12 Sessions at the 2026 ASJA Conference to Help You Level Up Your Content Writing Career
Are you ready to take your content marketing writing business to the next level?
The content marketing writing track for ASJA’s 2026 virtual conference April 20-24 is filled with sessions to help you do just that.
Crafted with the conference’s theme, “Freelancers’ Blueprint: Navigating a Shifting Landscape,” in mind, these sessions touch on such subjects as updating your website to compete with AI, breaking into new markets, subcontracting with other freelancers, and much more.
Registration for the conference is open for ASJA members, with a members-only extra early bird rate of $199 through Dec. 15. Registration opens for nonmembers on Dec. 16. The conference begins each day at 11 a.m. Eastern time with keynote speakers. Sessions on journalism, nonfiction books, and content writing run from 12:30 to 5:05 p.m. ET, and each day wraps up with a special event. Get information about rates, Client Connections 2026, and other details and sign up here.
2026 ASJA Conference Content Marketing Sessions
Here’s a preview of the content marketing track at the conference:
Revamp Your Freelance Website: Stand Out as a Human Writer in the Age of AI
In a world of AI-generated content, clients still need the insights, nuance, and creativity that only human writers can provide. Your freelance website should showcase your portfolio, highlight your human voice and expertise, and engage visitors in a way AI can’t replicate. This session moderated by ASJA member Deborah Lynn Blumberg uses live examples, actionable takeaways. and a Q&A segment to guide freelance writers in freshening up and streamlining their websites to make them more engaging, efficient, and persuasive, while clearly communicating what sets human writers apart.
Content Marketing Writing for Non-Corporate Entities
Many content marketing writers produce articles, blogs, case studies, newsletters and other content for brands and corporations. They can apply the same skills to create similar content and more for non-corporate entities such as schools (beyond alumni publications!), nonprofits, think tanks, and more. This session covers how to find clients in this niche, what those clients are looking for in writers, tips on how to keep clients coming back to you again and again, and more. Panelists speaking at the session include ASJA member KJ Bannan, whose clients include nonprofits, academia, government agencies, and others.
Additional content marketing sessions will cover how to break into trade and association magazines; ghostwriting articles and thought leadership pieces; and corporate content and brand storytelling.
What You Need to Know About Being a Subcontractor or Hiring Subcontractors
Subcontracting can benefit writers at any stage of their careers. For established freelancers, it’s a great way to scale beyond what you have capacity to do as a sole proprietor. For emerging writers or those who need more consistent work, subcontracting offers experience and income. This session will cover subcontracting from both perspectives: subcontracting your work out to other writers and being a stellar subcontractor. ASJA members Christina Hernandez Sherwood and Rachel C. Murphy will share how they subcontract with one another, and ASJA member Alex Frost will weigh in with her own subcontracting experiences.
Other Content Marketing Sessions
Other content marketing writing sessions at the conference include:
SERP, SEO, and GEO. AI and Google have changed how content marketers reach their audiences. Find out what you need to know to stay ahead of the curve.
Lead Generation. Many writers believe that letters of introduction (LOIs) no longer work. If that’s the case, what are the best strategies for content writers to find new clients or assignments? This session explains the options.
Ways to Diversify in the Age of AI. AI is affecting the work of freelancers across various niches. This session imparts new strategies to expand your client network and bring in new work.
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For more than 20 years, Karon Warren has covered numerous topics including travel, personal finance, lifestyle, insurance, and more for USA Today, USA Today’s 10 Best, CruiseCritic.com, Kiplinger, and U.S. News & World Report, among other outlets. Warren’s first book, “100 Things to Do in the North Georgia Mountains Before You Die,” was published in September 2022 by Reedy Press. She’s been an ASJA member since 2010. In 2021, the organization awarded the ASJA Exceptional Service Award to Warren and six other members for their work fighting anti-freelance legislation.