Why Not Become an Online Writer?

The Internet is over twenty-five years old and continues to provide a wealth of information for people the world over. At the click of a button, anyone can accumulate knowledge at a pace no library could ever compete with. Being an online writer allows you to contribute to this wonderful resource.

Wherever they are in the world, writers can take advantage of this unique opportunity to ensure that their work reaches the widest possible audience. The onset of citizen journalism means that they can share their experiences and expertise on a grand scale.

To write popular articles certain to be of mainstream interest you need to choose topical subjects that will provide online readers with the information they need in a clear and concise manner. You must verify your facts and cite your sources to provide the most up to date angle on any given subject. Paragraphs should be short to keep the attention of your readers.

Backing up your online articles by including links to authoritative sources is a great way to build up a reputation as a competent writer who thoroughly researches subjects and adds valuable material to the Internet.

Writing a popular online article is however only half the battle. Nowadays you have to take steps to market your articles too. This means you should actively post links to them on popular social media networks such as Facebook, Pinterest etc. This will give your writing the best possible promotion and will help to establish your reputation. However well written and informative your article, if it's only getting a couple of clicks per month then something is wrong and you'll need to market it more effectively to increase traffic and earnings.

Internet bloggers realise the importance of choosing appropriate photos to accompany their blogs. It's easy for online article writers to find suitable stock photos for free. Pixabay is an excellent site where you can download royalty free photos to accompany your online articles. Never underestimate the impact a photo can make; a cleverly chosen picture to compliment your article can increase its popularity ten-fold. Using appropriate captions for your photos and keywords in your articles can also help considerably.

As an online writer, it's wise to remember that writing about what you know is always the best way forward. If you feel passionate about a subject then so much the better as no doubt you'll want to share your passion with others. When joining an online publishing site, scan through the available titles and gauge which are the most popular. Could you confidently write about any of those subjects? If so, then you could soon be on your way to increase your readership and thus your earnings.

Of course, any expertise you have on any given subject will prove immensely helpful to others and you can also write from your own experience but remember not to use the first person stance for fact-based articles so sentences beginning with: 'I think that...' are a complete no, no. If you're a certified professional in a particular field, your expert opinion can be a sound backing for your writing and will ensure you find the correct audience for articles in more obscure or highly specialised subjects.

Online writing sites offer many categories in which you can place your work. Such sites are an ideal platform for this and the wide range of topics to write about will be sure to inspire you to write more The most popular articles are often news items, travel ideas, anything money-based or property related and of course those that discuss sex and personal relationships. Seasonal and Christmas themed articles always do well and can be high earners year after year. Unfortunately, however great your skills in creative writing or poetry, articles in these categories will rarely perform as well as factual, knowledge-based articles.

There are many online publishing sites where you can submit your articles but as a member of a reputable site such as Hubpages, you'll be able to keep constant track of how each submitted article is performing. The beauty of this means you soon realise which categories tend to generate the most interest. Many sites are free to join and you can start earning immediately.

Online resources, forums and tools for writers are abundant so there is no excuse for the proverbial 'writer's block'! Budding and experienced writers alike can easily find the information they require to produce popular and successful online articles.