I began working as a website content writer by accident really. One day I just needed some extra cash, I belonged to a forum where many people owned websites, and all at once it dawned on me that many of them complained often about the lack of people in the industry providing niche writing, in fact, I believe there was one other writer at the time, a very specific writer, offering only one service in the industry.
I decided then to give it a shot, I posted a message in that forum offering my services as a website content writer. I made the prices up off the top of my head, offered what sounded to me to be a good service, and hit submit.
For two days I received no response to my offer. The way I saw it, I hadn't really lost anything it's free after all to post in a forum. So I'd given it a shot, my crisis was past, and I was again ok in the world.
What didn't dawn on me then, was that in my industry, people treasure their weekends, and those with the income to hire me, just weren't online at the time. Monday brought a whole new crisis. I was swamped with orders! I got through it though, and found out the easy way that writing for websites can be VERY profitable!
Finding a Niche
One of the most important pieces of advice I can give you when just starting out as a content writer is to find a niche. Something you like to write about, and can become an expert at in short order. The reason I say that this is SO important, is that the average 'general website content writer' gets less than $10 per article. Which, let's face it, is just ridiculous.
Writing in my niche, I started out at a lot closer to $50 per article, which was a decent wage, each article took me about an hour, so add in some marketing time, editing, communication, and invoicing, and you can see that for someone brand new in this field, I wasn't making to bad an hourly wage.
Progressing as a Content Writer
That one forum kept me busy for quite sometime, the one I mentioned in the beginning of this article. In my spare time I set up a little website, based solely on writing and reviews. I'm in fact only now, quite some time later, considering broadening my niche a bit, and adding more writing styles to my websites menu.
The below author has graciously offered to share their experience and advice with Jammies at Work visitors looking to branch out as freelance web content writers.
Web Content Writing
Web content writing is one of the fastest-growing areas in the writing industry. It helps potential writers from living the "starving artist" life, but it requires a huge commitment of time and a willingness to put aside one's creativity for the sake of the client's wishes. There is a way you can live both dreams, however, but you will need to work hard and be willing to make an investment to do so. You can self-publish your web content and reap all of the financial benefits from your writing!
That sounds great! How do I get started?
Well, the first step is to select a project. Brainstorm a few ideas that interest you. If you're an animal lover, put that on the list. If you have an eye for decorating, put it on the list. Once you have compiled a good list, visit a keyword tracker site. The easiest one to find and use is Overture. It tracks how many people searched Yahoo! for a particular phrase in the last month. You can find the site at http://inventory.overture.com/. Type in the basic topics you picked and see how often they're searched.
The target numbers depend on how much you want to make with your site. Select the topic you want based on the hits it gets. At this point, you want to think about the selected topic. You will need to be able to create at least 100 pages, or articles, about the topic. Jot down some ideas. If you can come up with a good 40 to 50 ideas, then you're in business.
Now that you have a topic, it's time to create the site. Look around for a web host. If you are new to creating sites, let the host do everything for you. Try to find a hosting company that charges less than $10 a month for their service as you will not need the luxury services available for higher prices. When you sign up, you will need to pick a URL. Think about your site's topic and select something catchy, short, and easy to spell. Have a couple of ideas in mind just in case your first choice isn't available.
Once you are set up with the web host, then you can begin building your site. Many hosts have free site builders, but it is rarely advisable to use these programs. First, many of them limit your design possibilities, and second, if you decide to change hosts later, you often have to rebuild your site. Either learn HTML coding by hand through free online tutorials or purchase design software, such as Front Page.
You will make money through your site by using advertising links. Look online for tutorials on affiliate marketing and Google AdSense. These tutorials will walk you through the process of setting up step-by-step. You will be offering your visitors good content and making money through your own site. Be careful, though. Content sites are addicting, and you may find yourself overwhelmed with the possibility of creating your own host of sites!
Brandi Rhoades is a full-time freelancer who writes primarily web content. She has penned more than 1,500 articles for various websites. You can visit Pure Awakenings for her booklet, The Basics of Web Writing, or email her at brandi@pureawakenings.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandi_Rhoades
Finding Work as an Internet Content Writer
A freelance writer’s best resource of finding jobs online are Job boards or sites. While some boards are geared specifically to the freelancer, many others also list other type of jobs.
Some job boards allow freelancers to register their profiles and credentials for prospective employers to peruse, others allow resumes and classified ads to be posted. Other sites such as www.elance.com enable employers to post jobs and freelancers to bid fees for the jobs. The site earns a place for any jobs awarded. There are other sites similar to www.elance.com such as www.contractedwork.com.
There are many writing job boards online and it is not that difficult to discover them. Some Jobs boards provide links to other job sites and the list could be a bit long.
Searching through the major search engines can also provide an exhaustive list of writing jobs. Use key words such as:
- Freelance writing Jobs boards
- Writers Wanted
- Writing Jobs
- Copywriting Jobs
- Technical writing Jobs
- Submission guidelines.
To make your task of searching for writing jobs online, we have provided you with the following list of sites. We hope you will find what you want.
If you have checked the above sites a number of times in two or three months and you have not got any job. I suggest you assess your skills and consider taking some relevant writing courses. You may also supplement these with a college degree in a relevant field to enhance your marketability. While doing so do some writing exercises and write articles on a wide variety of topics and post them on to articles submission sites online.
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