So, you’ve decided you want to make a living writing. You’ve thought about writing the next blockbusting novel and decided that’s not for you. Journalism entered your thoughts, but you’ve decided that living out of a suitcase wouldn’t be ideal. Have you thought about writing content for websites?

Having an online presence is vital for the modern business, which means there is a big demand for interesting, engaging and well written content to fill the pages of their sites. As long as the internet continues, there is always going to be work, which is a good thing. However, there is a downside. The competition is fierce. If you want to stand out from the crowd, here are some tips to follow.

 Make a Business Plan

This is the best place to start, whatever kind of business you’re planning, and it doesn’t have to be a fancy document. A list of goals you want to achieve is good in the beginning and will help to channel your energy. The main goal will be to earn more money than you are already, so take this figure as a benchmark and double it.

 Research Your Market

Look at what other content writing companies are charging so you can strike a balance between being competitive and earning a good profit. You’ll also need to research your target market and think about what they want. Will they be looking for a low price and fast turnaround or will quality be more important? There are customers who look for recommendations and read lots of reviews. Therefore, you’ll need to think about your reputation.

 Think About a Financial Strategy

If you’ve not been used to managing your money up until now, you need to learn quickly. Whatever resources you have, you’ll need to make the most of them. One of the biggest investments you’ll make, aside from your IT, will be your own website. When you are coming up with a financial strategy, you need to think about licenses and taxes. If you need to know more about taxes, there will be someone in your area that can give more local advice. Online Tax Return will be able to help if you live in Australia, for example.

 Build a Website

It is something you can do yourself, of course, but getting an expert to do it is not as expensive as you think. The most important thing you can do for yourself is to buy a domain name. Choose one that’s relevant to your business name, and also think about hosting. There are hosting services that are free, but they can be slow and restrictive. Instead, WordPress or Shopify are better options.

 Once you’ve got all the above in place, it’s time for you to think about marketing your business. Build an online presence by signing up for various social media accounts. Write a blog and fill it with important content. If your budget allows it, think about using the services of an SEO company, as they will be able to help you rank higher in search engine results.

 Starting your own business is a brave move to make. There are going to be good and bad times, successes and failures. Remember why you’ve decided to work for yourself and try to stay focused.