Do you like conventional freelance journalism however battle to earn a residing? Model journalism is perhaps an ideal match for you.
By writing content material for firms, you possibly can put your nice storytelling expertise to work in a rising, profitable market.
Manufacturers have the budgets and the motivation to pay good writers what they’re value.
However how do you discover model journalism gigs? And when you do, what’s the key to carving out a distinct segment, touchdown repeat enterprise, and making extra money as a freelancer?
There’s a number of key elements to success in model journalism. And as soon as the essential recipe, you’ll have the ability to create your personal mix of expertise and advertising methods to land model journalism gigs, transfer up and earn extra.
Wish to know the way it’s performed? We just lately caught up with two specialists in model journalism to point out you the way:
Meet the model journalism specialists
In a current Freelance Writers Den podcast, we talked with two profitable model journalists about how one can land work and develop your small business.
- John Egan is a contract content material advertising author and model journalist based mostly in Austin. He has virtually 30 years of expertise in journalism, model journalism, content material advertising, running a blog, communications and public relations
- David Spark is a veteran tech journalist and the founding father of Spark Media Options, a model journalism agency. He has labored on content material advertising campaigns for a lot of Fortune 1000 firms
Wish to learn to use your journalism expertise to earn nice charges? Learn how to get began with model journalism on this Q&A.
Q: How do you outline model journalism?
Egan: If you happen to flip the phrases, it’s journalism for a model. Some individuals object to throwing these phrases collectively, however I don’t have an issue with it. Simply because I work in home at a model doesn’t imply I threw all my journalism coaching away. I’m nonetheless telling tales.
Q: What led you to get entangled with model journalism?
Spark: I’ve been doing conventional journalism for some time, however now I just about am one hundred percent into model journalism. The primary cause is that it’s far, much more profitable. No ifs, ands or buts about it.
Q: What forms of writing do you do?
Egan: I not solely produce the content material, but in addition give you concepts and promote the content material by social media.
I write weblog posts, and I analysis and design infographics. I’ve additionally performed case research, white papers, and media relations.
Q: What do firms worth in model journalism?
Spark: Professionalism. Man, I’ve been the interviewee of so many shoddily produced movies and podcasts. The ultimate product needs to be one thing individuals wish to share.
I need individuals to look good within the content material I create and be completely happy about it. We get repeat enterprise as a result of the consumer appreciates the professionalism and the way it makes them look good within the trade.
Q: Is there a distinction between common journalism versus writing for a corporation?
Egan: Not loads. You wish to be factual. It goes again to telling a narrative that’s fascinating, that’s informative, that folks discover worth in.
Q: The place can you discover model journalism gigs?
Spark: They’re not mendacity on the market. You can not simply promote your self as a author that may create content material. It’s a must to make a case for why yours shall be higher than what the one that is already working there can do.
It takes a whole lot of frigging work. That’s the half everybody doesn’t wish to hear. However figuring that out and promoting that idea is a troublesome, robust factor.
The one cause we get work is as a result of firms see our particular type and wish it. My large recommendation is, determine what your type is, model it, and personal a particular trade.
Q: Do you search for these jobs by looking for “model journalism,” or one thing else?
Egan: Often, you’ll see the phrases “content material marketer” or “blogger.” Model journalist isn’t a time period that I see as a lot.
Q: Can you’ve got a couple of area of interest?
David: It doesn’t harm. However in a discipline similar to B2B tech, you possibly can’t be every thing. The house is large. We’ve got very particular areas in B2B tech that we’re educated about.
Q: What charges are you able to get as a model journalist?
Egan: On the firms the place I’ve used outdoors freelancers, our price was 50 cents a phrase. Others work on a flat charge construction. Ask for what you assume you’re value and also you’ll get a particular sure or no. Generally it takes negotiation.
Q: How do you scale up and get extra work?
Spark: That is the massive benefit all of us have in model journalism-the work we do turns into the promotion for the subsequent gig. Somewhat than promoting a much bigger idea like a case research, you say, “I did this. It generated X leads. Would you want that? Okay. Right here’s the worth.”
Don’t promote on what it prices so that you can make a case research. Promote on what number of leads they’re going to generate. Work out what that’s value to them, and that’s what you cost.
Q: How do firms measure the return on funding in model journalism?
Egan: We measure how a lot visitors we’re getting, what persons are studying, and the way they’re behaving on that web page. Many instances content material gained’t lead to fast gross sales. However they could consider us the subsequent time as a result of they learn an article on our web site.
Q: What’s your finest recommendation for writers who wish to work in model journalism?
Spark: It’s all about discovering the area of interest and having connections.
Perceive what the corporate is attempting to tug off. Ask them, “What are you attempting to do?” That’s how I get my enterprise. It’s about discussing their particular wants and attempting to deal with them.
Q: Which manufacturers are doing an awesome job within the trade right now?
Egan: I’d take note of Coca-Cola. What they produce is basically cool, and so they have been one of many early adopters of this new wave of content material advertising and model journalism.
Firms like John Deere have been doing this for the reason that late 1800s. It’s simply we’ve slapped a brand new title on it, and it’s extra prevalent now.
The Web has modified a whole lot of issues. It has enabled increasingly firms to inform their tales in a price efficient approach.
Put your journalism expertise to work
If you happen to’re an old-school journalist or a freelancer who is aware of the ropes with regards to reporting, interviewing, and storytelling, you possibly can put these expertise to work to land gigs in model journalism. Firms want your assist and are prepared to pay professional charges.
If you happen to’re questioning what alternatives exist for freelance writers in 2024 (trace: there are loads!) then be sure to register for the free webinar developing on September 26, 2024 referred to as Learn how to Efficiently Break Into Journalism in 2024! You’ll be taught concerning the various kinds of journalism and what chances are you’ll finest be suited to, and the highest expertise profitable journalists want and what it could result in.
Maria Veres is a contract author based mostly within the Oklahoma Metropolis space.