A guest post by Thomas Glare.
Sometimes our success with freelance blogging can become a double-edged sword.
While it feels great when the work is rolling in, many freelance bloggers have never really had to sell their skills. This is especially true if you entered the market during an upswing and found you got regular work straightaway.
After a long period of ample supply, a downswing can feel disheartening and may take the wind out of your sails.
At times like this, it’s important to remember that hitting dry spells is a perfectly normal part of being a freelancer. In fact, from time to time, a work drought is only to be expected.
Fortunately, there are plenty of ways you can reactivate your career and get yourself back in business. Try these 5 quick tips next time your freelance blogging business needs a boost!
5 ways to revive your freelance blogging business
1. Update your marketing pages
If you’re used to finding a steady stream of work through repeat clients, it’s possible that your promotional pages look a bit neglected.
When work starts to dry up, the first thing you should do is try to breathe some life into these sites. Think about ways you can promote yourself on social media.
Try updating your writer’s Facebook page and say that you’re open for work. Or post some promotional content on your own blog with some SEO keywords included to help get eyes on your site.
If you are active on any writers’ groups or social media pages, you can also post a quick ad on there. Try asking if anyone needs help with run-off work or knows of any firms that are hiring.
You can often pick up short-term work freelance blogging for businesses who want their websites updated or who need copy for a single project.
2. Reach out to previous clients
If you’ve worked in freelance blogging for a while, you’ve probably built up a substantial list of previous clients. When work is running short, this is a good time to get in touch with clients who you haven’t worked with for a long time.
Approach them casually and ask if they have any work or if they can refer you to anyone who is hiring. Remember that these clients may have built up new teams or contacts by now, so never go into these exchanges feeling that they owe you work.
However, if you had a good working relationship with them, a polite nudge may jog their memories and help them find something for you.
3. Lower your freelance blogging rates
It never feels good to drop your rates after a period of performing well. Sometimes, however, it is a necessity to get your business back on track.
Try cutting a quarter off your usual rate when you approach clients. You can inform them that you’re giving them a deal, but don’t downplay yourself or make it seem like you’re desperate.
If you’re really struggling to drum up business, you can even accept some free work just to build up the contacts. This is a great tip when you’re looking into freelance blogging for beginners.
Many companies are happy to take newbies on an unpaid trial, and this very often leads to paid work in the future.
4. Offer a bundle or deal
Thinking of clever ways to market your freelance blogging business? Offering a bundle or sale on work can be a great way to get you out of a slump.
This can involve offering to write several articles for the price of one or offering articles with an unusually quick turnaround. Marketing platforms, such as social media sites or pages where people hire freelance bloggers, are good places to put these types of ads.
You can also attach or link a sample of your work on these posts to help reassure clients that your content is high quality and of great value.
5. Recycle your topics
Even if you write about a variety of topics, most professional bloggers have a niche. This can be an area that you have personal experience in, a topic you have often written about, or a subject you enjoy researching. Try to figure out which subject is the fastest and the easiest for you to produce content on, and then write multiple blogs.
This gives you a quick way to generate content so that you aren’t wasting hours on work that might not get picked up. It will also give you a body of pre-written work that you can then send out to potential clients.
If you’ve chosen your usual niche, you also likely know some sites or some clients who regularly accept this type of content.
Start with those who you think are most likely to pick your articles up, and then branch out further afield if you don’t have success. Having an existing body of work in your back pocket is a good tip generally if you’re wondering how to turn freelance blogging into a business.
The articles don’t have to be fully formed, but having a structure and an outline ready to go will cut back on work when you’re in a tight spot.
Ready to boost your freelance blogging?
There are tons of great ways to make money online. When it comes to earning online, freelance blogging has got to be one of the best careers. If you love to write, it’s certainly an excellent way to earn.
Have you ever experienced a writer’s drought as a freelance blogger? How did you turn things around? What are your go-to strategies for attracting new clients? Share your tips in the comments!
About the author
Thomas Glare is a longtime blogger who has also published books on freelancing and how to make money online. He enjoys reading, social forums, and engaging in constructive conversations.