If I had a dollar for every time an aspiring freelance writer asked me what is the best type of writing to do … well, let’s just say it would make a nice passive income.
It’s a good question, though. When you want to make freelance writing your livelihood, it’s smart to set yourself up for success. And part of that is knowing what type of work is most in demand.
There are certain types of web writing that businesses have a bigger demand for. And there are specific types of projects that are more lucrative than others. It’s important to know the trends so you can focus your energy in the right place and earn the bigger payout.
But more than specific project types, what I’m seeing right now is a general upswing in the demand for writers who get web writing.
You’d think by now that most businesses would have a handle on the fact that writing for the Web is different than writing for traditional media. And if you want to maximize the returns on your web marketing, you need to write with the understanding that you’re speaking to an online audience.
But the truth is, businesses are still struggling with this. They see the need to do something different, but they’re not sure how to do it.
That’s where web copywriters come in. If you understand how to engage an online audience, how to move them to take action, and how writing for the Web is different than traditional media, you are automatically in high demand right now.
That’s the first big trend I want to underscore. The need and demand for and willingness to pay writers who get the Web is growing off the chart. Worldwide, companies increased their digital marketing budgets by 55% on average in the last year alone.
If you want to succeed as a freelance writer, web writing is where to put your focus.
Now within that sphere, there are several types of projects experiencing explosive demand. Focus on these areas, and you’ll put yourself firmly on the way to landing clients and growing your business at a rapid pace.
Hot Web Projects to Build Your Success Around
1. Content Marketing
You may have heard of content marketing. In the past year, it’s become one of the hottest buzzwords in online marketing. Yet, content marketing has been around for around for a long, long time.
But it wasn’t a widely-adopted strategy until now. In the last year, companies are adding content strategies to their marketing mix left and right. They’re looking for content planners, content marketing managers, and above all, content writers.
If you enjoy editorial writing — writing to entertain and educate — more than sales writing, then content marketing is a great fit. A good content marketer writes blog posts, e-letters, and special reports. They help to create infographics, videos, and podcasts.
The best in this business create high-quality content to draw new traffic, to attract repeat visitors, to generate leads, and to increase search engine rankings. Content marketing can play a critical role in the sales cycle. As more companies get on board with this strategy, you’ll find that their willingness to pay decent project fees goes up.
Another perk of content marketing is that businesses have an ongoing need for new content, so you’ll rarely be tasked for a single project. You’ll more likely be asked to produce new content every week, which leads to a nice, steady gig.
2. Online Sales Copy
While writing for the Web is fundamentally different than traditional marketing, the goal of online sales copy is the same … you want your reader to take an action. You may want them to subscribe to an e-letter, sign up for a free trial, request more information, or place an order.
If you develop a track record of getting website visitors to take action, you’ll do very well as a web copywriter. Businesses will hire you both to create original sales copy and to review and optimize their existing web copy to perform better.
3. Pay-Per-Click Marketing
Pay-Per-Click marketing is a boon for web writers and a great place to specialize right now.
The first benefit to you as a web writer is the demand. PPC marketers need ad copy, landing pages, special reports, and autoresponder series. They also need keyword research. And they constantly tweak and test and track what they do, which means they have a monthly (or more frequent) need for new copy.
The second benefit of PPC for web writers is the current rate of growth. Nearly three out of four companies using PPC plan to expand their budgets and their PPC efforts in the coming year.
4. Email Marketing
Email continues to be a cornerstone for online marketers. According to the Direct Marketing Association, the average Return on Investment for email marketing campaigns is 4,300%.
That’s a big return. And you can bet smart marketers are looking for talented email writers who can help them make these kinds of profits.
Email is not sexy, but it works. And every year, companies send out more email than the year before. That spells big opportunity for web writers.
Trends in online marketing clearly show there is going to be a big increase in demand for writers who understand the Web. As a freelance web writer, your opportunity to succeed and earn a very nice living has never been better.
Nick Usborne - An award winning copywriter and direct response marketing, Nick Usborne made the switch to copywriting exclusively for the Web and is a leading expert in the industry.
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