Let’s talk specifically about Web content writers today, and the rights they give up when they sell their work.

In many cases, when a client purchases Web content from you, their primary objective is to target search terms for traffic or online readers. Most have no use for your content beyond their websites or blogs, leaving potential non-competing reprint markets available as an additional income stream for you (there are exceptions of course, such as a magazine which may print articles in hard copy as well as on their website).

Let’s get one thing clear up front - if you’ve ghostwritten something as a work-for-hire, you’ve generally given up the full copyright to the work, so holding onto additional rights isn’t an option. But what about bylined projects? Should you hold onto print rights and try to resell the content to offline clients?

It isn’t something that I do often, but it can be an excellent way to earn some extra money, as well as a way for your initial client to save some money. Most clients ordering bylined Web content really don’t need full rights. It just sounds good to them. Exclusive Web rights are what they really need in order to rank well in the search engines without worrying about duplicate content.

But sometimes other markets exist that don’t directly compete. For example, a health writer might put together a piece on the health dangers of of pesticide use on common foods. It’s published on the client’s website. The writer may also be able to re-sell non-exclusive, print-only rights to their local newspaper if those pesticides are heavily used in their area. The markets are non-competing, but the content could be relevant to both an online and offline audience.

So should you pitch exclusive Web-only rights to clients instead of simply handing over full rights? I think it’s a good idea if you have the inclination to actually pitch the piece elsewhere (and keep in mind - you may not want to now, but may wish you could down the road). I’ve found with bylined work that when you really explain the rights in relation to their needs, and offer a discount if you sell limited rights, clients are usually willing to work with you, and you can earn more from your initial Web writing in the process.

Do you hold onto print rights when possible? Do you actually pitch them to print publications? What has your experience been in negotiating rights with Web content clients?

After you’ve decided what type of Web writer you want to be (as in specialties and / or niches), you need to decide if you’d like to freelance in Web writing or look for a more permanent full-time Web writing job. Here are some of the benefits of each to help you decide what’s right for you:

Benefits of Full-Time Web Writing

• You’ll receive a consistent paycheck.
• You’ll have more security in your work (you don’t have to constantly search for new clients).
• You may have access to an editor or other supervisor who can help you grow in your Web writing work.
• You will most likely work on-site with your employer, which means you’ll have colleagues to associate with on a regular basis (a more social environment).
• You may receive benefits (such as paid vacations and health insurance).
• You don’t have to worry about keeping accounting records, and your taxes are withheld from your paycheck for you.
• You don’t have to pay extra taxes in the self-employment tax paid by freelancers (because your employer pays a portion of your Medicare and social security taxes, so you’re not paying for it all by yourself).

Benefits of Freelance Web Writing

• You set your own working hours (ideal if you have to work around kids’ schedules or if you simply know you’re a more productive writer during non-traditional business hours).
• You have more freedom in the types of Web writing projects you accept or decline, or the types of clients you choose to work with.
• If you lose one gig, you’ll likely have others to fill in the gaps (unlike losing your sole full-time Web writing job).
• You can build more exposure for yourself and your name as a professional, because you’ll be actively and aggressively marketing your services and showcasing your best work (or at least you should be).
• You decide when you want to earn more money by raising your rates or targeting different markets / clients, instead of waiting on an employer to agree to give you the raise you want.
• You can sometimes be paid more quickly for your work (you decide if you get paid up front or after the work is complete).
• You get to control your work environment to make sure you can work as productively as possible (from the layout to the lighting).
• If you need extra money, you can take on more clients without having to worry about getting things like overtime approved by your boss.
• There’s no one looking over your shoulder while you work.

If you’re already experienced as a Web writer, either full-time or on a freelance basis, what are some other benefits (or even drawbacks) of each that you might want to alert new Web writers to?

Whether you’re a Web content writer or a Web copywriter, specialization can be one of the biggest factors in earning a higher income from your writing. Here’s why:

More Money

The most important point is that most clients will pay more for a specialist than a generalist. You can specialize in niches (such as for content writers) or even in types of writing if you’re a copywriter (perhaps you specialize exclusively in online sales letters).

Why will clients often pay a specialist more than a generalist? Because specialists bring added credentials and knowledge to the project. Let’s use me as an example:

I specialize in press release writing as my primary form of business writing. Why? Because I have a degree in the field, I run a PR firm, and I was one of the earlier specialists in online PR (giving me an edge with my target markets who are primarily looking for releases they can distribute online). I also have experience that others don’t. A lot of people call themselves press release writers these days, especially when targeting an online audience. However, many of them are simply content writers - I’ll often see generic articles thrown into a template from these writers charging $50 or less. I currently have low rates on the professional circuit (under $200 per release), but much higher than most writers my target market comes across. Yet I’m never hurting for work. Why? They know I have experience in not simply writing the release, but getting them real media coverage, more significant backlinks, and simply more exposure. I also have the credentials and experience to consult with them on the best distribution plans for their release, the best days for distribution given their release type, etc. Generic writers can’t offer the same. So clients who are serious about using releases effectively don’t have a problem paying more for someone who knows what they’re doing.

Let’s look now at the sales page example I gave. A well-written sales page might bring in hundreds of thousands of dollars of income for the client. A smart client knows the importance of the sales page copy in bringing in conversions. You’ll see a lot of people new to the game who are happy to hire a general writer to do their sales page, because they don’t understand the way marketing copy influences buyers. They just want it written cheaply. Yet there are plenty of clients that do understand the value, and they’re more than happy to pay several thousand dollars for a masterfully-crafted sales page from a copywriter with a proven track record of high-converting copy.

Now let’s look at Web content writing, where specializations often come down more to niches. Are there clients looking for writers willing to write on any subject under the sun with a bit of research? Of course. You can probably find plenty of work as a Web content generalist. But you won’t be earning to your fullest potential, and that’s simply bad business. Why not?

Most of the poorly paid Web content writing gigs so prevalent today are looking for these generalist writers - they’re often site owners who run hoards of sites on every subject they think will earn them ad revenue. They often don’t care much about the quality. Another client group here is the writer mill - a company hiring a bunch of writers to churn out cheap articles for their own clients. A third group (that can be better to work with) are Internet marketing companies or Web developers. These are companies either building sites for clients or handling their IM campaigns, and they outsource the writing work to Web content writers. The problem here is that you may not get direct access to the end client, you have no idea what the end client knows about you or what they’ve specifically requested, and it’s not usually the highest pay you could find (keeping in mind that your direct client will be keeping a portion of what they’re charging the end client).

More Time

Is there a market for generalists? Sure. But your goal as a freelancer - a professional with a limited number of working and billable hours each week - should be to earn as much as you can for as few billable hours as you can. This either leaves you time to pursue additional income streams by “investing in yourself” (your own blogs, informational products, books, etc.), or it leaves you time to take more client work. Let’s put it this way: Would you rather spend your time writing 10 articles in a week at $100 a piece, or writing 100 articles for $10 a piece? You would earn the same income. Guess which I prefer, and which I recommend.

A common misconception about the scenario I just gave you is that the folks writing fewer articles for more money are still putting in just as much time, because it involves more research. That’s not always true - as a matter of fact, in my experience, it’s very rarely true. I’ve had articles paying several hundred dollars that took me no more than 30 minutes to write. That’s because they were within my specialty - my areas of expertise, where I have a vast enough knowledge store to write without needing much background research (if any in some cases). Those clients wouldn’t hire a generalist to write those articles. No matter how much research a generalist writer did, they couldn’t have added some of the personal elements I would be able to.

My point is this - specialists often spend less time per article than generalists, they get paid more for them in many cases, and they have more time left over to take on even more higher-paying clients.

More Exposure

Let’s look at another example to see another benefit of specialization in your Web writing. Let’s say we have a serious site owner trying to build an authority website about training horses. They could hire a generalist writer for a modest amount, and probably find plenty of takers willing to do some basic research. Or they could higher someone who was a professional horse trainer to write the content. For anyone trying to build a site with any real authority, they’ll probably opt for the latter choice, and be willing to pay more.

Here’s the other common difference you’ll see. Quite a bit of generalist Web writing gigs are ghostwriting gigs. Expert writers are much more likely to get a published byline. Why? Because the client realizes that the content carries more weight when tied to an expert with credentials in the subject area. And why should you care about getting a byline if possible? Because having your name attached to your content on an authoritative site is marketing for you that you’re being paid for!

So by specializing, you’ll very often find yourself with more money, more time, and more exposure that can lead to more work. It’s win-win-win.

If you want to move beyond run-of-the-mill low-paying Web writing gigs, you need to be able to effectively market your Web writing services. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Web content writer, Web copywriter, or any other type of writer making a living online - you need to have a marketing strategy. But before you even think about how to market yourself or where to find high-paying clients, you need to understand the most important marketing tool any Web writer has: their USP

What is a USP?

Whether you call it a unique selling proposition, unique selling position, or something else, your USP is essentially the reason a client should not only hire you, but pay you what you think your services are worth.

Examples of USPs

Your USP can be any number of things, or a combination. Here are some common examples:

• Your specialized credentials
• Your quality
• Your experience with a certain type or caliber of client
• “Extras” you may include that similar providers don’t
• Your pricing

Avoid Pricing as a USP

While being the least expensive option can attract clients, anyone with an ounce of marketing sense will tell you that you should never market services on price. It may work as a USP for products - look at Walmart. But you’re not Walmart. You’re not offering products. You can’t manufacture something cheaper, you can’t buy in bulk, and you only have a limited number of hours per day that can be allotted to providing a service.

Web writers who try to market primarily or solely on prices generally don’t last very long. They can’t meet their income goals in the long term, or they find that once they’ve set their reputation as a “cheap” provider, it can be nearly impossible to move beyond that image when they are ready to start charging rates in line with other professionals.

Don’t do it. There’s no good excuse. And don’t make the common mistake of thinking you should start extremely low when you’re new, because you can drastically increase rates later - most can’t. You’ll never earn to your full potential if you go this route.

Example: Web Content Writing

One of the services I offer is Web content writing, including SEO content. You’ve probably seen people advertising SEO articles at rates like $5 per 500-word article. So why is it that my clients are willing to pay me 20 - 100 times more than that for a similar-length article? Because I have a solid USP, and I can back it up.

The primary emphasis of my Web content writing services is the quality. I write business-related content, because I’m a specialist. So my background ( in my education, past client experience, and the fact that I’m a small business owner on top of being a freelance writer) tells prospective clients that I know what I’m talking about. I can write content that generally goes beyond research - I can write from that experience to give them something truly unique or original. That comes at a premium (and specialization is usually a great component of an effective USP for writers). I know how to show clients that higher quality content than those $5 articles can actually improve their business - improve their reputation, increase word-of-mouth marketing on their behalf, and even flat out make them more money. Again, they’re willing to pay more, because my content not only can get them search engine results, but help them solidify a long-term business identity.

What’s Your USP?

Is there anything that sets you apart from the countless other Web writers vying for the same gigs? If not, you should start putting some thought into it. Can you specialize, if you’re not already? Can you improve your credentials? Can you think of benefits your writing would have for clients that similar writers aren’t thinking to mention? Can you offer something extra (like a free report, consulting related to the writing you’re providing, etc.) that might attract clients to you over your competition? If nothing makes you the best choice, you need to change that.

One of the most common questions and misunderstandings I come across with new Web writers is about Web content versus Web copy. If you want to write for the Web, it’s important to figure out what type of writer you want to be. Understanding the difference between content writing and copywriting will get you off to a good start.

I’m going to over-simplify for the sake of clarity here, but there can occasionally be pieces that cross the lines. However, in most cases here is what content is / does, and the same for copy:

Content - Content is designed to inform, educate, or entertain in most cases. For example, a how-to article is content.

Copy - Copy, on the other hand, is generally designed to persuade or entice the reader to action. This can be blatant such as marketing copy telling people to buy your product or sign up for your newsletter or click on some link. It can also be much more subtle. For example, the homepage copy on a business website is copy rather than content, as would be the text on something like an “About Us” page. Why? Because that copy is designed to give a certain image of the company - you’re persuading them to trust you by giving background information that helps them make a decision put before them by your more overt copy. The overt sales-oriented copy might be referred to as direct response marketing copy, but not being direct response copy doesn’t make the rest any less copywriting.

To be a great content writer in a niche, your best assets are your knowledge of the subject matter, your credentials that make you a trusted source, and your research ability. On the other hand, to be a great copywriter, you not only have to be able to write, but you have to be able to persuade - you should have a solid grasp of basic marketing and consumer psychology.