You don’t need extraordinary writing skills to make money writing content online. Let me break some good news. You can get rich with content writing or paid to write to pay your bills. I will go into the detail on this, but you can skip to your favorite part:

Here comes bad news for many. Not everyone will be a writer; not every writer will get paid to write sufficiently. Moreover, good content writing is not a surefire way to make money online. You must be good at learning and marketing yourself as well.

And that is especially true when generative AI has taken over the world.

And you must be consistent with your work. What kind of work am I talking about? Well, I’m talking about learning, testing, working, and marketing your stuff. Your stuff means your skills. In my case, it was content writing.

What is Content Writing?

If you want an official kinda definition:

Content writing is the process of planning, writing, editing, and publishing content in a digital format to engage and inform an audience. It encompasses a wide range of writing styles and formats, including blog posts, articles, website copy, social media posts, email newsletters, and more.

And here is my take:

Writing any readable text for online or traditional media is content writing.

Content is content, you know. It doesn’t have to be digital or online like most online sources or bloggers claim. And most freelancers consider content writing as blog post writing.

Fair enough? Let’s move on!

I Never Thought I Could Make Money Writing

I dreamed of enjoying a laptop lifestyle while in the market, doing a typical sales and marketing job. It’s not that I hated my job. I loved it and learned a lot from it. But I always had something good about online business in my mind.

Make Money Writing Content Online

Because of many myths, I never thought I could make money writing to replace my ‘full-time’ job. I will discuss them later in some other post. Let’s focus on getting paid to write without platforms like Fiverr and Upwork.

Why Have I Never Used Fiverr or Upwork to Get Paid to Write?

There might be many reasons for a freelance content writer not to go for Fiverr, Upwork, or related platforms.

I have my reasons, and you might disagree with them. But these are the reasons why I have never taken these platforms seriously.

1. I Don’t Want to Fight A Crazy Bidding War

Platforms like Fiverr and Upwork are overloaded with freelance content writers who work for cheaper. I know that peanuts in dollars mean a lot if you live in countries like Pakistan.

You feel better working for foreign clients on Fiverr or Upwork than with local clients. That’s why I stumbled upon Fiverr and Upwork.

Sooner I realized that there is a crazy bidding war to win over clients, especially for newbies. I am not against competition.

It’s just that the competition should not favor a few. The algorithm of Fiverr or Upwork may be suitable for a marketplace but not for a good content writer.

And I’m not alone in who thinks this way.

Highest Gigs Get the Most Jobs

Yes, the highest gigs on Fiverr get the most jobs. It doesn’t matter how good your writing skill is. Top sellers have an entire team working for them.

It’s more of a business for someone else rather than a writing opportunity for you. Quantity wins over quality, and you get lost.

Have a look at this meme I found on Facebook.

Fiverr meme

You might think I am wrong because many people are making even 6-figure income. You think if you work hard, you will get there.

For instance, a kid in Greece earns around $2600 a month using Fiverr. And he needs to deliver 200 orders within two days. Imagine the work pressure and compare it with your earnings.

Decide it for yourself. Like, I have decided not to give it a shot. I don’t want to fight a crazy bidding war on platforms like Fiverr.

In the longer run, I don’t think it’s a dream worth pursuing. If I put the same time and energy into something of my own, I will make more money.

2. Fiverr and Upwork Don’t Care for Sellers

There are tons and tons of sellers out there. And you might already know that. All the platforms, such as Fiverr and Upwork, have more sellers than buyers. In such a situation, you lose power as a seller.

You are working your ass off. And you have crushed it on Fiverr. But then a bad thing happens. Read this Fiverr review to know how a regular order turns into a hostage situation. A freelancer completes her task and over-delivers it.

The client demands more work. And he threatens a one-star rating if she doesn’t do it. The freelancer contacts the support.

Conversation between Freelancer and Fiverr Support

The freelancer responds to the client.

She also contacts the support.

This is the response she gets. All the rules are against the seller. The seller bore the loss despite the client threatening a one-star rating. Believe me, that It’s about one case only.

And it’s not just about sellers. Buyers on Fiverr also don’t get what they want because of Fiverr’s cheap sellers and weak policy.

And have a look at this feedback on SiteJabber.

Fiverr is not alone here. Have a look at the feedback from a PeoplePerHour buyer.

But every company has negative reviews, right? Yes, but the problem lies within some logical reasoning. Fiverr, Upwork, and related platforms are overloaded with sellers.

Even a top seller might not provide you with a better quality because of the work-loads s/he might get. The policy of these companies is not sound enough.

3. I Want to Make Money Writing For My Online Ventures

This must be the number one reason why I don’t use freelance marketplaces like Upwork or Fiverr.

I guarantee you that if you put the same energy and time into making money writing content for yourself, you will make a lot more money in the long run.

And it’s not about the money only. However, money is a colossal inspiration. It’s about time efficiency and scaling as well.

I want to create content for my online ventures. And this reason is enough for me to reject Fiverr-like platforms.

As a content writer, you research a topic, refresh your thoughts, and then write on it. You do a lot between these things.

You do the same things when creating websites to make passive income. You can also create content for your portfolio website.

Abdol Rauf
Update: I’ve stopped offering freelance writing services and changed the homepage now.

What do I mean by “create content for yourself”? It means creating a niche website or blog, developing content for it, and monetizing it.

Or you can start some other online business based on content marketing. I know it takes longer than making money writing for Fiverr or Upwork clients. But it’s worth it.

How I Make Money Writing Content

I make money writing content online without being on Fiverr, PeoplePerHour, or Upwork. It may be surprising for many people, especially those living in my country, Pakistan.

Let’s find out how I do it.

1. Extract the Power of Social Media to Make Money Writing

In the early days of my career as a freelance content writer, I searched for Facebook groups about content writing. Finding a legit writing job post is a challenge on social media. I have used LinkedIn and Facebook to get the right clients. Using Twitter and Instagram is also excellent.

Make Money Writing with LinkedIn Jobs

But LinkedIn is my favorite to find credible clients. I send a message to the potential client I already know. I mean, not literally. But I research him or her. I explore the work history and overall social presence of the client. If she or he seems credible, I go ahead saying something like

“Hi, I have been working with writing challenged clients for years on [niche]. Working with me is exciting because of the super-engaging, crispy, and SEO-friendly content I create.

Recently, I wrote about [niche-related topic]. I wonder how I can be helpful. Have a look at my portfolio. Looking forward to working with you to boost your online presence.”

The message is for general purposes. If I apply for a specific writing job, I read the instructions carefully and then apply for it.

I let the potential client know why I’m a perfect fit for the job. Using social media to get clients is great, but not enough. That’s why I also use cold emails to pitch my writings.

2. Use Emails to Pitch to Make Money Writing

Clients you get with cold emailing are far better-paying than those you get on Fiverr or Upwork. Cold emailing is one of the best ways for freelance writers to attract clients.

No, you don’t need to send thousands of emails per day. I don’t believe cold emailing is a number game. It’s more about getting the email addresses and writing to the clients.

Ignore the idea of content mills like Fiverr or Upwork and get better at cold emailing. I research for a company or a credible person like an editor, pitch, and get paid to write.

It’s not easy, but when I compare it with the effort you put into the content mills, it’s more practical.

Make Money Writing with Email Marketing

Email Marketing Takes Time, but It’s Worth It

Email Marketing will grow your writing business faster than any other marketing medium! I recommend GetResponse for that.

I may earn a little commission if you purchase through my affiliate link. This is how you make money as a content writer.

Tell your clients how you can add value and help them achieve their goals. Using examples or experiences in your cold email also increases the chance of hearing back from a client or a company.

Before you do cold emailing, let me give you a success formula: research, research, and research.

3. Work For Yourself to Get Paid to Write

Working for yourself to make money writing content is the best thing in the world. What does it mean? It means you should

  • Learn a bit of SEO (life-changing for you as a content writer)
  • Create a niche-focused website or a blog (not a rocket-science)
  • Monetize your blog with an ads network or affiliate program
  • Or you can also sell your info-products or services

I created an affiliate website and optimized it for search engines. I wrote one post and made $17 within three months.

Now the good thing is I will keep getting paid as far as it appears on search results. So, the $17 is not for one-time. I might get hundreds of dollars monthly to write a few more posts.

Start Writing for Yourself and Good Companies

Affiliate marketing attracts me a lot. But you can also start selling your info products or services. Working for yourself also means writing content for good companies. Even if they don’t pay, they will make you visible to potential clients. Let your clients know what you have done for others when pitching them.

Content Writing Services
Service section on my portfolio website

I don’t use Fiverr or Upwork because I surf my time curating content for my online ventures. Why? Because it’s worth more than anything else in freelancing. It’s like leaving your job and starting your business. It’s the only reason I don’t use content mills, and I am not running after clients.

Practical Ways to Make Money Writing Content

Let me share some practical ways to get paid to write online.

  1. Write guest posts for popular blogs or online publications. You need to pitch them first, but it’s worth it. Popular blogs are always looking for brilliant content.
  2. Create a partnership with some content-hungry online businesses. Again, you need to pitch the idea uniquely to have a win-win situation.
  3. Write a Kindle book and market it to make money writing.
  4. Start copywriting to convert more visitors into customers of online businesses.
  5. Create a niche blog or website
  6. Start writing infographics, tables, and charts. The visual content is more appealing, without a doubt.
  7. Apply for a content writing job on Problogger Job-board, Indeed, LinkedIn, and others.

FAQs for Making Money Writing Content

Answering frequently asked questions is the best idea of how you get paid to write content. Let’s give it a quick shot.

1. How can I make money with my writing skills?

I have already told you a lot about it. Write content for blogs, websites, and magazines. Enter writing competitions to win some cash prizes.

Get paid to write fillers and snippets for ranking sites. Write a book and publish it on Amazon. There are many other ways to make money writing content online.

2. Do writers make good money?

It’s a tricky question to answer. It depends on many factors, including your perspective of ‘good money.’. According to PayScale.Com, a content writer earns an average of approximately $2500.

A copywriter makes roughly $51,000 per year. Some writers don’t make money at all. And some traditional writers like JK Rowling make millions. As per Publishing Perspectives, 5.7% of hybrid writers reported earning more than $100,000 yearly.

If you ask me, I am not getting something close to the above stats. But I make enough money as a freelance writer that I don’t have to do a typical full-time job.

And I’m excited to make more money using the ways discussed in the post. It’s important to realize that you must ramp up along the way.

3. Is writing a promising career?

In a word, yes. You can make writing your career if you have the skills and attitude. I have replaced my full-day job with freelance content writing.

A good content writer or a copywriter can make a few hundred to several thousand dollars a month. You can make a lot more if you know how to convey your ideas to the right reader.

4. Is there a demand for writers?

Hell yeah. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for technical writers is expected to grow by 10% by 2024. It is faster than the average of all occupations in the world. Content writing is a billion-dollar industry online. There is a colossal demand for writers today.

5. What are the highest-paying writing jobs?

The highest-paying writing jobs include the jobs of a columnist, grant writer, reporter, copywriter, social media manager, communication specialist, etc.

The point often overlooked here is how much a writer adds value to a business. If you want to choose a writing job, explore yourself first. You need to know your inner powers for content writing.

6. How do I start a writing career?

Read. Write. Learn. Read. And write. Do not quit. Start writing about your passions. Create your writer’s website and look for opportunities.

Network with clients and market your skills. That’s how you start a writing career. Make sure you are a niche-specific writer because of the fierce competition. Save or bookmark the infographics I have created for you.

Start Content Writing and Make Money Writing
Make Money Writing Content | AbdolRauf.Com

7. How hard is it to become a writer?

If you feel like you can write, it’s not that hard. But it becomes tricky if you want to make good money off it. You need to focus on its business side. Why would someone give you cash for your words?

Think about adding value, and you will become a professional writer. Make sure to market your work, and you will earn a lot. It’s not hard to become a writer. But you cannot be enormously wealthy without making your writing business-centric.

8. Is a writing degree worth it?

Yes, because you can network with fellow writers, get feedback, and read a lot to finish it. But when I compare the benefits with the degree expense, I doubt it’s worth it. I recommend going for some online courses or degrees from credible learning platforms.

9. How do I become a writer with no experience?

If you have no experience, gain experience by writing about anything. Start a blog. Do the guest posting. Or write on the niche of your interest and send the file or a Google Drive link for a sample.

You can also start a social media page to market your writing skills. Sign up for a Contently portfolio and collect your write-ups there. Pitch your writings and rock.

10. How do I start freelance writing?

Read the entire post. Choose your niche. Set up a blog or website even if it does not give you quick money. Write some excellent sample work and start pitching.

Learn and collect testimonials. Avoid content mills like Fiverr or Upwork and go for the pro-writing job boards like Problogger Jobs.

Websites to Get Inspiration and Learn to Make Money Writing

There are many websites where you can learn content writing and make money. Let me share some of my favorite sources below.

MakeALivingWriting

If you want to make a living writing content, this blog by Carol Tice must be a go-to source. The posts discuss how to break in, move up, and earn a full-time living from freelance writing. It’s a premier online resource for content writers, without a doubt.

By the way, I won a writing competition worth around $1500 on MakeALivingWriting.Com 🙂

Copyhackers

Founded by Joanna Wiebe in 2011, Copyhackers must be the number one recommendation for copywriters.

You can learn many things, even if you are a typical content writer. Much knowledge about copywriting, freelancing, and growth marketing is available. I learned brilliant copywriting formulas on Copyhackers.

Backlinko

I know Backlink is all about improving SEO. But I have enlisted it here because it teaches how to add value to your readers.

The founder, Brain Dean, talks about long-lasting strategies like the Skyscraper technique. As a content writer, you must learn much about content writing based on search engine optimization. And Backlinko is a significant place for that.

Backlinko for Make Money Writing

Best Courses to Start Your Content Writing Career

Let me share some of the best courses for you to start making money writing content.

Writing with Flair: How to Become an Exceptional Writer

Shani Raja has created this course on LinkedIn Learning. He has worked for the Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Microsoft, and the Financial Times.

It’s a valuable course to improve your content writing skills. The course takes you on a journey of understanding user intent and writing.

Email Marketing Course

It’s a free, comprehensive email marketing course that covers everything you need to know to grow your list by up to 10,000 subscribers in as little as 90 days.

It was designed to help content marketers maximize email marketing efforts by enhancing their lists with new, engaged contacts.

The course is unique and created exclusively for GetResponse customers, both free trial and paid accounts with less than 10,000 contacts. You will also receive the GetResponse University Certificate of Performance.

HubSpot Content Marketing Certification Course

To sustain yourself as a content writer, you must get into content marketing. If you cannot market your content, you will not make sufficient money with content writing.

To become a certified content marketer, you must get this course immediately. Did I tell you it’s free?

Final Thoughts on Making Money Writing Content

It’s time to choose your path to make money writing content online. A lot of people are earning a lot from Fiverr or Upwork.

But I have rejected the idea of getting on these content marketplaces. In conclusion, writing for myself and several selected clients is my way to rock my life in the long run.

What are your thoughts about choosing the path for getting paid to write? Share in the comments below.

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