When it comes to making money online, you have virtually a limitless number of options to choose from. Some will take time to learn, others will involve financial risk and of course upfront investment money. Then there are always ways to make a little money on the side just by doing manual work that others simply don’t want to do. One example of this type of work is content writing services or doing freelance work for web sites and blogs.
It doesn’t matter if you are a high school or college graduate, living at home or in an office… as long as you have a connection to the internet, then you can start making money by writing articles for other people online. In some cases you don’t even need to know perfect English, but the better writer you are, the more you will earn in the long run.
Let’s take a look at a few of the top sites for writing articles online.
Content Writing and Article Services
As a blogger you can already appreciate the value in finding great content. The problem is that writing great content takes time and if we are focusing all of our efforts on writing, then we are going to miss out on getting a lot of other work done.
If you currently have a blog of your own, then you may already be using some type of outsource writing services, likewise if you are a freelance writer you may already be providing content through many of these services as well. Either way, if you are looking to pay for content or get paid to write content, these content writing networks connect thousands of writers and advertisers together in one place.
As an advertiser you can post jobs about the type of content you want written, and will pay on a per word basis. As a writer you will get to pick and choose the jobs you want to write for, then are also paid higher premiums if you have higher ratings and feedback.
Some well known examples are Blogging.org, TextBroker.com and OneHourTranslation.com
Using Job Boards to Find Writing Jobs
Just like we mentioned in the previous point, one of the biggest problems for bloggers is continually finding some great content. Finding writing jobs online is all about how much time you take to look around and provide your services. There are a bunch of blogger job boards that have new writing jobs going live every day. Many of these jobs are paying real money for daily, weekly and monthly content.
If you are a quality writer and can find a job in a niche you actually know about, there is no reason why you couldn’t be hired for the job. ProBlogger’s job board is one of the best around, which I have posted several writing jobs on. Be sure to add them to your list of writing resources.
Posting Your Resume Through Freelance Sites
Online job marketplaces are not limited to just writers, but nearly any type of freelance work you can think of.
I’ve personally hired some really great writers through oDesk and Freelancer over the years. As a freelancer who is looking for work through their site, you can list all of your capabilities and will also be rated on your skills and knowledge through their internal tests and quizzes (ie: programming knowledge, grammar, design work).
These sites are not only great places to find work as a freelancer worker, but also builds up a great resume as well.
As you can see, there are plenty of options for making money online as a freelancer writer.
If you can write well in English and can type 50+ words per minute, there is really no reason why you couldn’t start making a few hundred dollars a month on the side. Be sure to check all of the resources above and see which is best for you.
Louis October 1, 2012 at 9:34 pm
Aj ! Freelance become increasingly common in the world of making money online, a month am only get 25$ from writing …
Jasmine July 19, 2012 at 1:42 pm
Like you said, freelance writing definitely isn’t a way to “make the big bucks” online. But I definitely like your idea of using it as a way to generate a bit of cash flow while you are building your bigger money makers. If you have the skill, use it!
Charles Daniels July 15, 2012 at 7:34 am
With the new $5 tidal wave of services out there it seems like decent freelance writing jobs are harder and harder to come by. I’d agree with the people who encourage you to go the blogging route instead. Might be less money coming in on the front end, but man can that back end perpetuity be sweet.
Nishadha July 11, 2012 at 11:48 pm
Freelance writing can be very profitable but I personally feel it’s much better to start your own blog and monetize it. If your writing is good I feel this bring more long term benefits. Just my feeling though.
Zac Johnson July 22, 2012 at 4:07 pm
Definitely. If you have what it takes to make a site of your own, build a brand and continue to grow it over time, you should make a lot more with your own blog and services than writing for other people.
Zac Johnson recently posted..Logo Design Contests and Marketplaces You Should Check Out
Caryl July 11, 2012 at 7:53 am
When I first started as an independent contractor, most of the projects I got from oDesk and Freelancer were article writing and blogging. Writing didn’t turn out to be a profitable career for me or should I say, it isn’t really meant for me, so I decided to change my strategy and find my niche. Great post, by the way!
Caryl recently posted..How to Win Your First Project in Odesk
Zac Johnson July 22, 2012 at 4:06 pm
Excellent. Odesk and Freelancer are great places to start, but there is also a ton of competition. Building a business outside of these job sites is key for long term growth and bigger sales numbers.
Zac Johnson recently posted..Logo Design Contests and Marketplaces You Should Check Out
Rashmi Sinha July 11, 2012 at 5:19 am
Freelance writing can be very profitable if you succeed into making a good reputation on the web. Make sure the content is unique and of great quality and you will make some money in no time!
Jordasche Kingston July 10, 2012 at 8:08 pm
Great tips, I will definitely check them out. Thank you for sharing.
Murray Lunn July 10, 2012 at 7:59 pm
My first entry into freelance writing was the Web2.0 and article mill websites. I had a pretty good success rate with those but it required a ton of work every day. Now, I’ve found myself taking on private clients which is far more lucrative. The best discovery has definitely been the ProBlogger job boards in which the majority of my clients have come from.
Murray Lunn recently posted..Almost Famous: The Biggest Mistakes I’ve Made in Business (So You Don’t Have To)
Zac Johnson July 10, 2012 at 8:05 pm
It’s definitely more profitable to build up your branding and name awareness, then charge premium rates versus just being another anonymous writer.
Zac Johnson recently posted..Professionally Written Content for Your Blog & Completely Free
Murray Lunn July 10, 2012 at 8:16 pm
The added benefit is that once you gain one or two great clients, your name starts to make its way around the higher ups. Editors generally network with fellow editors which means you may be the lucky individual that gets their named dropped when the subject of content creation comes up.
(Since I last commented, I’ve actually signed up for blogging.org and scoping it out now)
Murray Lunn recently posted..How To Snag Perfect Domain Names For Your Websites
Ryan Biddulph July 10, 2012 at 7:12 pm
Hi Zac,
My girlfriend has scored a number of freelance gigs through ProBlogger’s board. Super powerful resource.
Keep the channels open. Dig deep, ask around and you can open a nice prosperity stream with freelance work.
Thanks Zac!
Ryan
Ryan Biddulph recently posted..Home Business Mastery – Why You Struggle Horribly to Make Money Online and How to Fix It
Zac Johnson July 10, 2012 at 8:03 pm
Excellent, I’m always posting new jobs on there when I need to find writers.
Zac Johnson recently posted..Professionally Written Content for Your Blog & Completely Free
Rashmi Sinha July 12, 2012 at 7:45 pm
Thats is great to know, i will make an account there! Hopefully i can make some extra income by writing
Michael Kwan July 10, 2012 at 5:53 pm
Nice roundup, but it is important to note that a good typist and a good writer are not the same thing. Simply being able to type 50+ wpm does not make you a good writer. This is no different than someone buying a DSLR for the first time and then immediately marketing his or her “professional photography services.”