So, here I am after years of writing for clients from around the world, feeding good content to their companies and helping them grow. Ultimately, though, I'm left with no real 'business' of my own (except for my writing enterprise). Of course, I cough up thousands of words every day and am paid befittingly but I now regret not having written much for myself. So, just recently (as in less than 24 hours), I decided I would write for my own benefit and not anybody else's I've registered a couple of (niche) domains; I'm planning to spend the next month writing and putting about about 50 articles in each to make them mini-sites, each focusing on a different niche. I then plan to plug AdSense in, get some traffic to the sites, and sit back and relax while the $$$ flood my bank account. (Sarcasm ) While this sounds pretty good, I'm perfectly aware that making a niche site isn't the only way you can write for yourself. Considering there are many writers on here more enterprising than myself, I'd like to ask if you'd be willing to help a fellow earthling out who's fresh out of ideas So, basically, what I'm asking you is: Aside from writing for clients, how do you make money? Examples include niche sites, authoring e-books... um... told you I'm blank.
I'm constantly telling freelance writers to diversify their income streams, and do that by writing "for themselves." I'm also taking on far fewer clients myself this year in favor of growing my own sites and publishing projects. I've tested a few different options in the past (and still am). Here's what I've done so far: 1. Content sites / blogs (I believe all of my old content sites are now in blog format). 2. Selling PLR article packs (I gave this up at the beginning of this year). 3. E-books (This is a big push for me this year - we're doing an e-book writing challenge in two days at AllFreelanceWriting.com if you want to give it a go with us). 4. Resource sites (These are things like my deep link article directory, my Writers' Guidelines database / directory I'm building, etc. - it involves writing descriptions, finding resources, and a good bit of editing, so I'd count it here). 5. Bum marketing / article marketing (Publishing articles to push affiliate sales essentially. I've just started really giving it a go). 6. Squidoo Lenses (I don't make much from these, but they do help to promote my other sites and blogs, and I do get an occasional affiliate sale and other revenue from them). 7. Article Reprints (I offer reprints for a fee on one or two of my sites. I don't market them actively, but get some sales here and there without any added work.) 8. Flip Websites (I've only done this once intentionally, and made $350 for the site - in other cases I've kept my content and only sold the domain. You just build a content site and sell it, or you can wait for it to show revenue and you can sell it for more.) There are other options too, some of which I'm planning, and some of which I'm not. 8. Pre-written articles (You can write articles and try to sell them solo - build up a "stock" like merchandise essentially.) 9. Self-Published books (Use a POD publisher to publish books in your niche.) 10. Traditional Publishing (Of course you can always write your own book and pitch it to traditional publishers as well). I'm sure there have to be other ideas as well (start your own zine, subscription site, etc.).
If you can write well, the possibilities are endless. Jenn mentions many of the straight-forward choices. Income from your own Web sites will basically fall into one of these: 1. Click profits: Put up ads and get paid when someone clicks--AdSense, etc. 2. Affiliate Programs: Usually paid per sale or lead. 3. Generate a product / service and advertise on your site(s). 4. Advertising: Selling sponsorships, text links, banners, context ads, etc. 5: Flipping: build and sell now or later Start one Web site and get it profitable. Pick an area that you're passionate about. You don't need to be an expert, but you should have the desire to become one. Look inside the area you've chosen to find revenue options. Here are some questions to ask: A. Are there people advertising in this area in Google? B. Are there any affiliate programs associated with this area? C. Are there any books for sale or publications devoted (at least in part) to this area? D. etc. So, here's an example. Let's say I'm interested in starting a Web site dedicated to foreign currency exchange (FOREX). What would my answers look like? A. Yes, there are many advertisers for "forex" and other search points for this area. + B. Yes, I've found quite a few affiliate programs--from brokers to books. + C. Yes, there are many books about Forex and publications dealing with Forex. + By answering just these three questions, I can see that this area has revenue options. And now I can proceed with other questions. If the above answers were no or beyond extremely limited, this potentially wouldn't be a good area. Perhaps you'd need to expand it more. While it might be fun, the revenue we're after could be nonexistent.
produce the PLR products might be gud business to you. Since you already have experience in writing, i think it make you more easier to make PLR articles.
My personal opinion is that bum marketing is pretty useless. I've tried it in the past, I've talked to many other people who've tried it; it just doesn't work as Travis Sago bills it. A lot of people have also written on many places about how much the concept sucks. Anybody who can afford to have a website can do much, much better. If anyone's had any significant success doing Bum marketing, I'd like to know about it. Or, if you're having a hard time with it, I'd be happy to advise other methods of earning through writing. That's a pretty exhaustive list in itself. I appreciate your taking the time out to post it. And about the methods you've suggested: 1) Making content sites and flipping them is what I'm mostly doing these days. I had considered doing PLR packs in the past but I completely forgot about them; thanks for the reminder 2) E-Books - Maybe I'll give the competition your site a whirl; not sure though. I really have nothing to write about 3) Never considered doing Squidoo licenses or resource sites; maybe later. Right now, I don't want to step into alien territory 4) Bum marketing, as I've already said, isn't my thing. I'm sure a lot of us can afford to have our own websites set up where article marketing can be done with greater efficiency. These articles can also be used as landing pages for PPC ads, leading people on to affiliate product pages. 5) I've never really contacted POD (Print-On-Demand for people that don't know) publishers before. I'm considering doing that now though. Thanks again for the reply. I kind of knew these concepts already but it's all very useful advice nevertheless. Thanks a lot for the advice.
This is a topic of interest to me as well, especially since I am determined to make 2008 the year where I make a full-time income from my net based activities. I have registered a niche domain name and am currently looking at developing that site. I did check the methods of monetization available and do advise anyone wanting to launch a niche site to think beyond Google and adsense. There is nothing worse than building a site and only relying on Google to provide any advertising... they do not pay the best rates and are very inconsistent in performance for some niche areas. I will also send you a pm Godofwriting, as I do feel there is potential for us to work together on our independent sites but follow similar paths to market and promote them. There have been some good ideas listed on how to make money as a content creator, and there are many I have considered or am currently evaluating. The bottom line is that to make any idea work it will involve time and planning. When a method is established, replicated and successfully marketed, then other opportunities may open up that are currently out of reach.
What a great list, Jenn! We spend so much of our time writing and selling our work to marketers, it hit me like a tonne of bricks this year that I spend time learning about their world to write for them, why not use that knowledge and write for myself? I checked out your e-book challenge and while I can't do it live, I'm really glad it'll be archived so I can follow it very soon! Dana
I only skimmed the lists, but I didn't see link sales mentioned. Yes, Google hates paid links, but you might turn a tidy profit with your own blog or content site by including a few well placed and natural links in the related niche. Then you also have all the content at the end of the day for other forms of monetization. Rebecca
What a terrific list of ideas! I know a lot of us are focused on building a more passive income in the coming year. So much of the net depends on content...since we can write it there's no reason why we can't be spreading our wings a little more!
What a great post and list of ideas! Although I'm still focused on writing for other people, I do have two books in the works for traditional publishing. It's nice to know that there are other options for writing for yourself in the future! Most of my career has been focused on writing for PR and marketing. I'm only now starting to branch out into writing for online and offline publications and other people's blogs.
Seriously, I advise anyone who's in business to invest in a qualified direct response copywriter. And that's not because I am one, but because it's a lot like trying to cut your own hair, you may be able to make it look good up front, but you can't cut what you can't see. Having said that, I know sometimes your budget won't allow you currently to outsource to a writer. In that case I recommend you learn everything there is to learn about writing hot, sizzlin', profit pulling sales copy. Names that come to mind right off the bat are: Dan Kennedy Jay Abraham Gary Bencivenga John Caples Eugene Schwartz Copywriting "looks" easy, but once you dig in, it can be a frustrating experience. Again, if you can hire someone do it, but if you can't then the above authors should be of tremendous help. Good luck Enigma Valdez
Enigma, maybe I missed something, but what on earth does your post have to do with writing "for yourself." We're not talking about webmasters doing their own writing here... we're talking about professional writers writing for their own projects instead of only for clients, because it's an investment in their future earnings.
I've got some of Dan Kennedy's videos so yeah, I know what you're talking about; good info there. But, what I asked in the OP was for ideas on how a writer can use his skills to benefit himself in the long run. Writing sales copy (and other literature) for clients is fine but in my opinion, you're really wasting your expertise if you don't dedicate some of it to your own growth and development, financially or otherwise. Thanks for the information anyway And yes, people, I am the OP. I was stupid enough to login through a phishing link yesterday and lost my account (damn those attacks). I then had a friend of mine PM the mods, which he obviously did wrong... he posted it on the 'Suggestions and feedback' forum instead. My thanks go to him though. Here's the link: forums.digitalpoint.com/showthread.php?t=661859 Thanks are also due to Jason aka The Emirates Gallastico for taking time out of his busy schedule to PM mods about my ordeal. Thanks man! So, that's how I got permission to create a new account. Thank goodness I'm back... Just think what would've happened to DP without me! Oh, the death and destruction! I know this wasn't the best place to say all this but I couldn't resist it.