Online Writing Strategy for the Newbie
How New Freelance Writers Can Get the Most out of Internet Writing
Jul 7, 2009
Not knowing any better many writers use the same writing strategy for each freelance writing site. Although it's not a grave mistake, it's not making the best use of the writer's time and talent. Here are a few tips for new freelance writers:
Understand How Writing Sites Pay
Although some sites use a combination thereof, there are basically three ways in which a writer gets paid online.
- Upfront pay. This means the writer earns X dollars for writing a piece containing Y amount of words. There is no question as to how much a writer will earn because it is agreed to up front before the writer takes on the assignment.
- Residual pay based on page views. As the term implies, the more page views an article receives, the more the writer makes.
- Residual Payment based on ad revenue. The writer earns money every time a reader clicks on an ad. Some newbies are tempted to help nature take its course by clicking on the ads or encouraging readers to click on ads. Do not click on ads nor encourage readers to do so. It's the quickest way to destroy an online freelance writing career.
SEO and Keywords
Successful freelance writers understand the importance of keywords and peppering them throughout the content of the article. Keywords, the words that readers use to find the article, must appear naturally and seamlessly throughout the article. Half of the battle with newbies is understanding what keywords are and how to place them through an article.
Advertisers and Keywords
Using the proper keywords determines which advertisers will place ads on the newly written article. An article explaining how to purchase automobile insurance or how to get the lowest possible automobile premium for a teenager will generate ads from automobile insurance companies or agents selling automobile insurance.
Similarly, an article on finding low mortgage rates or instructions on how to secure a home equity line of credit will generate ads from the banking or finance industry. Advertisers want to advertise on articles for which readers are already interested. It increases the likelihood of driving traffic to the advertiser's site.
Selecting the Right Keywords
Here's where the experienced freelance writer learns how to manipulate keywords that translate into earning money. When writing under an upfront payment contract, the client usually selects the article topic and the keywords to use. All the writer has to do is follow instructions.
When writing for residually paying sites, however, the smart freelance writer understands that it is up to her to select the keywords. Choosing keywords for a site that pays on page views is not the same as selecting keywords for a site that pays based on ad revenue.
Lucrative Keywords vs. Popular Keywords
Lucrative keywords are those words for which advertisers are willing to pay a premium. Popular keywords are those words that are frequently searched. For example, on any given day, just about every household around the world has to prepare meals. The overworked, short on time meal preparer often goes to the internet in search of a quick easy recipe. In general, recipe articles are popular but are not very high paying.
Conversely, not every household is in the process of purchasing a house, shopping for competitive mortgage rates, homeowners insurance and real estate attorneys. While this is a common occurrence, it's not as common as daily meal planning. Attorneys, insurance companies and financial institutions are willing to pay a higher advertising rate to generate leads and sales for their products.
Strategize Keywords for the Right Venue
For residually paying sites that pay writers based on page views, it makes sense to write about popular topics that have global appeal and are frequently searched for in the search engines. On the other hand, when writing for a site that pays based on ad revenue, it makes sense to write on topics for which advertisers are willing to pay a premium. These types of articles may not generate as many page views, but usually they are more lucrative.
Finding the Right Online Writing Sites
The smart online freelance writer has several types of sites in her arsenal. It makes sense to develop a foundation of articles on at least two sites in each of the above categories. One should never place all of her freelance writing eggs in one basket.
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