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How I Find High-Paying Clients and Regularly Earn $100+ Per Hour as a Freelance Blogger

Jorden is an uber-talented freelance writer with a great sense of humor.
And she’s also good at getting high-paying clients. What makes Jorden so successful at sealing $100/hour deals? Her ability to pick a profitable niche and the attention she gives to her clients’ business.

Read on to hear exactly how she does it.

Look, I get it.

You’re tired of scraping by every month.

You long for financial freedom as a freelance blogger, but you’re not sure how to consistently command high rates – even though you know you can write a bangin’ blog post.

I’ve been there, my friend.

A little over a year ago, my boss at my full-time job fired me. And just like that, I was broke (I’m talking “can’t even afford a $5 bottle of vodka” broke, people!).

So I started freelancing.

At first, I was pretty clueless, and I certainly wasn’t making a lot of money.

But I took action and researched my little heart out in those first few months, and before long, I was regularly making $100 per hour as a freelance blogger.

Now, don’t get me wrong – it wasn’t easy to find high-paying clients and scale up my freelance blogging business fast. But I want to make the process easier for you by sharing the exact steps I took to get where I am today.

Let’s start with one of the most important things I do to command high freelance blogging rates.

1. I Specialize in Profitable Niches

A freelance writer emailed me the other day asking whether or not specializing in copywriting for video game companies is “too niche.”

I told him that the problem may not be that it’s too narrow of a niche, but rather that it’s not profitable enough of a niche.

That’s because video game companies tend to spread the word about their games and to boost sales using methods other than content marketing.

It’s hard to convince a company like that to hire a content marketer. They won’t understand the value or see as good of a return on their investment in written content because that’s not what their audience looks for when they want to learn about new games.

Now, I’m not saying the niches like gaming aren’t profitable at all.

I’m just saying there are plenty of other niches that’ll give you a better shot at landing consistent, high-paying work.

An example of one of those niches?

Writing in-depth B2B blog posts about marketing topics.

That’s my niche, so I’m speaking from experience here.

And I knew from the start that B2B/marketing blog posts would be a profitable niche.

Here’s why:

  • In-depth blog posts are in high demand right now because they help businesses gain authority, rank better in Google and attract more traffic.
  • Blogging clients usually want several posts every month, which means my freelance writing business can be consistently profitable – no need to constantly hustle for new work!
  •  My clients, which are mostly marketing agencies, really see the value of content marketing and know that it’ll give them good ROI (unlike the video game companies I mentioned above!).

So, they’re happy to pay me a good rate for my work.

If you’re struggling to command high freelance blogging rates, ask yourself if your current niche is profitable.

If it isn’t, decide on a new niche that’s more likely to bring you high-paying, consistent work!

2. I Ditched Hourly Rates for Good

I’m not going to sugarcoat it – if you’re quoting your clients an hourly rate, you’re screwing yourself out of some serious cash money.

Why?

Because most clients will think you’re crazier than Britney Spears in 2007 if you quote them $100+ per hour. But an equivalent flat rate fee will be much easier for them to swallow.

So kiss your darling hourly rate goodbye, my friend. It’s time to stop scaring off potential freelance blogging clients and start charging a flat rate per blog post!

3. I Put Up a Website That Sells

You need a strong website if you want to land high-paying freelance blogging clients.

So, you’re probably wondering:

Exactly HOW can I create a website that sells? And what mistakes should I avoid on my site?

I’ve got your back, my friend. I put together a free guide to show you how important website copy is for a freelance writer, and the one thing you should always include in the website headline.

Click on this fuchsia box below to get the free guide.

4. I Write Crazy Fast

Your writing speed absolutely determines how much money you make.

Don’t believe me?

Think about it like this. If it takes you six hours to write a 1500-word blog post that you charge $300 for, you’ve only made $50 per hour.

That’s not awful for a newbie – but it’s also not much for a freelancer who needs to pay for healthcare, self-employment taxes and other stuff regular employees don’t have to worry about.

On the other hand, if it only takes you three hours to write that same blog post, you’ve upped your hourly pay to $100 per hour and opened up more time to work on another blog post (and make more money!).

CHA-CHING.

Now, you’re probably wondering how to improve your writing speed so you can boost your hourly pay.

I’ve got your back. Check out the blogging process I use to make me a faster writer:

  1.  Outline the blog post. I type all of the headers and then start thinking about what I want to include in each section.
  2.  Bang out a rough first draft. I’m not kidding when I say “rough” here. I don’t hold back or stop to edit my work as I go – I just focus on writing freely and getting as much on the page as possible.
  3.  Edit the next day. I never edit my first drafts immediately after writing. It’s important for me to step away from the piece so I can come back to it later with a fresh mind, so I try to sleep on it before I take a second look.

Something else you might want to consider is outsourcing your editing. Sure, it’ll cost you, but the amount you pay will be well worth the time you’ll save not having to obsess over whether or not you’ve written a perfect piece!

5. I Care About My Clients’ Success

I’ve hired several freelancers in the past. And let me tell ya – some of them showed me right away that they didn’t care about my business.

As soon as I get that vibe from someone, I have to end the business relationship.

Your clients feel the same way. They don’t want to work with a careless freelancer. They want to work with a professional writer who actually gives a shit.

Here’s what you can do to let clients know you care about their success:

  1. Hit EVERY deadline. Trust me – I’m totally a Type B personality, so I get that deadlines can be a pain. But you’ve got to hit them if you want long-term business relationships with clients. If you struggle with this, give yourself more time than you think you need to complete each project. And make a note of a task the second it’s assigned to you so you don’t forget about it.
  2. Ask the right questions. If you’re a blogger who doesn’t know anything about your client’s target audience and marketing goals, you need to change that by asking better questions. That way, you’re well-equipped to help them get the results they want for their business.
  3.  Build relationships. It doesn’t take much effort to inject a bit of friendliness in your emails and regularly check in with clients. Trust me – doing this will definitely set you apart from many other freelancers!

And yes, this stuff really does make a difference.

Think about it. A client might decide to cut their content marketing budget but still want to keep a sole freelance writer on board. You can be that writer, especially if you build relationships with your clients and help them drive results.

Now get out there, and make it happen!

Using the tips here, you should be well-equipped to start commanding higher freelance blogging rates.

Before you roll your eyes at me, realize that I understand it can take a little while to work up to high rates. I certainly wasn’t commanding $100 per hour when I first started out.

But I didn’t wait around for the “right time” to raise my rates and improve my freelance writing business either. Neither should you! Learn everything you can about freelance writing and master your craft.

By doing this, it only took me a few months to get to where I wanted to be financially.

So don’t wait – take action now, and start charging the rates you deserve.

Ready to kick off YOUR freelance writing journey? Join The #FullyBookedVA System and let’s do it! 

JordenRoperJorden Roper is a fuchsia-haired freelance writer and the founder of Writing Revolt, where she shares no-BS advice for freelance writers and bloggers. Need help picking a profitable niche? Get your free copy of 10 Profitable Freelance Writing Niches and How To Break Into Them today!

Gina Horkey

Gina Horkey

FOUNDER & CO-OWNER

Gina Horkey is a married, millennial mama from Minnesota. Additionally, she’s the founder of Horkey HandBook and loves helping others find or become a kickass virtual assistant. Gina’s background includes making a living as a professional writer, an online business marketing consultant and a decade of experience in the financial services industry.

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