A Recession-Proof Freelance Writing Job (& More)

This week over at BloggingTips (BT), I tackled a subject that not many think of as related to making money online -- your home environment. As in, can your relationship be costing you success? One single mom who makes her living online commented:

I never even considered this until I read this post, but now that I remember back to when I was married, I realize I’m in a much better place now (blogging-wise) than before. Even though I don’t have any help looking after my 3 and 4 year old now, it’s a healthier, more relaxed environment so I find I work with a lot more focus and efficiency now.

Read Make Money Blogging: Is Your Relationship a Help or a Hindrance to Your Blogging Success? for some interesting insight.

Today's post at BT was inspired by an email from a newsletter reader. He asked, , “. . . do you feel SEO writing is something profitable to get into given the current state of the economy?” My answer was a resounding yes, for the three reasons I list in the post, 3 Reasons SEO Copywriters Thrive During a Recession (it really is practically a recession-proof freelance writing job).

Tomorrow's Post: Want to be a better blogger? Jerry from webhostingsecretrevealed.com will tell you how to go about it in his guest post, entitled How to stand out from the crowd – 9 useful tips for bloggers. Learn how to submit a guest post.

Until tomorrow,
Yuwanda (Wanna know what I'm up to? Check me out on Twitter)
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Where are all the freelance writing jobs? Find out in the 2008-2009 Freelance Writing Jobs Report
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.” Current Issue: How to Make Money Using Constant-Content.com and by Writing Special Reports. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright ©2009 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

Averaging $100-$150/Day in Passive Income w/Affiliate Marketing

All this week, I blogged about my "real" foray into affiliate marketing over at BloggingTips.com (BT). Real is in quotation marks because I've tried affiliate marketing before, but never put any effort into it other than sticking some links on my site. That garnered me little to no sales.

Affiliate Marketing Success!

I recently started to make good headway with one affiliate product though (3-4 sales a day, earning $25 per sale). Not bad for about an hour's worth of work per day to promote it.

I'm currently in the process of scouting for my next affiliate product. So, if you know of any, write in and let me know. As I say in today's post on BT, ". . . for me, “decent sales” translates into three or four sales per day, preferably with an affiliate payout of $25 or more per sale."

To read all three posts, visit the following links:
Article Marketing or Free Classifieds: Which Works Better to Promote Affiliate Products? (Monday, 1/19 BT post)

How to Overcome Buyer Skepticism When Selling Affiliate Products and Services Online (Tuesday, 1/20 BT post)

Newbie Affiliates: How to Choose Affiliate Products to Market (Today's post)

What's It Like to Have a Life on the Beach & Retire as a Freelance Writer

I was in Florida this past weekend (for four days actually). I'm working on a new ebook, so it was a working/pleasure trip. My fruitful foray into affiliate marketing is getting me closer to my dream of being able to work on the beach -- and essentially retire as a freelance writer.

You see, my plan has always been to have the option of retirement at 50. I'm working on becoming totally debt free by then -- including having my house paid off. Retirement for me means working only on my own projects (ebooks/affiliate marketing); not having to take on freelance writing projects.

And, that's getting closer every day -- much quicker than I thought.

What's It Like to Have a Life of Leisure; to Have the Dream of Financial Freedom Realized?

I don't know, but it's no longer a faraway dream; it's a blurry vision that's coming clearer into focus every day. And why am I telling you all of this?

Because when I first started freelanc writing, I could not have imagined where it would take me. As I got older though, I started to formulate a plan for my life, ie, by this age, I want to have this much money in the bank; by this age, I want to be able to work x number of hours per week; by this age, I want to be debt free; by this age, I want to retire altogether; etc.

While I have stumbled badly along the way, I kept pounding away. My dream has always the foundation for everything I've ever tried. With every failure, I knew I had to get up and start again, because I knew I didn't want to wait until I'm 65 to "retire."

I always joke with my girlfriends that I still want to be "cute" when I retire; not old with one foot in the grave. Not that that's what 65 is, but I've been working since I was 11 -- literally. If I retired at 50, I figured almost 40 years of work should be enough -- I should be able to play for 40 (assuming I make it to 80 years old).

What is Your Dream as a Freelance Writer? Are You Achieving It?

So my message for you today fellow freelance writers is, "What is your dream? Are you making headway? Where do you want to be in 5, 10, or 20 years?" What you do -- or don't do -- today is getting you there, or not. As my mom used to say, "Time is going to pass; it's up to you what you do with it."

Detailed Testimonial from a Fellow SEO Writer

I'm posting this testimonial from a fellow freelance SEO writer, because when I asked her what finally moved her to buy the SEO writing ebook, she wrote back -- explaining in detail what taking concrete action can do.

QUESTION
On Mon, Jan 19, 2009 at 1:43 PM, Yuwanda Black wrote:
Tenisha: Could you answer the following for me: 1. What finally made you purchase the ebook? As you said, you'd been doing SEO writing for a while, so you knew there was opportunity out there. 2. Why hadn't you capitalized; what made my ebook so useful to you?

ANSWER (from Tenisha a few hours later)
I'll be honest. The economy has affected my writing and editing business -- drastically. And I've been searching ways to get more clients. After doing some content projects for a couple of social networking sites, I decided to focus more on social media and SEO writing as a part of that.

I remember reading one of your posts, or maybe it was an article, where you mentioned how your accountant asked what you could do to make money today. Well, that's where I'm at right now. I'm hungry for work And SEO work seemed like one of the quickest -- and easiest ways for me to pick up work and get new clients.

Your book is useful because it shows you step-by-step how to make money; it wasn't some pie in the sky concept, but clear, concrete steps that I could follow. And the query email you included in the ebook is priceless! Everything else is gravy. It was also realistic. You weren't telling me that I would make $1,000 in a few hours, but a couple hundred of bucks a day. I could get my arms around that. And it's realistic. I'm used to the tricks copywriters use with ebooks to play to emotions, and I saw none of that with your stuff.

Your book showed me how to market my services. That was a big hump for me. I've owned my writing and editing busines for nearly three years. And I've done SEO blogging for more than two years. But I kept seeing SEO article writers charging only a few dollars for their work.

Writing is my passion, but figuring out how to get others to pay for top dollar for it has been a struggle. I'm a former journalist, but nothing about my newspaper career ever prepared me for running my own business. [Emphasis added: This is where many freelance writers stumble, especially when they first start out. If you don't learn how to market, you'll never be successful as a freelance writer]

I wasn't sure if this whole SEO article thing was really viable until your ebook. I'd heard of copywriters charging $100 an article, but these are copywriters who easily command $10,000 for a sales letter; that's not me -- yet!

But I figured you were on to something and so I read your blogs, articles and your website. (Plus, I think I'd already heard of you some years ago because I used to get emails from Inkwell Editorial.)

I was discouraged, though. I completed a rather low-paying SEO article project with lot of keywords over the summer. When I broke it down hourly, I was making less than minimum wage. What amazed me was the client said they had people making at least $1,000 a month. I figured they must be chained to their computers and writing at least 20 hours a day!

I knew I had to cut out the middleman, but I was having a hard time figuring out how. Your book showed me, and I'm sure I'll buy some of your other books. You have a gift of writing to show others how to do something. As far as the basics went, your books didn't leave me with any questions.

I'm still marketing and I've had some luck. The low-payers are still out there. An SEO guy from Atlanta contacted me yesterday about meta tag writing -- I had to turn it down because it involved Dreamweaver and Front page and I'm not an expert. This guy outsources from India, so I think he was blown away at my rates.

Take care,
Tenisha
###

That's it for today folks. To paraphrase our new president, "It's time to get down to work"(I'm working on a new ebook -- unrelated to freelance writing. I'll turn my attention to getting more of those out in a couple of weeks (I have many, many titles to get to)).

Yuwanda (Wanna know what I'm up to? Check me out on Twitter)
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Where are all the freelance writing jobs? Find out in the 2008-2009 Freelance Writing Jobs Report
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.” Current Issue: How to Make the Most Money as a Freelance Writer. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright ©2009 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

Lessons from a Busy SEO Copywriter; Q&A w/ a New SEO Copywriter

This blogger is one of my favorites because we seem to share the same mindset on this profession. If you're wondering how to get busy finding work as an SEO copywriter -- or searching for any type of freelance writing jobs -- read Do You Have the Attitude to be a Successful Freelance Writer in 2009?

SEO Copywriting Success Tip

To be successful in this business, you have to know your stuff. I do a lot of reading on SEO -- here's an an interesting read: Your Site is SEO Optimized But is it Search Engine Friendly.

Q & A with a New SEO Copywriter

Question: Many Internet marketers hire writers on elance.com for $10 to $15 per article at the most. In fact, hiring a writer for that much means the writer is very talented in the eyes of the Web marketer. If a marketer gives a writer steady work, the writer will tend to lessen his/her rate to like $7 or $8 per article. I’ve even heard of some writers going as low as $1.00 USD! (These writers tend to be non-US and non-native English speakers, though.)

With that as context, here’s my question: Why would a SEO company hire a writer for $25 to $45 (or even $50 per article)? What am I missing here? . . . I’d appreciate any clarification.

My Answer: One of the reasons I tell SEO writers to stay away from sites like Elance is that companies that go there are looking for quantity, not quality. And, this is why my marketing plan advises that you target companies directly.

Many companies will give these types of sites a try; once they get burned a few times by low quality, they then look for professionals. THAT's why they'll pay you $25, $35 or more for an article -- they care about quality. For more, read this article: Get $100 Per SEO Article - How to Become a Highly Paid SEO Writer There's a market for both -- remember, there are freelance writers who get paid $1, $2 or more per word. It's all in who you target with your marketing. Hope this helps to clarify things.

Get the ebook that outlines how to start a career as an SEO copywriter.

Want to know what a typical day in the life of a busy SEO copywriter and new media marketing consultant is like? Follow me on Twitter.

Happy Friday everybody. I'm knocking off early -- this week has been exhausting!

Yuwanda
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Where are all the freelance writing jobs? Find out in the 2008-2009 Freelance Writing Jobs Report
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.” Current Issue: How to Make the Most Money as a Freelance Writer. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright © 2009 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

SEO Copywriters: Want to Make an Extra $61,880 This Year?

I've been woefully neglecting my own blog, but busy as a bee at others. You can find the post mentioned in the title at Copyblogger. SEO copywriting is a lucrative freelance writing niche -- if you know how to market to get the work. I lay it all out in this post.

How effective was this post? Got three client queries, landed two new clients and added new subscribers -- to my newsletter and Twitter.

Do you fear/dread competition as a freelance writer?

Moving on, over at BloggingTips.com, I addressed the fear of competition that a lot of freelance writers have. It's unfounded, for the reasons I list in the post ATTN: Writers & Bloggers: 3 More Reasons to Start Freelancing – Now!

Want to know what a typical day in the life of a busy SEO copywriter and new media marketing consultant is like? Follow me on Twitter.

I'm dying for a glass of wine, but have to get my workout in first -- rats! Until next time.

Yuwanda
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Where are all the freelance writing jobs? Find out in the 2008-2009 Freelance Writing Jobs Report

Hot Posts!
How to Become a Highly Paid SEO Copywriter
How to Start a Freelance Writing Career in Less than 24 Hours for $0
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.” Current Issue: How to Make the Most Money as a Freelance Writer. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright © 2009 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

Holiday Blog Marketing: Are You Making This All-Too-Common Mistake?

Come back here you. Yes, you! I know you're in holiday mode and everything, but before you rush off, you have one more thing to do. If not, you could be making the biggest mistake many freelance writers, bloggers and online entrepreneurs make.

It's almost 2 pm EST, and I'm about to close up for today -- BUT, I did this before even thinking about heading out to do some holiday shopping and errands. Did you? Find out what it is here.

From Laid Off New Mommy to Freelance (SEO) Writing Success!

I received this email from a new freelance writer who has really taken the SEO freelance writing bull by the horns and is running with it. I share this to remind those of you who may be wondering if you can succeed as a freelance writer, who may be scared to try, or procrastinating on starting . . . it proves that if you put out the effort, the rewards can be yours.

Katrina wrote:

Hi Yuwanda!

I have some very exciting news for you. I have to send you a major thank you because your SEO book has opened a whole new career opportunity for me. We spoke on the phone last month. I called to ask you about pricing and communicating with potential clients. You were so very gracious in our phone conversation and led me through what I needed to know.

Well, I started writing for a few websites in addition to individual web designers. One of the websites was Bright Hub. I applied what I learned through your articles/books and other sources about SEO to write my articles. All the ones I optimized ended up on the first page of Google for their keywords.

The VP of Marketing for Bright Hub contacted me a few weeks later to let me know that she had heard great things about me and my articles. She asked me to be the managing editor for the new fitness channel they were starting! I was so thrilled when I read the email from her that I didn't know what to do besides squeal (and scare my husband in the process). :-)

I couldn't have done this without learning what you teach about being a good writer in general, managing my time, SEO, and all the other great info you share on a regular basis. I will be referring my writers to your blog to learn about SEO and all the other things they need to know about being a good freelance writer.

I'm so richly blessed by God, I have to tell you. I was laid off earlier this year a few days before I was supposed to return to work after maternity leave. I had a new baby, lots of bills and no job.

It was so hard to tell my husband that I didn't have a job to go back to. I decided that I could either pout about it or add to my skill set and start marketing myself (emphasis added -- this is the kind of chutzpah needed to make it as a freelance writer!). I became self-employed as a freelance writer thereafter, and it turns out that getting laid off was a blessing!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

View Katrina's BrightHub profile.

Tomorrow: Case studies, as in, how to make money with them. They're so easy to do - and clients pay a mint for them!

Sincerely,
Yuwanda
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Where are all of the freelance writing jobs? Find out in the 2008-2009 Freelance Writing Jobs Report

Hot Stuff Around Here!
Get the Latest Issue of the Newsletter -- Topic: The #1 Way to Make the Most Money as a Freelance Writer

How Would You Like to Make $1,000 in an Hour?

How to Start a Freelance Writing Career in Less than 24 Hours for $0
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.” Current Issue: Wanna know what it is? Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright © 2008 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

The $150,000/Year SEO Writer

Hey, be careful what you wish for peeps, b/c you just might get it! In the latest edition of Inkwell's newsletter, I put the power of intent to work. I stated that my goal for my newly launched SEO writing company was $150,000 next year.

What It Takes to Make $150,000/Year as a Freelance Writer

I've been getting up earlier, and taking on more work. In essence, I've decided to put the pedal to the metal and challenge myself to live up to my full potential. My new motto is, if a black man can become president of the United States of America (which I never thought I'd live to see in this lifetime), I can certainly make $150,000 year as an SEO writer.

And I'll be darned if projects haven't been flowing in like crazy! It's as if the universe is saying, "Hey, if you're willing to put in the work, I'll throw you all you can handle."

My week so far:

On Monday I wrote 20 SEO articles and did a blogging gig. I outsourced the remainder. I usually outsource the bulk of my projects. The reality is, I don't work nearly as hard as I could; I haven't for years.

But, I've decided to dive in and do more of the work b/c like I said, I just want to push myself to see what's possible. In essence, get off my toukas and work like my parents and grandparents always did. My record had been 18 articles in one day.

On Tuesday I wrote a record 27 SEO articles and completed a blogging gig. I outsourced some other work that came in. I'm never doing that again. I now know my daily writing limit (15-20 articles).

Yesterday I wrote 20 SEO articles, and did a short blogging gig. I was exhausted from the previous two days, so didn't even attempt to do anything else. I outsourced a few other projects.

I've been marketing all day today, finishing up a case study, tweaking the new site and catching up on correspondence.

Remember, I'm also training for a marathon, and also do marketing for InkwellEditorial.com and write and publish my own ebooks. I've been falling into bed exhausted, but excited that I'm already on track to surpass the $150,000/year goal - not that I'm trying to, believe me.

Tomorrow, I already have another 20 articles on tap and 6 blog posts. I also have 3 ebook writing proposals out that I'm waiting to hear back on (seems clients are really enamored with that service all of a sudden).

There is TONS of Freelance Writing Work Out There!

My point in relaying all of this is two fold: (i) there is TONS of freelance writing work out there; and (ii) intent coupled with action is a powerful thing. I really do need to pick up that book, The Secret. Isn't that what it's all about?

Now, I just wished intent worked this way when I wish for thinner thighs -- so far, no dice.

Get Featured, Get Published!

Freelance writing website cuckleburr.com seeking submissions. The editor, Kay wrote me the following, "I'm always looking for quality submissions so if you know of anyone else that would be interested in sending us something, I'd be grateful if you could tell them about us."

There you go Kay!

No pay, but exposure. They featured one of my articles today. I think they found it on EzineArticles.com (that's the power of article marketing folks). It's a very professinally done site, so if you have a product/service of interest to writers that you promote, you definitely want to send something over to Kay.

That's it for this week folks.

Next Tuesday -- case studies, as in, how to make money with them. They're so easy to do - and clients pay a mint for them!

Sincerely,
Yuwanda
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
P.S.: Where are all of the freelance writing jobs? Find out in the 2008-2009 Freelance Writing Jobs Report

Hot, Popular Posts
Why Being Told Your Freelance Writing Rates are Too High is a Good Thing

How Would You Like to Make $1,000 in an Hour?

How to Start a Freelance Writing Career in Less than 24 Hours for $0
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.” Current Issue: The #1 Way to Make the Most Money as a Freelance Writer. Wanna know what it is? Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright © 2008 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

Why SEO Articles are the Best Free Marketing Tools on the Web Today

Search engine optimization (SEO) is here to stay. And, it behooves all of us to learn what it is and how to use it effectively. If you're a regular reader of this blog, you know that I've been an SEO copywriter since last year.

Today, I guest posted over at SEO-Scoop.com (a fantastic blog about all things SEO by the way) about how to write effective SEO content. While the post is written with potential SEO clients in mind, it contains information that all website and blog owners can apply to their online presences.

If you've ever wondered what SEO article writing is, how to write SEO articles and/or how SEO articles increase traffic and sales, this post, SEO Articles: Why They Are the Best Free Marketing on the Web Today, lays it all out in great detail.

Enjoy (and implement!).

Get the ebook on how to become an SEO copywriter. It's a very lucrative niche!

Most Recent "Hot" Posts
How Would You Like to Make $1,000 in an Hour?

Freelance Writers: Why an Ugly Website Can be Good for Business

How to Start a Freelance Writing Career in Less than 24 Hours for $0

Sincerely,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher
How to Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career Newsletter (read all past issues!)
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.”

Previous Issue. Spotlight on Newbie Freelancers. Want to learn how one freelancer landed enough clients to quit his job in just 12 hours? There are also some blog warning tips if you're looking to move your blog from one platform to another -- and more. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.

Issue. Spotlight on YOU: Questions from Readers. Want to learn about ghostwriting, how cut to the chase and "get started" as a freelance writer, which instant download ebook software to use and concrete advice on how to land paid blogging gigs? I answer these questions, and a few more from readers who wrote in. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright © 2008 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

What Is SEO Writing? What is SEO Copywriting?

I've gotten this question from 4-5 people since I wrote yesterday's post on how I got to the $100/article mark for my SEO writing. Beause I work in this niche, I kinda take for granted that everybody knows what SEO writing is all about.

So, when I received the latest query from a freelance journalist in New Zealand, I thought, "Mmmm, better explain yourself missy!"

As I hadn't planned to update the blog today b/c I'm pressed for time, here is the answer I forwarded to her, with some links to tons of stuff. After all the source reading you'll be directed to, not only will you know what SEO copywriting is all about, you'll know what to charge, types of projects to expect and much more. I thought the query was kinda funny, so I've pasted a portion of it below:

NOTE: FYI, yesterday's post includes a link to the most recent issue of the newsletter, which means over a year of freelance writing news at your fingertips!

Reader Query about what SEO writing is. She wrote:

I'm a freelance journalist based in New Zealand. I have been perusing your website and am keen to purchase some of your e-books. But I have a query - nowhere does it explain what SOE [sic] means! Sorry if this sounds really stupid - but I have not idea what it stands for - if you could explain that would be great. (Here it means State Owned Enterprise).

I responded:

Thank you for your interest in my products/services. Regarding your query, there are no stupid questions in my book. If you don't know, the best thing you can do is ask. So, thanks for asking!

To learn the basics of what SEO copywriting is all about, start with the article How to Write SEO Articles in 4 Easy Steps. It's a link to one of my articles on AssociatedContent.com.

List of all the Pages on InkwellEditorial.com about SEO Writing

After you read this, you can find all of my articles on SEO writing on InkwellEditorial.com.

How to Find all the Pages on InkwellEditorial.com that Discuss SEO Writing

1) Simply go to the home page of InkwellEditorial.com and look for the Google Search box (bottom of home page).

2) Type "SEO" into the box and make sure "InkwellEditorial.com" is checked, NOT "Web".

3) Click "Search".

A list of pages will pop up. Be sure to cursor down and click on articles listed below this title bar:
Web Results 1 - 10 of about 67 from inkwelleditorial.com for "seo". (0.66 seconds)

FYI, some articles will be directly relevant; others will be peripherally so. But you'll have the complete library of what I've written on SEO copywriting right there in front of you.

Inkwell Editorial Now Has an Affiliate Program: Did you know that if you sign up, you can get all of Inkwell Editorial’s ebooks on freelance writing for one low price ($39.95)? You can! It’s a limited time offer, so check out the details.

Sincerely,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher
How to Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career Newsletter
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
***********************************************
Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.”

Previous Issue. Spotlight on Newbie Freelancers. Want to learn how one freelancer landed enough clients to quit his job in just 12 hours? There are also some blog warning tips if you're looking to move your blog from one platform to another -- and more. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.

Current Issue. Spotlight on YOU: Questions from Readers. Want to learn about ghostwriting, how cut to the chase and "get started" as a freelance writer, which instant download ebook software to use and concrete advice on how to land paid blogging gigs? I answer these questions, and a few more from readers who wrote in. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright © 2008 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

SEO Copywriting Rates: How I Got to the $100/Article Mark & You Can Too!

In yesterday's post, I shared how I recently began to land $100/article SEO writing jobs. I promised to share with you how I got there.

I did so in a lengthy post over at BloggingTips.com today entitled, SEO Copywriting Rates: How to Get $100/Article or More. Enjoy -- and implement!

Inkwell Editorial News: Following are a few things I want to bring you up to date on.

I. New Blog: My new blog design has been completed, but I won't be unveiling it until around the new year. Why the delay? I'm not comfortable working with Wordpress, and will be taking a class this fall.

To explain in more detail, because I've used FrontPage for years, I'm used to customizing my sites the way I want. I don't like having to rely on a designer to implement every little change I need. So I've decided to go this route because there's tons of stuff that I will need for my site to do. It would cost a small fortune if I paid someone to implement everything.

II. Newsletter: I was supposed to publish the August edition of Inkwell Editorial's newsletter today with the affiliate interviews. I'm delaying this until September because I've been swamped with internal company projects this summer: ie, writing new ebooks; setting up Inkwell's affiliate program; and overseeing the blog redesign.

This hasn't left much time to properly interview the affiliate marketers I've lined up.

Also, Labor Day is coming up (Sept 1st) and I know many of you are already in end-of-summer, holiday mode. The next newsletter will be published on Wednesday, 9/24. By then, we'll be in the thick of the "get back to work season," when many of you will be fully focused on business again.

Publishing the newsletter today would have been a disservice to readers to some degree. And if I'd be paying attention when I marked the date, I would have realized that. My mea culpa.

If you haven't already, enjoy the latest issue of the newsletter, which contains links to all previous issues -- that's over a year of freelance writing news at your fingertips!

III. Inkwell Editorial Now Has an Affiliate Program: Did you know that if you sign up, you can get all of Inkwell Editorial’s ebooks on freelance writing for one low price ($39.95)? You can! It’s a limited time offer, so check out the details.

Sincerely,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher
How to Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career Newsletter
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
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Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.”

Previous Issue. Spotlight on Newbie Freelancers. Want to learn how one freelancer landed enough clients to quit his job in just 12 hours? There are also some blog warning tips if you're looking to move your blog from one platform to another -- and more. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.

Current Issue. Spotlight on YOU: Questions from Readers. Want to learn about ghostwriting, how cut to the chase and "get started" as a freelance writer, which instant download ebook software to use and concrete advice on how to land paid blogging gigs? I answer these questions, and a few more from readers who wrote in. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
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Copyright © 2008 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.

$100 for SEO Articles: How to Become a Highly Paid SEO Copywriter

SEO copywriting is very lucrative -- if you know how to get the most from your writing skill. The following happened to me recently, which proves this point:

$100 Per SEO Article; $50 Per SEO Article; $40 Per SEO Article

On Friday, August 8th, I opened my inbox and had an order for two SEO articles, 500-600 words: $100 each. On Wednesday, August 13th, I logged into my PayPal account and a client had pre-paid for a $50 article (350-450 words). On Tuesday, August 5th, I negotiated a $40/article rate (400-450 words) for three articles with a client.

SEO Copywriting Advice: How to Get the Most for Your Skill

As many of you know, when I first started out as an SEO copywriter, I charged $25 per article. For some clients, I still charge that. But, as I’ve gotten busier, my rates have steadily increased because it’s about maximizing my time to make the most.

SEO Copywriters: How to Hang Onto a Client When You Increase Your Rates

The one thing about working for money as opposed to passive income (which my ebooks provide) is that when you don’t work, you don’t get paid. Once my rate SEO writing rate increase went into effect, I had one client who kind of balked.

I patiently explained to him that while I was very glad to have him as a client and would hate to lose him, to grow my SEO copywriting business, I had to spend my time where it made the most money for me. I told him how I routinely put in 10-16 hour days and how I needed to still be able to make a living, but also have a life. I pointed out to him how a rested writer was a sharp one (adding a little humor never hurts).

As a business owner (he owns an internet marketing firm), he understood. And, I managed to retain him as a client -- although he orders fewer articles and blog posts. One thing I like about SEO writing clients is that they tend to be business owners, or account executives at marketing firms who understand paying for quality.

Explaining to my client why I was raising rates -- and appealing to him on a level that all business owners can understand (profit and time management) -- allowed me to keep him as a client.

Getting to the $100/Article Mark & How It’s Affected My SEO Copywriting Business

SEO Copywriting Average Article Rate: I average $40-$50/article now.

SEO Copywriting Marketing Results: When I market, I bring in fewer clients, but have actually managed to increase my hourly rate (this is how I chart what I make).

SEO Copywriting and Turning Down Work: I’ve turned down more work from potential clients who want to negotiate below what I think my time is worth. One of the reasons it’s easy for me to turn down work is that when I’m not working on client projects, I’m working on my ebooks. So, when I take into account what I would be making versus what I could be doing with that time (ie, building passive income via my own informational products), it’s a no brainer.

Inkwell Editorial Now Has an Affiliate Program: Did you know that if you sign up, you can get all of Inkwell Editorial’s ebooks on freelance writing for one low price ($39.95)? You can! It’s a limited time offer, so check out the details.

In tomorrow‘s post, I’ll divulge how I got to the $100/article mark-- and point out some things I did along the way that can help you get there too.

Sincerely,
Yuwanda Black, Publisher
How to Start a Successful Freelance Writing Career Newsletter
Contact: info *at* InkwellEditorial.com
***********************************************
Freelance Success Stories! There are freelancers who make very good livings at what they love. Inkwell Editorial’s newsletter features these successful professionals who put to rest the phrase, “starving freelancer.”

Previous Issue. Spotlight on Newbie Freelancers. Want to learn how one freelancer landed enough clients to quit his job in just 12 hours? There are also some blog warning tips if you're looking to move your blog from one platform to another -- and more. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.

Current Issue. Spotlight on YOU: Questions from Readers. Want to learn about ghostwriting, how cut to the chase and "get started" as a freelance writer, which instant download ebook software to use and concrete advice on how to land paid blogging gigs? I answer these questions, and a few more from readers who wrote in. Subscribe to read this, and all previous, issues.
***********************************************
Copyright © 2008 InkwellEditorial.com. Except where noted, no part of this site may be reproduced in any manner without the express, written consent of the publisher. Violators will be prosecuted.