Have you thought about making money with writing? If so, freelance blogging might be a good option for you (especially if you already have a blog and enjoy writing for it!).

Freelance blogging can help you earn a full-time income that could match or exceed what you’d earn at a traditional job. And you get to work from home, which is a major bonus! Whether you need an extra $300 or $3000 a month, freelance blogging can get you there.

As a freelance blogger myself, I’m going to explain how to get started, how to grow, and how to find freelance writing jobs, blogger jobs, and clients to build your business and become a blogging pro.

What is Freelance Blogging?

Unlike blogging, freelance blogging is blogging for websites other than your own in exchange for payment. In other words, freelance bloggers get paid to write blog posts! You might already get paid to write posts on your own blog. But, freelance writing gives you even more opportunities to get paid to blog.

Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash

Freelance Writer vs Freelance Blogger: What’s the Difference?

You might be wondering what the difference is between freelance blogging and freelance writing. The two are similar, but they’re not the same. You can be both a freelance writer and freelance blogger, though (I am!).

A freelance writer is someone who may write different forms of content, like blogs, articles, interviews, case studies, whitepapers, etc. Freelance writers can get paid using their byline (their name is attached to their work) or for ghostwritten material (content that the writer writes for someone else and does not have their name attached to). Freelance writing can also require a lot of research and writing, especially if the topic you’re writing about isn’t one you’re familiar with.

A freelance blogger is a blogger who writes for other blogs. Blogging is a lot of work, and so is freelance blogging. Generally, freelance bloggers write for blogs that focus on topics they’re familiar with, especially if they’ll have a byline. A mom blogger, for instance, might write for another mom blog as a regular contributor. However, a freelance blogger can also choose to write ghostwritten content for a blog.

How Do Freelance Bloggers Make Money?

Freelance bloggers make money writing for other blogs. The owner or owning company of the blog will pay you, meaning that they’re your client. You can also provide services in addition to writing blogs that can help you earn more money.

How Much Do Freelance Bloggers Make?

This is totally up to the freelance blogger! You’ll own your business as a freelance blogger (and you’re in business even if you’re working solo!). Therefore, you’re in charge of your pricing for blog posts and other services. You can charge $50 for a short post or $500 or more for a longer one. The choice is yours – if your clients are happy to pay your price, then go for it. And if not, they’re probably not your ideal clients, anyway.

As you get some published pieces in your portfolio, it’s even easier to charge what you’re worth. Update your portfolio frequently to show off your best work and keep clients coming to you.

Types of Freelance Blogging Services

Freelance writers may offer other services in addition to their writing, like keyword research, SEO optimization, editing, and marketing outreach. Freelance bloggers sometimes offer similar services as freelance writers. But it’s also common for them to have extras like WordPress uploading and formatting, social media posting, or blog management. Going beyond blog writing is an excellent way to appeal to more clients as you offer a one-stop-shop for all things blogging.

Photo by Arnel Hasanovic on Unsplash

As a freelance blogger, you might include:

• Editing existing blog posts
• Repurposing, optimizing, or adding to existing blog posts
• Managing writers for the blog
• Social media engagement
• Pinterest scheduling
• Email newsletter writing
• Facebook Group moderation
• SEO optimization
• Blog post outlining
• Content calendar creation
• Guest post outreach

Pros and Cons of Freelance Blogging

As with any business, freelance blogging has its ups and downs. Here are a few things you can expect as a freelance blogger:

Pros

• You can work where you want and when you want.
• You’re your own boss.
• You can write about things you love.
• Blogging is fun!
• Your prices can be what you want them to be.
• You’ll get the chance to write about different topics than you might on your own blog.
• Writing for other blogs means you don’t need to worry about blog maintenance, promotion, and backend stuff.

Cons

• Your income depends on your clients paying and how much you market yourself.
• Speaking of marketing, it never ends. You’ll need to keep it up to have a steady flow of clients (even if you have a waiting list for backup) if you plan on going full-time.
• Blogging takes work and time between researching, outlining, writing, and editing.
• Your work ends up on other sites. If the site shuts down, you lose that portfolio piece, unless you remember to save it as a PDF for your portfolio.

How to Become a Freelance Blogger

So, you’ve decided that freelance blogging could be your next big move. What do you need to do first? Follow these steps to become a budding freelance blogger who all the blogs in your niche want to work with:

1. Understand How Blogging Works

If you want to be a freelance blogger, you’ll need to know how blogging differs from other forms of writing. As I mentioned before, you can be both a freelance blogger and freelance writer, but blogging itself is a different ballgame than copywriting or article writing. Having a successful blog of your own can really help you understand what your blogging clients need, too.

Blogging, for example:

• Has a purpose with each blog post
• Is informative but conversational
• Requires a consistent tone and voice with each post
• Has lots of white space, imagery, and clean formatting
• Includes a call-to-action with each post that tells readers what they should do

I suggest looking at blogs you love and seeing how they set up their blog posts if you’re new to the blogging world.

2. Build Your Online Presence

To be taken seriously as a blogger in your niche, you want an online presence so people can learn more about you. Your clients should be able to find you on social media platforms, like LinkedIn or Twitter, to know you’re the real deal. You don’t need hundreds of thousands of followers. Instead, shoot for engagement, which shows that people love what you put out there. You can also comment on other blog posts to get your name on the radar of other bloggers.

Eventually, people will connect you with your name and blog, which could open doors to future freelance blogging opportunities.

3. Search for Freelance Blogging Jobs

I always tell new freelance bloggers to search for a few already-posted gigs first instead of seeking out clients. This can help you build your portfolio and get a bit of experience before venturing out on your own. Most clients will want to see some published pieces anyway before they’re ready to work with you. You can find freelance blogging jobs on the following sites:

• Problogger
• Upwork
• Write Jobs
• All Freelance Writing
• Blogging Pro
• Indeed

When it comes to applying to freelance blogging jobs, though, make sure you don’t undervalue yourself. Just because you’re new to the arena doesn’t mean you need to work for pennies. Be selective in your job search and only apply to jobs you know you’ll love and get paid fairly for.

4. Get Freelance Blogging Clients

Getting freelance blogging clients will take more time and patience, but it’s oh-so-worth-it when you find those dream clients that don’t flinch at your pricing. The key to getting these clients is research. You need to find blogs you’d love to write for, that are willing to pay, and that resonate with your values, interests, and blogging niche. You can use the above job board sites to find clients, but I recommend seeking out your own. If you wait for blogs to advertise that they’re looking for writers, you could end up missing out on writing for some fabulous sites!

Ramp up your freelance writer portfolio with a few pieces you love and start pitching. I like using Angel.co to look for startups that are either in need of an awesome blog or need some help keeping up with it. LinkedIn is also an excellent spot to find blog owners and content leads for companies. Or, just head to your favorite blogs and email the owner to see if they’re interested in having some blogging help.

Tip: Use Google! When I’m looking for blogs that accept guest bloggers or regular contributions, I search Google by my blogging niche. For example, I blog for parenting and education-focused sites, so I’ll search “parenting blog paid submissions” or a similar keyword. Usually, I’ll get several results for roundups of sites that pay you to blog or results that lead me straight to parenting blogs that pay writers.

Getting Started with Freelance Blogging

Freelance blogging can become a favorite side gig or a full-time job, depending on your goals. Either way, you can get paid to write what’s on your mind and share your interests with other people all over the world. As you venture on your journey to become a freelance blogger, keep working on building your own blog and online presence. With a dedicated audience of your own, it can be easier for you to land clients and projects in the future.

Are you considering a freelance blogger for your own blog or business site? Read why a blog is beneficial for any business owner, and learn more about my blog management services.

Why do you want to become a freelance blogger? Are there any other questions you have? Drop a comment below!