7 April 2010
by 
Blogging has come a long way since the days of angst-ridden teenagers sharing bad poetry on Live Journal. Many social media experts insist that every business needs a blog. If you’re a freelance writer, is this true? Do you need a blog? Maybe.
The Purpose of Business Blogging
Blogging keeps you connected to clients, potential clients and fellow writers in a way many other media cannot. A well-targeted blog (by that, I mean one that covers a specific topic relevant to your audience), permits you to:
- Showcase your writing skills
- Provide advice and information to fellow writers and clients
- Share your accomplishments as a means of subtle self-promotion
Remember, though, if you want to see a return on your time investment, you’ll need to market your blog. You may be better off marketing your writing business in other ways that will lead directly to assignments.
Before you start a blog
Ask yourself these questions:
- Who will be your readership?
- Are you willing to make the commitment to blogging at least once or twice a week, promoting the blog, and staying connected with your readers by responding to comments?
- Do you have something worthwhile to say that is different form the thousands of other writing blogs on the Internet?
I used to maintain my own blog, but in the face of paying writing assignments that showed an immediate ROI, I had a hard time staying committed to updating it and building a readership. Besides, the topic I blogged about (writing) served to attract other writers rather than potential clients, so it wasn’t an effective marketing vehicle for my freelance writing business. Now, as a writing coach, it makes more sense for me to blog about writing to draw clients to my website, but I don’t want to invest the time in building up a readership. That’s why the WRA writing community is perfect for me. The Freelance Writing Collaborative Blogging Project has a built-in readership who come here looking for people like me to share my knowledge. If one writer promoting a blog is good, a whole staff of writers promoting that blog is even better.
Click here if you’d like to write for WRA, too!
Niche Writing and Blogging
If you specialize in a particular topic — say, technology, pet care or paintball — a blog targeted at your niche market (not other writers) may help you attracts clients in the industry. You can build a name for yourself through the blog, building a platform for books, eBooks or information products you want to sell. If you’re a niche writer, a blog can be a very effective way to market yourself.
Websites and Writers
I want to emphasize: a blog and a website are not the same thing. I believe most writers need a website. This can be a place to post your biography, list contact information, and put links to writing clips. (Side note: Don’t ever send an editor to the main page of your website expecting him to find your clips; instead, select particular articles you want to highlight and send the direct links.) A website helps you establish yourself on the Internet as a legitimate writer. But does your website need a blog?
Not necessarily. What do you think?
Do you have a blog? Does it generate leads and assignments? If not, what can you do differently so that it does?
Photo Credit: 07-15-08 © Kronick
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Hiya Dawn, great post. I feel that writers have to choose what is best for them. Funny, this was discussed a couple of weeks ago in the forum of my online women writers group. For some, a blog was a venture that needed to happen (ie – they enjoy blogging) and for others, it wasn’t important. What is important is for writers to know the purpose for starting a blog: is it for idea/info sharing? Is it to highlight your skills as a writer? Or is it to promote your works to potential clients. I have a blog for beginning writers. I saw a need for this and I wanted to fill it, while also providing a supportive place for new writers. I also have a blog for my own writing adventures. I keep a page for my clips/portfolio, an about me page and the blog itself. Just for people to check me out.
In order to know how to promote yourself as a writer, you need to know what kind of writer you want to be. Thanks for letting me share!
Hi Dawn,
You said that a blog and a website are not the same thing. I agree.
I’ve got a non-business blog-site AND I have a business website. One is for my personal thoughts and gems about life in general the other is work. I don’t mix the two.
I had been concerned about whether to add a blog section to my business website (as I have seen done) blogging about business topics. This article helped me decide not do to that.
I do have a newsletter tab that I can use to add info but I didn’t want it to be a blog that needs regular input. Thanks for clearing it up for me.
Cheers Stephanie
Heiddi and Stephanie,
Thanks for your input. I like how both of you evaluated the same factors and drew entirely different conclusions — proving that what works for one writer doesn’t work for every writer.
And yes, Stephanie, a monthly newsletter is a great option for writers who want to keep clients and associated posted about their accomplishments or share bits of useful knowledge without the day in/day out time commitment of a blog. And I’m especially glad I could help you.
Dawn
.-= Dawn shares: Writing, Editing & Coaching Services =-.
Hi Dawn, Is this really a serious question? Still, I think those who are new to freelance writing will definitely love the tips you have posted here. Yes, I do have a blog and I believe that what drives traffic to it is a combination of white hat SEO techniques, social media, and social bookmarking. In the end, quality is king so one must write with respect for readers in mind. Just my two cents.
.-= Issa shares: When Rewarding Your Clients Pays Off =-.
Issa-
Why would it not be a serious question? As a veteran writer (15 + years professionally, on-staff and freelance) I FINALLY admitted to myself just last year that no, I don’t need a blog.
Other writers like myself market their business and let their blog flounder in oblivion because they haven’t yet reached the conclusion I reached a year ago. I didn’t ask “Does a writer need a website?” I think THAT would be a (somewhat) silly question… although I’m sure there are some writers getting $1/word or more with major publications who get work entirely through queries and relationships with editors. They can probably survive without a website, too.
I’ll check out your blog now, Issa… I’m long overdue!
.-= Dawn shares: Writing, Editing & Coaching Services =-.
No doubt!
A website or, blog is obvious for any freelance writer at the present age.
Rather,I myself believe this!
This is the reality!
bangladesh freelance
It’s true that a blog does seem fairly obvious for freelance writers but that is, perhaps, one of the reasons I think freelance writers are the last people who should have a blog of their own. We depend so much on the income we earn from our writing that it doesn’t make sense to invest so much of our time writing on a medium that may never earn enough to cover our rate. That’s something to consider when you evaluate the true value of your own blog when it comes to putting food on the table in the future.
Promote something of ‘value’ and you can even turn a promotion into ‘content’
I have heard the 90/10 rule works best, but the point is, whether its 80/20 or 90/10 or 75/25 doesn’t matter as much as how VALUABLE is the CONTENT you are delivering 
If you follow 99/1 and your 99% content is irrelavant, untimely, and just plain valueless to your readership, you really don’t have a 99/1 ratio 
I think a lot of people forget the second half of those equations. They write on their blog, and they write some great content, but they aren’t promoting a saleable product or aren’t promoting it well. That’s where writing a blog can often lead to writing for free. It’s one thing to write quality content and another to use that content to effectively market a product or service.
If you can master quality content that successfully promotes products or services you can turn that skill to any written medium, your own blog, guest blogging, article markets, or writing for others and make a very good income.