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How to make money writing for the Web 3: Pro blogging for dollars

September 12th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

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Pro blogging - writing blogs for pay, has become a lucrative Web writing field in the past year. Since blogs have so many advantages for businesses and individuals in developing an online presence and making money, pro blogging will continue to be a happy hunting ground for Web writers.

I know you want to know: HOW MUCH? How much money can you make blogging?

There are two ways to make money blogging: blogging for others for pay, and developing your own blogs to earn income. On the lower end of for-pay blogging, bloggers are paid per post about as much as low-end article writing. On the higher end, the sky’s the limit. Expect to be paid anywhere from $1000 to $1500 per week to blog.

The payment you can demand for blogging depends on your skills.

Develop your blogging skills, and make money

Blogging for money begins with your own blog, or blogs. Your blog is your showcase for your skills, it’s also your laboratory. Practice your skills on your own blog, and you’ll attract blogging clients.

Read my “Blogging For Dollars: How to become a career blogger — in your PJs, if you want” ebook to get up to speed on blogging.

Web Writing: Blogging Your Way To More Business

May 6th, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

Hundreds of thousands of new blogs are created every day. Yes, many of those blogs are junk spam blogs (splogs), but many are created by people and companies who want their voice heard around the globe. A simple blog gives you immense power, so blogging is an important way to get new Web writing clients.

So how do you create a blog which will get new Web writing clients for you? It’s a simple process. Let’s follow it step by step.

1. Decide On Your Preferred Clients - Who’s Your Target Client?

Blogging is instant publishing. So, just as with all publishing, whether it’s newspapers, magazines or books, you need a target audience. Fulfill the needs of your target audience, and they will find your blog. So you must identify who you want to work for, and then write what they want to read.

Please don’t skip this vital step. I’ve been blogging for years, and urge blogs onto my writing students. Occasionally I’ll get a frantic “Help!” from a student who says that blogging’s not working for him. Invariably it’s because he hasn’t bothered thinking about who’s going to hire him to write… his blog is interesting, but not aimed specifically at the audience he wants.

Writers tend to write blogs about writing. This is fine, and a writing blog is great as a portfolio blog, if it includes samples of your work. But if it’s aimed at other writers, then often (unless you expect writers to hire you for your editorial services) it’s a mistake.

2. Write To Be Read And Noticed By Your Target Clients

Once you’ve decided who’s going to hire you, and have targeted the blog appropriately, your next step is to get read and noticed by that target audience.

Let’s see how this works in practice. We’ll say that you’re a Web content writer. One of your target audiences is therefore Webmasters - those who create Web sites. Make a list of how your Web writing services help Webmasters, and then start writing blog posts which reveal your expertise. Read Webmasters’ blogs and forums, to find out what they care about, and write blog posts about how you can solve their problems.

3. Promote Your Blog, And Get Clients

Although it’s much easier to get traffic to a blog than it is to a static Web site, because of Really Simple Syndication (RSS) which is built into blogging software, you nevertheless need to promote your blog.

Wait until you have at least ten articles on your blog before you start promoting it. You can promote your blog in any way which appeals to you - in your email and forum signatures, by writing articles, and by writing news releases.

So there you have it - an easy three-step way to blog your way to new Web writing clients. Just follow the three steps, and you’ll be thrilled and amazed at the results.

Resources

* Writing For The Web

* Blogging For Dollars

Your Web writing plan - focus on one thing at a time

April 3rd, 2007    Subscribe To Our Feed

At least once a day, I get an email message which asks: “Which of your writing products should I choose? I’d like to do copywriting and blogging, and writing for the Web, and -”

The first time I received one of these messages I was so surprised I almost choked - the hazards of eating your lunch while reading email - but I’ve become used to them, so that I’m no longer shocked. I’ve realized that new writers are new.

The fact is, you CAN’T write in every area, until you’ve mastered each area - and you master each area one at a time.

Start with ONE form of writing, and succeed at that, FIRST

Focus is vital. You can’t learn copywriting, blogging, and writing for the Web, all at the same time. I’ve been writing for 30 years, and by now I’m quite competent at many forms of writing - fiction, nonfiction, copy, Web content, nonfiction business books, technical journalism… and on, and on. However, I’ve spent 30 years writing, so since I’ve spent from eight to 12 hours writing every day, usually seven days a week, it’s inevitable that all that writing would pay off.

Pick one area, that looks as if it might be interesting, and start with that. Each word you write will help you to become competent in that area. And once you’re competent in an area, you can branch out into other areas.

I started out writing romance novels, and moved into copywriting and writing for magazines. Then I wrote business books and did computer journalism - which I still do. I haven’t done a time line of what I did when, but I know it took me a couple of years to sell a series of romance novels - actually only eight months once I became determined.

I started writing copy because I needed to do PR for a business, and other business owners asked me to write copy for them.

I started to teach writing because I was invited to do a course at a community college… etc.

The point here is - pick an area, focus on that. I’ve said elsewhere that your writing will tell you where it wants to go, and that’s true. So choose, and then FOCUS, and write.

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Credits: Angela Booth's Web writing manual, "Writing For The Web" | Fab Digital Photography Blog - Digital Photography Tips And Inspiration - If you write for the Web, you need to take photos for the Web too.