Introduction:
The demand for freelance writers is currently more than ever before, with it growing more each day. As the gig economy continues to become increasingly prevalent, businesses are moving away from full-time staff in favor of outsourcing their content creation needs to qualified professionals online. This provides an incredible opportunity for those with the top skills for freelance writers to shine.
The demand can be seen through the average hourly rate of a freelance copywriter. With it ranging from USD 19 to 45 per hour, depending on background and experience.
This above-average rate is incredibly alluring to many, and if you’re someone that this appeals to there are some key skills you’ll need to develop to become a successful copywriter in 2023.
In today’s blog post, we’re going to discuss and explain these essential skills and how to develop them to become more employable.
What Are the Essential Skills for Freelance Writers?
A mix of hard and soft skills is fundamental to achieving success as a freelance writer. You can’t rely solely on being a good writer to find great employment opportunities, and you must make yourself competitive within the market by developing the following skills:
Grammar, Punctuation, and Tone of Voice:
Possessing a strong grasp of grammar and punctuation is an essential skill. This is a make or break for a copywriter, as, without it, your content appears unprofessional, no matter the quality of the writing.
Clients, especially those who pay well, expect professional, polished work that is already completely edited for mistakes.
If your grammar and punctuation skills aren’t perfect, you must hone them. Utilizing a service like Grammarly is also a great way to learn, as well as ensuring you catch any errors before submitting your work.
Be sure to familiarize yourself with different style guides such as APA or Chicago, and regularly practice writing in a variety of tones to cater to different clients. Most clients will ask you to do a grammar test before working with you, so it pays to brush up on your knowledge regularly to land lucrative contracts.
Research Skills:
Another key skill for freelance writers is to be able to research any topic thoroughly, and efficiently. As a freelancer, you will typically receive jobs with topics varying across the scope of any industry.
To be able to apply for these opportunities, the ability to research technical ideas, and convey them in a user-friendly way is an essential skill for freelance writers. Not only that, the content must also be free from errors, with up-to-date information. As your writing must appear to be created by a professional in the space.
In-demand freelance writers can present their ideas and research in an organized manner. You can develop your research skills by working on a search strategy so that you can find relevant information quickly from trusted sources.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO):
SEO writing is quickly becoming the most in-demand application, with it in the top ten in-demand skills for freelancers. With 7.5 million blogs posted each day, the ability to ensure your work will be presented above the competition in search engines is critical. The skill
Knowledge of keyword research, backlinking, and meta descriptions are important skills that can make or break your success as a freelance writer. Keep up with the latest trends and updates in SEO by subscribing to other copywriters’ newsletters on LinkedIn.
We also recommend keeping an eye on Google’s official updates on The Keyword, as the platform regularly shares how it’s crawling content.
Content Management:
Freelance writing and content management go hand in hand. Over 43% of websites on the internet today are custom-built with content management systems (CMS) like WordPress and Shopify. Knowing how to build and publish engaging landing pages, blog posts and other content in popular CMS platforms will make you more employable as a freelance writer.
We recommend familiarizing yourself with WordPress, Shopify, and Squarespace to begin with. Hubspot, Wix, and Joomla are also popular CMS platforms to consider. By mastering these tools, you can offer clients a complete package of services, from writing the content to publishing it on their website. Clients love to hire freelancers who make their lives easier, and by learning CMS, you can handle the entire process of creating and managing content for your clients!
Tech Skills:
Freelance writers need to have a solid understanding of software like Google Workspace and AI checkers. As a remote worker, you’ll probably need to know your way around communication software like Zoom, Google Meets, and Slack, as many of your clients will want you to attend virtual meetings. You may also be required to use content management systems like WordPress or Adobe Suite, depending on the project.
Time Management:
Freelancers have to juggle multiple clients, deadlines, and responsibilities at once. You are essentially your own business, which means you need to manage your time effectively and dedicate some time each day to finding new clients, invoicing, and organizing. Good time management will save you plenty of headaches when working with multiple clients concurrently.
The ability to understand the amount of work you can reasonably complete in a day, and stick to it is essential. As well as being able to properly prioritize tasks, and be disciplined to not procrastinate. As a freelancer, delivering your work by the deadline is a make-or-break, as many clients are relying on you. By delivering late, you are putting the future of working with that client in jeopardy.
Communication and Networking:
One of the best freelance writing tips you’ll learn is that networking will bring in the majority of your clients. Word-of-mouth goes far in the freelance writing world, and learning how to communicate with potential clients and fellow freelancers can help you build a strong network. Networking can take many shapes, from attending industry events, joining online communities, or simply reaching out to former clients for potential leads.
Remember, most clients are looking for someone who can communicate their big ideas with their target buyers in a concise, engaging way. By communicating effectively from the get-go, you establish yourself as a valuable asset to any project.
How to Develop Your Freelance Writing Skills:
The above freelance writing skills are crucial to making yourself employable. Here are our best freelance writing tips for copywriters looking to develop their skills:
Create Practice Challenges:
Practice briefs and writing challenges are a great way to hone your skills. They don’t have to be based on real projects, you can use writing prompts to create work that will challenge you. You could also go to your favorite websites and have a go at rewriting them, using compelling content writing techniques.
Anything you create as part of these practice challenges can be implemented into your portfolio. Practice writing blog posts, website content, social media content, and case studies to truly wow potential clients.
Read Industry-Leading Examples:
There are plenty of examples of great copywriting available online for you to learn from. Wix’s landing page is an example. They utilize powerful words, emotive language, and clever design choices to take customers from a maybe to a yes. You can find industry-leading examples of stellar copywriting by searching online. Look at how they’ve structured their content, the tone of voice used, and how they engage with the reader.
Utilize Tools and Resources:
As the demand for the top skills for freelance writers grows, so do the resources and tools available to achieve them. There are already numerous options that encompass almost every skill needed. As we mentioned previously, to improve your grasp of grammar, Grammarly is essential. Or to improve your writing, CoSchedules Headline Analyzer is a vital asset.
We also recommend trying out an AI writing tool like ChatGPT and learning how to improve the content it generates. This will help you develop your editing and proofreading skills, and also expose you to a variety of different tones of voice and writing styles.
Subscribe to Newsletters:
Many experienced copywriters dedicate their spare time to educating others by creating industry newsletters on LinkedIn. Most of these are free to subscribe to and are published on a weekly or monthly basis. Subscribe to newsletters that focus on writing, content marketing, and SEO to give yourself a consistent stream of knowledge. These newsletters often also offer tips, resources, and even job opportunities. It’s a great way to stay up-to-date with industry trends and learn from the experts.
Complete Certifications:
Finally, it never hurts to complete targeted certifications to qualify for the new skills you’ve learned. Clients love to see certifications as they prove your dedication to the field. Consider completing certifications in copywriting, content marketing, and SEO to add credibility to your freelance writing portfolio.
Final Thoughts:
By developing these essential skills for freelance writing, you’ll make yourself more employable and be well on the way to landing big-ticket clients. It takes time to develop these skills, but by challenging yourself with practice writing posts, reading industry-leading examples, subscribing to newsletters, and completing certifications, you can develop a repertoire of employable freelance writing skills today.
