You’re Already Half Way There
Hi, Robert Rice here … back with you for Day 2 of my week-long look at a fantastic opportunity for writers! One that I myself judged a little too quickly …
Honestly, I find it amazing that you can create a lucrative freelance business writing about something you love and are passionate about. And still have time to spare for yourself and your family!
You can wake up, work on some articles, take a long lunch and go for a walk (or in my case, head out to an audition), come home to do a little research, and then be done for the day. All while doing great work for your clients they need to reach their goals.
If you joined me yesterday, I showed you how to narrow down your favorite topic. Today, you’re ready to take the next step in becoming a great “content marketer.” In fact, you’re already halfway there.
By choosing a topic, what you’ve done is found your niche – your specialty. This is a tough thing for many writers to pin down, but you’ve already jumped over that hurdle. Congratulations!
Having a niche positions you as a specialist. This allows you to stand out among that sea of content I talked about yesterday. No one else is going to have your perspective on your specific topic.
Meaning you’ll carve out a place in a hungry market with very little competition.
So, now for the best part – researching your topic of interest. As a content marketer, it’s important for you to be “in the know” in your industry. Understanding what’s in, what’s out, and staying on top of newsworthy stories.
That may sound like a lot of work, but all that means is you get to read, listen to podcasts, and browse the internet on a topic you love. You could watch some YouTube clips after work or read a magazine before bed … whatever your heart desires.
You may find you prefer to read blogs, join live discussions, sign up for free e-newsletters, or participate in forums. Perhaps a combination of all of the above!
Either way, a great place to start is with articles. They’re generally short, easy to digest, and up-to-date. Look up some websites to see what’s out there. What “authorities” in your field are people flocking to? What are popular items for conversation? What e-newsletters are being published in your area of interest?
As you start to find websites that catch your eye, bookmark them. Specifically, look for well-written articles and the authors that consistently draw you in.
Then, take some time to analyze what grabbed you. What’s interesting about the topic? What do you like about the author’s voice? Why is the headline compelling?
Write down the answers to the questions either on a notepad or on your computer. And be sure to bookmark the articles in your web browser!
You’ll need this information for tomorrow, because I’ll show you how to use it to jumpstart your career as a content marketer faster than any other method.
And please let me know how you’re doing in the comments. I’d love to hear from you.
See you tomorrow!
Content Mastery: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Becoming a Highly Paid Content Marketing Strategist
Google and others have made it clear that businesses who want to succeed with content marketing need to hire the best writers they can. Find out the skills you need to be one of those writers. Learn More »
I now have to seriously wonder if this is for me. I am not especially interested in material things per se, so if it involves simply writing advertising copy for some industry, I don't think I could get "passionate" about it. Some of the things I AM passionate abouit are the environment, human rights, humane treatment of animals, political corruption, substance abuse and its victims, a healthy lifestyle. Is there any "market" for writing in these areas?
Guest (Mike B) – August 12, 2014 at 6:15 pm
Hi, Robert! Great to see you in print here. Easygoing style, fun to read... Can hardly wait for the next installment.
Richard Lacey – August 13, 2014 at 12:11 am
Ok so I'm going to give this a try. I like tea and everything related for a fun subject. I like looking at flowers and could really get into writing about those. Or about nature in general. I would want this to be something I enjoy so would have to be something fun even about birds or the animals in my backyard. A serious subject could be healthy foods. Is there a market for this, I do the research as you suggest and see what's being said already.
BJan – August 13, 2014 at 12:38 pm
Mike, I can understand your feelings. It's vital to your success and longevity as a writer to at the very least LIKE what you're writing about. Otherwise you'll burn out quickly.
All of those fields you are talking about have a need for not only content, but copy. They need quality content to attract audiences, drawing traffic to their website. And any pamphlets, donation letters, brochures, or web copy requires a good copywriter.
I think you have plenty to work with!
Robert R – August 13, 2014 at 2:59 pm
Richard, thank you! I appreciate your kind words. How are you doing? It's been a long time.
Will I see you at Bootcamp this year? I'll send you an email -- let's reconnect!
Robert R – August 13, 2014 at 3:00 pm
I worry about the same things as Mike - I happen to know a great deal about horse racing (funny you mentioned that!) but I feel like the Copywriting market is all about health, finance and technology. That really makes me hesitate about Bootcamp.
Deirdre – August 13, 2014 at 6:26 pm
Hi Janine! I would look into companies that sell tea, or tea related products. Same for gardening. You could feasibly write how-to articles for a company selling gardening equipment, for example.
And it's no secret that healthy foods is huge. You would probably have to specialize even further within that field.
It's all about finding what you love to write about, writing about it every day (for practice), and getting connected to leaders in each industry.
There's work to be found!
Robert R – August 13, 2014 at 6:35 pm
Do you think there is a place in this freelance writing for me when my genuine passions are about helping, supporting and assisting survivors of trauma, abuse and violence, etc.?
Is there anyone out there needing writers about such things?
I just published a book I wrote that is designed for survivors, so writing is definitely a passion also.
Katie – August 13, 2014 at 8:13 pm
Robert I have thought about advertising on my church's business bulletin board. Would you agree that this may be a way to build up a portfolio?
Guest (Lois) – August 13, 2014 at 8:20 pm
Thanks for a great article, Robert. Like Mike, I have several passions, such as equality & justice for all; the environment; children's rights; women's rights; senior rights; corporate greed, aging...whew! And while I know I must narrow it down to just one, doing so has been a challenge for months. But I'm not giving up.
Ronn – August 13, 2014 at 8:24 pm
Greetings, Robert. My case is different. I am already writing so much - blogs, posts, even poems - but need to organize myself and focus on things that can be more fulfilling, both materially and otherwise. You can see my blogs at www dot speakingtree dot in / public / hans.dholakia
Having worked for many years in responsible positions in marketing, and as a qualified engineer, am comfortable with business or technical writing too. Can you guide ? Tks and rgds
hansyoga – August 14, 2014 at 8:13 am
Katie: Not being a part of that industry, I can't answer with 100% certainty. However, look at it from this angle: what non-profit organizations help with those issues? Perhaps even for-profit organizations? Companies that need to raise or earn money are the most likely to pay writers to generate content. Your book will make a great authority piece -- leverage it!
Robert R – August 14, 2014 at 11:20 am
Lois: There is a huge market for faith-based copywriting, for sure. Creating pieces for your bulletin board is great. If you have a strong relationship with your church, I'd recommend seeing if you can do some pro-bono work for them creating brochures/pamphlets/newsletters… anything. Those would make fantastic portfolio pieces.
Robert R – August 14, 2014 at 11:21 am
Ronn: All great passions! I understand how challenging it can be to choose. Again, sometimes the easiest way to decide is to find out which is the most lucrative (to start). And with social issues like these, there are always non-profit organizations looking to generate money to help out. You could write for them.
Robert R – August 14, 2014 at 11:21 am
Hansyoga: Having taken a peek at your work, it seems to me you specialize in faith-based personal development. A HUGE market. That, coupled with your knowledge of marketing and technical writing… you have a lot of options.
There are tons of Personal Development coaches and companies. They not only need writers for content, but your ability to translate would allow them to reach a larger audience. Connect with them, establish a rapport, and share samples. And keep writing!
Robert R – August 14, 2014 at 11:23 am
Great suggestion, Robert. I'll follow up on it right away. Thanks, again.
Ronn – August 15, 2014 at 11:03 pm
I think I can do this. For years I've written in a small way. I have several unpublished novels. I published a few short stories in a local anthology and some newsletter articles for which I was paid. As part of my job with a NASA contractor I wrote instructions, plans and procedures. I had great fun writing but it has never been profitable for me.
PaperPilot – October 1, 2014 at 10:34 pm