7 Best Sites to Find Paid Online Writing Jobs
It has never been easier to find online writing jobs. Small and large companies alike are always on the lookout on freelance workplaces, LinkedIn and other recruitment sites for the best wordsmiths to produce content for their sales pages, websites and blog posts.
If you’re looking to tap into this market, it might be confusing to know where to start. Should you work through a freelance workplace or go with LinkedIn? What about Facebook groups? Subreddits. The open internet market can make finding good, high-quality clients kind of messy.
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To help you navigate this market, we’ve created a list of the seven best sites to find online writing and editing jobs. It’s based on the number of projects available, ease of payment, and the quality of clients. We also share the main advantages of using each site to help you pick your favorite.
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Best Sites to Find Online Writing Jobs That Pay
1. Upwork
Upwork has been around since 2015. It comes from the merging and rebranding of two online freelance workplaces: Elance and oDesk.
Millions of job opportunities are posted each year on Upwork, with clients ranging from small entrepreneurs to enterprise-level corporations. Companies such as Microsoft, P&G, Black&Decker and many other Fortune 500 companies are active on Upwork. Taking on a project of this magnitude can catapult a freelance writer’s career and income to new levels.
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But with over 57 million Americans working as freelancers according to Upwork’s 2019 annual report, competition can be fierce. On top of that, service fees are fairly high (20 percent up to $500, 10 percent up to $10,000, and five percent on anything over that). There are also issues with freelancers getting their profile approved.
Biggest Advantage of Using Upwork: There is plenty of money to be made. Upwork has some of the biggest and richest clients.
2. Fiverr
Founded in 2010 by two Israeli entrepreneurs, Fiverr allows freelancers to sell their services as “gigs”, ranging in price from $5 to $995.
You can also add packages to your gigs to generate more revenue by selling your services by tiers and offering upgrades. It also means you can provide more bonuses to your clients, such as additional copy, more blog content, or simply added content to your existing work.
Fiverr has a good reputation for responding well to controversies. It has also made overall improvements to freelancer work conditions. And with an excellent user experience for both buyers and sellers, Fiverr is a great place to snag your first online writing job.
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Biggest Advantage of Using Fiverr: It favors the hardest-working sellers. Unlike Upwork, which mostly focuses on the clients paying for the services, Fiverr is freelancer-centric. Bestsellers are featured as “Top Picks”, “Editor’s Picks” and “Similar to Services You’ve Viewed” on the main site.
3. Freelancer.com
One of the oldest of the big freelance marketplaces, Freelancer.com was founded in 2009, and has offices in six cities around the world.
It has the “most global” presence of all the freelance giants (with over 45 million users in 247 countries) and offers both clients and freelancers lower fees and easy setup. This also means that competition here is fierce and it’s difficult to get started. But if you stick it out, there are plenty of opportunities.
Biggest Advantage of Using Freelancer: It’s cheaper than Upwork and you don’t need to go through the hoops of the profile approval system.
4. Workana
For Spanish-speaking freelance writers who have struggled to find online writing jobs on the other freelance sites, Workana is the best option for copywriting, content writing, or blogging. Workana was established in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and has since opened offices in Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Southeast Asia.
Available in English, Portuguese and Spanish, Workana mostly represents the best professional content creation service for Hispanic freelance writers.
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Biggest Advantage of Using Workana: Let’s face it — being bilingual is great on any freelance marketplace. But if you want to specialize in your native Portuguese or Spanish, then you’re going to need a site like Workana.
5. PeoplePerHour
Founded in London, UK in 2007, PeoplePerHour (PPH) is a site based on the European market of clients and freelancers. It offers similar options to Upwork. In fact, many consider PPH to be the European-centric version of Upwork because its profile features and hiring system are similar. The main difference is that payments on PPH are charged in pounds sterling (£) and euros (€).
A unique feature of PeoplePerHour is the Referral Reward system. You can earn up to US$175 monthly by referring up to five new freelancers to the site, as long as they are active and making money.
Be wary, many freelancers warn of extremely high fees on this site. This can dash hopes of anyone looking to make some quick cash.
Biggest Advantage of Using PPH: Good for freelance writers looking to make money in Europe or generate savings in pounds and euros. PPH’s referral system can be a game-changer to some.
6. Patreon
Outside of freelance markets, websites like Patreon allow you to monetize your writing skills and offer tailored services to a subscribing audience.
Patreon is a massive crowdfunding membership platform that was established in 2013 for those looking to create targeted content. The content ranges from music and art to podcasts, writing, or even mature content.
Writers are well-paid on this site for simply blogging and fulfilling requests from their patrons. A Patreon account can also be useful to YouTubers looking to monetize their work without depending on ads. Here’s a list of the top creators making impressive monthly incomes on Patreon!
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Biggest Advantage of Using Patreon: You control what you create and how often you post. However, you will have to listen to your audience and create something worth subscribing to.
7. Facebook Groups
Many people have no idea that Facebook isn’t just where you go to get distracted from work… it’s also where you find more work!
Facebook groups have existed for ages, but recently, companies have been using them to look for genuine talent that can solve their business-related problems. Or even to simply expand their reach and acquire new clients.
Whether you’re interested in copywriting, blogging, email marketing or social media, you will be surprised at how many “work from home” themed groups there are out there!
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Biggest Advantage of Using Facebook Groups: At some point in the day, you’re inevitably going to log onto Facebook. Therefore, it won’t even feel like a chore when you decide to start searching for work on the platform!
First Step to Find Writing Jobs Online
Regardless of which path you decide to follow, there are many opportunities to grow your client base and start making money as a freelance writer.
But if you’re still unsure how and where to begin, here’s one final tip:
If you feel that building a portfolio is your main priority, then start working on a freelance marketplace. Simply having a positive work history on Upwork, good reviews on Fiverr, or recommendations on PeoplePerHour will be enough to show potential clients what you’re capable of. And you can also share these portfolios on LinkedIn, Patreon, or a Facebook group.
But if it’s making money right away that motivates you, get on Patreon or Facebook groups and start offering your content and services.
In the end, there’s a website for every type of writer and every single type of person… now it’s over to you!
Originally published at https://jenniferberube.com on February 15, 2020.
