Ever surprise what the distinction is between writing an article and writing a weblog submit? It’s a subject that comes up rather a lot when folks first begin asking how to become a freelance writer. Moreover model and analysis, you is likely to be shocked by one of many key variations between blogs and articles.

There’s numerous confusion on the market within the freelance-writing world about weblog posts and articles. Additionally, about what every of these sorts of writing ought to pay.

Just a few years in the past, I obtained numerous response to my name for freelance writers to stop writing blog posts. Many writers have been confused about simply what the distinction is.

So let’s focus on. As a result of issues have modified. And understanding the variations between these two writing types will show you how to earn extra.

Writing an article vs. writing a weblog submit

For years, weblog posts and nonfiction articles have been distinctly completely different:

Then one thing occurred, and over the previous few years, the traces turned blurred.

Weblog-article convergence

Through the years, weblog posts began to get extra like articles. As a bazillion blogs crowded the Web, the bar started to boost.

Weblog posts started to have extra interviews. They offered attention-grabbing knowledge. Posts obtained longer as bloggers sought to face out and ship extra worth, till 1,000 phrases has change into pretty customary, and a couple of,000-word posts will not be unusual. search engine optimisation key phrases’ worth lessened as Google cracked down on keyword-stuffed content. Additionally, as blogs obtained extra skilled, many employed editors.

On the article-writing aspect, there was additionally motion. Many print magazines started posting copies of their articles on-line. Out of the blue, journal headlines wanted to drive visitors, identical to blog-post headlines, and headline styles evolved. They revealed extra opinion-driven items from thought leaders. Some additionally put up blogs the place they let writers hit the “publish” button on their very own.

Wordcounts shortened for print, as advert income migrated on-line. Some magazines went online-only. Their model obtained breezier and extra informal.

To sum up, the 2 sorts of writing started to merge into one. Definitions obtained squishy, and now there’s numerous confusion.

Besides about one factor: Weblog posts are inclined to pay crap, and articles are inclined to pay higher.

Consumer confusion

Uneducated shoppers who don’t actually know these two types have been busy muddying up the dialog about them for years. That’s made it arduous for writers to outline writing tasks and bid them appropriately.

There are many shoppers on the market who name the 300-word quickie posts they need articles, however nonetheless wish to pay $5 for them.

There are additionally many purchasers who’d such as you to write down 1,000-word weblog posts with two interviews and a analysis stat, however they’d wish to pay $20 as a result of it’s a weblog submit.

Your job as a contract author is to chop by the bull and get to what the task actually is, then, discuss what that task ought to actually pay.

How writers can earn extra writing an article or a weblog submit

The very fact is, shoppers are all the time going to attempt to get issues low cost. It’s as much as writers to teach shoppers about what they’re asking for, and what’s honest pay for what they need you to write down.

The excellent news is, the convergence of weblog posts and articles ought to provide writers higher pay alternatives. Weblog posts are rising up, they’re more and more not the ugly stepsister of articles. So that they must pay extra just like the articles they usually are.

However it’s as much as the author to take the steps to capitalize on this modification within the market.

Some recommended steps

1. Outline it. When a consumer tells you they need articles, or they need weblog posts, ask them to outline what they imply. Are there interviews concerned? What number of? What’s the piece size?
2. Sway them. Promote them on the concept what they need is taken into account an article by professional writers. It’ll immediately increase your charges. Make your case for why it’s an article and never a weblog submit
3.  Promote articles. If you’re speaking to shoppers who don’t fairly know what they need, promote them on the concept try to be writing an article for them, reasonably than a weblog submit, if they need their content material advertising and marketing to achieve success. Share the information of how Google is frowning on brief keyword-driven posts
4. Promote weblog upgrades. If they need posts for an current weblog, promote them on the worth of taking their weblog to the following degree, to extra of a reported-story, magazine-type really feel, and what that might do for his or her fame and visibility

Writing an article vs. writing a weblog submit: What to cost

The place most writers are fortunate to get $100 a post for weblog posts (and I like to recommend you attempt to make that your ground for weblog writing) article charges are often significantly better. I’ve written many at $300 to $500, and lots of extra at $600 to $2,000, relying on size and complexity.

Many smaller day by day papers pay within the $75 to $100 vary for brief articles, however have the benefit of providing you with extra spectacular clips in your portfolio. You additionally get the bonus of studying to report a narrative, which lays the groundwork for getting better-paying articles in future, from companies or magazines.

Getting the win

The very fact is, articles and article-style weblog posts convey extra authority. They impress extra of your consumer’s prospects. The tasks can be extra profitable, and people shoppers can be extra more likely to rent you again to write down extra. It’s a basic win-win: you may cost extra in the beginning, and can possible find yourself getting extra work from the consumer, too, as a result of they’ll be happier with the outcomes they get.

This all units you as much as go after better-paying magazine markets too, when you have that objective this 12 months.

Do you may have recommendation on article writing vs. weblog writing? Let’s focus on on Facebook.