Freelance writing covers a broad spectrum. There are so many different types of writing you can do that it can be hard to know where to start and what to specialize in; indeed, if you should specialize in any genre. FYI in my opinion, you should specialize (niche it), but that’s a discussion for another day.
I’ve been a freelance writer since 1993. I’ve written everything from case studies, to ebooks, to simple web (SEO) articles for clients and I can say without a doubt that if you are new to this career, specializing in SEO content writing is one of the easiest ways to start landing jobs.
FYI, following are just some of the types of writing jobs freelancers tackle and/or specialize in.
Overview: Types of Freelance Writing
Ebook Writing
Case Studies
White Papers
Magazine Writing
Infographic Writing
Social Media Writing
SEO Articles / Web Content
Direct Mail Copy
Technical Writing
Why SEO Content Writing Is an Ideal Niche for New Freelance Writers
Following are three reasons, in my opinion.
1. The Need Is There: Content marketing has made the need for copy greater than ever.
In case you don’t know, content marketing is any type of marketing that involves the creation and sharing of media and published content to get customers. This includes everything from web articles, to white papers, to case studies, to videos.
You see, how companies market online has shifted away from direct selling via, for example, an ad. Today’s tech-savvy consumers want upfront information before they purchase. This is why so many of them do web research before making a purchase. Proof?
GE Capital Retail Bank’s second annual Major Purchase Shopper Study has that a growing number of consumers extensively research and compare prices and financing offers before making major purchases.
According to the study, 81% of consumers go online before heading out to the store, up 20% from the previous year, and they spend an average of 79 days gathering information before making a major purchase. [Source: Study: 81% research online before making big purchases, RetailingToday]
This means the need for web copy, sales copy, white papers, infographics, blog posts, newsletters, etc., is greater than ever.
2. Can Get Started without Experience: Unlike a lot of niches where you have to have a defined set of skills and experience (eg, case study writing), writing SEO content is pretty easy to get hired for without experience – IF you can prove that you have great research skills along with good copywriting skills.
How do you prove this? Killer (SEO) writing samples.
3. Get-Paid-to-Write Websites: There are many sites on the web that will pay you to write SEO content, eg, BlogMutt, Helium, Yahoo! Contributor Network, etc.
While many slam these sites for their “low pay,” (which can be very subjective depending on your circumstances) others are grateful they exist so they can get some immediate experience and also earn some income right off the bat.
Conclusion
As stated earlier, I’ve been a freelance writer since 1993. I stumbled upon SEO writing in 2007, when it was still a relatively new niche. Now, it’s practically the only type of writing I do for clients because the need is so great. So if you’re just starting out, it’s a great way to start landing freelance writing jobs quickly.
