Get Paid for Website Article Writing

Paulmc77

Hi there
I am a qualified journalist looking to make a bit of extra money. I have been on many of these sites and find them a bit confusing, maybe I need to focus a bit more.

What are people's expriences? Do you go for topics that you're interested or have experience in, or is it better just to go for anything and write well and do the proper research?

I would consider myself to be a pretty good writer, but find some of these sites a bit daunting. What would the top tips for using these sites.
Thanks in advance.

loucroft

Hiya

I think just find your favourite and a fall back - get used to the way its laid out, apply for jobs that you can research and bid accordingly. Once you're used to the way a site works, it will become easier. I still go long way round when navigating the sites because I don't want to waste time learning the shortcuts - yes, backwards I know ha ha

The fallback is when there aren't any jobs you want or can apply for on your favourite, go to your second and third choice of freelance site and bid there

Don't bid for something you feel is too low a budget, or if you do make sure you mention it kindly and bid at what you think is right - if you get in first, sometimes the advertiser will get in touch and chat with you about it - first contact can mean you get the job, even if it wasn't at the price they had in mind!

Good luck
L

Paulmc77

loucroft wrote: »

Hiya

I think just find your favourite and a fall back - get used to the way its laid out, apply for jobs that you can research and bid accordingly. Once you're used to the way a site works, it will become easier. I still go long way round when navigating the sites because I don't want to waste time learning the shortcuts - yes, backwards I know ha ha

The fallback is when there aren't any jobs you want or can apply for on your favourite, go to your second and third choice of freelance site and bid there

Don't bid for something you feel is too low a budget, or if you do make sure you mention it kindly and bid at what you think is right - if you get in first, sometimes the advertiser will get in touch and chat with you about it - first contact can mean you get the job, even if it wasn't at the price they had in mind!

Good luck
L

Thanks for your reply. I have signed up for Constant Content, but I'm still a bit confused as to how it work. I got email the public requests. Do I just submit a piece and hope it gets picked up or contact the person directly to offer my services?

Sorry about all the questions, but I think this is something I could do well at if I could just get the hang of it.

shmeeko69

You can also visit fiverr.com where you can buy and sell your services for $5. You can advertise your website article writing service as a one of their many gig options, upload a related article picture, choose some keywords and then wait for the orders to arrive.

Things to remember -

~ Only ever do write about something your comfortable with
~ Each gig should be completed within half an hour
~ Try and build your positive feedback score

Once you start building your positive feedback, you'll start to get busier and gain repeat orders with fiverr.com.

Mark

mrsyardbroom

Do I just submit a piece and hope it gets picked up or contact the person directly to offer my services?

I've just signed with them as well but then I thought why not simply write for my own websites and keep them updated enough to earn me a better income.

loucroft

If you're uk based then try freelancer sites that offer free bids - that way it doesn't cost you.

peopleperhour.com
freelancer.co.uk
elance.com

Are all reputable sites that I return to if I get quiet

I can help you with writing a 'bid' if you need to. Also, if you want to pay for membership somewhere then ukbusinessforums.co.uk are an absolutely fantastic place to go, with paid membership you have access to tenders - jobs that business owners want a skilled person to do - and you get chance, like here, to chat with people and get ideas.

Let me know if you join and I'll reply to your post - even as a free member it was worth its weight in gold

Basically its a case of getting in quickly - often, if someone wants to outsource they are looking for a good sell and need to see your skills and portfolio quickly. Don't keep it too short, and don't go on for hours. If you need help with this then feel free to pm me

L

loucroft

mrsyardbroom wrote: »

I've just signed with them as well but then I thought why not simply write for my own websites and keep them updated enough to earn me a better income.

What do you do? Days of affiliate incomes are diminishing, best to keep your advice concise and let everyone know why you're making a decent income - keeping a site up to date when you don't know how to write for your audience can be detrimental to any business

Paulmc77

loucroft wrote: »

If you're uk based then try freelancer sites that offer free bids - that way it doesn't cost you.

peopleperhour.com
freelancer.co.uk
elance.com

Are all reputable sites that I return to if I get quiet

I can help you with writing a 'bid' if you need to. Also, if you want to pay for membership somewhere then ukbusinessforums.co.uk are an absolutely fantastic place to go, with paid membership you have access to tenders - jobs that business owners want a skilled person to do - and you get chance, like here, to chat with people and get ideas.

Let me know if you join and I'll reply to your post - even as a free member it was worth its weight in gold

Basically its a case of getting in quickly - often, if someone wants to outsource they are looking for a good sell and need to see your skills and portfolio quickly. Don't keep it too short, and don't go on for hours. If you need help with this then feel free to pm me

L

Thanks for all your help.

I wasn't aware you had to pay any money up front though.

Will look into the ukbusinessforum thing and get back to you.

loucroft

shmeeko69 wrote: »

You can also visit fiverr.com where you can buy and sell your services for $5.

I was just referring to this post, don't pay for things upfront unless you get a chance to try them first.

UKBF is free, but for me as a paid member I get entry to the 'tenders' section where I can reply to people that are looking for my services. There is also a 'marketplace' section that I get work from, lots in fact, when I'm not busy I self-promote on there.

You will only pay a fee to the freelancer sites if your bid is accepted - usually a percentage of the total invoice when you send it. Freelancer.com takes that percentage from the minute you have been accepted, and you confirm. But they don't take it from your bank, it is simply left as a -$ on your account, until you send an invoice and get paid into freelancer, you will not have to pay.

Does that make any sense at all?

Paulmc77

Thanks Loucroft.

Have signed up for Freelancer.co.uk and Peopleperhour.
Have bid on a couple of things on Freelancer, but don't expect to get them, should I fire off a couple of samples just to show people what I can do?

Have only just signed up for peopleperhour and need to complete my profile before bidding.

In your experience, does it take a lot bids before you land a job?

Sorry, just another question - how long does it take to write the articles? I suppose it depends on length, but I know from being a journalist that I can write something pretty quickly once I have proper research done.