Freelance writing is one of the most favored freelance jobs in the world. It is a job that you can learn with self-study and practice. You can even build writing skills from ground zero by reading articles, joining webinars, and practicing regularly.
A whopping 82% of freelancers in the US are writers. From that percentage, 24% generate more than $50,000 yearly income. These statistics are attracting more and more people to the freelance life.
Are you interested in becoming a freelance writer? This article will guide you through the most profitable freelance writing services and uncover high-paying niches in which to specialize, maximizing your earning potential.
High-Paying Writing Services
Being a freelance writer offers the freedom of a full-time job with flexible hours and the ability to work with clients worldwide.
AI tools like JasperAI, CopyAI, Rytr, ChatGPT, and WriterSonic can further help you by streamlining your workflow. These tools can help generate ideas, create outlines, and even tackle writer’s block, allowing you to focus on crafting high-quality content.
Now, let’s explore some popular and lucrative freelance writing services you can offer in 2024:
1. Ad Copywriting
Estimated fee: $25 to $80 hourly
As the name suggests, ad copywriting is a writing service intended for advertisement. You can promote products by creating compelling stories, mentioning benefits, telling how a product works, stating winning features, and more.
You can work on creating display ads, billboards, flyers, mobile ads, social ads, and other promotional materials. This type of copywriting requires you to make short copies that include powerful CTA to attract customers.
2. Social Media Content Writing
Estimated fee: $30 to $75 hourly
When you’re a social media content writer, you write Instagram captions, YouTube descriptions, long LinkedIn posts, etc.
Since the social media field is crowded and users’ attention spans keep shrinking, you have to be flexible and creative. It’s also essential to research related information, including a brand’s target audience, persona, goals, and products, to decide your tone.
Bear in mind that no social media platform is created the same. This means that different platforms require slightly different writing styles. If you write for Instagram or TikTok captions, keep your copy short, between 138 to 150 characters. However, longer posts for LinkedIn need you to write around 210 characters. On top of that, always include a CTA to power your copy.
3. Email Newsletter
Estimated fee: $82 per hour or $2 per word on average
An email newsletter is a business email sent to a list of subscribers. The key is to maintain engagement and relationships with potential buyers or clients. Typically, businesses deliver email newsletters weekly or monthly.
Email newsletters require you to keep your copy short and sweet while still visually appealing. Make sure that the content is valuable to readers to generate high open and replay rates.
4. Content Editing and Proofreading
Estimated fee: $13-$70 per 1000 words
Content editing and proofreading are two popular freelance writing jobs you can find online. However, the two have different work requirements. In a nutshell, proofreading is surface-level checking, while content editing is more in-depth work.
If you offer a proofreading service, attention to detail is essential as you will look for and correct misspellings, incorrect punctuation, formatting inconsistencies, or other technical mistakes and errors.
Meanwhile, content editing goes beyond that. You must check on the overall quality of a text. It includes reviewing the writing flow, checking facts, reflecting on a brand voice, and improving readability to generate powerful content.
5. On-Page Search Engine Optimization
Estimated fee: $60 – $650 per 500 words
Today, a website without robust on-page Search Engine Optimization (SEO) won’t thrive in cyberspace. However, not all writers have the skills to do SEO.
Image via reliablesoft.net
You can offer an on-page SEO service for businesses to boost their website ranking across search engines. This service needs you to optimize the content, HTML source code, keyword placements, header tag optimizations, blog post introductions, and more.
Freelance jobs related to on-page SEO will continue to rise in the next few years. This can be a profitable freelance job if you have good records from your existing clients. To make more deals, you can show your achievements and clients’ reviews on your service page.
6. Ghostwriting Books or Whitepapers
Estimated fee: $30 to $200 hourly or $5,000 to $100,000 per project
Another lucrative freelance writing you can try is ghostwriting books or ebooks. Many businesses hire freelance ghostwriters to do the job since writing a book may take a while to finish.
A ghostwriter doesn’t receive credit after completing the job. Still, they get paid, while the credit for the author goes to the person who hires them.
Furthermore, white paper writer services focus on creating in-depth reports on particular topics that cover an industry or business problem-solving topic. You must have keen eyes to develop well-structured reports supported by facts and evidence.
Highest-Paying Niches for Freelance Writers
Now that you understand some high-paying writing jobs that earn a respectable income, the question would be:
“What topics should I cover to generate good income from freelance writing?”
There are specific topics for a more targeted audience that can give you a good income. We’ve picked five fields you can work on to generate revenue from freelance writing.
1. Digital Marketing
The digital marketing realm is vast. Many website owners, business owners, and marketers talk about digital marketing topics on their websites. There are many branches of digital marketing practice that you can cover to provide specific topics.
Stay alert to the latest digital marketing trends to appeal more strongly to potential clients. You can write about:
- Social media marketing
- Video marketing
- Email marketing
- eCommerce marketing, etc.
Ensure you have good knowledge about many aspects of digital marketing, including crucial metrics like web traffic sources, page views, cost per lead, conversion rates, click-through rates, and more.
2. SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has been a much-discussed topic for years. As search engine algorithms change, SEO practices follow. More trends will emerge, and many writers will try to explain each one on their sites.
Comprehending the nitty-gritty of SEO practices as a freelance writer will benefit you in the future. You can find many freelance job opportunities with considerable fees. You may also get loyal clients who want you to keep writing for them. Just make sure you stay informed about the latest SEO trends.
3. Cryptocurrency
Lots of people are interested in blockchain and cryptocurrencies, but it can be tricky to write about. The technical nature of the subject can create a barrier to entry for some writers. This presents a lucrative opportunity for those willing to invest their time in understanding these complex systems.
Since the pool of qualified writers is smaller, you’ll face less competition when pitching your services to clients seeking high-quality cryptocurrency content. Furthermore, a solid grasp of blockchain technology, which underpins cryptocurrencies, is essential for providing accurate and insightful writing.
4. Tech
Technology is growing exponentially, and trends change in the blink of an eye. People will always seek the latest news about technology in any industry field, making it an evergreen topic for writers.
A couple of years ago, NFT was all that people talked about, and now Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies are the most popular topics.
Don’t worry if you’re not a tech expert! By staying up-to-date on tech news, reports, and articles (think websites, magazines, or even YouTube channels!), you can still write compelling content on these topics. Your strong writing skills are valuable to companies looking for clear, engaging explanations of even complex subjects.
5. Health
Health is an essential investment for people. This topic is highly in demand, especially since the pandemic struck. Many will seek health news and articles related to their health conditions.
You can cover healthy foods, exercises, healthcare services, products, lifestyles, treatments, etc. You may also broaden the scoop by covering animal health. As healthcare articles must be accurate, you must refer to credible sources like journals and healthcare websites.
However, always check the facts and conduct research from reliable sources. The sources you use to write should provide information that is consistent with the best scientific evidence.
Your next steps
Unleash your potential as a freelance writer. With the ever-growing demand for skilled writers and the flexibility freelance work offers, there’s no better time to invest in yourself. Refine your writing skills and explore diverse topics to open doors to exciting, high-paying opportunities.
Ready to embark on your freelance writing journey? Explore our Resources for Freelance Writers to get started.
About the author
Andre Oentoro is the founder of Breadnbeyond, an award-winning explainer video production company. He helps businesses increase conversion rates, close more sales, and get positive ROI from explainer videos (in that order).
Twitter: @breadnbeyond
Email/Gravatar: andre@breadnbeyond.com
LinkedIn: Andre Oentoro
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