4 Ways to Build Your Personal Writing Brand

The self-employed workforce is seeing exponential growth, with three in ten US jobs held by the self-employed and the workers they hire. A large percentage of these jobs are kept by freelancers, many of whom have found consistent employment in the writing field. Opportunities in the freelancing marketplace are soaring due to an explosion of online content and the need for companies to create quality material for their websites.

As a freelance writer, your personal brand serves as your face to the world. How you appear to publications and potential employees is critical and can make or break a job opportunity. There are many factors to consider, including how you stand out from the crowd, the marketability of your particular niche, and the organization of your portfolio. Here are some tips to get you started building a personal writing brand that really shines through.

1) Have an Authentic Voice

With so many freelance writers flooding the marketplace, competition is fierce. Oftentimes employers are not only looking at your experience, but what you stand for as a writer. It’s important to develop these things before you approach the marketplace so you can build the confidence and capacity to really represent yourself. What are you passionate about? What are your writing fortes? Can you identify your personal strengths and weaknesses?

2) Craft Your Website to Stand Out From the Crowd

Almost everyone has a blog these days. It’s as equally crucial as having a resume or LinkedIn account and serves as your first introduction to potential employers. Your website should be comprehensive, professional-looking, and visually appealing. Register a unique domain name that represents you as a person in addition to the goal of your brand. If you’re into fashion, use an industry catchphrase. You can keep it simple and just use your name, but an immediate display of creativity is often more memorable.

3) Build Your Social Presence

A social media presence goes hand in hand with an effective brand. Your social media accounts serve as your connections to the rest of the world and allow you access to unprecedented avenues of opportunity. Not having a social media presence is just hurting your career. You don’t have to go crazy and attempt to build a huge following on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter all at once — pick out one or two platforms that appeal to you and focus on building an engaged following with which you can interact and nurture over time.

Appearances are important in the writing field, so be sure to keep your personal stuff private. Potential employers want to see posts of your recent publications — not photos of the wild night you had last weekend.

4) Market Yourself Professionally

How you appear to the writing world counts for a lot, but how you market yourself is equally important. Treat written communications as skill tests — double check your spelling and grammar. Nothing comes across less professional than a typo in a writing job application. Use reputable networks for marketing, such as LinkedIn and Indeed. You can also consider freelance hubs such as Upwork or Guru but be aware that while the competition might be less formidable, you may have to do some extensive searching to land a long-term position.

Use your time and resources wisely. Follow up on leads that are highly meaningful to you or that seem to have a good chance of working out. Remain aware that leads do go cold and jobs sometimes fall through, but use each experience as a learning tool for the next one.

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Created on May 15th 2018 00:19. Viewed 621 times.

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