by May Monten

Created on: May 31, 2010   Last Updated: September 19, 2010

Freelancers, also known as independent contractors, work for clients, usually for more than one.  

Most bloggers set up their own blogs.  That's different from freelancing, because those bloggers are working on their own projects, while freelancers work on someone else's.

Some bloggers do get paid to blog for other people or for companies.  Some work as employees, blogging for their employers as just one part of their regular job duties.  Others are freelancers, usually getting paid by the post - either a flat fee or one based on how much traffic their posts attract, or some combination of the two.

The Problogger Job Board is probably the best place for would-be freelance bloggers to find lists of blogging gigs. Other places to look are Craigslist in the "Writing Jobs" and "Writing Gigs" categories, and Blogging Jobs at the Freelance Writing Jobs site. Word-of-mouth and networking are also good ways to find companies that are looking for bloggers with your expertise.

You should be careful, though, when it comes to joining a blog network. Google the name of the network to see if there have been any complaints. While there is always someone unhappy with any company, if you see a large number of complaints, you should consider that a red flag, and be careful going forward.

Some blog networks entice writers with relatively large pay-outs, and then cut back later on.  The worst will "fire" the writers and keep their content.

One thing to look at is whether the blogs in the network contain high-quality posts which are well-written and contain useful information. If the blog network is filled with mediocre blogs, it may be losing money and be unable to sustain payments.  Even a blogging network as large and reputable as the Examiner may be forced to lower payments to writers if the company ends up making less than it had anticipated.  Be doubly careful if the blogging network is one you had never heard of before.

There may be less risk in freelance-blogging directly for an individual company that is using the blog to promote its products and services. Just make sure that your agreement with the company is clear.

You will probably do best as a freelance blogger-for-hire if have expertise in areas that are in high demand, such as personal finance, automobiles, or electronic gadgets. To get the best freelance blogging jobs, you will need some previous blog writing you can point to.  That can be, and often is, your own blog. Having your own blog shows that you have a long-standing interest in the subject matter, and, if your blog is good, it will show off your writing style and your expertise. So if you are unable to get a freelance blogging job right now, keep on working on your own blog - or start one if you don't already have one.  Not only will that be a valuable learning experience, but it could also be your most important calling card when you look for blogging gigs in the future.

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