Why Write For Free?

Write for free? You must be kidding!

That’s the reaction that many freelance writers have when it’s suggested that maybe it might be worth writing without getting paid. However, those freelance writers might be missing a trick. Here are a few ways that writing for free might pay off.

1. Showcasing your work

One of the reasons why I recommend that freelance writers have a blog or website is that it is a good place to show people what kind of writing you can do. You can write articles in areas of expertise or craft creative or humorous pieces. It doesn’t matter much what you write as long as you show that you can write something that engages your audience. That’s what the people who hire you will want to do with the copy that you write for them. Your site is the best place to showcase your work and create an online portfolio. In this case, writing for free is a first step to getting paid to write.

2. Bringing your writing to a new audience

One way to get new people to see your writing — and to attract potential clients — is to write for other sites and blogs. You may not always get paid for guest articles and guest posts, but new people will see your writing, and some of those may want to hire you. Free gigs may lead to paid gigs, too — and the articles and posts that you write will further extend your writing portfolio.

3. Bringing traffic to your website

Article marketing is a proven way of bringing traffic to a site. Some of the articles that I wrote two years ago are still bringing new visitors to my website. Some of those people want to hire me and some click on a few ads, which means I get paid. I didn’t spend very long writing those articles, but I have reaped great rewards from the 20 minutes I invested in each one.

4. Feeling good

You can also write for free on a volunteer basis, for organisations that need the help but don’t have the funds to afford a writer. The benefits you get are twofold — you can give something back to the community and expand your portfolio at the same time.

These are four good reasons why writing for free can pay off for writers. Care to add any examples of your own?