If you are like most people in the US, you could use some extra money and are wondering if writing online would help you bring in that income. The short answer is yes, but it takes time.
You also need to consider how you feel about writing itself. It is a solitary pursuit and can be demanding. One of the most inviting things about working online is the opportunity to set your own schedule, but that in turn means being a self-starter, getting organized, creating a schedule that will work for you, and sticking to it so you can meet deadlines.
If you’ve read this far and are not banging your head on the desk, this might be the opportunity you’ve been searching for, so let’s look at how you can make money writing online.
The United States – a big country!
Before going on, let’s take a quick refresher course in geography. If you live in Europe, you might land an assignment about the U.S., and not have a good “feel” for just how big the place is. You might reach another European country by train in under an hour. On the other hand, it will take you approximately five hours and 30 minutes to fly across the United States from New York to Los Angeles.
The size of the place means there are striking regional differences in customs, food, and speech. There are freeways in California and toll roads in Pennsylvania; and “bless her heart” in the South is most emphatically not a blessing. You’ll need to be aware of these quirks.
Now let’s talk about how to write online for money. There are many ways to do this, but the most popular is to start a blog.
Blogging for money and fun
A blog is as a journal someone creates to share online. It may be run by a corporation, a group, or an individual, but it must be updated frequently if it is to be worthwhile. Information is posted in reverse chronological order, with the newest on top, and the writing style is informal and conversational.
The first thing to do is pick your niche—the topic you want to write about. It should be apparent that you need to select something you love passionately and want to share, not something that’s currently “hot.” If you don’t particularly enjoy or fully understand your chosen topic, you’re in for a tough time. Trends change often, so don’t chase them.
The blog must be updated frequently—try to post daily—but plan on posting at least several times a week. You need to know your subject so well you can post frequently and still put a different “spin” on the content.
Once you’ve picked your subject, you’ll need to nail down the tech stuff: picking the domain, designing the website, giving it a catchy name, and getting the blog set up. People who are tech-savvy might do this themselves, but if you’re short on time or don’t enjoy technology, hire an expert. Do your research first, as the least expensive option is not always the best.
So you’ve got a website, a blog, and you’ve written and proof-read your first post. So what? In techie jargon, you need to “drive traffic” to your site to read the blog, so pull out your air horn. Tell everyone about the blog—email your family and friends, put your group on blast, post on Facebook, TikTok, and every social media platform you can think of to get the word out.
But what about the money?
Okay, what you want is to get so much traffic that your blog will be talked about, recommended to others, and noticed by a company or individual who will monetize it. They may pay to place advertisements on your blog, sponsor you, ask you to write for them, or buy the blog outright.
This sounds like hard work. Is there a way I can just do the writing?
Yes. Another money-making option is to write posts for others. Bloggers always need content, and you could send a post to another blogger and see if that writer will publish it. Be sure to do your homework so you understand the tone of the other blog and whether your piece fits with their style.
A word of caution: provide information they can use and their readers will enjoy. Don’t simply make the post all about you, as that’s the quickest way to ensure you’re never hired again.
Alternatively, there are writing agencies who will go out and find the work themselves, agree a brief and contract, then pass it on to you. That way, all you need to worry about is the writing.
This sounds like me. What now?
Great! If you have good writing skills including basic punctuation, spelling, and syntax, and if the idea of working for yourself and meeting deadlines sounds exhilarating rather than terrifying, we want to talk to you. If you would like to make money writing for the internet, apply with Words of Worth today.