Becoming a freelance blogger and finding paying jobs can be tough.
Where should you look for gigs that pay more than a couple measly bucks for a 500-word post? Are content mills the only way to get paid to write?
The truth is, if you know where to look, you can definitely find better-paying blogger jobs.
With the rise of content marketing, an increasing number of companies are hiring freelance writers to produce articles for their blogs. Sometimes they offer one-off assignments, which can pay $75 or more per post. Other online publications may look for bloggers who are willing to write several posts a week, the kind of steady gig that can really add to your bottom line.
Here’s how to become a freelance blogger
Here are 18 resources to check out if you want to become a freelance blogger
Wondering how to make money as a freelance blogger? From lists of websites that want your work to job boards, there are so many places online to find freelance blogging jobs.
When you first start out as a freelance blogger, you might not know which websites pay for posts. Lucky for you, several experienced freelance writers and bloggers have put together lists of websites and blogs that want your work.
No matter your niche, there’s likely a way to get paid for a blog post about it.
1. The Ultimate List of Better-Paid Blogging Gigs
Freelance blogger Sophie Lizard put together this list of blogs that pay between $50 and $5,000 USD a post.
2. Funds for Writers Paying Markets
Writer Hope Clark curates this list of writing opportunities, which generally pay around 10 cents a word and up. Not all of the listed markets are blogs, but many of these publications look for both magazine articles and blog posts, so check their guidelines for more information.
3. Writers’ Markets
All Freelance Writing has a huge listing of paying writing opportunities. For blogging jobs, choose “blogging markets” from the drop-down menu.
4. 58 Websites Where You Can Get Paid to Write (Even if You’re Brand New to Freelance Writing)
Author Avery Breyer put together this comprehensive list of websites that pay in 2023 specifically for newbie freelance writers. If you’re just dipping your toes in the freelance waters, bookmark this list.
Writing job boards
What about job boards? While you could spend hours digging through general job boards like Indeed.com, a better bet is to scour boards that focus on writing jobs.
Be sure to read postings thoroughly and do your due diligence before applying—and if the company wants you to write a 1,000-word “sample article” for free, you should probably pass.
5. BloggingPro’s Job Board
The site offers plenty of blogging jobs in addition to copywriting and print opportunities. Most gigs pay on a per-post basis, though not all of them list their rates. Some listings come directly from the client, like businesses looking for contributors to their blogs, while others are from content mills.
6. MediaBistro’s Job Board
This job board has tons of postings for freelance writing-related jobs, from email marketing and copywriting positions to public relations and editing gigs. Tip: Broaden your search to “freelance writer” or “content curator” to help pull up more results. Many of the positions are based in New York City, but you’ll also see quite a few offers for remote work.
7. FlexJobs
FlexJobs curates remote and freelance positions into a paid job board. You can set the filter to only see blogging-specific jobs by selecting “Remote Writing Jobs” then “Telecommuting Blogging Jobs” under the “More Categories” arrow. The curators post at least one or two each day.
8. Freelance Writing Job Board
This Freelance Writing Job Board claims to be the #1 source for freelance writing jobs, and it has been up-and-running since 1997. They pull in jobs from popular sites like Indeed, Craigslist, and BloggingPro.
The best part? It’s totally free. Users can filter out blogging jobs as well. However, many of the current listings disappear when using the filter, so we suggest scanning the posts without the filter.
9. Writers Work
Writers Work is a paid job board that scours all types of writing jobs across the Internet and vets them for you. You can also use the platform to create an online portfolio, and they have lots of tools and advice for writers.
10. SmartBlogger JobsBoard
The SmartBlogger JobsBoard allows you to search by job type, remote options, benefits, and skills, so you can find the perfect fit for your needs.
11. Online content marketing agencies
Content marketing agencies have a bad reputation, but some of them can be worth your time. ClearVoice, Contently, and Skyword are three examples. These differ from content mills because they can pay up to $1 per word. Plus, they’re free to use and they do the hustling work for you.
All it takes is setting up a portfolio on their site with relevant samples, which can take a while and you can also be denied membership if your work isn’t up-to-snuff. Start with one of them and read tips on setting up an effective portfolio, since each site has a unique proven strategy. After simply creating a profile, you could end up with a steady stream of paying jobs in a few weeks or months. Plus, it never hurts to have a portfolio in more than one place.
Other great places to find blogging jobs
Wading through job boards can be exhausting, and often the gigs don’t pay much. As soon as you’ve built up a portfolio website, it’s best to move on to other options.
Why not stick with the job boards?
For one, you’ll make more money pitching clients on your own, advises freelance writer and blogger Linda Formichelli. You’ll also likely have less competition than you would when applying to a blogging job posted on a free job board.
Curious? Here are a few other places to look for blogging work:
12. Who Pays Writers
Created by writer and editor Manjula Martin, Who Pays Writers collects anonymous reports of rates paid by all sorts of publications, from tiny niche blogs to massive print magazines. No, these aren’t job listings, but you can use them strategically to land a blogging gig.
Search the directory for the word “blog” to see submitted rates for blogs, plus information on the type of contract, lead time and how to pitch. You can also simply scan recent submissions for blogs or websites you’d love to write for to get an idea of their rates before you pitch them.
Once you have your hit list of blogs you want to write for, check out their contributor guidelines and get pitching!
13. Contently’s Freelance Rates Database
While it also includes pay for photography and design, most of the database is devoted to writing jobs. Many are print publications, but you’ll see some blog markets listed along with flat or per-word rates. You can use it the same way you’d use Who Pays Writers: as information and inspiration for your pitch list.
14. Where to Pitch
If you’ve got an idea for an article you want to write, but you’re not sure where to pitch it, check out Susan Shain’s Where to Pitch. Simply type in a vertical (e.g. “health” or “money”)—and Where to Pitch will tell you which publications might be a good fit.
15. Search Engines
No, not blogging for Google. Searching using the right queries can help you find all sorts of interesting blogging gigs.
Try searching for “[your topic] + write for us” and see what pops up—you might find paying opportunities you hadn’t considered. Play with the wording and search for your niche plus keywords like “contributor guidelines,” “submission guidelines” or “how to contribute” to find paid blogging opportunities that are listed on the company’s website. They’re likely less overwhelmed with pitches and applications than companies that list their needs on job boards.
16. X, formerly Twitter
Yes, all that time you spend on social media could actually help you land jobs. Beyond letting you showcase your writing for other clients, X (Twitter) can help you find blogging opportunities in a few different ways:
- Search for blogging jobs: Simply type “blogging job” or “write for us” into the search box
- Check hashtags: Clicking on hashtags like #blogging, #bloggingjobs and #writinggigs can help you find newly posted jobs. Many of these opportunities come from Craigslist, though, so do your due diligence before applying and look for gigs where you work directly with the client, rather than applying to an anonymous “content company”
- Follow your favorite bloggers and editors: Congratulations, you probably already do this! Following bloggers in your niche means you’re perfectly positioned to pounce on any opportunity, like when a solopreneur decides to bring on a blog assistant or a popular blog starts paying for guest posts. To keep these important tweets separate from the rest of your Twitter stream, use a Twitter List. Pro tip: Writer Sonia Weiser often retweets writing opportunities she collects for her weekly email “Opportunities of the Week“
- Follow other freelance writers and bloggers: Everyone wants to share their work, right? When you see another blogging or writer tweet a link to their work on a blog or publication you’d love to write for, check it out. Feel free to favorite or retweet it, and check out the site’s contribution guidelines for more info
17. Your current client roster
Your clients already know you do an awesome job, right? See whether they need your help with blogging as well.
If you’re handling a client’s social media strategy, ask whether they need support with their blog. After copywriting a fantastic sales page, mention your ability to use those same ghostwriting skills to write a blog post or two in the company’s voice.
Or maybe a client needs help spreading the word about her services—could you help her contribute guest posts to popular blogs in her niche?
You’ve already proven your skills and reliability to your client, so make the most of the relationship.
18. Your own blog
No, blogging isn’t a path to riches. But wouldn’t having clients come to you be easier than chasing them down on job boards?
Showcase your talents on your blog and share examples of your work for past clients. Ensure you have a clear and compelling call-to-action to make it easy for clients to get in touch. Where will you find your next blogging job?
Finding paid blogging jobs isn’t the easiest thing to do on the Internet, but it’s not impossible, either. Hone your writing skills, learn how to write a killer headline, craft a brilliant pitch email and start finding opportunities using the resources on this list.
And on behalf of editors everywhere: Read the submission guidelines. If you don’t, your blogging brilliance might never make it past the editor’s inbox.
This is an updated version of a story that was previously published. We update our posts as often as possible to ensure they’re useful for our readers.
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