11 Questions to Help You Choose a Niche for Freelance Writing

The biggest myths surrounding freelance writing are that you need to be a novelist or a copywriter to get work and that you have to write on a wide variety of topics.

But the reality is that no one is interested in hiring someone who’s just going to churn out a few articles about anything, because they’ll have to spend time training them and ensuring their quality of work is up to par.

Instead, it’s better for businesses and individuals to hire someone who specializes in one subject area. This means they’re more likely to produce high-quality content, and that they’ll only turn down projects that don’t fit their expertise (thus saving the business time and money).

So if you’ve been considering becoming a freelance writer but have been on the fence about what your niche should be, here are 11 simple questions to help you find the perfect freelance writing niche:

The Best Freelance Writing Niches for Beginners 2022

Takeaways
1. Finding the perfect freelance writing niche is essential for success as a freelance writer.
2. Ask yourself questions about your interests, expertise, and target audience to identify a suitable niche.
3. Understand the market demand and potential for growth in your chosen niche.
4. Research and analyze successful freelance writers in similar niches for inspiration.
5. Embrace the power of specialization to position yourself as an expert in your chosen niche.
6. Don’t be afraid to experiment and explore different niches until you find the right fit.
7. Tailor your portfolio and marketing materials to showcase your expertise in your niche.
8. Continuously improve your skills and stay updated with industry trends in your niche.
9. Network with others in your niche and seek mentorship to accelerate your growth.
10. Remember that finding the perfect niche is a journey, and it’s okay to evolve over time.
11. Stay passionate and committed to your chosen niche to build a thriving freelance writing career.

Table of Contents

1. What Are You Good At?

The first step in your quest to find the perfect writing niche is to take a look at the skills and knowledge you already have. What do you currently know that would be marketable? Are there any gaps in the market that could be filled with your experience and expertise? Could you write better than your competitors?

Don’t worry if your existing knowledge doesn’t immediately seem like it will help you find a niche as a writer. There are many ways to leverage what you know in order to make it work for you, even if it sounds unimpressive at first glance.

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2. What Do People Need Help With?

When I was first starting out, I wanted to be a “general writer” who could write about anything. But that wasn’t working out so well because it’s not easy to get clients when you can write about anything.

After speaking to a few friends, I decided that my niche would be social media marketing and blogging for businesses. I had experience in both areas and was available to take on more business clients. It also helped that this was a popular industry, so there was plenty of demand for my writing services.

3. What Do You Love To Write About?

It’s important to think about what you love to write about. What are the topics that you gravitate toward when you’re writing? What kind of content do you find yourself sharing on social media? What kinds of questions do people come to you with, and what kinds of answers can you provide?

If you don’t enjoy writing about it and there is no demand for that type of content, picking that niche will not be effective. If there is high demand but you don’t enjoy writing about it, you’ll get fatigued and burned out consistently. So the best way to choose a niche is to think about the things you like to write about and then research the market for that type of content.

4. What Is Your Passion?

We’re sure that you know how to write (or, we hope you do). What we want to know is what your passion topic is. Is it healthy? Beauty? Travel? Food?

Everybody has some sort of passion or hobby they enjoy.

Your niche will be the topic that comes most naturally to you.

You don’t have to come up with something fancy, just a topic that you can write about without having to put too much effort into research. You will have plenty of time for that when starting out.

The easiest way to start this process is by writing down all the topics you can think of and then gradually narrowing them down until there is just one left.

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5. Where Can You Make A Difference?

To be successful, it’s essential to understand the place where your writing will be most beneficial. That’s why, as a freelance writer, you need to figure out what kind of writing you do best and what kind of clients you should look for.

The best way to do this is by getting really specific about your skills. For example, if you’re really good at creating product descriptions for websites, then you’re going to have an easier time working with online brands than with print magazines.

If you know how to write a clear and compelling how-to article, then you’ll probably have an easier time working with clients who want those kinds of articles than with those who want something totally different, like funny stories or essays.

6. What Do People Ask You For Help About?

If your friends come to you with their writing problems all the time even if your expertise is more in the editing department than the actual composition of words you might have a niche as an editor.

7. What Do Others Say You’re The Best At?

Your mom says you’re awesome at writing unique and compelling blog posts. Your high school teacher says your last essay was the best she’d ever read in her six years of teaching. Your coworker says you should write a book about your experiences at work, because they’re so funny.

If you’ve been told you have a talent for writing, it’s time to take that advice seriously. And if you haven’t been told, just ask someone you trust! You’ll be surprised by the things they say.

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8. Is There A Problem In The World That Needs Solving?

Take stock of the problems you face in your daily life and write them down. You might be surprised at how many issues you can find!

As you go through this exercise, try to think about the skills and talents that you possess, or would like to develop, that could be used to solve these problems. Write those down next to the issue they correspond with.

For example, let’s say your problem is that everyone around you keeps getting sick, and you want to avoid getting sick yourself. You might have a talent for writing informational blog posts that people enjoy reading—so maybe your niche could be writing health-related articles for businesses!

9. Are There Specific Industries That Interest You?

If there are specific industries that interest you, take some time to research them. What are common problems companies in this industry face? What kind of content is typically written about this industry? How can you create content that stands out from the crowd?

You may already know what topic interests you most—if so, just go with it! But if not, try writing some sample pieces to see which type of content feels most natural and exciting.

10. What Are Your Skills?

This is also a great time to think about whether or not you have any skills that could serve as a foundation for your freelance writing career. For example, if you’re a lawyer, maybe consider legal topics—you’d be able to charge more than other writers and would be an obvious choice for clients looking for lawyers to ghostwrite their content.

Having said that, don’t limit yourself! You can always learn new skills as a writer even if they aren’t obviously related to your career right now. It’s all about how much effort you want to put in upfront and how long you’re willing to wait before starting to make some money with your new business venture!

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11. Are You Willing To Learn New Things?

Writing for a living gives you the chance to write about anything under the sun and to learn more about it as well. But, with all of that freedom comes responsibility—and a whole lot of research.

If you’re not willing to take on this research challenge, then freelancing may not be for you. There’s always some degree of learning involved in freelance writing, so make sure that’s something you’re okay with before you start working.

Freelance Writing Jobs Cover Several Categories

1. Creative Writing

Creative writers are in demand by businesses who want well-written content for their site or advertising campaigns. Some examples include press releases, poems, and short stories.

2. Website Content

A website needs content to make it relevant to search engines and a place that people want to visit. This type of writing usually involves writing product descriptions, blog posts, or articles that add value to the site.

3. Copywriting

Copywriting involves writing the persuasive text for advertising or sales purposes. It can be used in a variety of channels including print, social media, and email campaigns. Content for copywriting includes product descriptions, ad copy, and landing pages.

4. Articles

This is the most familiar type of freelance gig. These are article writing jobs that may be published in magazines, newspapers, blogs, or any other publication. You can also find these jobs online or at an agency. There are usually specific guidelines and requirements to follow when writing these articles.

5. SEO Writing

SEO stands for “search engine optimization.” SEO writers write content that uses specific keywords to increase traffic from search engines like Google.

6. Blog Posts

Many freelance writers blog about their lives or about a niche topic that they’re interested in. These blogs can be used as a portfolio for potential clients and also generate income from advertising or affiliate marketing (where you earn a commission every time someone purchases something through one of your links).

7. Listicles

This is the most popular kind of blog post because they’re easy to read and share. A listicle will be a blog post with numbered items or subheads—like this one! They’re easy to format on any website because lists are easy to structure, and people love them because they’re easy to read. List posts are super easy to monetize using Amazon affiliate links, ads, or sponsorships from brands that fit with your topic.

8. Personal Narratives

This is a great option for a blog if you’re writing about lifestyle topics like minimalism, parenting, or travel. These kinds of posts also lend themselves well to other revenue streams like selling digital products or courses you’ve created.

9. Books

Books are the most common niche in freelancing as they are always in demand. Publishers are looking for writers to write their books on different topics. Even if you don’t have the expertise, you can research and write a book on any topic.

10. Business Plans

If you have a background in business, or if you love fleshing out the details of hypothetical business models, this might be the niche for you. Every new business needs a flashy plan to attract investors and start off on the right foot. And that’s where you come in.

11. Case Studies

Case studies are a great way to learn about the ins and outs of different industries, and a lot of companies use them to highlight the positive results they’ve achieved with clients. As a case study writer, you’ll be able to learn about all kinds of exciting, fast-paced businesses and the solutions they developed to make their customers happy.

12. White Papers

White papers are dense how-to guides that help readers understand how to use or improve products or services. They’re typically written by technical writers for very specific audiences, but sometimes companies hire freelancers for these kinds of projects if they need some extra help.

13. Email Copywriting

It’s not just a matter of writing the email itself; it also involves strategizing and planning in order to get an email campaign off the ground. This requires research, knowledge of the client’s target audience, and how best to reach them through their inboxes.

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14. Ghostwriting

Ghostwriting is when someone writes something and doesn’t put their name on it. The person who has written the piece has no legal claim to it or recognition for having written it, even though they did all of the hard work and put all of their efforts into creating the writing piece.

15. Instructional Design And Elearning Scripts

In this kind of writing, you have to be able to help your client get their point across in a clear and concise way. You have to boil down complicated concepts into easily digestible bits of information so that your reader can learn something new.

16. Beauty Writing

This is a great niche if you love makeup, hair products, and skincare. You’d get to work with companies or individuals to write descriptions for new products or reviews for existing ones.

17. Landing Pages

Are what you see when you click on a Google AdWords ad or when you type in a specific website address. They’re crucial for making sure that the person who clicks on your ad or types on your website has a clear next step to take. If you want them to schedule a consultation, fill out a form, or purchase something from your store, they should be able to find that opportunity right away.

18. Press Releases

Companies often hire freelancers to write press releases—brief articles that describe a company’s new product or service and then get shared with the media or posted on their website.

19. Scripts For Video Content

The script is the engine behind every video. It provides the framework for the entire project, from how it’s shot and edited to when music is added—and even how voiceovers are recorded. And if you’re a talented writer who loves telling stories with words, then becoming a scriptwriter could be the perfect way to put your skills to use.

How To Choose Between Two Or More Niches

1. Make A List Of Your Skills

If you’re great with numbers, writing content about the stock market might be a good idea. If you have a knack for photography, maybe consider taking pictures for others who need photos of their products. If art is more your speed, perhaps you can create graphics for people selling their products online.

2. Make A List Of Your Interests

If you have no idea where to start, sit down and write out every interest you have (and think of as many as you can).

Eliminate the ones that are not viable. For example, if one of your interests is “caring for a pet monkey” but you live in an apartment that prohibits pets, then scratches it off the list.

3. Look For Intersections Between Them

Let’s say you’re interested in writing about weight loss but also about vacation planning. You could combine these two topics into a blog about traveling as someone who wants to lose weight.

Or let’s say you love pets and you enjoy cooking. You could look at the intersection between these niches and come up with pet food as a potential topic. Even better, you could look at a sub-niche like homemade dog treats.

4. Saturation

Does this niche have a lot of other people in it already? Be sure to do your research. The best niches are ones where there is competition but not so much that everyone is fighting for the same scraps.

5. Profitability

Can you make money with this niche? It may be super popular, but if no one is selling products in it, you aren’t going to make any money. There must be a way to monetize the niche!

6. Attraction

This is something I’m always thinking about when I’m researching and looking at niches. Is this something that would interest me and keep my attention? When you’re working on something day in and day out, it’s important that you like the topic, or else things will get dull fast.

7. Look For Niches With Low Competition But High Demand

If you want to make money as a freelance writer, you need to think about how much demand exists for your niche, as well as how much competition there is out there. For example, let’s say that you are interested in becoming a parenting writer. While there is clearly a large demand for such writers (particularly when it comes to blogs), there is also a whole lot of competition out there.

Therefore, it may be difficult to get your foot in the door or land higher-paying gigs because so many other freelancers are vying for them as well. On the other hand, if you find a niche that has both high demand and little competition (such as business writing), then you will be more likely to land great clients who are willing to pay top dollar

8. Consider The Projected Growth Rate Of Each Subject

Some niches are growing at an incredible rate, such as blockchain, gaming, and artificial intelligence. Others are still viable but may have already peaked (or maybe on the decline), like blogging or SEO writing. You can get a sense of each niche’s growth by doing some research online or talking with people who work in those industries.

Final Thoughts

Now that you have put these questions to use, you should be able to define your freelance writing niche. Your niche is an important part of the freelance writing process, especially when it leads to the right clients, jobs, and gigs. Use these 11 questions today to align yourself with the perfect freelance niche!

FAQs

How can I identify my freelance writing niche?

Identifying your freelance writing niche involves introspection, evaluating your interests, strengths, and past experiences to find a focus that aligns with your passions and expertise.

What benefits come with having a well-defined niche?

Having a well-defined niche allows you to establish yourself as an authority, attract specific clients, command higher rates, and enjoy a more focused and fulfilling writing career.

How can I improve my freelance writing skills?

Improving freelance writing skills involves continuous learning, seeking feedback, practicing regularly, studying successful writers, and being open to constructive criticism.

How do I handle writer’s block and maintain productivity?

To overcome writer’s block and maintain productivity, try strategies like setting a writing schedule, taking breaks, seeking inspiration from other sources, and breaking tasks into manageable chunks.

How do I set appropriate freelance writing rates?

Setting freelance writing rates involves considering factors such as your experience, expertise, project complexity, and industry standards. Researching market rates and valuing your skills are essential in determining fair pricing.

Costantine Edward

Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.