An introduction to freelance writing for the web

When we talk about freelance writing for the web, we're really talking about several different types of activities. Freelance writing, in the broadest sense, just means that you're writing for pay on a per diem or a contractual basis. You write for people who aren’t your employer, they are your clients. There is all sorts of freelance writing, from freelance writing for the web to writing for print magazines and publications on a freelance basis.

Specifically, freelance writing for the web can fall into several categories. These categories of writing have more to do with the mechanics and style of the writing itself, although they vary greatly in the amount that they pay, as well. Here are some of the most common types of freelance writing for the web:

WEB CONTENT

Web content writing is a type of freelance writing for the web in which you compose articles designed to populate web pages. In this regard, web content writing is similar to what you’d do for a website like Helium, Bukisa, Ehow, Associated Content and others. However, most of the time you have an actual client who pays you to write on specific topics. These articles then go up on the client’s web site.

BLOGGING

Blogging is yet another type of freelance writing for the web. While many bloggers blog for themselves and for the fun of it, others pay freelance web writers to write their blog posts. The line between web content articles and blogging isn’t always clear cut, and some blogging really isn’t that different from web content articles.

WEBSITE COPY

Web Copy is a different animal altogether. Web copy is the writing you see on a web page that’s not an article. So, for example, this might include a page that describes the article submission policies at a website like Helium, or it might be the text that describes a product at Amazon.com. This is some of the best paying type of freelance writing for the web.

SALES PAGES

Probably the most lucrative type of freelance writing for the web, sales pages are also among the most difficult. Sales pages are aimed at getting the reader to buy a specific product from that website. These are very often several thousand words long, and require a highly specialized knowledge to write effectively.

These aren’t the only types of freelance writing for the web you can do. However, they are some of the most common types of freelance web writing you’ll find, and being able to master these handful of styles will give you what you need to do the vast majority of web writing you’ll need to do.