How to Make Money Writing Online? (11 Ways And Resources)

how to make money writing online

If you have a way with words or enjoy writing as a hobby, you’ve probably wondered if you can monetize this skill and make money from it.

We’re happy to tell you that the answer is a big yes.

With the recent pandemic pushing companies worldwide to boost their digital presence, the online content market is bigger than ever.

Factually, content marketing is expected to reach a market value of $417.85 billion by 2025.

If you need help getting started, here is a complete guide on making money by writing online.

1. Start Your Own Blog

Start Your Own Blog

The first step to starting your own blog is choosing a domain. Blogging is a common starting point for many successful writers.

The more niche your field, the better. Some examples of niches would be women’s health, parenting, and street photography.

A few reasons why you should develop niche-specific content when writing online are:

  • Higher rankings on Google: Niche blogs rank better in search engine results due to their specific and targeted content.
  • Loyal community: Creating unique niche-centric content allows you to stand out and build a community of loyal readers, leading to more excellent customer retention and brand recall rates.
  • Showcases your expertise: Writing around a specific topic establishes your expertise in the niche and increases your authority in the field.

Once you finalize a niche, you can fix your blog’s visual theme and design.

Remember to stick to your chosen theme since it helps create your unique brand, maintain cohesiveness, and be easily recognizable to readers.

Though it may be a while before you start to earn money online by writing blog posts, it can be accelerated with these few simple steps:

  • Posting consistently: Consistency is key! Hubspot recommends publishing at least 2-4 blogs per week for higher traffic and conversions.
  • Market your content: Share your posts on social media to generate more clicks and attract more readers.
  • Write unique content: This is a crucial point. Make sure that your blogs are 100% original. Copying content from other sources will not only harm your reputation but lead to lower rankings on Google due to duplicate content.

Moreover, focus on providing extra value by addressing sub-topics that competitors still need to answer in their blogs.

  • Engage with your audience: If you want to create a loyal base of readers, engagement is of utmost importance. Respond promptly to comments, shoot questions at your audience, ask for feedback, and use personal experiences to form deeper bonds.

2. Learn Affiliate Marketing

Learn Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing can be an excellent way to earn extra bucks if you already have a blog.

This works by partnering with a brand and promoting its products and services through your content. The brand, in turn, provides commissions for any sales you generate.

Think of any products or services you use daily and check if they have affiliate programs. Some top brands with affiliate programs include Uber, Amazon Associates, Coursera, Hubspot, and Sephora.

Once you join a program, you’ll be provided with an affiliate link. Promote this link to your readers on your website and integrate it into your content development and marketing strategies.

Tutorials, buying guides, and product roundups make good content for affiliate products.

For strategies to be a successful affiliate, seek guidance from Ahrefs, Neil Patel, or Adam Enfroy.

Grow Your Affiliate Website

Pro Tip: Become an affiliate partner for a brand working in your niche. For example, if you write about children’s clothes, partner with brands selling different clothing categories for children.

3. Write Video Scripts For Creators

Write Video Scripts for Creators

Video content has gained mass popularity in recent years.

With tools like Instagram Reel being a vital marketing channel for brands and individuals alike—the demand for top-quality videos is high.

92% of content marketers have reported getting positive ROIs from using videos for marketing.

While video creators are skilled at performing in front of the camera, many need writers and prefer to hire scriptwriters.

This can be your ideal gig if you possess a creative flair and basic knowledge of script skeletons and hook elements.

Don’t shy away from shooting emails to your favourite YouTubers and Instagram Influencers to check if they’re open to hiring. You can also watch for openings on Internshala, Upwork, and other job boards.

If you’re apprehensive because script writing isn’t your forte, there’s no need to worry! You can learn the basics quickly with online resources from Script Reader Pro and ed2go.

4. Write Content For Social Media

Write Content For Social Media

Social media is a time-tested platform for beginners to earn money online by writing.

You may have encountered small business pages with generic content and irregular posts on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

If you believe your copywriting and persuasive writing knowledge can assist these brands, take the initiative to pitch your services.

Here’s how you can get started:

  • Choose potential clients: Do a deep dive on social media and create a list of niche profiles you’d like to pitch.
  • Strategize: Research their background, content strategy, and loopholes in fulfilling the search intent of their target audience. Highlight how they can benefit from hiring you and illustrate how you can boost their business with your content writing skills.
  • Pitch yourself: Fix a price for your services and approach your chosen customers with a proposal. Consider including factors such as content calendars, publishing and engaging techniques, and strategic CTA placement in textual and video content.

For this purpose, try upgrading your knowledge of social media marketing. Many free courses on this subject are available online, along with paid ones on Coursera and Udemy.

5. Start Freelancing

Start Freelancing

Freelance writing tops any list of how to make money writing online.

While it was seen as a source of passive income in the past, writers now take up freelancing as a full-time job due to its vast scope.

As per surveys conducted by Elna Cain—a famous freelance writer, 55% of freelance writers depend on freelancing as their primary income source.

If you’re looking to get started as a freelancer, the first steps are to:

  • Build a portfolio: A portfolio of your best writing samples is necessary to display your skills to potential clients.
  • Set up a website: Creating an online presence is a wise way to establish authenticity and showcase your work.
  • Make connections: Broaden your network by connecting with fellow writers and potential clients on social media to remain updated with the industry.
  • Market yourself: Effective marketing is just as important as writing to be successful in the make-money-online (MMO) business. Engage hiring managers and existing clients with a robust social media presence.

Now that you understand how to establish yourself as a freelance writer, the next step is to get clients.

  • Pitch to online magazines and publications: Many online publications pay freelancers for submissions. Writing for such brands can be a great addition to your resume. Some popular websites to approach are Freshbooks, Penny Hoarder, and Buzzfeed Reader.
  • Enter writing contests: Several online writing contests pay handsome prizes to winners. It can provide great exposure even if you don’t win on the first try.

Remember, Reedsy lists a comprehensive directory of writing contests you can enter.

  • Register on job boards: Job sites like UpworkLinkedIn, and Contena have frequent postings seeking freelancers. Make accounts on all such boards and remain active to elevate your hiring chances.
  • Seek referrals: If you’ve already landed your first online writing gig, asking for referrals from previous clients is an excellent way to build a loyal clientele.
  • Start cold pitching: Though time-consuming, cold pitching can provide a head start to beginner writers. Send emails offering your services to any company you’d like to work for. Focus on the client’s brand and problems with their communication instead of continually highlighting your writing skills and success.

6. Write Reviews And Product Descriptions

Write Reviews And Product Descriptions

Many brands hire writers to write detailed and easily understandable product descriptions. This is a considerably easier option for those wondering how to make money writing online.

Similarly, booklovers can earn money doing what they love best—reading books and writing concise and engaging book reviews for websites like Kirkus Reviews, Online Book Club, and Publishers Weekly.

7. Practice Copywriting

Practice Copywriting

All brands need copywriters to market and promote their products and services to their target audience.

If you’ve got a creative writing approach and can write compellingly, roping in readers to go deeper down sales, funnels should be right up your alley.

Postings for copywriters are commonly found across job boards like Fiverr, Indeed, and Upwork.

8. Improve Your SEO Writing

Improve Your SEO Writing

SEO writing is one of the content marketing industry’s most valuable forms of writing.

Such writers directly help brands boost business viewership by improving their search engine results page (SERP) rankings and enhancing content visibility.

To become a successful SEO writer, you need in-depth knowledge of keyword research, SERP-friendly content, and other relevant tactics.

Consider practicing concepts like quality interlinking, anchor text relevancy, presentability optimization, and more technical factors like image optimization and off-page SEO.

9. Join a Content Mill

Content mills are online companies that hire a team of writers to produce large quantities of blogs, articles, and other write-ups for external clients.

These clients can be online businesses or individuals who want to outsource written content for their websites.

Such places are a great way for beginners to gain experience writing about various topics. Due to their focus on quantity, these companies also teach you to write faster.

Look for such content mills on Facebook job boards and paid newsletters, or scan the job posts section on LinkedIn using filters.

10. Write And Sell Online Courses

Write And Sell Online Courses

Online learning platforms are filled with various courses written by experts.

You can be one of them.

If you believe you’re passionate about a subject and have the knowledge to teach it to others, consider writing a course.

This can be about anything from art and design to business and marketing. Here’s how you can get started:

  • Choose a topic: Select a topic you can articulate expertly with your writing skills. Ensure the niche has high market demand.
  • Draft your course: Set clear goals and objectives for your course. To make it interactive, plan a structure and add tools such as videos, slideshows, graphics, community forums, and quizzes.
  • Fix your pricing: Take your time and effort into account and fix a fair price for your writing expertise. Ideally, create a checklist and analyze the time to adhere to each factor.
  • Choose a platform: Decide where you wish to sell your course. Udemy and Skillshare are two popular learning platforms with millions of users.

11. Writing Resumes

Writing Resumes

A great resume is the mark of an effective working professional.

While an individual may be excellent at their job, they may lack the skills to sell themselves on paper. If you believe you can create a captivating resume, you can receive commissions by writing them for those you can’t.

All professionals strive to have an attractive resume, and many are prepared to pay good money to create one that entices employers with accurate niche relevancy.

Focus on structure, keyword optimization, and sprinkling job-relevant lingo across the resume to grab the attention of employers.

Automate Keyword Research 

Tips to Improve Your Chances of Landing Paid Writing Jobs

Tips to Improve Your Chances of Landing Paid Writing Jobs

Now that you know how to earn money online by writing, you must seek prospective clients. The following are some practical ways to win paid gigs:

Maintaining a Positive Social Media Presence

Be active on professional networking sites such as LinkedIn and Instagram and keep updating your portfolio. Respond promptly to prospective clients, follow up on outstanding offers, and be respectful and professional with your tone of voice.

Practicing Cold Pitching

Send emails pitching yourself to brands and creators or approach bloggers for guest blogging opportunities. It can be valuable exposure, even if you don’t earn from publishing a guest blog. 

Browsing Job Boards

 Browse sites offering freelance writing projects and other websites linked in this article. New job postings are posted daily, so use filters and keywords to find relevant niche jobs that may be time sensitive.

Networking Every Day

 Connect with other writers, freelancers, and creators and actively participate in online writing communities. Networking is a proven way to broaden your freelancing landscape and create a name for yourself in the online writing industry.

Improving Your Writing Skills

 Remember that there is always room for improvement. While waiting to hear back from clients, upgrade your copywriting techniques. Take online courses relevant to your interests and add more badges to your profile. Some valuable skills for writers include:

  • Strong understanding of SEO strategies
  • Social media marketing
  • Subject matter expertise
  • Landing page copy
  • Writing ebooks and digital products
  • Content development strategy
  • Copywriting for email marketing
  • Technical skills such as familiarity with various content management systems

With our extensive array of options on how to make money writing online, you’re all set to start your journey as a writer. Remember to be patient, practice regularly, and upgrade your writing portfolio, no matter your choice.

Without wasting further time, build your portfolio, develop a stronger skillset, and scan freelancing platforms for online writing opportunities.

Use the guidelines in this article as your mantra, and you’ll be earning money through writing in no time.

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