To Niche or Not to niche? Do Freelance Writers Need To Have A Niche?

Some marketing professionals advise freelance writers to choose a specific niche and become a pro at it. As a writer, you can be concerned about not getting enough clients when you choose to narrow down on a single niche. While this might make some sense, niching down doesn't mean that you will no longer have a continuous workflow.

Companies in different industries are always on the lookout for writers, and the best ones want professional writers who are good at what they do. With this in mind, do you think niching is a good idea or not? Will it come with several limitations? Read on to know more about the benefits of niching in your career.

What is a niche?

A niche is simply an area of specialization. Examples of niches in freelance writing include personal finance, healthcare, home improvement, digital marketing, travel, and technology. Niches also exist in the form of content types. These include blog posts, whitepapers, and whitepapers.

There are two ways of niching down. You can niche by industry, for example, by writing for fitness companies. You can also niche on a writing specialty, like whitepapers. You can even combine the two and niche further. For example, you can be writing whitepapers for fitness companies.

Basically, the purpose of choosing a specific niche is usually to focus and become an expert on a specific area and stand out from other writers. This can give potential clients the confidence that you are the person to go to when they need a writer.

You will enjoy writing what you love

There is nothing as fulfilling as working on what you love. For example, if you are passionate about the beauty industry, why not start writing about beauty products? It will be easy to research and write compelling content on the area and it won't feel like work but as a hobby.

And you can always change your niche if the need arises. You may have chosen a particular niche when starting out and then realize much later it's not something you'd like to continue doing, or helping you achieve your goals.

Some writers also choose niches they are not passionate about, but they bring them money. It's all about personal preference and what works for a person.

You can make use of your existing skills

Do you have a background in interior decor? Why not quit writing about manufacturing industries, marketing, minerals, and such unfamiliar topics and concentrate on what you know? When you do that, producing quality pieces will easily be achievable. You will also put the skills you have dedicated to learn into use and become better with time.

Reduced burnout

When you decide to write on any project that comes on your way, you might have many jobs to work on at any particular moment. While this may sound ideal, it's not always the case. You'll have no other option but to research and write great pieces on the different topics, whether you're familiar with them or not. This can easily lead to burnout.

You can avoid this by focusing on one area where you can even write without researching.

Better rates

Focusing on a specific niche helps you hone your skills, which makes you more valuable.

Most of the time, high-paying clients don't want writers who generalize, as they might not be able to provide what they need. These clients are usually professional and dedicate huge budgets to digital marketing. This means higher rates for the freelancers they work with.

You can even set a specific rate on your services and only work with clients who don't ask you to charge cheaper.

You will become an expert in your niche

Choosing a specific niche helps you establish authority and influence. It also opens doors for rewarding opportunities, which you wouldn't get if you stuck on being a jack of all trades.

The more you write content in a specific niche, the more you gain knowledge and expertise. This can make you a highly sought writer in your chosen field. When you become an expert on what you do, you won't struggle to get a steady income and form long-lasting relationships with clients in your industry.

To become a good freelance writer, you need to put in a lot of hard work and make smart decisions, one of them being choosing a niche. Brands worldwide are always looking for writing professionals who can produce top-notch content. The most successful writers have niches, which makes it easy for them to get high-paying clients and stand out amongst other freelancers. However, you have to be smart and choose a profitable niche, and maybe, one you are passionate about or have some background in. That will make your freelance life even easier.