The Benefits of Blogging to Build a Freelance Writing Career

In the world of freelance writing, blogging has had an interesting evolution. When blogs first grew in popularity, they were used almost entirely by amateur writers as a personal outlet. As blogs evolved, their potential marketing role became clear. Some freelance writers began to blog professionally for clients. Today, freelancing and blogging overlap in multiple ways. Many freelance writers find themselves writing marketing blogs for clients. Others are hired to ghostwrite blogs on writers’ sites. Some freelancers also have their own blogs, either as an outlet for their writing or to promote their freelance writing career. Freelancers also often guest post on each other’s blogs as a way to increase their audiences and attract new clients.

With all of these different ways that freelance writers can be involved in blogging, you may be wondering whether you should have a blog, whether you should promote yourself as a blogger, and what the benefits of blogging can be for you. Should you spend time on a blog when you’re trying to establish yourself as a writer or grow your career? Here is a closer look at the benefits of blogging.

Blogging gives you a chance to hone your writing skills.

Writing is a skill that requires practice. The more you write, the more confident you will feel in your work and the better your content will become. When you blog, you have an outlet that allows you to practice your writing and refine your work. This concept is especially true when you have a blog of your own, regardless of whether you use that blog to indulge an interest or to attract clients to your freelance writing business. With a blog of your own, you get to write exactly how you want, when you want. Doing so allows you to experiment with different approaches that will help you when you’re doing work for clients.

A blog is a good way to show clients the kind of work you do.

A writing portfolio is the usual way to let clients see samples of your work. It’s also an ideal way to give clients a brief overview of your work. However, your blog gives clients a much broader look at the kinds of work you can produce. For clients who are considering a pitch from you, a blog lets them dig beyond the samples you sent and determine that they really like your voice and approach. Clients may also come across your blog, read your work, and then see that you are a writer for hire. A blog is constantly marketing your work for you, even when you’re nowhere near your desk.

Blogs can help you build a reputation in a writing niche.

If you decide to focus on a writing niche instead of being a generalist, then a blog can be particularly handy in helping you build a reputation as a knowledgeable voice in your chosen field. For example, if you would like to be a medical writer, having a blog on which you tackle medical news and topics shows clients your grasp of the concepts and terms. Even better, other publications may share your blog posts. Then, readers may comment on your posts and engage you in discussions. This would shape your voice as a sought-after one in the field, which in turn would make you sought-after as a writer in that niche. This would also allow you to increase your rates, since you have a reputation in your chosen niche.

Blogging lets you build connections with other writers.

Writing may be a solo activity, but it is still important for freelancers to have a network of professional contacts. Building these contacts is easier if you have a blog, since you can ask other writers to create a guest post for your site, and you can do the same for them. Being featured on someone else’s blog increases your chances of being discovered by a new client. Having connections with other writers also makes it easier to find new clients. If, for instance, you guest blog on someone’s site about financial statements and then that blogger is approached by a client who wants financial writing, he or she is likely to refer the client to you. The more you guest blog, the more of these kinds of referrals you can get.

A successful blog makes you attractive to freelance clients.

Many freelance clients are looking for writers who can create blog posts for them that drive traffic to their sites. If you have a blog with a lot of traffic, then clients know that you understand SEO and the other necessary steps for crafting blog posts that get attention. A successful blog is a calling card you can use as a writer to get clients who need help with marketing. As a bonus, you may be able to monetize your blog so that your own traffic pays you as well via advertising.

Starting a blog doesn’t have to be a complex process, nor does starting your career as a freelance writer. At Writers Work, we make it all possible, with a robust job searching platform, our Writers Marketplace that allows clients to contact you directly for work, and of course, our University Library training tool that helps inexperienced freelance writers build profitable careers. You can even publish directly to your blog on WordPress or Medium from the editing platform. Don’t fly blind in your freelance writing career. Want to find out how we can help you succeed as a writer? Join Writers Work today and get a 30-day trial with a money-back guarantee!