One of the best online jobs that you can land in Kenya is freelance writing. This hustle is flexible and enjoyable if you are a good writer. However, with the market almost saturated, we can bet that the chances of you landing a job like this are extremely difficult. Out of ten, only one or two applicants will be employed by hiring firms. For this reason, this article aims to direct you on 101 tricks to find a freelance writing job in Kenya.
This review will focus on the types of freelance writing jobs, the secrets of finding the jobs on Google and the pros & cons of doing such a job. Let’s dive in.
Types of Freelance Writing Jobs in Kenya
1. Basic freelance content writing
This kind of writing is where a person needs an article written about a certain topic that they can’t write about themselves. Therefore, a content writer is hired and writes content that is soon written and posted on a blog or website.
2. B2B Writing
Business-to-business (B2B) content writing is a lucrative field that involves creating articles, blog posts, white papers, case studies, and other materials specifically targeted to other company audiences. As a B2B writer, your clients will be businesses seeking high-quality content that engages and converts their customers, which are other businesses.
Examples of B2B writing projects include:
- Blog posts that educate prospects in the client’s industry.
- Ebooks, guides, and reports that establish the client as a thought leader.
- Product descriptions that highlight features and technical specifications.
- Web copy that convinces other businesses to buy the client’s solutions.
- Case studies that showcase the client’s offering in action for customers.
- Social media posts that attract and nurture potential B2B leads.
The key is crafting content that speaks directly to other companies’ interests, challenges, and needs. This requires understanding topics like supply chain, HR, operations, SaaS products, and more. Honing these specialized writing skills can make you an invaluable marketing asset to businesses targeting the lucrative B2B space.
3. Copywriting
At the pinnacle of writing is copywriting. If you have a persuasive tone in writing, then this niche is the best for you.
In this category of writing, you are tasked with writing articles that are aimed at making sales. Your articles have to convince buyers to spend their money on your employer’s business. For this reason, copywriting is the highest-paid form of freelance writing on the internet.
4. Technical Writing
If by chance you have extensive knowledge in a specific field of knowledge, e.g., Artificial intelligence and Robotics, companies that are centred around this niche will be looking for a writer like you. You will always be required to write informative articles in that field of study.
This, however, does not mean that you can’t write if you don’t know anything about a required topic. You can always take your time learning everything there is about that topic and then write informative articles on the same. As long as you are a good writer, nothing can stop you.
Also read, 10 Legit Online Writing Jobs in Kenya
Steps you need to take to build a freelancing business
- Take note of your current skills and interests – You are only a good writer if you enjoy what you are writing about. Therefore, most of your freelance writing should be aligned with your interests.
- Choose a niche – After taking note of your interests, you’ll need to narrow down your selection, to attain a specific market. However, if you don’t have a specific type of knowledge, you can opt to become a freelance writing generalist, where you write almost about anything you are tasked with.
- Spend some time researching your niche – You will need to know where the market opportunities are for your niche so that you don’t end up having zero clients. If your niche is not marketable, or rather, doesn’t have demand, then switch niches as soon as possible. Understanding where the market demand for your skills determines your success in this freelance writing venture.
- Create your portfolio – As soon as clients start looking for you, they will need to see your portfolio. If you don’t have one, it will be hard for prospective employers to hire you based on faith. You will need to show them what you have written before so that they can judge your writing skills. Consider writing for Quora, Medium, LinkedIn etc. These and many other sites offer you a free space to host your content and gain readers over some time.
- Sign up for sites looking for freelance writers – You may have been doing this the wrong way and therefore, later on, are tricks you should use to find your first freelance writing client.
- Cold Outreach – This is the most important step. In cold outreach, you have to write emails to prospective clients and create a healthy relationship so that they can consider you if they ever need a writer in future. Here are the steps of cold outreach
- Create a list of all potential clients and their contact information.
- Send letters of introduction. Here are samples:
Sample A
Dear [Client Name],
My name is John and I stumbled upon your website while browsing the internet. I must say, I was impressed with the exceptional services you offer online.
As a freelance writer, I specialize in creating compelling content that not only informs, but also engages the reader. I have experience writing in a variety of styles and formats, from blog posts and articles to white papers and e-books. I am confident that I would be a good fit for your writing needs, whether it's for website copy, product descriptions or marketing materials.
I would love to learn more about your current projects and how I can help. Let's schedule a call at your convenience.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Best regards,
John.Sample B
Hello [Client],
My name is John, and I came across your site while browsing the internet. Impressed by the exceptional services you offer, I wanted to reach out and express my interest in writing for your team.
With experience in writing, I'm confident that my skills can contribute to your company's success. Would love to discuss potential collaboration opportunities, please let me know if that's something you'd be interested in.
Regards,
John.Tricks you should use to find your first freelance writing client
- Use Google – Despite being obvious, the keyword you use here determines the search results. Simply searching “freelance writing jobs”, will not get you the desired results, as everyone on the internet is searching for this same keyword. Instead, search: “Write for us+ your niche”. This will bring you all sites that have a ‘Write for Us’ page on their website, and you will beat the competition. Apply for as many jobs as possible.
- Use specific sites that offer freelance writing jobs in Kenya – These sites include:
- Problogger
- Contently
- ClearVoice
- SkyWord
- nDash etc.
Some pros of freelance writing in Kenya include:
- Flexibility in terms of work schedule and location
- Opportunity to work with clients from all over the world
- Potential to earn a good income
- Ability to work on a variety of projects and topics
- Potential for long-term, ongoing work with repeat clients
Some cons of freelance writing in Kenya include:
- Lack of job security and stability
- Difficulty in finding new clients and projects
- The need to constantly market oneself and seek out new work
- Competition from other writers
- Difficulties to set up a business from scratch
- Manage taxes, invoicing and paperwork
Summary
In conclusion, Finding a freelance writing job in Kenya may be hard and disappointing. However, being consistent, organized and following the guidelines listed here will catapult you into finding the right clientele to build your business on.
Read more about online writing job search here.
