Choosing a niche is one of the most important things you’ll do in your freelance career…and it’s something you’ll probably do more than once.

I write in healthcare tech, but just a couple of weeks ago, I got approached by a company who wanted me to do some writing in the supplement space. It’s easy and pays $200 per 500 word post. It hit me that this might be a sign that I could branch out a little bit (so I’m testing things on Upwork.)

I’ll probably give it 3-6 months to see how things works out. That’s how long I’ve noticed it takes me to get a feel for a niche.

A lot of freelancers freeze when they want to pick a niche (even though it’s a great way to earn more and make your freelance life easier) and I think that’s because they feel like they have to get the niche right the first time. Let me tell you, you don’t. I started with healthcare startups and seldom do work there anymore.

The point isn’t to pick the right one the first time. It’s to try one and refine or move on until you find your best niche.

The easiest way I’ve found is to try something, then give yourself a set time period (about 6 months has worked for me) after that, if you’re seeing success, go deeper. If not, move on. (In that time you’ve probably gotten some hints to guide your next move anyway.)

If you need some help getting started picking the niche that will launch your freelance career, start here, and as always, if you’ve got questions, just let me know. Thanks!

Megan