10 Effective Tips to Make a Career in Freelance Content Writing

Do you know that 47 percent of America’s millennial population is engaged in freelancing? And that it is believed that by the year 2020, freelancers will represent 40 percent of the entire workforce in the country?

If you want to have a career as a freelancer, this may just be the best time to get started.

Freelance content writing has emerged as one of the most in-demand work in recent times. Interestingly, it is also one of those areas where you can expect a better pay-scale. However, you need to display a certain level of efficacy while serving multiple clients in order to receive a satisfying remuneration.

Statistics reveal that most freelancers serve an average of 9 clients at one time to guarantee their financial security. And if you want to have a successful career as a freelance content writer, you need to attract more clients with your skills and abilities in preparing remarkable content.

1.      Set goals for each project

As a professional content writer, your objective should be to put your 100 percent into every project you get. But since you will be serving a number of clients, it won’t be very convenient to stick to a single project for the whole week. Define a certain number of goals for each of the assignments, and then handle the work one goal at a time.

For instance, if you are told to write an article about the “current developments in the field of neonatology,” you can set goals like – a. Study of the latest publications (thesis, article, journal, etc.) relating to the field, b. Listing the major points from the study, c. Determining the focus of the project, and so on.

When you set small goals for each project, you are more likely to complete the task in a shorter amount of time. Also, when you have predefined goals for the project, it becomes easier to focus on each aspect of the task. So it’s always better to define goals for the project as soon as you receive them.

2.      Take each task seriously

Being a freelance content writer does not mean you have no commitment to your work. You are a professional. So if you have received a task from a client, it becomes your responsibility to give it your best. You cannot succeed as a freelance content writer if you are not serious about how well you work.

You need to take each task seriously. Producing quality content for only certain types of projects and ignoring the rest is not the ideal approach. This not only allows people to question your abilities but also leaves a negative impression on some clients. You cannot survive in this competitive sector if people start giving negative feedback about you.

3.      Understand what readers want

You need to develop content based on the likes and dislikes of readers. As a freelancer, you may receive a variety of projects from different clients, which means the audience is likely to vary. It is better if you acknowledge which kinds of audiences you are good at capturing.

Since clients will likely give you the requirements of the content, they can probably tell you about the characteristics of their audience for a particular project. Communicate you’re your clients and learn what you can. If it’s academic writing, the chances are it is for students or teachers, but you need to clarify which, and what level or specific niche the primary consumer is in.

When you are aware of the likes and dislikes of different audiences, you can utilize that information to make your content more appealing to these targets. If you are unaware of the requirements of the potential readers and talk about an issue that does not interest them, it will affect your client’s readership and make you look bad.

4.      Know your role

As a freelance content writer, it is important to understand what your role is for the particular task. Do you write the content with the approach of a blogger, or should you use more of an educational tone? Your bio may say freelance content writer, but you will have to play a number of roles.

There’s a huge difference between the writing style of an advertisement copywriter and an academician, for instance. You may have to play the role of both if your client needs both types of content. While asking your client about the target audience, don’t forget to ask which angle is better for the requested content.

5.      Evaluate all the aspects of the given task

Before you start working on a  project, you need to evaluate various aspects of the assigned task. The client is not going to tell you everything. There are certain things that you need to figure out yourself. And in order to do that, you need to rely on your skills to evaluate.

You don’t develop such skills in one day. You need practice. If your client tells you to write content for his website, you can ask him about what type of audiences it caters to and what should be the ideal structure for the content. Everything apart from that depends on how you evaluate the task.

You may need to evaluate which tone will be appropriate for the content (humorous or serious), what type of information should go with the website, what length is right for the content, and much more. It may seem difficult in the beginning, but you will get better at it as you practice.

6.      Incorporate interesting details

When you are drafting a piece of content, especially a blog post or an article, you need to try a number of things to make the content more interesting for the readers. People often find it amusing to read unknown details about something familiar. You can incorporate such details in your content.

Take the FreeUp blog for instance. You may have noticed that it started with some interesting facts about freelancing and eCommerce. You can also do the same with your content. You also need to decide where you should put such details in your content. The quality of the content depends a lot on how you place the information in the content.

7.      Proofread and Edit

You cannot ignore editing and proofreading your content if you are working as a professional writer. It should be one of your priorities to proofread and edit your content before you submit it or publish it.

Nothing damages your reputation more than work that has inexcusable flaws. The best way to steer clear of such problem is to proofread your content multiple times. Getting a second pair of eyes to go over it is also helpful. This will help you spot any errors you may have missed and show you where you can make changes to improve the piece’s quality.

At times, you will need to cite your sources. Learn the art of citation and referencing as it applies to each type of content you write. That way, you can save your content from being considered as plagiarized. There are several tools that can help you proofread, edit and make your content plagiarism-free, so acquaint yourself with those tools.

8.      Filter your content

As mentioned earlier, you need to deliver quality content continuously in order to be successful in this industry. And that cannot be achieved if you fill your content with irrelevant details. The objective is to create impactful content. And in order to do that, you need to eliminate unnecessary fluff.

You can always go through the drafted content and then remove the irrelevant bits text, but it would be better if you learned how to avoid unnecessary content addition from the time you start writing. Creating a structure for the intended content helps you do that. Also, when you set multiple goals for the task, you can work with more precision and avoid irrelevant content effectively.

9.      Maintain transparency with clients

Freelancers don’t have employers; they have clients. And since they’re the ones who pay you for the work, you need to maintain a healthy relationship with them. If you are already burdened with a number of tasks and then a client requests you to do another project, it is better to tell them that you are involved in other work, instead of lying to him or her and then failing to deliver.

Also, let your clients know how you work, when you are usually available, and when you cannot receive new tasks. A certain level of transparency not only builds trust between you and your client but also contributes to your image as a freelancer in the growing global market. This is one of the secret keys to a successful career in freelancing.

10.   Build connections

As a freelancer, you need to increase the number of connections you have online to build your professional network. Social media platforms like LinkedIn allow you to connect with a lot of people who show interest in the work you do. You can not only connect with your fellow freelance writers but also get in touch with new clients.

Also, when you are building your network, you can share work and profits, and clients may also introduce you their connections who can potentially become new clients. This way, you can increase your client base and strive towards success faster.

A Successful Freelance Content Writing Career

As you may have realized, freelancing in the field of content writing is as taxing as doing it under a corporate name. But as a freelance content writer, you get the liberty to choose your work, be your own boss, and work from the comfort of your home or wherever you want to be. Try your best to incorporate the aforementioned tips in your work so that you can build a successful freelance career. Some may help you improve your writing, and some may help you build your image as a freelancer in the market. To be a successful freelance writer, you will need to work on both the aspects.

Nathan William is an assignment help expert offering homework help to students who struggle to complete their academic papers. Nathan is a PhD graduate of the University of Sydney.