Are you a blogger or a freelance writer? Do you try to distinguish yourself as one or the other? Why can’t you be both? Freelance writing and blogging are two very similar writing strategies that complement each other in a writing career. Learn how to use them together to maximize your exposure and income.
What is the Difference?
As a blogger, you write posts on a blog regularly. You could own a domain name and host your blog yourself or use a blogging platform like blogger.com or wordpress.com. You don’t get paid for each post you write, but you could put advertisements on your site for income.
You can build up a readership by promoting your blog and getting involved with other bloggers in your niche. You could have a personal blog or a blog on a certain topic.
Freelance writing is when you write an article and get paid for it. You write exactly what the client wants and are paid an agreed upon rate. You could write sporadically or have jobs where you write posts or columns on a weekly, monthly, or daily basis. As a freelance writer, usually you will have a set rate that you raise over time as demand for your work increases, such as 5 cents per word up to $1 or more per word. If clients are willing to pay what rate you request, you can set it as high as you feel is comfortable and worthwhile.
With blogging, you have to do more than just write your best if you want to make money. You need to promote yourself and your blog. You need to get involved with other writers, clients, and people in your area of expertise. With freelance writing, you need to promote yourself and your writing to get more clients to request your work. If you’re lucky, you can land a few good-paying regular jobs that fill your schedule and your pocket.
Start with a Blog
Using both methods will yield you the best results because they can work together. Whether you’ve done freelance work already or you’re just about to start, set up your own blog right now. Add your biography, information about yourself and your specialties, and links to any work you’ve had published. Add a unique theme to set yourself apart from other writers.
Post regularly to your blog and use it to promote yourself. If possible, link back to your blog from other work. Clients who find you elsewhere can look more closely at what you have to offer on your blog. You can also gain new clients from your blog when people talk about your work. Write about yourself and write articles in your niche area.
A blog is more than just a personal website and portfolio. It allows you to have a conversation with your readers and clients. People who like what you have to say from this magazine or that website will find your blog and continue to read. New clients will ask you for work. As demand for your writing grows, you can manage your projects by asking for more money. If you’re a great writer, you deserve sufficient compensation.
Maximization
The lesson to learn hear is that you shouldn’t do one or the other. Do both and use them in conjunction with one another for maximum results. Blogging will get you more freelance writing jobs and will give you another writing outlet. Freelance writing will give you the ‘instant gratification’ pay you need to pay the bills and supplement any income you might get through blogging if it grows.
Hi Kostas
Well this sounds good I mite just have a look into this a bit later but if you use your blog post also for a press release then you can use it for this also , I think ?
It sound great to make extra money like this.
Regards
Theuns
Theuns,
Using press releases and other forms of content marketing are all great ways to help market your blog and your skills for future work. Great idea! The more eyes you get on your work, the better your chances for more job offers.
Yes, I do think it’s a good way to increase your income or make extra money if it’s only a part time endeavor.
– Samantha
Hi Samantha:
I have never done any freelance writing but I agree that if you are a blogger you can do both.
Thanks!
Kevin
Kevin,
Yes, thank you! With a good plan, it can really open up future opportunities.
– Samantha
I just want to note that you cannot write paid posts in WordPress.com websites, only on self-hosted (WordPress.org) WordPress sites. It is against their terms of service.
Freelance writing and blogging do differ a bit in some ways, but are also similar. Many of the freelance writing I have done are more formal and in a neutral un-bias tone. Those I have been paid to blog are more informal and include more of my voice. It is important to make sure that in either way that your tone is correct, especially if your client has specific directions on what view and tone they want your article to be written in.
Nile,
I agree with the tone. Every client has his or her own requirements, and it’s important to give them what they want. If you’re unsure, asking the client before taking on a big assignment will save everyone time.
When I talk about blogging, I don’t mean paid blogging in that you get paid for each post by another party. I mean just keeping up your own personal blog or a blog focused on your area of expertise. It’s a great way to build your own personal brand, bring in new clients, and make some money if you’re able to do advertising.
True, you can’t use your own advertising on wordpress.com sites, but you can on blogger.com. If you’re looking for a way to add advertising without paying for your own domain and hosting, blogger is a good alternative. Of course, you could use your blog entirely for self-promotion and self expression and not for income. This gives you more flexibility on what platform you use.
Thanks for your input!
– Samantha
Hi Samantha, great idea to do both, and earn extra money! Freelance writers should find it easy to blog on just about any topic, because they would know how to research and write about all different topics.
If a freelance writer is writing specifically for a client, do you think their writing should be published using their name (the author’s name), especially if they’re a blogger as well?
Regards from Julieanne
Julieanne,
I think that would be a great opportunity for extra exposure. Some clients don’t want this because they want the writer to act as a ghost writer and not leave their personal information. Usually this comes from lower-paying work.
It’s a good idea to make a habit of asking each client if you can include your name and information, especially if it’s a regular assignment. If you’re posting regularly to another blog or site, ask if you can have an ‘About me’ page on the site as well. Even if you’re not allowed to link to your own blog, you can link each article to the About me page so that people can learn about who you are and contact you easily.
Personally, I like the idea, but it’s up to the client.
Hope this helps! 🙂
– Samantha
I’ve been blogging for a long time, and have always thought of writing articles as well. I love how you’ve brought the two together this way. I’m definitely planning to get started with article writing in the next week or two.
Willena Flewelling
Willena,
Great! I’m glad to hear that. I hope you’re able to do well with article writing. Using both as leverage can really boost your writing career. 🙂
– Samantha
I really like the idea of becoming a freelance writer, when you are blogging. It just makes a great combination. It did not occur to me; it is another avenue to make extra money. Thanks for enlightening me with this option.
Alicia,
No problem! It’s a great way to expand your options and income potential. 🙂
– Samantha
Samantha,
I enjoy blogging to express my own thoughts. My goal is to eventually earn significant income from blogging, presumably from selling my own book or ebooks on my blogs. This is a work in progress. I also plan to incorporate a lot of content from my blogs into a book or ebooks. I plan to sell Kindle ebooks on Amazon.
You have made me think again about freelance writing. A couple of years ago I was inspired by the book, The Well-Fed Writer. So far I have found it less enjoyable, because I have to write someone else’s content (more like a JOB). Also it seems as if there is a lot of competition (for some writing gigs) from low-priced writers in other countries.
Buddy,
I want to eventually sell Kindle ebooks, too. I just recently found out you could publish your own Kindle ebooks. I’m really excited about that future prospect.
I can definitely see it becoming more of a job, but it’s a good supplement until your blog is able to take over as your main source of income, or to supplement any existing job if you need it. I do enjoy writing for my own blog more because I can write however I choose, but I like the extra cash the freelance gigs bring in. 🙂
– Samantha
Great writing.Its Very easy for a blogger to be a Freelance Writer.
Where can one find freelance writing assignments paying five cents a word? Even on the best writing jobs site I’ve found, rates are much, much lower. And on some sites, people offer to work for pennies per article.
Alan,
Most job sites do pay less. However, to earn more per word, you need to work directly with clients. This way you can set your own prices. There are many freelance writers who make far above what’s ‘normal’ at content mills and other sites. If you’re an excellent writer and make a name for yourself, clients may start coming to you. That is when you can ask for whatever rate you feel comfortable with.
Clients are only willing to pay a lot more when the content is exceptional and very high quality. As a freelance writer, you should aspire for this quality in your writing.
Blogging and freelance writing are indeed very profitable campaigns and I believe the best method is to have first hand experience, so try out trusted websites and start earning money today by writing.
Author just wants to spread the information about the blogging which we do daily. Very helpful article for the starters who looks their career in blog writing.
Very helpful and information blog for a free lancer startup i also want to start this you help me alot.
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