Article Writing Jobs Online – Avoid These Pitfalls

If you’re new to online content writing, it’s easy to fall for several of the main traps and tricks that marketers use to take advantage of writers. Article writing jobs online can be a great way to earn supplemental to full-time income, as long as you’re careful about who you decide to write for.

In general, it’s wise to avoid the following:

Paying for Access to Work

It’s not necessarily a bad idea to pay for a background check, to pay for advertising, or to pay a small fee for access to a list of jobs. But in general, avoid work at home programs that want money from you in order to allow you to participate. It makes good sense to pay to run an ad that’s specific to your business and what you’re offering. But, it’s unwise to pay a site just to gain access to work that they’re telling you is available on the other side of the paywall.

Writing for Disreputable Companies

Before you contract to write articles online for a company or agency, spend some time researching them carefully. Google the name. Google the email address that you are receiving mail from, or the name of the individual who is sending you an introductory email. This may allow you to learn some basic information about the agency and what they offer. Learn about their overall online reputation. If they’re completely anonymous,  ask some questions. If they have a poor reputation online with other writers, it may be time to pass.

Writing for Private Clients without a Contract

Often, web content writer jobs for private clients can provide you with excellent pay. You’ll find that when you take on private clients, you gain access to ongoing assignments at higher rates. They’re often willing to pay you on a regular schedule, either weekly, monthly, or after each batch of work is completed. However, when you first begin to work with a private client, it makes good sense to insist on a basic contract. Use this to decide on the scope of work, and ask them for a deposit. I typically ask for 50% down, with the remaining 50% due upon delivery.

Providing Too Much Information

As you establish yourself as an online web writer, it’s important to know when to share information and when to keep it to yourself. Unlike in a traditional office, the people that you’re “working” with around the virtual water cooler aren’t just your colleagues, they’re also your competition. It makes good sense to be polite and to share information when it’s prudent. It also doesn’t make sense to spoon feed other writers information about when particular clients have large amounts of work, where to find work, or how to go about it. If you plan to do this, it makes far more sense to consider starting a writing team of your own and taking a percentage of each job off the top.

Article Writing Jobs Online – Avoid Giving Out Free Samples

As you apply for jobs, you’ll find that you get asked over and over for samples of your work. The best way to handle these requests is to set up a page on your website for samples and a portfolio. Then you can direct these clients to these pages instead of producing a custom sample each time. Whenever possible, avoid giving out free samples, as the time you’re spending creating them is time that you’re not getting paid for. If you feel like you must create a sample, go ahead, but take the time to make it into a PDF and put it up on your website.

As you search for article writing jobs online, it makes good sense to keep these tips in mind. They’ll help you sort out the wheat from the chaff. Then, you can find high-quality online content writing jobs, apply for them, and continually increase your family’s income.

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