Is it nonetheless doable to make cash as a contract author in 2025?
In brief, sure.
AI writing tools are getting higher, however these freelance writers show you could nonetheless earn a six determine wage 2025:
Even should you’re simply getting began, this step-by-step information will assist you begin earning money as a contract author in 2025.
1. Choose Your Area of interest
Some freelance writing niches pay considerably greater than others, so choosing a excessive paying area of interest can dramatically improve your incomes potential.
Two elements to contemplate as you’re deciding on your freelance writing area of interest are:
- The service
- The shopper
A few of the hottest freelance writing platform/alternatives embody:
- Social media: Social media ghostwriting for LinkedIn and X is an in-demand service. This can be a nice service should you get pleasure from brief type content material and are a terrific storyteller.
- Content marketing: Firms rent freelance writers to create weblog posts to rank for particular key phrases. If you wish to be a content material marketer, study the fundamentals of website positioning, as most corporations hiring content material entrepreneurs care extra about rating for key phrases than the content material itself.
- Publication author: Publication writing is a superb area of interest should you get pleasure from analysis. Decide a topic you’re enthusiastic about as you’ll want to remain on high of the most recent information and traits.You may both ghostwrite a publication for a person, or you possibly can write for a publication firm (like Morning Brew). Right here’s an instance of a private publication:
- Email copywriting: There are a lot of varieties of electronic mail copywriting, from common firm updates to in-depth nurture sequences. Gross sales emails for merchandise or programs are typically essentially the most worthwhile because it’s price it for an organization to pay an additional few thousand {dollars} for an electronic mail copywriter who can improve conversions by even a small proportion.
- Video scriptwriting: YouTube is maturing as a reliable advertising and marketing channel, and loads of corporations are hiring scriptwriters. Moreover, many YouTubers have turned their channels into reliable companies and are hiring scriptwriters to expedite the manufacturing course of. Video scriptwriting is clearly an up-and-coming area of interest as one creator recently earned $70,000 launching a YouTube scriptwriting course.
The following step to deciding on your area of interest is selecting your dream shopper – each the business and enterprise.
Pinpointing your dream shopper is essential as a result of your earnings as a contract author is not correlated with effort.
Your incomes potential is correlated with the worth you ship to purchasers.
Understand that:
Worth ≠ Work High quality
Worth = {Dollars} Earned
This idea is essential to recollect as a result of the sum of money you generate for a shopper usually varies on elements outdoors of your management, like:
- The profitability of their product
- Their viewers dimension
- Their advertising and marketing funnel’s optimization
For instance, a terrific electronic mail copywriter can cost $10,000 for a gross sales letter that generates $100,000 in revenue for the enterprise – even when they solely spent three hours writing it.
Nonetheless, a model new dropshipping enterprise that sells a $5 product in all probability gained’t pay greater than $100 for a similar quantity of labor. It’s because a brand new firm has a small viewers, and the value is so low that it possible generates little revenue.
As you’re contemplating your dream shopper, ask:
How a lot cash will my outcomes make for this individual/enterprise?
Listed below are some primary tips for figuring out a mature shopper throughout a number of totally different companies:
- Social media: Entrepreneurs who’ve exited their enterprise or are making eight figures per 12 months.
- Running a blog/content material advertising and marketing: Companies with a powerful model (a minimum of 100k in month-to-month site visitors.) that rely closely on website positioning for buyer acquisition.
- Publication: Newsletters that have already got giant sponsors (you possibly can subscribe and see how large the businesses sponsoring them are), paid newsletters which have a big subscriber base, and newsletters in extremely profitable industries (assume banking, and so forth.).
- E mail writing: Course creators with a considerable, engaged following (a number of thousand folks) and a excessive worth course ($1,000 plus) or B2B corporations that want nurture sequences for prime worth merchandise are all glorious prospects.
- Video scriptwriting: You may goal a serious YouTuber or a big model like HubSpot that’s starting to create movies for particular key phrases.
Lastly, the business ought to be a subject you’re genuinely enthusiastic about, as your ardour will affect each your work high quality and general happiness as a contract author.
For instance, you possibly can cost so much to write down a publication about mergers and acquisitions, however when you’ve got little interest in the topic, you in all probability gained’t do pretty much as good of a job as somebody who lives and breathes mergers and acquisitions.
Moreover, you’ll burn out should you don’t benefit from the topic you’re writing about, which is able to in the end trigger you to fail.
So selecting a topic you like writing about actually does affect how a lot cash you’ll in the end earn.
2. Create a Listing of Your Dream Shoppers
New freelance writers usually make the error of focusing on smaller purchasers once they first begin as a result of they worry their dream shopper gained’t need somebody inexperienced.
Nonetheless, your dream purchasers don’t actually care about your expertise – they need to rent an individual who constantly delivers nice work.
Within the subsequent step, you’ll show that you just’re that A-tier freelancer by creating a tremendous free pattern for that shopper.
If you happen to create a stellar pattern piece, most dream purchasers gained’t even ask about your expertise.
However, advertising and marketing finances is extra treasured for a smaller shopper, so they might ask extra about your expertise.
The opposite issue that may affect your shut charge (the share of purchasers that rent you) is whether or not or not the shopper is actively hiring for that service.
If the corporate already has a group in place, they may not be involved in hiring one other individual, no matter your high quality of labor. That field is already “checked” on their to-do record.
This is the reason you’ll want to achieve out to a number of corporations. Don’t be discouraged should you don’t obtain a reply in your first few tries.
That mentioned, if the corporate is actively hiring a full-time worker for the service you supply, that’s a transparent signal they want your service.
To seek out corporations hiring a full-time worker on your companies, you possibly can have a look at a job board like LinkedIn, Wellfound, and even Certainly.
Firms hiring in-house expertise for that place have already put aside a finances for the service you supply, and plenty of of them are comfortable to contemplate freelancers slightly than hiring in-house.
You too can put up on job boards like Upwork, however these are typically rather more aggressive and it may be troublesome to face out.
You may nonetheless attain out to corporations that aren’t actively hiring for the function, as they might want that service and simply haven’t gotten round to posting a job description.
If you happen to can entry a instrument like Crunchbase, search for corporations that not too long ago employed a brand new advertising and marketing chief (e.g., CMO, VP of Advertising and marketing, Advertising and marketing Director, and so forth.) or obtained extra funding. New advertising and marketing leaders must develop and can in all probability rent for brand spanking new roles. Equally, corporations that not too long ago obtained funding will possible deploy that capital into hiring new expertise.
3. Create Free Pattern Items
“Construct a writing portfolio.”
That is recommendation most individuals inform you.
As a substitute, create free pattern items on your dream purchasers.
In case your dream purchasers don’t rent you, you should utilize these pattern items to construct a writing portfolio.
So let’s say you determined to supply content material advertising and marketing companies.
You recognized that your dream shopper is Influencity, an influencer advertising and marketing instrument.
Subsequently, write a weblog put up on the subject of influencer advertising and marketing.
This follow will make you a greater author, and it’s a compelling pitch.
4. Pitch Your Dream Consumer
These are the 2 most essential rules when pitching purchasers:
- Discover the correct individual to contact.
- Hold it brief.
First, the correct individual to contact is the one who has the authority to rent for that function.
I exploit LinkedIn. The free model means that you can search by “advertising and marketing” below the “Individuals” tab:
The perfect individual to contact is often the very best ranked advertising and marketing govt if it’s a advertising and marketing group of 5 or fewer folks.
If it’s a bigger firm with a advertising and marketing group of 5 or ten folks, there’s a great probability these executives obtain too many pitches for yours to chop by the noise.
In that case, pitch the content material or social media advertising and marketing supervisor (relying on the service you’re pitching).
As soon as you discover the correct individual, ship them a connection request. If you happen to see that they’re lively on LinkedIn, touch upon a few of their content material.
Subsequent, discover their electronic mail tackle.
You should utilize a instrument like Hunter.io or Verifalia to do that.
Attempt a number of totally different combos like:
- (first)@area.com
- (first).(final)@area.com
- (firstinitial).(final)@area.com
- (final)@area.com
A kind of will in all probability work.
Subsequent, write your electronic mail. Hold it to simply two strains.
Right here’s the template
Hello (identify),
(one line saying why they’re your dream shopper)
I’d love to write down (service) for (model). I already wrote one for you (see hooked up).
Tim
Keep in mind to connect your pattern!
Right here’s an instance of how you may alter this template for an actual pitch:
Hello Alex,
It was love at first chunk once I tried the peanut butter chocolate taste 🙂
I’d love to write down emails for SkinnyDipped. I already wrote one for you (see hooked up).
Tim
Don’t be discouraged in the event that they don’t reply to your first electronic mail. Observe up with them a minimum of twice.
It would take a number of tries, however you’ll finally land your first shopper and construct your portfolio within the course of.
5. Construct Your Private Model
Chilly outreach is right to get your first few purchasers and get began.
Nevertheless it’s lots of work.
Touchdown a shopper is often about timing. If the shopper is about to rent for that place, they’ll in all probability rent you. If not, they’ll in all probability cross.
What should you might get in your dream shopper’s radar earlier than they’re prepared to rent? Then, they attain out to you when they’re prepared to rent.
How do you get on their radar earlier than they’re prepared to rent?
Construct a private model.
If purchasers see you posting useful content material (or a minimum of logical content material that exhibits what you’re doing) on LinkedIn and X, you’ll in all probability be the primary one that involves thoughts once they need to rent.
We have now a separate useful resource on building a personal brand, however listed below are content material concepts that can assist you begin posting on LinkedIn and X:
- Templates you employ on your writing
- Case research (as you begin writing extra)
- Errors and failures to keep away from (ideally from your individual expertise)
- Suggestions for a subtopic of your companies (e.g., writing topic strains should you supply electronic mail copywriting)
The best technique to develop your following is providing information that solutions a burning business query or a free instrument.
Right here’s an instance of a free instrument:
Right here’s an instance of information that solutions a burning business query:
Free instruments and related information are sometimes essentially the most efficient strategies to rapidly construct an viewers, however they’re extra concerned to create. So don’t procrastinate getting began should you don’t have a free instrument or unique information originally.
Begin publishing content material a number of days per week.
Moreover, have interaction along with your dream purchasers’ content material. Depart insightful feedback and share their posts.
This isn’t solely glorious for constructing real connections, nevertheless it additionally helps you keep updated with business traits. You’ll additionally study their ache factors, what’s working within the business, and enhance your individual expertise.
A professional tip is to pick simply 5 of your dream purchasers who’re lively on LinkedIn (posting a minimum of 3x per week) after which put them in a Google Sheet.
Then, for the subsequent week, revisit that Google Sheet every week, click on into their profile, and meaningfully have interaction with every new put up they publish.
These folks need LinkedIn engagement, so participating with their content material is the easiest way so as to add worth.
6. Increase Your Costs
As you construct your private model, you’ll finally have extra purchasers than you possibly can tackle.
Finally you’ll have two choices to proceed rising: Both construct a group and turn it into a marketing agency or elevate your costs.
If you wish to rent different writers and construct a advertising and marketing company, you are able to do that, however remember that operating a advertising and marketing company requires very totally different expertise than freelance writing.
For a lot of freelance writers, growing costs is a greater technique to generate extra earnings.
If you happen to’re unsure find out how to improve your costs, ship this electronic mail to your least favourite shopper:
Hello (identify),
It’s been a pleasure working with you and I’m actually enthusiastic about (final marketing campaign that went properly).
I’m presently at capability and should improve my costs to proceed giving every shopper the time they deserve.
Starting (date), my costs will likely be $X,000 monthly. If that works for you, I stay up for persevering with our partnership.
Thanks,
Identify
As quickly as you hit capability, elevate your costs.
Even when the shopper cancels, you’ll nonetheless produce other purchasers, and you should utilize that point to reinvest in your private model to draw extra top quality purchasers who pays much more.
Get Extra Assist Constructing Your Freelance Writing Profession
The step-by-step course of outlined above will assist you kickstart your freelance writing profession, however getting began could be lonely.
You in all probability gained’t land the very first potential shopper you pitch, however you’ll construct a gentle shopper base should you’re persistent and constantly ship high quality work.
To make the journey simpler, we created Copyblogger Academy. It’s a course and group that provides freelancers and facet hustlers the entire advertising and marketing supplies they want. There are 9 programs on subjects starting from private branding and copywriting to website positioning and electronic mail advertising and marketing.
You too can ask the group for suggestions in your work and even ask inquiries to seven determine entrepreneurs, Charles Miller and Tim Stoddart.
Take a look at Copyblogger Academy at the moment to see if it’s a great match for you.
