How to Market Your Internet Writing

So, you’re a great writer.

Maybe even a terrific writer.

Probably even a better writer than I am.

But for some reason, you can’t seem to make any money doing it. You go on, day by day, pounding away quality content on your keyboard, but you can’t seem to catch a break. No one wants to hire you to write articles for their web sites, or your blog hovers at just a few readers. Why is this? Isn’t content king, when it comes to Internet writing?

Yes. Content is King. If you don’t write good content, no one will want to read it. And as you know, readers means money, whether you’re writing content for someone else or for yourself.

But content isn’t alone in its role as making money. Content may be king, but marketing is the queen of Internet writing.

So, how do you market your Internet writing? The answer to that question is going to vary a little bit based on the type of Internet writing that you do. However, there are several proven tactics that can help you get started on the right path.

Tactic #1: Use Web Site Marketing

Create a web site or blog profiling yourself and your writing. This technique is more reactive marketing, as opposed to proactive, but it is absolutely essential, especially if you are trying to land Internet writing contracts. Keep this blog or web site professional. Don’t put too much personal information and don’t treat it as a diary. That might be fine for some other types of blogs, but you want to project an image of professionalism here. Angela Booth has some further advice for building your web presence as a writer.

Tactic #2: Sell Yourself

This tactic has worked well for me in the past. When I was trying to find clients for my writing, I would search for web sites that had content or product related to the topic I wanted to write about. I would then email the webmasters a sample article or two, along with a brief paragraph about the value that my writing would add to their site, and about how I could drive traffic to their web site using Search Engine Optimization. I would close the e-mail asking for a sale. In some cases, if I could see that the web site was run by a specific individual and they listed contact information, I might even give them a follow-up call in a couple of days to see if they got the e-mail, and if they had any questions. This technique relies a lot on your personal charisma and sales ability, and you have to get used to being rejected a lot before you get some gigs from this technique. However, I discovered 3 of my top 5 longest-lasting clients this way.

Tactic #3: Leverage Your Existing Client Base

Success in Internet writing, as it is in many areas, is often more about who you know than what you know. Once you have done some Internet writing for a given client and that client is happy with the work, you can use that client to help spread the word. You might, after doing a few writing jobs for the client, ask if they would provide a link back to your portfolio web site. You might ask them to be certain to let their peers and other business contacts know about your availability.

The downside to this tactic is that, unless you’re an Internet writing phenom, this won’t happen by itself. You usually have to ask someone for a recommendation. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true: if you screw up work for a client, it is likely that the news will spread like wildfire. To avoid this, there are only two things you can do: 1) don’t screw up, and 2) try to do damage control when you do screw up.

Tactic #4: Use Article Directories

Most article directory web sites will provide you with a link back to your web site from within the article’s byline. In other cases, the link will take you to an “About Me” type of a page on the article directory’s web site. Put some time and energy into your “About Me” pages on article directory web sites in order to maximize their marketing potential. But be careful here: some article web sites stipulate that you are not to provide personal contact information or try to promote your own site in any way other than providing a link.

There you have it. If you can master these 4 simple techniques, you will greatly increase your ability to market your Internet writing.

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