people’s car nightmares. Be part of their car goals and dreams.

Write down all your ideas.

If you’re feeling stuck, you can always go online for inspiration. Type in a keyword on Google like: top car problems.

Check out the top websites and scour their content for topic ideas.

Source: moneymax.com

You can also check out Google’s suggestions based on what people searched for.

You can spark up hundreds of topic ideas with these suggestions. Write them all down without refining them for now.

Examples:

• How often should I replace my spark plugs?
• 10 ways to solve a dead starter problem
• How much air do my car tires need? A complete guide on PSI (plus, 10 gauges you can use)

You can also visit Reddit and Quora to see what your audience is talking about.

Remember, write your ideas as fast as you can. Slowing down will stem the flow of your creative power.

2. Think of Your Employer’s Goals

When you start writing for a brand, you’ll need to understand what your employer wants to achieve from your content.

Is it:

• Increased site traffic?
• Higher rankings on Google?
• Sales?
• Brand awareness?
• All of the above?

Go back to the job ad and try to figure this out.

Let’s say the auto repair service put something in their job ad about well-researched, authoritative content.

This means they’re goal is probably to set themselves up as an authority in the industry.

To gain traction with them, your topic should be built on insider auto industry knowledge.

Did they mention something about SEO?

You’ll want to optimize your content to be found on Google’s search engines.

Write all your clues and ideas down.

3. Find the Best Format

You can always be creative about structuring your writing sample, but it’s best to stick to proven formats industry experts love.

Here are three every content creator (and reader) adores:

• The how-to format. This format is super attractive because it guarantees your audience they’ll gain a new skill after they’ve read your content. (How to Make Kimchi Like a Korean. How to Gain a Natural French Accent.)
• The listicle. This is a list-based format that’s compelling and easy-to-digest. (13 Texts Guys Can’t Resist. The Top 100 Watercolor Artists to Follow in 2020.)
• The ultimate guide. This is an in-depth piece teaching people valuable knowledge and skills. (The Ultimate Guide to Creating a Landing Page that Converts Like Crazy. The Ultimate Guide to Content Strategy.)

Now, take your topic ideas and create as many titles as possible.

• How to Find the Best Spark Plugs for Your Car
• 30 Ways to Keep Your Tires Healthy
• The Ultimate Guide to Maintaining Your Car at Home

4. Discover Amazing Pieces on Your Topic Using BuzzSumo

BuzzSumo is a paid tool (which I absolutely love, by the way), but the great news is you can use it for free if you’re just starting out and simply want to brainstorm a few ideas.

Just type your keyword into the search bar.

Here are the top three results for “car trouble.”

These can spark up ideas on what to write about.

Examples:

• What Is a Belt Check?
• 10 Steps to Do a Belt Check Like a Pro
• How to Fix a Leaky Boot

How to Write Content Writing Samples, Step #3: Select One of Your Ideas

By now, you’ll have a ton of ideas listed. 

The next challenge is to pick one of them to use in your writing sample.

Follow these steps to make it easier:

• Eliminate all the ideas that don’t excite you (if you’re not excited about a topic, you’ll never convey passion and energy to your audience).
• Eliminate low-quality ideas.
• Eliminate obvious ideas (for example, The Benefits of Regular Car Maintenance)
• Eliminate overused ideas (for example, How to Make Your Car Last Longer)

Go over your list again.

• Are there any topics that excite you?
• Are there any topics that can be blended together?
• Which topics will help your audience most?
• Which topics will you enjoy writing?

Let your list sit for a couple of hours. Then, go back to it with fresh eyes. Run the ideas through the criteria mentioned in the brainstorming stage:

• Choose a topic your audience cares about
• Choose a topic that’ll help your employer reach his/her goals
• Choose a topic that’s exciting to you

Voila! You have your perfect topic and you’re ready to get writing.

How to Write Content Writing Samples, Step #4: Write Your Sample

Here comes the fun part!

It’s time to sit down and actually create your sample.

1. Do Your Research

Let’s say your chosen topic is: Five Signs a Guy Is Interested in You.

What are those signs?

Hit Google and find out. Watch YouTube videos. Sign up for email lists.

Remember, don’t stick to the obvious (think deep eye contact and other over-used signs). Dig out signs not everyone knows about.

2. Write an Outline

This isn’t hard if you’ve already chosen a format.

For example, if you chose the listicle format you can create an outline like this.

Your outline doesn’t have to be fancy. It’s simply a guide to the flow of your content.

3. Write a First Draft

Start typing! Just go with the flow and get your ideas down.

Don’t stop to edit. Just submerge yourself in your topic and keep your creative juices flowing!

How to Write Content Writing Samples, Step #5: Edit Your Sample

Always remember. Good writers write. Great writers edit.

Follow these steps to come up with a perfectly polished writing sample.

1. The First Read-Through

Read what you’ve written once, quickly. Don’t stop to edit or criticize your content. Simply come up with a first impression of it.  

Is it interesting? Engaging? Trite and boring? What will your audience feel about it? Can they get anything out of it that isn’t obvious or overused?

2. Check if Each Paragraph Supports the BIG IDEA of Your Sample

Let’s say your piece is titled: The Top 50 Science Fiction Books of All Time.

Let’s say you find a paragraph in your content that’s about the history of science fiction.

Now, that’s OK. But the editing process needs to be brutal to be effective. Ask yourself: do you really NEED this paragraph? Really?

Cut out all paragraphs that don’t support your BIG IDEA, no matter how beautifully they’re written.  

3. Attack How Your Sample Is Organized

As I mentioned, good content needs to have a single desired outcome. And all the paragraphs must flow smoothly towards that outcome.

Look at your sample again and ask yourself:

• Do the sentences and paragraphs flow naturally and smoothly?
• Can you organize the content better?
• Can you break sections into lists or bulleted points to make them easier on the eyes?
• Does the whole piece flow naturally towards your content’s goal?

4. Read Your Sample Out Loud

Borrow a little time from a friend or family member. Read your sample out loud to them.

Do they smile and nod, entertained with what you’re reading? Or do they give you puzzled looks?

Reading your sample out loud to someone will tell you if it’s engaging, interesting, and conversational.

5. Brutally Cut Your Word Count

This can be painful if you’re trying to reach a required word count. But it’s essential if you want a high-quality sample.

You need to cut out all useless words and sentences.

Remember, less is more with great content. Your readers aren’t here to ooh and ahh at beautiful wording. They’re here to accomplish a goal (like how to unclog the sink or how to beat writer’s block).

Here’s an example of redundant writing.

Source: writedone.com

Notice that sentence #2 and #3 (plus paragraph #4) all say the same thing?

To polish your piece, cut and combine sentences until you have fluff-free, succinct writing.

When you cut down on fluff, you’ll notice your word count diminish. Not to worry! You can always do extra research to add additional (and better) words to your content.

For example, instead of writing four sentences saying that the best person to edit a manuscript is the author herself, you can:

• List the reasons why the author is the best editor.
• Find stats showing authors who edit their work are more successful.
• Pull a great success story from a writer/editor who rocks.

When you cut the fluff, you’ll find other ways to make your content magical.

6. Check Your Formatting

This step won’t feel as weighty as checking the content itself, but never leave it out.

Formatting can mean the difference between whether you get the job or not.

Sounds harsh, but interviewers are keen on hiring someone with a keen eye for detail (I know I am).

Why?

It means less work for them. They won’t need to constantly correct and edit their writer’s work.

So, make sure you get it right from the start.

Here’s an example of a formatting guide.

Source: coschedule.com

Follow. It. To. A. T.

Trust me.

7. Check for Grammar Mistakes and Typos

To do this, read your content from the bottom up. This will train your brain to focus on typos and grammar mistakes instead of the meaning of your content.

8. Do a Final Read-Through

Put your work aside for at least a day. Then, come back to it for a final read-through.

Doesn’t it look amazing?

How to Write Content Writing Samples, Step #6: Submit Your Sample

Well done!

You’ve put together a writing sample that’ll wow your employer. Reward yourself with a chocolate ice cream (or whatever makes you happy)!

The last step is to submit your sample.

Remember, don’t relax at this point yet. Check and re-check to make sure you’re submitting it right.

• Do you email the sample?
• Upload it on a platform?
• If you’re sending an email, do you need to write something in the body?

Follow your interviewer’s directions with care and precision.

How to Write Content Writing Samples That Win You Your Dream Job

Remember, following this guide doesn’t 1000% guarantee you your dream job.

But it DOES guarantee:

• You’ll have a beautiful, engaging, well-polished writing sample ready to send in to your dream company.
• You’ll hone your writing skills so you’re one step closer to your dream career.
• You won’t feel like a failure (because failure is only the inability to try!).

Ready to rock the content world with your samples?

And, once you have conquered the freelance content writing world, maybe you have dreams of growing even further, higher, and better.

If you’re a creative entrepreneur with lofty goals of expanding into your own writing biz — maybe even an agency?? — it probably seems scary and intimidating. What should you do first? How do you start, grow, and scale?

Well, my friend, I have the answers.

You are exactly the type of person for whom I created my mentorship program, The Content Transformation System.

This powerful program is all about helping you launch your brand successfully, including the skills, systems, strategies, and support to boost you to that next level.

An in-depth, 5-phase curriculum. 1:1 coaching from me. An entire library of templates. Guided brand-building exercises with expert feedback. A bustling student community.

It’s all inside. Ready to grow? Apply today for your Content Transformation.

The post How to Write Content Writing Samples that Nail Your Spot (Every Time) for a Writing Job Opportunity appeared first on Content Hacker.

Many of those people are thinking about writing.

…And there is a terrific opportunity right now for those that have a passion for writing online for income:

SEO writing.

In today’s video and blog recap, I’ll teach you how to become an SEO writer and get paid.

Even today, sometimes people still think SEO writing equals cheap, low-quality, low-income, or worst of all–even poor treatment. This is not true! I have been running my own SEO writing agency since 2011 (Express Writers).

We’ve had the honor of working with some AMAZING SEO writing clients. Sure, there are the occasional bad clients, but that is true for any industry.

What many don’t see that briefly look into this market, is the opportunity that exists for a great SEO writer.

Once you learn this skill, the sky is the limit on who you can serve, and how you can even market yourself! In today’s video, I’m going to teach you SEO writing techniques that you can apply to ANY client, in ANY industry. Ready?

First, what is SEO writing?

What is SEO writing? 

SEO writing is search engine optimized (SEO) content that can get easily indexed by Google, and found by a real human doing a search.

For example — a keyword an SEO writer might receive from their client could be “how to find a labradoodle groomer in Austin Texas.”

This is what is known as a long-tail keyword.

An SEO writer might turn this into a blog topic called “The Ultimate Guide on How to Find a Labradoodle Groomer in Austin, Texas,” and then write a fun, engaging blog post for Labradoodle owners.

They could feature local groomers — maybe the client asking for this blog is one of those, so you would position the client as a choice on that list of honest reviews.

The SEO writer should and can craft heartwarming, fun, engaging copy that pulls in dog owners, and shares interesting, valuable tips for Labradoodle owners. They should research this type of dog owner and make sure the content speaks to them, besides just optimizing the entire piece with the keyword.

That’s just one example of SEO writing. There are hundreds of topics and keywords you could write on, as an SEO writer.

How is SEO writing different from all the other types of writing?

We’re talking about good SEO writing, not bad.

Keep that in mind. Bad SEO writing is NOT creative. It’s NOT valuable. It’s NOT helpful.

Sadly, you’ll find a ton of bad SEO writing out there — far more than you’ll find good SEO writing. That means that there is an opportunity for you as an SEO writer, though!

Here’s how good SEO writing differs from ad copy, email copy, etc.

#1. SEO writing is targeted around one core topic or focus keyword, and goes in-depth on that topic. 

The topic of an SEO writing piece — a blog, article, web page — is usually made up of one core “focus keyword.”

That focus keyword is your topic, and to continue to build relevant content, the entire piece is optimized with the focus keyword AND synonymous keywords. You can get those synonymous keywords by putting the focus keyword in Google, scrolling to the bottom, and looking at the “Searches related to.”

Because Google’s algorithm is focused on only ranking quality content that answers the given keyword from a thorough, comprehensive perspective, you need to write content that caters to the reader and thoroughly answers or addresses the topic, focus keyword, given. A decade ago, you could get away with writing any old keyword stuffed page. Today, that kind of content will never get ranked at the top of Google.

What do I mean by content focused around the core keyword, or topic?

Scroll with me in Google for some results on a keyword. Let’s look up this one:

how to become a content marketing writer

A couple takeaways from these top pieces ranking in Google:

Keyword usage must be natural.

Google reads stop words now, so you can definitely include them — for example, the “in” in this phrase: dog grooming in Austin, Texas.

Years ago, Google didn’t read the word in, and only ranked content stuffed with keywords, i.e. “dog grooming Austin Texas.” Today, Google does notice and read stop words. Thankfully, we can now write grammatically correct sentences in our SEO content.

So, remember that your keyword usage must be people-friendly, rather than focused on being readable for the robots. This is a #1 rule. The ‘robots’ are now almost as smart as the people!

Each of those pieces at the top of Google addresses the keyword from a thorough perspective.

And that’s why long-form content works. You’re usually not going to be able to answer every question on the topic in just 200, 300, even 500 words. If you have a keyword that deserves a well-thought out, well-researched answer — as almost EVERY keyword does — don’t expect it to rank at the top, if you write something that just skims the surface.

#2. SEO writing is engaging, targeted, well-formatted, and never essay-style.

You have to unlearn essay writing if you want to learn how to write a good SEO piece. 

One of the top SEO bloggers in the world is Jon Morrow, creator of smartblogger.com. Scroll with me through a few of his blogs to see this non-essay-writing style in practice:

Note the simple, one-line phrases, the statistics, and the powerful way he opens a blog.

This blog is easily 10-20,000 words!

That’s a quick summary of what SEO writing looks like, and how to do it. I teach an SEO writing course that goes in-depth on this topic, if you need more hands-on guidance. You also get access to me and my personal help in the course. Check out my Expert SEO Content Writer Course.

How can you get paid for SEO writing?

1. One of the easiest ways to get started is to create your own freelance profile.

You can do that at Upwork.com and sign up immediately, then start applying to paid SEO writing gigs. That’s one of the best ways to just get started and practice this skill for real money. You can also look up SEO writing jobs on Indeed, Glassdoor.com, Simply Hired, Zip Recruiter, Freelancer.com, LinkedIn.

My agency, Express Writers, often hires experienced SEO writers. You can check to see if we’re hiring by emailing us at hr@expresswriters.com.

The baseline pay rate is determined by the market. The average of a market like Upwork can be $20-$25 per 500w, or .04c a word. That’s a low rate. For higher-level expertise, SEO writing can pay a lot more, like double that. But if you don’t have experience, don’t be afraid to start low. Way back in 2011, I was writing articles for $5/each! I don’t recommend that today–that’s just way too low–but it was my best training grounds.

2. Long-term, consider building your own brand as a freelancer.

The best part of this is you can build long-term trust and position in the content industry (content marketing is worth over $400B, and content creation is the TOP outsourced activity, so there is a lot of room for more creators!)

The second-best reason is that you can niche down and only do what you love.

Some of my students have done this to massive success.

For example, Monique at Proof Mango focuses on proofreading and reviewing online courses, and is able to do this full-time for a living!

She used my SEO course to learn how to build SEO content that pulls in her ideal traffic. They find her, and hire her every day!

(This is a terrific reason to learn SEO writing — not just so you can do it for clients, but so you can do it to build your brand, too.)

Mariana Norton has used my content strategy and marketing lessons from The Content Strategy & Marketing Course to go even deeper and not just write and create content, but consult on the strategy, too.

That’s something you could consider as well. Content strategy consulting is a booming hiring need, and pays a good deal of money–sometimes it can equal double per hour what SEO content writing pays, if not much more depending on the client and industry.

I train content strategists in my Content Strategy & Marketing Course, if you want to dive further and deeper than SEO writing by itself.

Thanks for tuning in!

Hope you enjoyed today’s video.

Don’t forget to subscribe on YouTube to catch my new videos created just for you.

The post How to Become an SEO Writer and Get Paid (Video) appeared first on Content Hacker.

It’s an unbelievable feeling to finally come out with this story, to share with you the true history behind how and why I began Express Writers, Content Hacker, and two other successful brands (Content Strategy & Marketing Course, The Expert SEO Content Writer) over the past eight years.

Woman Rising: A True Story veers from the non-fiction and marketing genres of my previous titles to take you on a much more personal journey. 

This is the narrative of my life raised in a cult, how I escaped (in the middle of the night!), and built a life of joy, healing, and fulfillment. I’m not kidding you, this is a 100% true story.

I grew up in a household that looked perfect from the outside — but in reality, I was under the very real, terrifying control of a religious leader. When I escaped at the age of 21, I never thought that I would arrive where I am today, here at 28, experiencing joy, happiness, fulfillment and success. It’s unreal. I am so grateful.

I wrote this book to inspire others to pursue their dreams, like I’ve done. No matter what, or who, stands in your way. Because you never know — your dreams might come true, too, far beyond your wildest dreams.

Woman Rising: The Video Interview Story

Want to learn more about the story itself? Check out my video interview, starring my husband and our CTO at Express Writers, Josh, as the interviewer (who rarely comes on video — we had lots of fun ).

The Cause Behind Woman Rising: A True Story

Woman Rising is more than just the retelling of my true, insane life path so far — from an upbringing inside of my father’s cult to escaping and finding my own joy, building a lasting legacy, and putting in the work to build a business out of my passion. Psst… that’s the actual ‘escape night’ scene on the front cover. No joke! Read the full story behind the cover art in my Facebook post.

I also intend for the release of this book to fuel my cause, The Woman Rising Project. This will be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization determined to be a voice for those who have none, who are trapped and abused inside the homes of family, those that should love them, but are doing the very opposite.

If there’s anything that the media shows us, it’s that my upbringing, sadly, isn’t one-of-a-kind. From tragedies like the Turpins to the rampant abuse done in the name of religion coming out and surfacing every day, abusive households lay scattered throughout our nation, completely hidden by a façade of normalcy.

I’m partnering with seven other nonprofits that have come personally recommended to me, who are making real changes in their battle against hidden home abuse – whether that’s religiously-fueled domestic violence or the issues of women and children kept in slavery right here inside the US.

Woman Rising is the story that we’ve all heard but never realize just how close to home it really is. I will be sharing my time, donating copies of Woman Rising, and lending my creative energy to these organizations to help raise awareness and fight that battle.

I’d love your help with the message and the cause.

Be a Part of Woman Rising: A True Story

I’ve shared my story of what happens when everyone around you fails to spot the warning signs of hidden abuse – or when there simply are none. I was once a child that lived inside a home ruled by terror. No one came to my aid. Everyone was fooled by our exterior. Now, I want to bring a voice to those who have no one fighting for them. No one.

You can help.

1.) Go to womanrisingproject.org and get signed up to know when the book releases.

2. Follow The Woman Rising Project page on Facebook.

3. Join our beta reader private Facebook group and be a beta reader before my book comes out in February 2020.

Your single book payment will help me fund the path and journey to helping others without a voice. You could impact the life of one more person for the better, just by buying a copy of Woman Rising.

Finally, consider shouting out to Woman Rising when it launches.

Thanks for sticking around to read all about my book. I look forward to having you read my story — very soon.

– Julia

The post Introducing Woman Rising: A True Story (My New Book Launches February 2020) appeared first on Content Hacker.