16 Best Freelance Writing Niches.
In continuation of the previous blog -"The Beginner's Guide to Earning
Money Online" giving some hints about earning money online.
First steps-" Find Your Niche"
Here you provide-16-Best Freelance Writing Niches. You have to choose at
your level. Freelance writing is a rewarding and often flexible
career. It offers you the freedom to set your schedule and work at your own pace,
with the possibility that it may become a highly lucrative business. Many
companies and startups include written content as an essential part of their
marketing efforts and need the talent freelancers to offer.
While starting a freelance writing career is a relatively
straightforward process, you still need to make important decisions before
you begin looking for potential clients. One of the most important
considerations you’ll have to nail down is your niche. In this article,
we’ll go over what freelance writing niches are and how you can choose the
right one to match your skills and interests.
What is a writing niche?
In simple terms, a freelance writing niche is an area of specialization in
which a writer wishes to concentrate. This can be a specific industry, a
cluster of closely related industries, or a content format type. Niche
writers build portfolios that showcase their specialized writing skills and
work strictly with writing clients who need content in that particular
niche.
It’s also important to note that several types of writing break down even a
specific niche into further categories. See the four essential types of
writing below:
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Expository. This type of writing aims to educate the reader on a particular
topic. Modern examples of expository content include long-form general
articles and blog posts.
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Descriptive. The main purpose of this type of writing is to form a clear picture
in the reader’s mind by describing characters, events, or locations in
great detail. Descriptive writing is used extensively in screenwriting,
fantasy writing, and critique writing just to name a few genres.
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Persuasive. This type of writing leverages logical, technical, or emotional
techniques to convince readers of the writer’s opinion or influence them
into performing an action. Persuasive writing is used in various contexts
ranging from advertisements to editorial newspaper pieces.
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Narrative. The goal of narrative writing is to convey a cohesive story. Narrative
writing relies on dialogue, characters, and settings to engage or
entertain the reader. Examples of when narrative writing is used include
novels, essays, and short stories.
Why freelancers should have a niche
To a freelance writing newbie, working as a generalist could seem like the
path of least resistance. After all, being a generalist would mean you’d
have an almost endless list of potential clients to pitch services to,
right?
Not always. Being a generalist in freelance writing doesn't
necessarily prove successful in practice. Clients often seek out writers who
are experts in their subject matter, have a proven track record of
addressing industry-wide issues, and can show testimonials of satisfied
clients in the same niche. A generalist’s portfolio is unlikely to impress
high-paying clients who are looking for substantive content with more value
and less fluff.
From a content writer’s perspective, working as a generalist has its
drawbacks. The pressure to deliver compelling content across dozens of
subject areas can be overwhelming. Having to deal with a learning curve for
each new writing project can quickly lead to burnout. This brings us to why
niches are important.
Here are some reasons why every writer needs to niche down:
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You can leverage your personal experience and interests. It’s difficult to write high-quality content if you have little
interest in the subject matter or have no experience covering it. Picking
a niche that aligns with your interests will bring out the best in your
work and make freelance writing feel less like a job and more like a
passion project.
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You’ll have a steady stream of clients. Once you establish yourself as an authority in a specific niche,
you’re likely to have many prospective clients looking to retain your
services. In a market dominated by subpar content writing services and
generalists, an expert with a laser-focused portfolio will easily stand
out.
-
You can command higher rates. Due to their relative scarcity, niche writers are always in high
demand and are therefore in a good position to seek higher rates than their generalist counterparts. Your rate can increase
substantially as you gain more experience and continue to beef up your
portfolio.
16 top freelance writing niches to explore
Now that you know how important it is to pick a niche, let’s explore some
of the best freelance writing niches you could choose from. Below are some
topics and types of writing in high demand:
1. Book writing (ghostwriting)
2. Case studies
3. Cryptocurrency
5. E-commerce
6. Email marketing
7. Healthcare and medical writing
8. In-depth guides or long-form blog posts
9. Landing pages or sales pages
10. Personal Finance
11. Press releases
12. Real estate
13. Software as a Service (SaaS)
14. Technical writing
15. Video scripts
16. White papers
1. Book writing (ghostwriting)
Book writing can fall under different genres, subgenres, and styles of
writing. As a ghostwriter, you’ll generally write long-form content that
could be descriptive or narrative in nature when writing fiction or
expository when writing nonfiction.
One of the primary distinctions of this type of freelancing is that the
name of the ghostwriter is usually not attached to the work. The terms and
conditions may vary depending on the agreement, but most ghostwriters sign
non-disclosure agreements and are not entitled to royalties from any
subsequent sales of the work. The copyright is also retained by the client,
and unless the agreement states otherwise, the ghostwriter cannot use the
material in their portfolio.
Ghostwriters may specialize in fiction genres such as fantasy, romance, and
sci-fi or nonfiction areas such as memoir and technical content.
Ghostwriters may also work across the board when offering their book-writing
services.
Potential earnings: Ghostwriters can earn anywhere from $4 to $40 per page. Long non-fiction writing projects typically command a higher rate than
fiction.
How to start: Write some of your own books or short stories and read books from
different genres to learn about varied tones and styles to prepare for your
ghostwriting career. Once you’ve built up a portfolio, head to
Upwork's Talent Marketplace to explore current ghostwriting job offers.
2. Case studies
Case studies are another profitable type of writing that’s in high demand.
Case studies are in-depth examinations of a particular subject or situation.
They’re often used by large and small businesses alike to highlight the
effectiveness of their products and services and to outline the positive
impact products may have on their customers.
A case study serves a purpose similar to a white paper, where the main
intent is to present the details of a problem and describe an approach to
solving it. However, there are some key differences between the two. Case
studies tend to be shorter, more descriptive, and less technical than white
papers.
Potential earnings: Case study freelancers average around $2000 per case study.
How to start: Draw inspiration from the plethora of case studies online and start
incorporating more research, analysis, and storytelling into
your writing. Brainstorm case study ideas and pitch them to business owners and heads
of marketing through Linkedin.
3. Cryptocurrency
As you surely know, cryptocurrency is a buzzing subject for many business
owners. New startups are joining the space daily, and crypto’s widespread
adoption as a medium of exchange has led to increased demand for content in
this niche.
Depending on their level of experience, freelancers can write basic
introductory guides for beginners or advanced guidance for seasoned
investors. The crypto niche consists of many subtopics that include the
following:
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Blockchain technology and its applications
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Bitcoin trading
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Investment Tips
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Technical analysis
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Market trends
Potential earnings: Crypto writers can earn between $20-$50 per 500-word article on average.
How to start: If you’re not familiar with the crypto space, take time to learn the
basics of the industry and its underlying technologies. Immerse yourself in
cryptocurrency literature and explore job offers to get a good idea of clients’ needs in the crypto niche.
4. Digital Marketing
Digital marketing is a highly popular niche that many freelance writers have dabbled in at one point or another. This umbrella term refers to
a wide range of marketing strategies that aim to leverage multiple online
channels to reach a network of customers and drive sales. If you decide to
specialize in this area, you can choose to narrow your focus down to
specific types of content. The main options are as follows:
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Newsletters
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SEO writing
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Video scripts
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Tutorials
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How-to guides
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Listicles and review articles
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Blog posts
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Social media writing
Potential earnings: Digital marketing freelancers usually charge $15-$45 per hour.
How to start: When writing for marketing purposes, it’s essential to know how to connect
and engage with an audience. Shore up your persuasive writing skills and take some online digital marketing courses to familiarize
yourself with the industry.
5. E-commerce
E-commerce is another evergreen niche that consistently attracts freelance
writers. While the content itself tends to be short and concise, writing for
e-commerce businesses requires a good grasp of customer psychology and an
understanding of how buyers behave, think, and decide. E-commerce writers
need to be data-driven and capable of appealing to the customer’s
imagination without straying from factual product descriptions.
Potential earnings: E-commerce freelancers usually charge from $0.25 to $0.35 per word.
How to start: Go over some of the top listings on Amazon to get an idea of how
effective product descriptions are written. To get your first e-commerce
writing gig, compile a list of Shopify stores and offer them your services
or check out job offers on Upwork.
6. Email marketing
Emails often play an important role in a customer’s journey. They can serve
to offer a personal touch to a business’s communication style, and they can
address potential pain points and show customers how to solve problems.
Below are some of the forms email marketing may take:
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Newsletters
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Dedicated emails
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Sponsorship emails
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Reengagement emails
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Transactional emails
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Brand story emails
Potential earnings: Email marketing writers usually charge anywhere from $15 to $40 per hour.
How to start: When writing emails, you need to be able to get straight to the point
and provide the most value in a precise manner. Work on your persuasive
writing skills and familiarize yourself with email etiquette. To
find email copywriting work, explore offers on job boards or offer your services to decision-makers on
Linkedin.
7. Healthcare and medical writing
The healthcare and medical sector is one of the highest-paying niches in
freelance writing. Content in this niche requires similar skill sets to
technical writing—as well as extensive knowledge of the healthcare industry.
Most healthcare and medical writers have a background in the field and can
draw from their professional experience to break down complex topics and
convey them in a way a wider audience will understand.
The types of content medical writers are typically expected to write include the following:
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Journal articles
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Patient Education
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Clinical study reports
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Sales training
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Regulatory documents
Potential earnings: Healthcare and medical freelance writers charge between $40 and $60 for less complex projects. However, prices can reach over $100 for more complex projects that
involve a certain level of expertise.
How to start: Having a background in the field is highly preferable, as medical
writing topics require specialized knowledge in medicine and the healthcare
sector. You can find work on freelance platforms like Upwork.
8. In-depth guides or long-form blog posts
Long-form blog posts are a cornerstone of content marketing. This type of
expository writing aims to build brand awareness and boost engagement by
providing detailed guides that cover specific topics in-depth and provide
actionable solutions. These pieces are usually over 2,000 words in length
and are part of an overall marketing strategy that intends to establish
domain authority and improve a website’s SEO rankings.
Potential earnings: Long-form blog freelance writers usually charge between $125 and $250 for each article.
How to start: The first step you need to take is to learn the basics of search engine
optimization. Since In-depth guides and long-form blog posts are used across
different niches and industries, there’s plenty of work available for
freelancers. Freelance marketplaces and job boards feature new job offers daily.
9. Landing pages or sales pages
Specializing in landing pages or sales pages can be quite lucrative. The
two niches are similar in that they both leverage persuasive writing
techniques and are designed to convert traffic. These pages are generally
not part of a website’s main navigation page. The main difference between
the two is that landing pages are focused on generating leads, whereas sales
pages aim at converting customers quickly and driving sales.
Potential earnings: Depending on the level of experience, landing page, and sales page writers can charge between $450 to $1000 per page.
How to start: Practice writing catchy headlines and get accustomed to writing short-form
content that succinctly addresses the audience’s pain points and offers
actionable value. To find work, you can contact a marketing agency, reach
out directly to businesses, or look for job opportunities on freelance platforms.
10. Personal Finance
Personal finance is another evergreen niche for freelance writers. The
subject is wide and contains several subtopics that include the
following:
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Day-to-day money management
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Investment advice
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Money management tools
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Credit monitoring
Potential earnings: Personal finance writers usually charge $30 to $38 per hour.
How to start: Having a background in finance is a big plus. You should also
consider achieving CFP (certified financial planner) status and featuring that credential in
your profile. To find personal finance writing opportunities, explore
Upwork’s freelance job section.
11. Press releases
A press release is a written announcement sent to journalists and media
outlets to deliver a strategic message to a large audience. They’re
typically short, to the point, and contain only information that is
pertinent to a product launch, a business update, or any information
regarding the business. Press releases are issued by companies, government
institutions, and press bureaus.
Potential earnings: Press release freelance writers may charge between $30 to $80 per hour.
How to start: A good way to find press release writing work is to reach out to PR
agencies. Local businesses can also be a viable source of prospects and
freelance platforms often have offers for press release writing services.
12. Real estate
An increasing number of businesses and professionals in the real estate
industry are turning to content marketing to reach new audiences and boost
sales. Real estate agents, property managers, informational websites, and
mortgage lenders have used various types of content to great effect to
promote their services and drive new business. Depending on the client they
work with, real estate writers can create blogs, emails, long-form guide
content, landing pages, home listings, or rental agreements.
Potential earnings: Real estate writers usually charge $75 per hour.
How to start: The first thing you need to determine is which sector of the real
estate industry you’ll be working in. If you choose to work with Realtors,
learn the basics of SEO writing and conversion optimization. If you want to
work for a listing company, focus on trimming the fat from your writing and
practice crafting short, accurate, and value-driven descriptions.
13. Software as a Service (SaaS)
A study by business2community found that 98% of the top SaaS companies have blogs. Organic marketing is the most cost-effective way to
generate leads and drive sales, which is why major companies like Hubspot,
Asana, MailChimp, Shopify, Slack, and Adobe have made content an integral
part of their marketing efforts. From a freelance writer’s perspective, SaaS
offers a vast base of potential clients.
Potential earnings: SaaS writers usually charge between $24 and $33 per hour.
How to start: SaaS writing has one primary focus—and that’s conversions. Content in
this niche needs to be highly strategic and purposeful. The top SaaS
companies are constantly looking to add talented freelancers to their marketing teams, so consider applying for a position through
their website or Linkedin.
14. Technical writing
As the name implies, technical writing involves communicating complex,
technical information to a specific audience. The purpose of technical
content is to transform complex and terminology-rich information into
digestible explanations or easy-to-follow tasks. The main types of technical
writing are as follows:
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End-user documentation. This type of content provides instructions on how to use a product. One
example of end-user documentation is user manuals.
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Traditional technical writing. This type of content is aimed at a specialized and well-informed
audience, such as readers of a scientific study published in a scientific
journal.
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Technical marketing. This is marketing material that explains certain technical aspects
of a product to increase interest in it. Examples include a blog article
that breaks down how a product helps a particular company achieve its
goals.
Technical writing is used in multiple fields such as chemistry, software,
hardware, manufacturing, engineering, biotech, academia, and
construction.
Potential earnings: Technical writers can earn anywhere from $29 to $40 per hour.
How to start: Due to the specialized nature of their content, technical writers
need to have a strong technical aptitude as well as extensive experience in
the fields they’re writing about. Browse the job offers in
Upwork’s technical writing section to find projects that match your skills and interests.
15. Video scripts
Over the past few years, video has become a pivotal component of content
marketing. Companies are increasingly leveraging video content to reach new
customers and establish authority on Youtube and other platforms. This
development has created a demand for talented video scriptwriters who can
create compelling content that resonates with audiences.
Video writing has certain peculiarities that distinguish it from other
forms of long-form writing. For instance, video scriptwriters need to write
in a conversational tone and avoid long, drawn-out sentences. Moreover, they
need to prioritize the first few sentences of the script since viewers
decide whether to keep watching a video within its first few seconds. As a
video script freelancer, you’re also more likely to work as part of a larger
team that includes animators and editors.
Potential earnings: Video script freelancers usually charge between $21 and $49 per hour.
How to start: Reach out to growing Youtubers and businesses that create video content
regularly and pitch your services to them. Alternatively, you can browse
Upwork’s freelance scriptwriting jobs to see if any offers interest you.
16. White papers
White papers are documents that present a challenge affecting a particular
industry, a business, or an organization and then provide solutions. White
papers are generally used for business-to-business marketing purposes. For
instance, a project management software company may publish a white paper to
educate its customers about a new product or feature it recently introduced,
with research and statistics to support any claims.
Potential earnings: White paper freelancers usually charge between $2,000 and $10,000 per white paper.
How to start: Compile a list of companies that have published white papers in the
past and analyze how each one is structured. Reach out to them and pitch a
white paper topic they haven’t covered before using a similar outline. You
can also browse freelance offers for white paper writing jobs on Upwork to find interesting opportunities.
