Freelance Writing Shifts Working for My Biz in 2025

It’s been a while, freelance friend!

2025 started off with a lot of harsher-than-usual winter weather here in Central Virginia (not to mention a week-long water crisis). I cut out non-essentials from my schedule and am now feeling warm and inspired with a beautiful summer in full swing.

I know a lot of freelancer are struggling this year. Things like budget cuts, algorithm shifts, and AI-written content are all impacting client work.

As I think about where I see my own business going in the next 5+ years, I’ve started to adapt based on my predictions and requests I’m seeing come in from clients and prospects.

Want a sneak peek? Here are three of my mid-2025 takeaways - I hope they’re helpful in your own business.

🤝 Content Strategy is Complementing Content Writing

For the majority of my 13 years as a freelance writer, most of my clients have had clear content strategies delivered alongside briefs and target keywords. But the majority of my new clients over the last year have less direction (or time) and want their freelance hire to contribute to strategy as well.

Most of the proposals I’ve put together this year lay out multiple packages and services to choose from, for clients who are unsure of their exact needs. I typically include bundled services as well as a la carte options.

Takeaway: Show initiative with ideas for clients and prospects. And remember to give yourself credit for the content strategy skills you already have: pitching ideas, understanding audience interests, etc.

🫣 Don’t Be Shy: SO Much Follow-Up is Necessary to Seal a Deal

Even with lots of warm leads and inbound inquiries this year, I’ve been surprised at how much follow-up (and ghosting) I’ve experienced. But I keep following up to the point (and beyond) that I feel annoying and it has actually paid off.

One new retainer client, for instance, just wrapped up a website relaunch. By the time I followed up a third or fourth time, he was ready to hire me for content strategy and writing.

Takeway: If you’ve had an interaction with a lead, don't take silence for an answer. Set calendar reminders to keep pinging them - you just might get a bite.

🙌 Clients Outside My Normal Comfort Zone are Expanding My Skills

In the past, I would often talk myself out of new opportunities that weren’t exactly in my current wheelhouse. But I’ve gained enough confidence in the last few years to realize that there’s a lot of overlap in marketing - and I’m perfectly capable of quickly building new skills.

This year, for example, I’ve been working as a community moderator in a female investment membership. And more recently, I’ve taken on a “part-time” W2 contract position with a large agency. I was hesitant about this one at first because it was hourly and had a whiff of “real job” about it. But the client is a big one and the agency agreed to my rate - so I decided to give it a try.

And it really isn’t much different from my regular freelance clients! There are more meetings, but I get paid hourly so I don’t have to worry about baking that time into fixed project costs. The people are lovely and passionate and I’m learning a lot. It’s been a pleasant surprise and I’m glad I took the chance!

Takeaway: Don’t immediately say no to a prospect that doesn’t fit your usual way of working. All of our industry changes require some flexibility and it’s never too late to make some shifts in your offerings.

How Are You?

How is your business treating you this year? Any struggles or wins? I’d love to hear from you - hit reply and let me know what’s going on and if you have any questions or topics you want to hear about in future newsletters.

All my best,

Lauren