Top 10 Websites for Content Writing.
Whether you want to make money from home with online freelance copywriting, or you want to source good content for your own website or blog, these are the Top 10 Websites for content writing, that you definately need to know about.
All 10 websites offer both sides of the content creating service industry:
- You can FIND writing jobs and offer your writing services to others.
- You can HIRE online writers and buy great content for your own projects.
Introduction to Content Writing.
Anyone who has ever ventured onto the internet has at some time or another read a website or a blog riddled with mistakes, poor grammar and factual inaccuracies. Maybe you’ve pointed this out to your friends, saying “look at this awful content writing, I could do a much better job” or maybe you have just left a disparaging note in the comments section.
Actually, what you have done, is that you have identified a gap in an ever-increasing market. The content of the internet is growing at an accelerating rate every day as more people come online and more content writing is needed to satisfy this growing demand.
There are only so many talented writers and therefore they are able to command very high fees, meaning that less talented writers are needed to write the content for websites with smaller budgets and less discerning readers. This is why the quality you’d expect may be lacking on many web pages.
Here comes the good bit! If you are indeed one of those people who spots mistakes and grammatical errors in the literary work of others, chances are that you may well be exactly the kind of person the content providers are looking for to contribute to their websites.
Professional content writing is a job with a number of potential benefits. While initial income may be relatively low until you are able to build up your portfolio, reputation and ultimately client base, it is a true meritocracy. If you are able to consistently provide quality writing to timescale and within budget, you will find that you are in constant demand and as such you will be able to increase your rates accordingly and still be offered enough projects to fill your available time, at a more profitable rate.
Another big advantage of professional content writing is that it can be done anywhere. No longer would you be bound to a geographic location in order to earn a living. You can make money whilst travelling around the globe or simply living in a sunny country with low living costs. You don’t even have to take the risk of quitting your job in order to try your hand. Those rainy weekend afternoons when your plans have been ruined by the weather? Don’t just sit in front of the TV, get your laptop out and start making money.
Finally, content writing can provide that creative element many of us crave as we are occupied in our restrictive office jobs, churning out company reports, memos and walking the same carpet over and over. The thrill and pride of seeing your words online, communicating to the wider world, can not be underestimated.
Nice work if you can get it. But how do you get it?
Top 10 Websites and Exchanges for Content Writing.
The first thing to say is that you will have to generate your own work. Therefore self-motivation is a must. You will have to get your work out there, learn from constructive criticism and improve each and every time you take on a new assignment. This is a large and fluid industry where many opportunities are available and a number of established avenues exist to facilitate your search.
Here we look at the top 10.
The largest resource on the web for finding freelance work currently has over 20 million members and almost 10 million active projects. Whilst not specifically dedicated to online writing opportunities, the sheer size of Freelancer means that tens of thousands of content writing and other literary projects are posted here. The profile format allows you to demonstrate your language skills by passing a number of online tests and gain badges (at a small cost) which will be displayed on your profile making you more attractive to potential clients. The review system rewards the better quality writers and allows clients to assess your suitability. A good place to start.
The other web giant of online freelance work. The large volume of content writing opportunities means that Upwork is another great place to begin looking for those starter projects to build up your portfolio and experience. Expect pay to be low initially, as the larger websites mean more competition for content writers, keeping rates low for buyers. Similarly to Freelancer, as a beginner you can anticipate a rate of $10-$20 per 500 word article.
Guru is one of the smaller non-specialist freelancer sites but with 1.5 million members and over a million projects completed, you will still find plenty of opportunity for your writing talent to earn some quick cash. Daily job matches ensure that you don’t miss a single opportunity show what you can do. The project management and file sharing functionality of the platform assists you in managing your workload and meeting your deadlines.
The first of the specialist websites on our list. The format is slightly different in that Constant Content does not directly connect writers with clients or projects. Instead, you submit an article initially, they provide the platform for your work to be read by potential buyers, who may then buy the article if it is of an acceptable quality and fits within their scope and requirements. This may be especially suitable for writers with an existing body of work which they can upload to the site and put their work in the shop window. Editorial standards are higher but this is reflected in the typical rates of $30-$40 per 500 word article.
Contentmart connects thousands of clients with verified copywriters around the globe. Content writers are screened by the company via language testing and verified by their professional linguists. Algorithms are used to ensure plagiarism is kept to a minimum, providing sound original content for their clients. Clients are not charged a fee for the service, instead they pay the writer directly, which means that a significant slice of your online income, currently 10%, will be paid as commission to Contentmart upon withdrawal of funds.
A great utility of the popular professional networking platform. Clients provide their requirements and are matched with a number of potential contractors, who can then provide a proposal for the project. The client is able to review the offers along with the contractor’s Linkedin profile and select the most suitable individual for their project. This website is a great option for established professionals, who are looking to branch out into freelance writing within their field of expertise, and turn their existing knowledge a valuable asset in the online content industry.
An easy to use resource connecting online content buyers with writers, Fiverr.com is becoming increasingly popular with aspiring content producers. Freelance writers advertise their services through the ‘Featured Gigs’ functionality on the homepage. The structured package capability allows writers to put together a proposal for a package of articles and attract clients with reliable, consistent work at affordable prices. Offers start from $5 per 500-word article, with packages of 6 articles typically generating around $30-$40. Premium rates can be earned for longer articles (800+ words) or fast delivery (within 24 hours of order). There are, however, many writers on Fiverr who doesn’t have English as their first language, so for 5$ you will usually get poor content, if you are a buyer. As a seller, you can easily beat the competition, if you can provide quality content.
With Text Writers, you can bid for new projects advertised and also upload original unpublished work for potential buyers to view and buy, earning you instant online cash. A very user-friendly format makes working with this website a real pleasure. When your bid is accepted, the website will take the payment and hold it until the write-up is delivered to the client’s satisfaction. Text-writers 2-day money back guarantee makes this platform very popular with buyers so thousands of online earning opportunities can be found here.
Hubpages is a blog-based resource helping content providers build their profile by writing about subjects that they are passionate and knowledgeable about. The monetising mechanism is slightly different from our previous entries. You are not paid directly for the work you do, instead you build a popular blog and the online income is generated through companies paying to advertise on your blog. Hubpages is ideal for someone looking to write about popular subjects and themes without the constraint of using corporate language or promoting something they feel uncomfortable about.
BlackHatWorld is a forum for freelance content providers and buyers to interact and can prove an extremely useful resource for evaluating the market for price trends and expected quality. This will assist you in setting your pricing at a competitive rate to attract buyers to your product. Additionally in the ‘marketplace’ section you will frequently find offers for work advertised, but beware that as the forum does not act as in intermediary between you and the client, you will not be as well protected in case of dispute, as you would be with Freelancer or one of the other large platforms.
Now you have all the information you need to make a real attempt at an online writing career. Just in case these 10 websites are not enough for you, or if you’re feeling particularly brave, you can try a more organic approach to finding well paid online work. Remember that poorly written website or blog at the beginning of the article? You could always contact them directly, stating the issues with their output and offer to fix them. For a price, of course! Happy hunting.
Thats it! If you need even more suggestions then try TextBroker.com, Odesk or Elance.com. TextBroker is the only one of these 3 that deal exclusively with writing services.
If you enjoy writing essays, fiction, poetry or interviews, you might want to have a look at TheSunMagazine, also. They pay from $200 to $2000 for original essays and interviews, but are very strict about what they publish.
Good Luck!