Finding a Niche and $1000 Blog Posts
Q&A with eCommerce writer Kaleigh Moore
A quick look at Kaleigh Moore’s website, and even I want to hire her. I don’t hire writers! I am one! But Kaleigh is so clear and confident about what she offers and what she can achieve for those she works for. (75+ articles that reached #1 on Google! Increasing organic traffic by 1800%! That’s impressive stuff.) It’s easy to see how potential clients are convinced to partner with Kaleigh, who specializes in copywriting for eCommerce and SaaS companies. Her rates for blog posts start at $1,000.
I love to see a writer who knows their worth and charges accordingly. And Kaleigh has compiled much of the knowledge that got her to that point in a variety of resources for freelance writers, including a free ebook, Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Freelance Writing, an Editor/Content Manager Template Bundle, and a digital book + exercises to help improve your writing. She also co-hosts a podcast on building a successful freelance writing career.
I was excited to ask Kaleigh about this specialized niche she’s landed on and how she got to that point.
So, writers, meet Kaleigh!
Kaleigh Moore on Specializing and Charging More
The sooner you niche down, the sooner people start to remember who you are and what you do.
B: Can you start by telling us what type of work makes up your current life as a freelance writer?
K: I spend 75% of my time writing and researching long-form blog content for eCommerce platforms and the software that integrates with them. The other 25% of my time is spent doing consulting work (helping companies find, hire, and onboard freelance writers and create documented content guidelines) as well as building educational resources (coming soon!) and writing my newsletters.
For those who aren't familiar with eCommerce writing, can you explain what that is exactly? What type of topics and what style of writing does that entail?
eCommerce writing is often focused on the emerging trends, tactics, and news within the world of online commerce. I find myself writing about interesting approaches to marketing brands are using, talking to founders positioning their brands in unique ways, and building educational how-to content for people who sell things online.
On average, how many hours do you work each week, and how much of that is actually writing??
I'd say 35-40 hours a week on average. 85% of that time is spent writing, the other portion is on the phone with clients, handing administrative tasks, or chatting on Twitter. :)
How has your spread of work/clients evolved over the years and what has been the best thing you've changed along the way?
It's become much more niche: I'm very specialized to the eCommerce world at this point. In the early days I said yes to every project that came my way, but now I say no all the time (and refer better-fit writers instead.) The best change has been delegating some of my workload (editing, research, outlining, plus accounting and taxes) so I have more time to focus on the actual execution and business development work.
Your rates start at $1,000 for a blog post. (Which is a perfectly reasonable rate but one that might shock some writers who are churning out posts for $100 a pop.) How did you build up the confidence and experience to start charging those rates?
It took me a long time to get there. I've been freelancing full-time for almost eight years now, so it's been a lot of building my subject matter expertise, refining my value proposition, and being fortunate to work in the tech industry--a market where companies have that type of budget to spend. I also have a lot of encouragement from fellow writers who are open about sharing what they charge, and they constantly push me to ask for more (which I do!).
Do you feel like you have a healthy work/life balance? How so or how are you working on that?
Honest answer: sometimes. I really like working, so I have a bad habit of taking on too much and getting very wrapped up in things. However, I do make time to exercise every day, and having a dog at home with me helps remind me to get outside :) Also trying hard to be better at the delegating thing!
What do you find to be the most challenging type of project you take on and what do you find the easiest?
The most challenging projects I do are heavy on the research. These projects require lots of digging, double-checking, and collecting sources. Super time-consuming, but very rewarding. The easiest: Short-form blogs that don't get too deep (usually about 1000 words).
How did you go about finding your very first clients?
Twitter, asking around with my existing network, and job boards. I did a LOT of very random projects for all kinds of industries, but it helped me figure out what I liked vs. what I didn't.
What advice would you offer yourself five years ago?
Specialize! The sooner you niche down, the sooner people start to remember who you are and what you do. It's just easier to remember when you're all in on one very specific thing.
How about one year ago?
Everything's going to be okay! I was super nervous when COVID hit that brands would pull their content budgets, but it was actually the opposite--everyone seemed to go all in on it.
What excites you most about your work?
I love writing, editing, and creating pieces that teach people something new. I love speaking with experts and leveraging their insights to take a good piece and make it great.
Can you tell us how you first wrote for Vogue? Was that through cold pitching?
Twitter! I followed one of the editors there for a while, and after we got to know each other, I reached out via DM and asked if they were open to pitches. They were, and I got a green light over email.
What is something you're extra proud of and why?
I'm really proud of my retail reporting work across Forbes, Vogue Business, and Protocol. I feel like I have a knack for recognizing emerging trends, and I love writing about those from a journalistic angle.
That’s all for today friends. If you’re a paid subscriber, I’ll be back in your inbox on Tuesday, as always, with lots of writing opportunities.
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Stay inspired,
Britany