Content writing: a guide for pros
What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.
Offering content writing
Content clients want articles and pages that answer real reader questions in plain words. Show that you research before you write, and that you can explain how a piece will be organized and checked.
What customers ask
- How long does each article take, and how many can you do in a month?
- Do you research the topic yourself, or do you use sources I supply?
- Can you write to a length and match the tone of my existing site?
- Will you add headings, links and meta descriptions?
- How do you handle changes after I read the draft?
- Can you update older articles I already have?
How to win the job
- On the first call, ask who the reader is and what they should do after reading, then say it back so the client knows you heard them.
- Send a sample outline on a topic close to the client's own, so they see the structure before any drafting starts.
- Show one or two published pieces, with a note on the reader question each one answered.
- Put the number of pieces, the length, the research step and the revision rounds into the quote, so the comparison with other writers is fair.
- Ask the client to name two competitor pages they like, and note what makes them useful, so you match the depth without copying the text.
- Check the client's existing pages before you quote and list the three questions they answer least well.
What to put on your profile
- Samples of articles or guides, with the subject and the reader each one was written for.
- Subjects you write about, and the subjects you turn down because you lack the knowledge.
- Your process in three steps: research, outline and draft, with the review steps named.
- A short note on how you check facts and cite sources.
Follow-up that helps the customer
- Offer to refresh articles once a year when facts or practices change, and name the ones most likely to need it.
- Suggest turning a long guide into shorter pieces for social posts or an email, if the client wants that.
- Offer a list of the next three topics that match the questions the client's customers asked most recently.
Licenses and permits
Content writing is not commonly licensed, so you usually do not need a license to offer it. Check with your state or local licensing agency for any general business registration that applies to you, and keep signed agreements that set out ownership and revision terms.
Questions
What proof of skill should I show clients?
Published samples on topics close to theirs are the strongest proof. Add a short note on the reader question each piece answered, since that shows how you think as well as how you write.
Should I include sources in articles?
Yes, when a piece states facts or figures. Name the source in the text or in a link, and keep a list of the sources you used so the client can check them.
How do I handle changes requested after the deadline?
Put the revision rounds and their deadlines in the written agreement. Changes after that point can be quoted separately.
Pro reviewers
Pros who offer content writing remotely can improve this guide, like Wikipedia. We check every edit before it goes live. Every approved edit is credited in the edit history and on the pro's profile.
Edit history
- Oct 29, 2026: Drafted by infinibell to our content guidelines.
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