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Learn how to write for a digital nomad blog
Do you like to travel and pursue adventure? Do you also enjoy writing about your experiences? Would you like to make money doing both?
If this describes you, then one of the best things you could do is write for a digital nomad blog.
Being a freelance writer who creates content for your own blog or someone else’s is a very real way to fulfill your travel goals while also making money.
In this post, I’ll give you all the details on how to write for a digital nomad blog, including:
- What a digital nomad blog is
- What kinds of content you would write
- How much money you could make
- How to build a successful freelance writing career
- Where to find digital nomad writing jobs
- Pros and cons of writing for a digital nomad blog
- And much more!
Learning to write for a digital nomad blog takes a few smart skills to be successful. But, once you secure your first few clients, you’re well on your way to making good money while living a life of adventure!
Are you ready? Let’s get started.
Wait – what is a digital nomad?
Before we talk about how to write for a digital nomad blog, you may be wondering what is a digital nomad?
A nomad is a person who chooses to not have a permanent home, but instead travels from place to place. Another word for nomad is wanderer.
In this internet age, putting the word digital in front of nomad simply means a traveling person who also creates a source of income by working remotely online. You could also call a digital nomad a location-independent worker, because their work does not depend on their location.
They could have jobs in a variety of fields, including graphic design, social media management, photography, and even customer service. Any person who travels, does not have a permanent residence, and makes their living with their computer is considered a digital nomad.
Digital nomads may be freelance workers who complete jobs for various clients. Or, they could work for a specific company that allows them to work remotely.
A digital nomad typically chooses their lifestyle because it offers so much flexibility, adventure, and freedom. They can choose to travel wherever and whenever they desire. All they need is a working laptop with a reliable internet connection to make a living.
One of the most popular digital nomad jobs is being a writer. Some write books, research papers, or news articles. But, many write for blogs – either their own or others.
Next, let’s talk about what’s unique about a digital nomad blog.
What is a digital nomad travel blog?
Although there are many digital nomad jobs to choose from, writing for a digital nomad blog is specific to the lifestyle. This is because a digital nomad blog is all about someone’s life experience being a digital nomad.
If you visited this type of blog, you would learn all about that person’s life as a digital nomad, including their challenges, strategies, and adventures. You’d read about topics such as how to choose accommodations, best places to eat, and how to meet new people.You’d also gain some good tips and tricks for becoming a digital nomad yourself.
Digital nomad blogs are great resources to learn what it takes to have this lifestyle. They are also a great way to use your writing skills and create a significant and steady income. You can either write for a digital nomad blog that belongs to someone else, or create your own.
How do I make an income writing for a digital nomad blog?
You can make money writing for a digital nomad blog in two ways. Either you get paid for writing blog posts on someone else’s digital nomad blog, or you make money by building your own.
Writing for someone else’s blog
Writing for other bloggers allows you to create an income stream fairly quickly. All you have to do is find those bloggers who are looking for digital nomad writers for their site.
Many bloggers hire other writers because creating new content is always necessary, but can be time-consuming. It’s a good way to add more content, get other perspectives, and generate traffic faster.
You can set your rate (typically dependent on the number of words you’re asked to write), and you will get paid once your article is approved to be published. Many freelance writers will line up several clients that need multiple articles written, so the income stream becomes consistent.
Building your own blog
You can also make money by writing for your own blog. This option takes more work, more time, and more patience. But, you have the potential to make much, much more money in the end.
Of course, you wouldn’t pay yourself to write your own articles. So, how do you get paid for writing on your own blog?
There are actually several income streams you can create with one blog. These include:
- Ads on your site
- Affiliate marketing
- Selling digital products or courses
- Writing sponsored posts
- Offering paid memberships
- Writing e-books
- Being an online coach
Some of these rely more on high website traffic than others. However, you can generate a very good income just by building a strong fan base and email list.
Many people that want to build their own blog will start out as freelance writers for other sites. They make money and strengthen their writing skills by writing for other bloggers. On the side, they create content for their own blog until they get enough traffic and interest to make enough money with their own site.
How much money could I make as a digital nomad freelance writer?
If you choose to be a freelance writer who creates content for clients, you should charge either by the project, or by the number of words you’re asked to write.
As a freelancer, you get to set your own rates. However, there is a standard range that most people find acceptable and are willing to pay.
What you decide to charge should be based on a few factors:
- experience
- niche
- skill set
I’ve seen beginning writers go as low as $.04/word, while those with years of experience can charge $1/word. You can check sites like Fiverr to see the range that writers are asking and then charge accordingly.
Just be sure you don’t undervalue your services. Writing a 2,000 word article can take up a lot of time with research, editing, formatting, rewrites, etc. Make sure you are making what you’re worth. As you build a portfolio of articles, you can leverage this experience and start charging more.
The more experience you have as a writer, the higher your rate should be. Also, if you have a specific skill set that’s in demand, you could ask for more. There are some niches that will pay more than others (like technical writing vs lifestyle), so keep that in mind.
As a freelance writer, you decide how much work you want to accept. Be sure you can complete each project by the deadline with your best work.
What content would I write for a digital nomad job?
There is an endless variety of content that you could write for a digital nomad blog. Just considering all of the countries and cities you could write articles on, you would never run out of ideas!
Many of your posts would offer information, advice, and experiences on your own travels. This might be restaurant and hotel reviews, sites to see, how to use public transportation, how to communicate with a language you don’t speak, etc.
You could also give guidance on other topics relevant to being a digital nomad. These could include:
- Best traveling gear
- Tech equipment (laptops, phones, headphones, etc)
- How to create a travel budget
- Where to get the best Wifi
- How to handle taxes
- Immigration and visa laws
- How to make social and professional connections as you travel
- Most digital nomad-friendly cities
- How to work as a digital nomad with a family
- How to price your digital nomad services
- Challenges of being a digital nomad
Now that you know some of the details about writing for a digital nomad blog, let’s get into some smart steps to take so you can be successful.
18 smart tips for succeeding as a digital nomad lifestyle writer
If you’ve read this far, you might be thinking that you’d like to be a digital nomad writer. You’d get to travel, have a life of adventure, and make money by writing about your experiences. What isn’t to like?
What you must keep in mind is that there are thousands who feel the same way. Also, working remotely is starting to become a common practice, so more people are considering this career and nomadic lifestyle. This creates a large pool of freelance writers who you would be competing with for jobs.
Fortunately, there are steps you can take to increase your chances of success. Check out these 18 top tips to be successful as a writer for a digital nomad blog.
1. Strengthen your writing skills
Just like any other skill, becoming a good writer requires lots of consistent practice. If you think you’ve got the chops just because you impressed your high school English teacher, you’ve still got a lot to learn.
Check out these 7 qualities of a good writer, and determine what areas you need to strengthen before you start writing for others.
- A good writer makes content easy to read. The purpose of most writing is to inform or entertain the reader. It’s not to impress people with big words or complicated ideas. Excellent grammar, simple language, and short paragraphs make content easy to read and engage with.
- A good writer has excellent research skills. With every article you write, you will likely have to do some degree of research. You should be able to discuss your topic thoroughly, be aware of your target audience, and know what relevant content the reader is seeking.
- A good writer avoids clichés and overused expressions. Be unique in your writing, and don’t rely on clichés as descriptions.
- A good writer pays close attention to detail. This means accurate spelling and excellent grammar, proper formatting, and identifying all references with footnotes. A good writer is a good editor, who is able to identify even the smallest error in order to publish a flawless piece. Never assume your first draft is ready for publication.
- A good writer is always looking for inspiration. Great ideas are all around you, you just need to be looking for them. To be a creative and engaging writer, you should always be observing your surroundings, and writing anything down that you could possibly add to a piece later.
- A good writer doesn’t rely on fate. This idea comes from one of my favorite writers, Donald Miller. In his words, “Fate is a terrible writer.” In other words, if you want to reach your goals, you can’t just wait for them to fall into place. You must be disciplined, consistent, and practice good habits. A good writer doesn’t wait for inspiration to strike. She works on her writing every day, whether she wants to or not.
- A good writer has a robust vocabulary. Writing is about expressing yourself and engaging with the reader. This means being creative and unique with your words. To be successful as a writer, you should have a strong vocabulary at your dispense. Using the same words repeatedly will bore the reader and cause your writing to sound flat. You should broaden your vocabulary so you can build excellent communication skills and be more creative in your writing.
- A good writer is an avid reader. You must read a lot to write well – there’s no way around it. Reading all genres will build your writing muscles, teaching you different styles and what’s most effective. The more you read, the better you understand the structure and framing for what makes good writing.
The best way to strengthen your writing is to write and read every day.
Beyond that, there are some good books out there that I’ve found very helpful. These are Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, On Writing by Stephen King, and The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr., and E.B. White.
2. Charge professional rates
If you want to be successful as a freelance writer, you have to charge professional rates to your clients. Yes, your rates will vary depending on your experience and skill set, but you should never undersell your services.
Being a digital nomad in any capacity is defined by the ability to support yourself with income from work done remotely. So, you must charge enough to be able to support yourself while you travel.
Many new writers lack the confidence to ask what their work is worth. As long as you’re within an acceptable range and you deliver what you promise, you should never have to apologize for what you’re asking.
Most writers charge by the word, by the project, or by the hour. If you charge by the word or the project, then you’ll know exactly how much you’ll make if your client tells you how long they want the article to be. However, you risk getting underpaid if you have to do extensive necessary research or interviews.
If you charge by the hour, you’ll need to keep track of how much time you put into a piece (including research, interviews, graphics, etc.).
Check what other writers are charging, and find the level that matches your experience. In the beginning, you may have to secure more clients so you can stay afloat. Over time, as your experience increases, you can charge more and work less.
3. Find your niche
To get good at and become known for your writing, it’s best to stick to a specific niche. This decision will increase your rate of success because you’re only focused on one type of writing.
You can niche down to gain expertise on a very focused topic, but there are 3 broad categories you’ll typically fall into:
- corporate writing
- content writing
- copywriting
Corporate writing, also known as business writing, is for professional purposes. This type of content is created to communicate information and ideas in a business setting. Examples are training materials, reports and presentations, emails and memos.
Content writing covers a wide range of uses, from entertainment to information to inspiration. This type of content is used for digital platforms and focuses on a targeted audience. Some examples are blogs, news articles, digital newsletters, and social media posts. These articles are often long-form content (500 to 2000 words) optimized for search engines in order to generate significant online traffic.
Copywriting is the process of writing text (also called “copy”) for marketing and promotional materials. A good freelance copywriter knows how to create engaging and persuasive content for a brand in order to inspire potential customers to take a specific action. Copywriting is used in ads, catalogs, social media promotions, radio and podcast scripts, and billboards, and typically considered short-form content.
Within each of these 3 categories, there are hundreds of focused niches that you could explore. Do a little research on each and see which one you’re most drawn to.
4. Build your brand
As a freelance writer, you are your own brand. Therefore, you need to promote yourself in a way that allows potential clients to immediately understand your individual style.
Of course, your writing will speak for itself. But, in this online age, people expect to get to know you even before they meet you.
There are a few steps you can take to build your brand as a writer:
- Know your genre and target audience
- Have a website that promotes your unique style through color, fonts, and images
- Create a logo that you can use in all professional communications
- Get a headshot that you can add to your bio box at the end of your articles
- Put together a media kit with your headshot, bio, contact information, writing samples, etc.
5. Learn how to engage the reader
This is technically under step #1, Strengthen Your Writing Skills. However, it is so important that I want to give more details about this critical skill.
Strong reader engagement is about more than just knowing how to tell an interesting story. Other elements, such as formatting, fonts, white space, and correct spelling all contribute to keeping your audience engaged with your writing.
Here are a few simple strategies that will draw your reader in and keep them reading:
- Keep your sentences short with simple language.
- Keep your paragraphs to 2-4 sentences each.
- Use grammar checking software or an online tool like Grammarly or the Hemingway app to ensure there are no spelling or grammar mistakes.
- Use numbered or bulleted lists to break up the text and add variety.
- Use bold lettering when relevant so the reader can skim the important content if desired.
- Break up your topics with headings that draw the reader in.
- Add pictures, graphics, tables, etc. to supplement your written content.
6. Publish content consistently to build your portfolio
Being consistent with publishing content will quickly build a professional portfolio. This will give any potential clients an easy way to check out your style and previous work.
The best way to showcase your portfolio is with your own website. On your site you can store articles you’ve written, your contact information, reviews from past customers, and your experience and education.
Also, publishing consistently communicates that you are a working writer in demand. You have published articles that are current and relevant. This can make a big difference when pitching for new business.
7. Pitch to potential clients
When you’re first starting out, you’ll need to actively seek out digital nomad blogs that are hiring writers.
The first step is doing some research to create a list of digital nomad bloggers that you could connect with. Some sites solicit new writers or have separate pages where you can submit ideas. If you can’t easily find the blog owner’s name, look for an editor that you could connect with.
Once you have your list, create an email template that introduces who you are, what you do, and what you can do for them. Be familiar with each blog’s style and niche so you can reference this in your email. Let the person know how you can serve their audience with unique and fresh content that’s based on your personal experiences.
Keep it short, simple, and to the point, but also make it personalized. If your email is long and drawn out, it probably won’t get read.
Try to send out 5-10 emails every day to different bloggers until you feel like you’re making some traction. It may take a few weeks, but eventually you’ll start building connections.
Sending a follow-up email about a week after your first pitch can create more opportunities for you. Offer to provide additional writing samples or be available for an interview.
Even if you don’t hear back right away, at least you’ve given that blogger one more resource they can reach out to when they want a new article written.
For some, this might feel awkward and uncomfortable. But, if you always reach out from a place of respect, support, and service, you’ll eventually make valuable connections that will serve you far into the future.
Pitching to potential clients takes time to master, and patience for results. You can also find digital nomad writing jobs on freelance writing sites like Upwork and Fiverr. Later, I’ll tell you about other places you can find online writing jobs.
8. Know how to format your articles
Although you do want to be unique in your writing, you don’t want to blaze your own trail only to leave readers behind.
There are standard formatting practices that freelance content writers follow, in order to give their readers an easy and familiar roadmap as they consume their content.
Just like you learned writing essays in your high school English class, you’ll want to stick to 3 main sections in the structure of your articles.
These include the introduction, the multi-paragraph body, and the conclusion or summary at the end.
- Introduction: Your introduction should be short and to the point. The purpose of these initial paragraphs is simply to let your readers know what to expect if they keep reading.
- Body: This is where the meat is. The body of your article will go into detail with all the information you want to convey about the subject you’re writing about. You should break up the body of your articles with relevant headlines that introduce various topics. Include engaging stories and experiences so your reader connects with you through the content. This will keep them reading all the way through to the conclusion.
- Conclusion: This section is where you wrap up the article with a short review that summarizes the main points you made in the body of the article.
9. Build your own digital nomad website
While you’re building client connections and an online portfolio, consider starting your own digital nomad blog.
Blogs are a great way to create multiple income streams, but they do take time to generate enough traffic for sustainable income.
These days, it’s never been easier to build your own website. There are hundreds of templates that make the process super easy, and you don’t need to know any coding. Also, you can find web hosting for less than $2/month, so you don’t need to make a big investment.
The great thing about having your own blog is that there are no deadlines. You can add an article once or twice a week, and in a year you’ll have an established site that is informative and interesting.
Writing on your own blog will help you build authority and improve your writing technique. You’re not limited to a client’s requests, but instead can write about whatever you like.
Just be sure you write consistently, stay within your defined niche, and always provide quality content that is useful to your readers.
10. Learn SEO
As a content writer, you want to offer articles that people want to read. But first, they have to find them, right? Creating content online is futile unless you can attract an audience. This is where SEO comes in.
SEO stands for search engine optimization, and knowing how to optimize your online content for search engines is critical to building an audience. Before I get into learning SEO, let me back up and explain how search engines work.
People find what they’re looking for by using a search engine, like Google or Bing. They enter a phrase into a search bar that describes what they’re looking for, and the search engine returns pages of results that the person can choose from. However, most people only select from the first page – and specifically the top 3 results.
This makes the top 3 spots on a Google search results page (SERP) very competitive, because they get the most traffic. So, how does Google decide who gets one of these spots? It all comes down to relevancy, usefulness, and engagement.
Google can tell when someone clicks a link and either stays on that page or clicks back to the search results. If a reader stays on the page they clicked, Google interprets this as content that is relevant and engaging or useful to the reader. If the reader clicks back to the SERP quickly, Google interprets this as non-relevant and content that is not useful.
Those pages that get greater engagement rise up the search results. Those that don’t, fall to page 2 or after.
As the content creator, your job is to optimize your content for the search engine, so readers can find your articles. You do this by writing content based on search phrases (called “keywords”) that people are actually looking for. Keywords with higher search volume will drive more traffic. You find these keywords by doing keyword research.
Then, you create quality, relevant, and useful content, based on your chosen keywords, that the reader engages with once they find your article. It’s not enough to get people to find your content. You have to offer information that is useful to them as well!
SEO is much more complicated than this, but the main two points you should be concerned with are:
- Find high volume keywords that you can write about.
- Write quality content that is useful and engaging.
If you have a good grasp of SEO and keyword research, you will attract more clients because you know how to drive traffic to your content.
To get a more in-depth review of search engine optimization, check out the Beginner’s Guide to SEO by Moz.com.
11. Get savvy with social media
Besides optimizing your content for search engines, you can also drive traffic through social media. You can build a committed fan base through Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and even TikTok.
Building a large fan base takes time and consistency. Unlike optimizing your content once for Google and letting Google drive your traffic, you’ll need to post daily (sometimes several times a day) on your social media accounts. There are thousands of influencers on each social media platform that are competing for attention, so you must maintain a consistent presence to stand out.
Social media is typically not considered a reliable source of traffic like Google, so it’s important to keep a good balance. This is called diversifying your traffic, so you’re not just relying on one source.
12. Know how to monetize your traffic
Once you’re getting traffic to your website, you can then take steps to monetize that traffic. This could be one more income stream for you as a digital nomad.
There are several ways to monetize a website:
- Ads on your site
- Affiliate marketing
- Selling digital products or courses
- Writing sponsored posts
- Offering paid memberships
- Writing e-books
- Being an online coach
You don’t have to pursue all of these to generate a significant income. Most bloggers start out by placing ads on their site because it’s the most passive way to make a little money.
Affiliate marketing is also a passive income stream, since you’re just adding links as a way to promote another site’s products to receive a small commission.
Offering your own products takes more time and effort, but you can make a considerable amount of money with this type of monetization.
13. Market your skills
Even after you’ve made some connections with digital nomad bloggers, you’ll still need to market yourself to promote your online presence.
You can promote your freelance writing services a few different ways:
- Offer to guest post on other blogs
- Write on the online publishing platform called Medium to gain even greater exposure
- Join Facebook groups for writers and be an active member
- Create a LinkedIn profile and stay engaged with that platform as well
- Build an email list and market products and services to them
- Comment on related blogs you’d like to write for
- Attend writing conferences to make connections
14. Create some writing goals
To be successful with any new endeavor, you need a few solid goals to give you direction. Written goals will keep you focused on where you want to go.
There are many decisions you’ll need to make as a digital nomad, such as where do you want to travel to? How much money do you need to make to support yourself? What niche do you want to write for?
These are decisions you can build goals around. For example:
- Goal #1: I will travel to 7 countries in Europe this year.
- Goal #2: I will generate an average monthly minimum of $5,000 within 6 months.
- Goal #3: I will become an expert in writing about European tourist sites, and publish 1 piece weekly.
Your goals give structure and purpose to your actions. Take the time to thoughtfully consider what you want to accomplish within the next year (short-term) and over the next 5 years (long-term).
Be sure you write them down, giving yourself specific and measurable milestones that will help track your progress.
15. Take jobs that align with your desired nomadic lifestyle
As a digital nomad writer, you will have many choices for what freelance writing jobs you accept. You will want to align the jobs you take with the niche you want to write for, and the lifestyle you desire to have.
This means you’ll need to decide what you want your daily life to look like, and how your writing sessions will fit into that schedule.
Of course, you’ll need to generate enough income to cover your living expenses. But, do you want to fit a few writing jobs into your life of travel and adventure, or do you want to travel occasionally in between many jobs?
Once you secure a few writing contracts that will bring in consistent income, you can decide how many extra jobs you want to take on. You can choose writing jobs that can easily be completed in a few hours, or jobs that will require extensive research and need more than a week.
As you build your clientele, consider what types of jobs give you the flexibility you need as a digital nomad. Choose those that fit in with your traveling goals and availability, so your income opportunities aren’t preventing you from living the life you want.
16. Have the right gear
The digital nomad life requires a few pieces of equipment that will help you do your best work. These include:
- A late-model lightweight laptop with a fast processor, plenty of storage, and long battery life
- Power bank and charging cords
- Noise-cancelling headphones (for working in noisy cafes!)
- A VPN for security
- Portable WiFi hotspot
- Digital camera with tripod and lenses to catch pictures for your articles
- Smartphone
- Sturdy backpack
- A Kindle (for all that reading you’ll be doing!)
- Travel power adapter
- Extra external hard drives and SD cards
- Tech gear accessories organizer
- Blue light glasses
- A portable desk
17. Stay organized
As a digital nomad freelance writer, you will be your own boss. You’ll need to create an organized system for all the moving parts of your lifestyle.
With multiple clients, writing projects and travel agendas, a central calendar can help you meet all of your commitments on time.
Create an online folder system on your laptop to keep all of your current writing projects. Set up a spreadsheet to track deadlines. Keep a list of potential clients you’ve contacted and those who’ve responded. You can also use a project management tool like Trello or Asana.
There are many tools you can use to stay organized. Find those that work for you and set up a system that helps you stay on track.
18. Stay professional
If you want to be a successful digital nomad freelance writer, you must approach every job with a high level of professionalism.
Take these steps to build a highly regarded reputation:
- Create quality work
- Always meet your deadlines
- Communicate clearly, thoroughly and effectively
- Respond to questions and requests within 24 hours
- Strive to go above and beyond what’s expected of you
- Be responsible, reliable, and respectful
These professional practices will help your reputation rise above most of those around you, and help you achieve a lasting and prosperous business.
Best practices to stand out as a digital nomad writer
Besides building your writing skills and marketing your services, there are a few additional things you can do to stand out as a digital nomad writer.
- Use high-quality, professional images in your articles. You can find thousands of free stock photos on sites like Pixabay and Unsplash.
- Always offer your clients a unique article that isn’t published anywhere else. Reproducing content for other blogs and publications is considered plagiarism.
- Build trust by always being honest and honoring your commitments.
- Maintain professionalism when interacting with current or future clients. A damaged reputation is hard to come back from.
- Always write for the reader. Most people turn to blogs to find solutions to life challenges. Give them what they’re looking for.
- Keep your writing conversational, like you’re talking with a friend over coffee. Unless you’re writing corporate materials like instruction manuals or research papers, you want your tone to be informal, friendly, and helpful.
- Be authentic and genuine. If you are, you’ll have fans for life.
- Stick to writing about what you know. Sure, there will be times when you take an assignment for a topic you know nothing about. But, the more you write about what you know, the faster you’ll be seen as an expert in your niche.
How to find clients to write for
There are plenty of remote freelance writing jobs out there, you just have to know how to find them.
Here are some strategies and places you can utilize to find potential clients and start building a digital nomad business.
Online freelancing platforms
Some of the best ways to find online work is to browse online remote job platforms. However, there are so many that it helps to know which platforms offer the best opportunities.
These are a few legit websites where you could start looking for digital nomad writing jobs:
- Flexjobs
- Virtual Vocations
- Contena
- Jobspresso
- We Work Remotely
- Working Nomads
- Fiverr
- Upwork
- Freelancer
- ProBlogger
- BloggingPro
- People Per Hour
Social Media
Connect with others on social media to network and drum up new business. Look for Facebook groups for digital nomad writers, where you can find invaluable support and guidance, as well as job opportunities.
Content Writing Services
If you’d like to find a steady gig, you can consider content writing services. These services provide articles for bloggers who are seeking outsourced content for their sites.
As a staff writer, you are typically given a writing assignment based on a specific niche, keyword, and word count. Here are a few content writing services you can check out:
Digital Marketing Agencies
A digital marketing agency offers a broad range of online services to help website businesses expand their reach. They hire website and graphic designers, content marketing consultants, marketing strategists, content writers, and other digital specialists to create effective online marketing campaigns for clients.
As a staff member of a digital marketing agency, you would be a part of a larger team that works together toward a common goal. Check out these 11 digital marketing agencies that offer freelance writing jobs.
Cold pitching
This strategy (mentioned previously in this post) is all about reaching out to potential clients to offer your writing services. This is usually done via email, and targeted at editors and bloggers who consistently need fresh content and may be looking for outsourced writers who can provide unique articles in their niche.
Cold pitching your freelance writing services is like taking shots in the dark. But, every now and then you’ll hit the target and end up with a new client. The key is in being consistent with your email campaign and following up multiple times.
Networking
A writer’s life can be a lonely life, if you’re not intentional about creating a solid network of other working writers and past clients.
Make the effort to attend writing seminars and conventions to meet new people. Reach out to past satisfied customers and let them know you’re available to take on new clients. Take classes to improve your writing, and connect with professors and other students.
In other words, don’t stay cooped up in your home office typing out content all day long. Get out and meet other people who can encourage and support you in building a freelance writing business.
If you’re traveling and don’t have local resources, you can join a digital nomad writing community such as Nomad List and Nomadbase. A quick Google search will give you many more options to choose from.
Digital nomad resources to help you be successful
Here are some online resources and tools to help you get your digital nomad writing career off the ground.
- SafetyWing – global health and travel insurance provider, geared for digital nomads
- TrustedHouseSitters – offers house sitting opportunities, which is one of the least expensive options for accommodations as a traveling digital nomad
- Amazon.com – find a wide variety of gear for your digital nomad adventures, as well as reviews and free shipping
- Scott’s Cheap Flights – a website to help you find the best flight deals
- Nord VPN – reliable VPN provider for securing sensitive digital information
- Kindle Unlimited – a great way to always have access to a huge variety of reading material
- Notion – an online workspace that combines all of your apps into one place
- The Digital Nomad Handbook – a great resource guide for aspiring digital nomads
- Jasper AI – an artificial intelligence (AI) content writing tool that helps you write faster and get over writer’s block
11 digital nomad blogs to write for
If you want to find digital nomad writer jobs, the first thing to do is look for sites that outsource their content. Then, you could reach out to the site owner and offer to write a unique piece of relevant content for them.
Here are a few digital nomad blogs and online publications that hire travel writers:
- Nomadic Matt
- Adventure In You
- The Broke Backpacker
- The Blonde Abroad
- I Am Aileen
- Practical Wanderlust
- Lonely Planet
- Travel Magazine
- Go Nomad
- Rova
- Outpost
This is not an exhaustive list by any means, just a few to get you started. There are many travel blogs and online publications that are always looking for writers to submit their traveling stories.
Some sites have dedicated pages for digital nomad writer jobs. Others have a team of writers that they are always adding to.
Write an email to the contact name given on the website, and clearly state your desire to be a contributing writer. Let them know of your writing background, expertise, and travel experiences. Lastly, offer an idea for a post you could write that would benefit their blog.
It’s a good idea to browse these blogs to get a feel for their writing style and the audience they’re targeting. Their travel stories can also be highly inspiring for anyone who wants to become a digital nomad! I found that several of the sites listed above had significant content dedicated to teaching others how to make money while traveling.
Pros and cons of writing for a digital nomad site
You may think that traveling the world while making money from writing articles is the absolute dream job. And, for sure, there are definitely many benefits to this career path.
But, there are also some downsides to this independent lifestyle that you should be aware of before you fully commit.
Here are some pros and cons of writing for a digital nomad site. Weigh the advantages and disadvantages with your own personal goals to decide for yourself if this is a lifestyle worth pursuing.
Pros
There are some great upsides to writing for a digital nomad blog, whether it’s your own or someone else’s. Here are just a few benefits to this unique and exciting career:
- You have the freedom to work when you want.
- You create an income that is based on your passion for traveling.
- You get to write about exciting and adventurous travel experiences.
- Over time, your hourly rate will increase and you can earn a lot of money.
- Your ‘office’ is wherever you want it to be and can change daily.
- You get to learn about other cultures and then teach others.
- Your experiences can turn into other profitable opportunities, such as writing ebooks and sponsored posts.
Cons
Here are a few downsides of starting a digital nomad writing business:
- Takes time to build up a clientele and consistent jobs.
- Steady income could take up to a year to achieve.
- You often work independently, and this can result in some loneliness and disconnection.
- You may not always find the topics interesting.
- Payments can sometimes be slow.
- Writing consistently every day to meet deadlines can be draining on the mind.
- Traveling internationally has some risks and can often present complications.
Other jobs for digital nomads
As a digital nomad, you don’t need to stick to writing content. There are many other digital nomad careers that can generate an income while traveling. These are remote jobs that can be completed anywhere, as long as you have access to a laptop computer and a decent internet connection.
Here are some other jobs for digital nomads that you might consider exploring:
- Virtual assistant – A remote worker who performs administrative duties for online businesses. This could be social media management, creating pins for Pinterest, email campaign management, etc.
- Teaching English online – Someone who teaches those from other countries (typically children) how to speak English through an online platform. This digital nomad career is in high demand, and you will find several online teaching companies that you could work for. You must be fluent in English and hold a bachelor’s degree in any subject.
- Web or graphic designer – A person who designs and builds websites or graphics for other businesses. This is a remote job that is not location-dependent, as everything is performed on a computer. You must have extensive education or professional experience in order to be successful.
- Customer service – A remote customer service agent communicates with customers via telephone, video, or online chat. They address concerns and questions related to the company’s products and services. A quick Google search for “remote customer service jobs” will give you many options to choose from.
- Data entry – A data entry operator is a person who is responsible for accurately entering data into a company’s databases. To learn more, you can read my post about online data entry jobs.
FAQs
How do I become a remote writer with no experience?
Even if you have no experience as a remote freelance writer, there are steps you can take to help you land your first paid articles.
– Create a portfolio of writing samples to show potential clients
– Find a writing agency that can match you with jobs that align with your expertise
– Network with other freelance writers to build connections and get your name out there
– Learn search engine optimization (SEO) to become more marketable
– Write about a very focused niche that has little competition
What is a digital nomad salary?
A 2018 survey by FlexJobs showed 18% of digital nomads report that they generate 6 figures a year, while 22% make from $50,000 to $99,999 annually.
How much money do I need to make as a digital nomad?
Your income requirements as a digital nomad will depend on the lifestyle you’re trying to achieve. If you want to travel frequently, you’ll need to make more money to support your travel expenses. If you prefer to live in one location for longer periods of time, then your income can be lower. Of course, there are countries where the cost of living is significantly lower than others. You’ll need to do your research and be well aware of living and business expenses before you commit to traveling to a certain location.
Is it legal to be a digital nomad?
Being a digital nomad is a relatively new career category. For this unique work culture, the labor and immigration laws are not well-defined. This is because most of these laws were written before the emergence of the internet, and they haven’t been adjusted for the recent onset of remote jobs. As of now, there is nothing illegal about being a digital nomad worker.
How do I know the digital nomad lifestyle is right for me?
The digital nomad lifestyle is not appealing to, or even possible for everyone. If you have a spouse and children, you may want to maintain a high degree of stability and security with a regular job. However, there are many families who make it work for them. If you’re single, of course, you have much more freedom to choose how you want to live. Whatever your circumstances are, it’s critical that you truly enjoy traveling and being okay with not having a permanent home.
What are the advantages of writing for a digital nomad blog?
There are many benefits to writing for a digital nomad blog or online publication. Even if you choose to travel in your own country, you can benefit from creating content for travel sites in several ways.
– You can earn extra income doing something you love.
– You can strengthen your writing skills.
– You’ll build a strong writing portfolio.
– You get to share your experiences with others who have the same interests.
– It’s a great way to document your travels.
– You can connect with other travel writers.
– You have the freedom to work when you want, where you want.
– You gain exposure in the online writing community.
Do digital nomads pay U.S. taxes?
As a U.S. citizen, you are required to file a U.S. tax return every year, no matter where you are currently residing. As long as you make over the minimum filing requirement, you will be held accountable to report your income to the IRS. This is because the United States uses a citizen-based tax system, which depends on your citizenship status, not your residence.
Conclusion
Do you want to write for a digital nomad blog? There are specific steps you’ll need to take, such as defining your niche, building your writing chops, marketing your work, and connecting with other digital nomads.
Having your own website, being savvy with social media, and learning SEO will help you achieve your goals faster.
I would suggest you start your journey by reading other digital nomad blogs. There you will learn from others who are already established digital nomads, and gain invaluable guidance.
Then, reach out to websites to offer your writing services. Start with the list that’s in this post, then branch out from there. Begin networking and making connections and getting your name familiar with the digital nomad world.
With persistence, professionalism, and a quality portfolio, you can start sharing your travel experiences with others while building a significant income.
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I hope you’ve enjoyed reading