10 Tips For Becoming A Successful Content Writer

I get a lot of questions about my content writing career.

Do you make money? Is that really a career? What do you really do?

Let me clear the air by sharing a small part of my story.

My Story

I began my content writing journey in 2013. Back then, I mostly wrote content for my blog and offered writing help to a few people. I still had my full-time job so this time was really just me testing the waters and honing my skills.

My business was formally registered in 2018 and that’s when I started seriously thinking through how to make this a viable career. If I’m completely honest, I wasn’t 100% sure how I was going to make it work. But I had to figure it out because I was determined to leave my full-time job in 2019.

That job made me miserable. Absolutely miserable. How I felt was seriously impacting the quality of my life. I wasn’t sure how my future would pan out, but I knew one thing for certain; I enjoyed writing. The next best career move for me was figuring out how to become a full-time content writer.

Most of my clients came from Upwork during those early days. I actually thought I was doing pretty okay in all honesty. On average, I was earning a little bit less than what I used to earn as a teacher. There were months where I earned more and months when I earned less. But I wanted (and needed) to earn far more if I was going to live a better life.

In September 2020, I decided to build my personal brand on LinkedIn. I had my LinkedIn profile for years, but it just served as a glorified résumé. This change meant that I had to figure out my voice on the platform, identify what would make me stand out, and become a content creator.

I’m glad I made this decision. Sure, the journey has been filled with many ups and downs, and I’m still not completely where I’d like to be with my personal brand. But my LinkedIn presence has helped me build relationships with some key people, attract clients, and 5x my revenue. I ended 2021 feeling like I had a clear path to accomplish my financial goals.

I used 2021 to rebrand myself, build my Youtube channel, and become a certified digital marketer. I’m now much more than a content writer. I’m a content marketer who helps B2B brands use written and audiovisual content to increase sales. My work is based on the content strategy I develop for each of my clients.

Let me be clear about what I mean by “successful content writer”.

How I Define Success

There’s something I want to make very clear before I share my 10 tips for becoming a successful content writer. I’m not earning 6-figures in USD. So, if you’re looking for tips on how to become a 6-figure earner, this probably isn’t the article for you.

The success I’m speaking about here has three parts. First, I’ve successfully created a happier life where I’m my own boss and can do work I enjoy. I’m definitely not the same woman I was in 2018 who was depressed, lost, and desperately looking for a way out.

Second, I’m earning at least 5x what I used to make as a teacher. That’s a major win for me because I’m now better able to build long-term financial success in my professional and personal lives.

Third, I’m learning how to build relationships with complete strangers. That really is the key. I love supporting people all over the world who share great content and insights. I’ve bought their courses, read their books, listened to their presentations at digital events, and invited some of them to be on my podcast. I get to know them and they get to know me.

Now that’s out of the way, let’s get into the featured presentation. Here are my 10 tips for becoming a successful content writer.

10 Tips For Becoming A Successful Content Writer

I’m not going to sugarcoat it for you. There’s nothing easy about being a successful content writer. You have to put in the work, develop a thick skin, and prepare yourself mentally for the challenges ahead. Bear this in mind as you read these tips.

1. Think Like A Business Owner (Because You Are)

Two things happen when you think of yourself solely as a freelance writer. First, you’re thinking about moving from one gig to the next as you try to make ends meet. Instead of trying to build a business, you’re trying to figure out how to get your next best gig.

Second, you’re probably not overly concerned about managing your cash flow. You know that your expenses are X so you must at least earn X to make it through each month. This limiting mindset stunts your growth.

It’s time to change your approach. Here’s a list of 7 things you should do to think like a business owner.

A. Register your business and abide by the business laws of your country.

I won’t dwell on this point because most freelancers already do this. But you may be a freelancer (particularly in a developing country) who has been avoiding registering your business so that you can keep more of your money.

I understand your reasoning, but you’re actually setting yourself up for more harm than good. Registering your business helps you:

• Have a pension. I don’t know if this applies globally, but the government of my country requires all taxpayers to put aside money for a pension. It’s called the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) and would be somewhat equivalent to the 401K in the United States. If you aren’t paying your taxes, you won’t have this mandatory pension savings.
• Secure financing and grants. This may not be a deal-breaker for you, but it’s something you could end up needing if you decide to create an agency or branch off into other areas of business.
• Open bank accounts in your business name. Again, this may not be a deal-breaker for some people but most banks won’t allow you to open a business account without official business registration documents.

Registering your business means that you must file taxes. Let’s talk about that for a bit.

B. Pay taxes.

Here’s a pro tip about taxes. Create a separate bank account for saving towards your tax bill each year. Whenever you get paid, put aside a percentage relevant to your business based on the tax laws of your country. You don’t want tax time to come around and you don’t have enough money to pay your taxes.

I have a spreadsheet where I work out my tax payments each month after my business expenses for that month are deducted. That’s the money I put into my tax savings account.

The thing about taxes though is that you can get things wrong. You may be deducting things you think are business expenses when they aren’t. You may be filing documents incorrectly. Before you get yourself into a sinkhole, hire a professional.

C. Work with people who can help you manage your money and grow your business.

Your first hire must be an accountant. I wish someone had told me this when I registered my business. I thought I couldn’t afford an accountant so I didn’t even bother to look for one. I finally hired one last year and she has been a blessing.

I can’t emphasize this point enough. You need someone to help you do your bookkeeping and manage your accounts. Otherwise, things are likely to get messy and messy leads to problems with the government.

As your business grows, it’s important to speak with a financial advisor. A good financial advisor will help you invest your money in ways that are right for your goals and income. So, before you risk your money with a Dogecoin investment, speak with a trained investment advisor.

D. Look for ways to scale your business.

I had an interesting conversation with Jay Clouse earlier this year about creating a scalable freelance business. One of the key takeaways from that discussion is that your aim is really figuring out ways for your business to make money without you being directly involved 24/7. This could mean building an agency or creating content assets you can sell to make passive income.

E. Create contracts for all projects.

Your contracts should be specific to your business and what you offer. Don’t use online templates! Discuss the terms of the agreement with your client and use that discussion as the basis for the contract.

My contracts have four sections (deliverables, rights and ownership, fees and payment structure, and submissions and workflow). I use DocuSign so that both my client and I can add legally binding electronic signatures to the contract. Other options include HelloSign and SignWell.

F. Listen to clients and use their feedback to continuously improve.

In the early days, I got very offended by feedback. I’ve grown from that because feedback helps me understand where things are unclear and what I need to improve. Trust me, I’ve made a lot of mistakes on my journey, and I’ve lost clients because of them. But what matters most is that I took the lessons from those experiences to improve my business. You should do the same.

G. Cash flow is the most important financial metric to consider.

Profit isn’t the most important business metric. It’s important to develop a deep understanding of how cash flows in and out of your business so you can move beyond just making ends meet.

How is money flowing into your business? You shouldn’t depend solely on one client, no matter how good that client is to you. Build your business in such a way that you work with at least four different clients. Also, keep building your brand so that you can attract new clients. You’ll most likely have to turn down some projects, but you’ll at least have income from more than one client.

How is money flowing out of your business? As a content writer, your expenses will include software subscriptions, utility bills, and possibly outsourcing of graphic design work. Know when those payments are due and how much they cost.

I also recommend trimming your tech stack occasionally. Sometimes, you’ll be paying for software that you rarely (or never) use. When you go through your financial statement each month, identify the software you need to get rid of and the software you need to keep.

Those are the seven pillars of thinking like a business owner. It took me some time to figure out how to attract good clients and charge the right rates. This leads to my second tip for becoming a successful content writer.

2. Figure Out Your Niche

Experienced content writers often say that you have to niche-down to earn big bucks. They’re right. Niching down is important because you’re able to command higher rates. You’re seen as a specialist.

I’ve chosen to focus on B2B companies. Some content writers niche down even further by focusing on specific B2B companies (SaaS, fintech, etc.). I prefer to just say B2B because I get to work with a wide range of companies. I like variety.

Once you’ve figured out your niche, you have to work on your positioning. What you do should be very clear to your target client. Don’t just say you’re a content writer. Instead, say something like, “I’m a B2B Fintech content writer who makes finance simple.”

Here’s an example from Brandee Johnson.

Niching down is one thing. Pricing is where things get tricky. Let’s discuss pricing for a bit.

3. Set Rates That Match Your Experience

If you’re a new kid on the block, you can’t expect to charge the same rates as someone who’s been around for a while. Some very experienced content writers charge $1,000 per 1,000-word article. They can command those rates because of their experience and proven track record. You should charge rates that match up with what you can offer.

My suggestion is to start at $100 per 1,000-word article if you’re a newbie. You can increase from there as you begin to prove that you can help clients get real results. That’s what ultimately matters, proving that you can help clients get results.

I also suggest using value-based pricing versus an hourly rate. If you can prove to clients that you can deliver results, they’re more willing to pay what you’re asking. You may spend less time writing than someone else, but you provide far better quality and a greater ROI. Sell a client on this fact, deliver what you promise, and you’ll develop a value-based pricing structure that brings in good revenue.

Another tip is to group your services into packages and price accordingly. I include content strategy and content marketing in my content writing packages. So, I charge more while offering clients a more holistic content experience. They get far more than basic writing services.

One of the most important business lessons I learned in 2021 was that weak business processes hurt business growth. I realized that there were some holes in my processes and I’ve been working on addressing them. That’s why tip #4 is about business processes.

4. Establish Strong Business Processes

You need to have a process for:

• Onboarding clients
• Managing projects
• Receiving payments
• Closing out contracts

Onboarding clients

• Have a 30-minute intro call to ensure things are clear.
• Send a contract using DocuSign, HelloSign, SignWell, or any other electronic document signing tool.
• Send a document that explains how you work and answers to FAQs (if these points haven’t already been covered in your discussions).

Managing Projects

• Set up your project management tool for working with your client. That’s if you use one. Asana and ClickUp are two of the more popular project management tools.
• Set up a Google Drive folder for the project. This is where you’ll store all the documents you create and any content your client shares with you.
• Develop a strategy for managing the project that works well for both you and the client.

Receiving Payments

• How are you receiving payments? It’s easier for content writers in developed countries (US, UK, Canada, etc.) to answer this question. They can use PayPal or a direct bank transfer. It’s challenging for those of us who live in developing countries. I use Payoneer because I live in Jamaica.
• When should payments be sent? This is one of the questions that should have been answered in the contract. If it’s a long-term project, you may want to set up a monthly payment schedule. If it’s a one-time contract, you may want to either split the payment into two parts or accept payment at the end.
• What’s the payment process for bonus costs (extra revisions etc.)? This should also be clearly stated in the contract. A client should know the number of revisions that are included and the cost for any additional revisions.

Closing Out Contracts

• Feedback survey. It’s important to get feedback from clients not only about the quality of your work but also about the experience of working with you. You’ll pick up some of that feedback throughout the project, but it also helps to have the feedback documented for future reference.
• Add the client to your email subscriber list. This is optional. I don’t have an email subscriber list, but I know some content writers who do. WARNING! Ask for permission before adding your client’s email to your list. You can then use email marketing to continue nurturing that relationship.

I think one of the biggest contributors to my success is my focus on experiential learning. I learn best by doing. I actually try things I’ve read or learned about to see how they work and how I can do them better. My fifth tip…be an experiential learner.

5. Learn Through Experience

There’s a lot of good content out there about content writing. People have tried various strategies and willingly share what works for them. But what works for them may not necessarily be what works for you.

The only way to figure out what works best for you and your clients is to try things. In fact, start trying things on your website before you even get your first client.

That’s what I started doing in December 2020. I built a topic cluster for my website that’s still driving traffic to this day. That’s how I knew topic clusters actually work. That’s how I started honing my SEO writing skills.

So, try things for yourself and use your work to build your portfolio. Your skills will greatly improve, people will see that you walk the walk and don’t just talk the talk, and your portfolio will prove that you can deliver results.

I posted this tweet recently.

I compare myself to others a lot. It’s like I see all these other people around me thriving and I wonder what’s wrong with me. In those moments, I’m not appreciating my growth and what I’ve accomplished. I’m not embracing what makes me unique. This leads to my sixth tip.

6. Focus On Being Yourself And Trying New Things

Which content writers do you admire? My top five are Erin Balsa, Rosemary Egbo, Chima Mmeje, Kaleigh Moore, and Sarah Colley. I learn from them, but that doesn’t mean I have to become them.

The same applies to you. The people you admire and learn from aren’t who you’re meant to become. Your job is to find what works best for you, stay true to who you are, and boldly show your personality.

You may be offering the same services as other content writers, but no one else works exactly the way you do. People will work with you because they like you and what you have to offer. So, avoid comparing yourself with others and hiding.

In the same breath, explore. There’s so much that you can do to expand your knowledge and skills. Instead of trying to imitate what everyone else is doing, try new things. Travel around your country, meet new people, start your own email newsletter, start a podcast…try the things you think are impossible for you. You’ll become a better writer and business owner.

As I previously mentioned, building my brand on LinkedIn has helped significantly with my business growth. That’s why I believe so strongly in the next tip.

7. Use Social Media To Build Relationships

Relationship-building on social media means that you’re genuinely interested in meeting new people, supporting them, and engaging with their content. Some relationships will lead to business opportunities, others won’t. That’s okay!

The point is to focus on building human connections. People don’t want to be viewed as your next sales pitch. So, how can you build that human connection?

• Create a list of the top five people you want to work with. Follow them on social media, purchase at least one of their content assets if they’re selling anything (courses, books, etc.), leave insightful comments on their social media posts, reach out to them explaining what you’ve learned from them, and see how the conversation goes from there.
• Join communities and engage by asking questions that spark conversations (as well as interacting with other people’s posts). Marketing Twitter is a great Twitter community for content writers to join.
• Comment on other people’s posts. Leave comments that show your unique take and add value.
• Post about things you know so that you can teach people something and attract a highly engaged audience.

There’s always room to learn. Always. The more you know, the more you grow if you apply your knowledge. That’s why I believe in completing online courses.

8. Complete Courses That Help You Upgrade Your Skills

Notice I used the word “complete”. I don’t know if this has ever happened to you, but I’ve enrolled in courses I’ve never completed. Of course, that doesn’t provide any benefit to me because I haven’t learned much.

But there are courses that I’ve completed, and they’ve helped me learn more so that I can upgrade my skills. In 2021, I completed the Digital Marketing Institute’s (DMI) Certified Digital Marketing Professional program and Erin Balsa’s Research Report Playbook course. I plan to apply what I learned in Erin’s course this year, and I have been applying what I learned in the DMI course since August 2021.

So, what courses will you complete this year?

Gaining new knowledge doesn’t always mean completing courses. There are experienced writers and freelancers who you can follow on LinkedIn and Twitter. They share information you can use to improve your writing and service offerings.

9. Follow Thought Leaders On LinkedIn and Twitter and Learn From Them

I learn a lot from content marketing thought leaders on LinkedIn. They share a lot of insights, strategies, tactics, and secrets in their posts. The trick here is to not only read their posts but also apply the tips they share.

Here are 10 thought leaders I follow:

Erin Balsa — Content Writing, Managing Content Teams, Content Strategy

Chima Mmeje — Content Writing, Content Strategy, Freelancing

Rosemary Egbo — Content Writing, Freelancing

Camille Trent — Content Writing, Managing Content Teams, Content Strategy

Ross Simmonds — Content Distribution, Content Strategy

Eddie Shleyner — Copywriting

James Laurain — Copywriting

Shay Rowbottom — Video Marketing, Freelancing

Jay Clouse — Freelancing, Community Building

Winston Henderson — Aligning Marketing With What CEO’s Care About

Do you have any recommendations? Let me know in the comments.

My final point to round off this list relates to how you’ll evolve as a content writer. You’ll realize as you grow that what you offer changes, how you offer your services changes, and there are clients you once worked with who are no longer a good fit.

10. Keep Building and Growing (Even If This Means Letting Go Of Some Clients)

I live by this mantra - you must be better than you were the year before. Being stuck doing the same thing repeatedly each year will hold you back, leave you frustrated, and squash your hope of building a successful content writing business.

All growth matters. Look at where you are now and where you were last year. Have you noticed any improvement? Pat yourself on the back for a bit, and then start working towards doing even better this year.

That may mean either ending your relationships with some clients or restructuring your relationships with them. If you choose to end a client relationship, end it gracefully and get their feedback. Don’t just end the relationship abruptly.

The way you offer your services will also change as you grow. You’ll gain more experience and can, therefore, offer better results for your clients. But remember to charge your worth, stay in your lane, and avoid jumping on bandwagons!

Final Words

I’m far from a perfect content writer. But I’ve spent time building my skills, increasing my knowledge, and growing my business. The success I’ve achieved so far makes me happy.

I hope that you’ll find success as a content writer that makes you happy too. Let me know if any of the tips I shared were helpful and how you plan to become a better content writer this year.