How to Earn Extra Money as a Website Content Writer

If you're looking for ways to increase your income, there's never been a better time to become a website content writer. 

Everything you read on the internet is content – including this article. 

And most likely, someone got paid to write it! Why not you? 

Written website content is in high demand and it will continue to be as long as the internet exists.

In this article, you'll learn more about what it takes to become a website content writer and how you can get started, even if you've never written a single article in your life.

What is Website Content? 

Website content is any and all content contained on a website. This can be video, audio, or written content. On most websites, text makes up the majority of the content. 

Written website content consists of articles or blog posts, product or service descriptions, about pages, e-books, white pages, checklists, and so much more. 

Written web content is an integral part of a robust content marketing strategy, yet it can take a significant amount of time to produce. Website content is one of the first things busy website and business owners outsource. 

Because of the demand, website content writing can be a really lucrative side hustle. 

What Does a Website Content Writer Do? 

A website content writer writes website content. It's as simple as that. 

There are many different niches and areas you can specialize in as a website content writer. From article writing, sales page copywriting, to product descriptions – it's much more than just blogging. 

Website content writers are an incredibly valuable asset to the busy entrepreneur or business. Not everyone has the time or skills required to produce website content that performs well. 

Although it's not hard to learn, website owners are often more concerned with the other tasks required to keep the business running like marketing, product development, etc. 

Content Marketing Explained

Content marketing is the creation of content (written, video, or audio) that's used to generate interest and engagement for a brand or business. 

When it comes to written website content, content marketing consists of writing content that achieves a certain goal. 

Depending on the particular brand, the goal may be: 

• Driving more Google traffic to the website
• Selling a product or service
• Get new email subscribers
• To inform, educate, and/or inspire readers
• Increase brand awareness

A good content strategy encompasses all of these aspects and produces content that touches on every point related to the brand or business. 

How Much Do Website Content Writers Make? 

A freelance writing salary can vary widely, depending on the niche, your experience level, and much more. The website Who Pays Writers breaks down some of the most popular publications on the web based on how much they pay per word or project. 

Freelance writers typically charge per word, although some writers prefer to charge per project. 

A typical per word starting rate for freelance writers ranges from $0.06 to $0.10 cents per word, and can range all the way up to $1.00 per word or more for advanced topics, technical writing, or sales copy.

Venngage compiled multiple data sources from Who Pays Writers to determine that the vast majority of freelance writers charge $0.25 cents per word or less.

In terms of typical website articles, length can range from 800 to 3,000 words or more. 

Let's consider a realistic freelance writing scenario. A freelance writer who charges $0.06 cents per word and writes four 2,000 word articles per week would make $480 per week or $1,920 per month. 

This is a realistic income for a new freelance writer with a steady flow of work. 

A freelance writer with the same workload who charges $0.20 cents per word would earn an income of $1,600 per week, or $6,400 per month.

How to Start a Content Writing Side Hustle

Starting a content writing side hustle isn't technical or hard, but it does require some work to get started. The good news is that it's easy to prove yourself and get clients, even without previous clients to vouch for you. Here's how. 

Choose a Freelance Writing Niche

Every successful business or side hustle requires you to pick a niche. 

For freelance writing, you should choose a niche you're already very familiar with. Writing about topics you already know about saves you a ton of time on research. And, as a result, you'll produce high-quality and accurate content. 

Don't limit yourself by thinking that your niche doesn't need written content – I assure you, it does. Every niche you can imagine needs written content. Here are some high-paying freelance writing niches to help get your gears going. 

If you have multiple areas of interest or expertise, you can look for work in all of them and hone it down as you gain experience.

Create a Portfolio (Better Yet, Start a Blog)

Creating a portfolio and having actual writing samples to show to potential clients is how you get new clients as a freelance writer, even without prior work history. 

When you write sample articles, your work literally speaks for itself.

You can write and publish articles in your chosen niche on websites like LinkedIn or Medium, or you can write in Google Docs and send to potential clients. 

But, the best way to create a freelance writing portfolio is to start your own blog or website. 

Starting your own blog or website serves as a place to showcase your work and also positions you as an authority in your niche. A website helps you look more professional, too. 

And as an added bonus, you can monetize your website with ads, affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and more. There's really no downside to creating your own website to use as a freelance writing portfolio. 

Learn How to Start a Blog Here

How to Get Clients as a Website Content Writer

There are many ways and places to get clients as a website content writer. If you're just starting out, using job boards and freelance writing marketplaces is a great place to start. 

You can find clients on social and networking platforms, too. LinkedIn and Facebook can be great places to find writing clients (make sure to check out what is InMail on LinkedIn). 

On Facebook, groups for bloggers, SEO, entrepreneurs, and business owners are great places to network to find new clients. 

On LinkedIn, optimize your profile and be sure to include samples of your work. LinkedIn has an article feature, so you can write sample articles directly on the platform. Connect with and network with people in your niche and browse the LinkedIn job boards to find web content writing clients. 

Best Freelance Writing Job Boards

These freelance writing job boards update daily with website content writer jobs in every niche imaginable.  

How to Create High Quality Website Content

Creating high quality content is what you should always aim for as a freelance writer, and it's something that you can only improve with practice and experience. 

Starting your own blog or website to create your own samples and portfolio pieces is a great way to practice and hone your craft. 

In addition to honing your writing chops, a website or blog serves as another aspect of your business that can earn passive income once the content is live. 

Taking online courses to learn more technical writing skills will make you a more valuable asset to clients and will help you create even better content. Consider learning skills like SEO, digital marketing, and anything specific to your chosen niche. 

SEO is a great place to start because SEO content is always in high demand, no matter what niche you write in. 

As you learn new skills and gain more experience in writing, you can raise your rates and charge more. This helps you create better content and make more money – a true win-win. 

Should You Work for a Content Writing Service? 

Content writing services are often called “content mills” because of the way they churn out content in bulk to brands and businesses, and often at a very low price. 

Since most content writing services offer such low prices to customers, content mill writers can make as little as $0.01 per word. 

Content mills are discouraged and looked down upon in the freelance writing community because of the low pay, but they can be a good place to start if you want to gain experience.

Although content mills might not be a great place to write full-time or long-term, they do have some pros. Advantages include:

• Steady flow of work
• Daily payouts with some content writing services
• Work as much or as little as you'd like
• Rates can raise with more experience and a good track record
• They can help you hone your skills and increase your writing speed
• Eliminates pitching or sourcing new clients

Content writing services aren't for everyone, but they can be a good place to get your start. 

How to Write a Pitch or Proposal for Freelance Writing Clients

Whether you're submitting a proposal for a gig on a freelance writing job board, or sending emails to prospective clients online, you need to perfect your pitch. 

A pitch or proposal is the message or email you send to a potential freelance writing client to try and land a job. Here are some tips for your freelance writing pitches and proposals: 

• Be concise, yet detailed enough to show you know what you're talking about. 
• Reiterate the job listing to demonstrate your capacity to follow direction, and understanding of the work required. 
• Provide any relevant certifications or published work that relates to the client or the gig. 
• Be personable! Let your personality shine through in your pitch or proposal. 
• Break up sentences and paragraphs with a lot of white space. No one wants to read a huge chunk of text. 
• Be sure to read the job description all the way through. Some clients will include a silly question or unrelated keyword to include in your pitch to make sure you read the entire thing. 
• Do your research! If the client name or business is available, research the business. Demonstrate your knowledge of the business or compliment them in your pitch. 
• Pitch early and often. If you're using job boards to look for freelance work, check them first thing every morning and throughout the day. Being one of the first to respond to a job listing can increase your chances of landing a gig. 

Other Services You Can Offer to Increase Your Website Content Writing Income Potential

Website content writers can offer additional writing-related services to increase income potential. This content writing services list is a good place to start. 

• Keyword research
• Search engine optimization
• Competitor research
• Article topic ideation
• Stock image sourcing
• Editing and proofreading 
• Formatting articles and adding images and links
• Guest posting
• Link building
• Writing social media posts

Website Content Writer Wrap-Up

Becoming a successful website content writer isn't hard to do on the technical side, but it will require work, time, and determination on your part. 

The freelance writing industry is booming. Written content is in high demand and always will be as long as the internet is around. 

Whether you want to become a website content writer to earn a bit of extra money as a side hustle or turn it into a full time career, there's never been a better time to get started (and we also made a full list of writer side hustles to try here). 

Choose your niche, create a blog or portfolio, and start pitching and browsing freelance writing websites. With time and practice, you'll be well on your way to earning a substantial side or full-time income as a content writer. 

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