I recorded an audioboo about FiversWorld. Take a listen:

Check out FiversWorld here!

Check out my gigs on FiversWorld

FiversWorld | Buying and Selling Online is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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Guest post by Missy Nolan

oDesk is notorious for low-paying freelance writing jobs.  If you are an oDesk user, you’ve probably waded through hundreds, maybe even thousands, of writing gigs that demand high-quality, well-researched 500 word articles for $1 or $2.  Most of us can’t survive on rates that low.  In fact, $2 won’t even get you a loaf of bread or a carton of eggs in some cities.

Don’t give up on oDesk just yet, though.  There are plenty of gems hiding between all the ridiculously picky clients and insultingly low wages.  Finding them just requires a bit of time and patience.  Talent and self-confidence help, too.

CREATE AN AWESOME PROFILE

Yes, oDesk is just a bidding site, and you are not guaranteed employment or job offers.  However, that doesn’t mean you should treat it that way.  Treat your oDesk profile the same way you treat your cover letter and resume when you apply for traditional jobs.

What does that mean?  It means make it good.  Now is not the time to be modest.  Brag about your achievements in the writing world.  Mention any degrees or certificates that you hold, even if they aren’t writing related.  Include some killer samples or links to your best work.  Oh, and a photo never hurts – just keep it professional.  Save the pics that flaunt your bikini body or beer chugging skills for Facebook.

Set your hourly wage at the amount you think you deserve.  Hint: This should be at least $15, preferably higher.  Some clients favor contractors with super low hourly rates, but those aren’t the employers you want to work for.  Keep your standards high.  You’ll look a bit silly bidding on gigs that pay .15 per word if your hourly rate is set at $7.50.

Image via CrunchBase

IMPRESS EMPLOYERS WITH YOUR COVER LETTER

A well-written cover letter is interesting, relevant, and factual.  Avoid vague statements like, “I am looking for a project that allows me to utilize my knowledge of blah blah blah”.  Yawn.  Employers don’t want to hear what type of gig you want; they want to know that you want their project and are a good match for it.

Read each job listing carefully and look for things that seem important.  Some oDesk employers have very specific degree requirements or expect a certain style of writing – and make it clear that there will be no exceptions.  Make sure you meet these requirements before you apply.

Other employers aren’t really sure what they want.  This is great news for you.  Job listings that say things like, “I’m new to this and not really sure what to charge…” give you a chance to  set your own price and explain why you deserve it.  Also, don’t be afraid to click on jobs with a budget that is slightly smaller than what you’d like.  Some employers are flexible on the amount, especially after they realize what paying half a penny a word will usually get them (and they can tell by the terrible samples and cover letters they receive).

SET YOUR FILTERS

This may seem like an obvious step, but it is one that many oDesk contractors overlook.  When you search for writing jobs, there is an option on the right that says “Fixed-Price Budget”.  Set it to at least $50, higher if you wish.  Avoid setting it too high, because that will send you to a bunch of large projects that sound good at first – until you realize you’re getting $1000 to write 500 articles by next week.

You can also choose between fixed-price and hourly gigs.  It’s much easier to find high-paying writing jobs if you search for fixed-price and hourly gigs separately.  Start with the fixed-price  gigs, then make your way to the hourly listings.  And speaking of hourly payment…

DON’T IGNORE HOURLY GIGS

Some contractors see an hourly gig and immediately skip to the next listing.  Not all hourly gigs are a waste of time.  In fact, I’ve had several hourly gigs where the employer changed my rate to a flat price per article at my request.  Remember, not every oDesk employer knows  how quickly some writers can write or how much to offer per article.  That’s why they go with the hourly rate.

READ AN EMPLOYER’S FEEDBACK

Sometimes an oDesk gig seems too good to be true, especially if you’re used to writing for peanuts.  While there are many legitimate high-paying writing opportunities, some of them are scams.  Before you bid on a project, read an employer’s feedback – all of it.  Don’t just look at the overall score; read the individual comments.  If a lot of contractors failed to leave feedback, that’s not good.  Sometimes contractors fear the “revenge rating” they’ll receive if they leave bad feedback, so rather than risk ruining their own score, they leave a terrible employer’s feedback field blank.

NEGOTIATE

Some employers are not flexible, and after spending a bit of time on oDesk, you’ll be able to spot them immediately.  Employers with a long list of paragraphs describing what they want from their 300 word article are generally a nightmare to work for.  So are employers who are very, very specific about the type of writer that they want – you’ve probably seen a few oddly detailed requests, like, “Please only apply if you are an Asian woman between the ages of 18-30 with 4 years of college, several children, at least 3 tattoos, and more than 5 years of writing experience”.  Good luck finding someone for that project, buddy.

Anyway, just because a project has an estimated budget of $50 doesn’t mean you have to stick to that budget – unless the employer has made it very clear that he will pick the cheapest bidder and not go over the budget.  Bid what you think you’re worth, and explain why you deserve that price in your cover letter.  The worst that can happen is that you don’t get awarded the project, and guess what?  There are hundreds more added each day.  Go get them!

Missy Nolan has spent the last 8 years sneaking away from her kids during Yo Gabba Gabba! and Dora marathons to write product descriptions, marketing copy, and other web content.  When she’s not writing, she likes to bake, read, walk, and watch trashy reality shows.  You can follow her adventures as a writer on her website, How Much Does a Freelance Writer Make?

How Can I Get High-Paying Writing Jobs on oDesk? is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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If you are a fiction writer, online writer, or magazine writer, you need to be able to promote yourself.  Unless of course you’re big enough to have an agent that does all of that for you.  But the majority of us are web writers and the only people we can depend on to promote us are ourselves!  It is a vital element to any web writer that wants to be successful.

Thanks to the Internet, there are many ways that we can promote ourselves.  You can get your name out there and share samples of your work at the same time.  Choose a good mixture of promotional techniques to get the best results and reach the widest audience possible.  Many of them are no cost options so take advantage of them.

Social Media

Obviously, I put a lot of emphasis on social media.  Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Google+ and bookmarking sites like StumbleUpon can help you reach a wide audience.  I know some of you like to keep your Facebook profile private.  That’s fine.  You can still create a Facebook Page.  You can share articles you’ve written, blogs you’re writing for, ideas, thoughts, and so much more.

Interaction is always going to be important when it comes to social media promotion.  You can’t just get out there and talk about yourself.  You need to be ready to help people, share information, and develop relationships.  Without the interaction you’re just a big ol’ spammer. J

Here’s a tip for Facebook Page owners. 

You can comment on other pages as YOUR PAGE instead of your profile!  Just go to your page and look to the right.  You’ll see a link that says, “Use Facebook as (your page name)” – click that.  Then find pages that you like and “LIKE” them.  Then participate in the conversation as YOUR PAGE.  You’ll get more likes to your page, which means more exposure!

Your Website

I’ve talked about this before.  You need to have a website that is complete and professional.  Treat it like the reception area of your office.  It should be clean and tidy.  Clients should have access to someone to contact (via your contact form or another means).  You should have basic info that they will be looking for and then you can direct them to your blog, which gives you the opportunity to kind of sit down and have a chat with them.

Blogging

If you don’t have a blog, why not?  If you have a blog that is sitting there growing weeds, why?  A blog is not rocket science.  You’re writing articles for clients every day so why would you not take some time to write for yourself?  Think of it this way, your blog is your office.  It is where you can provide people with information, you can sell your services, and you can demonstrate your knowledge.  Why wouldn’t you take a couple hours a week to develop your business?

And while you’re blogging great stuff, don’t forget to share it on your social networks!

Reviews & Testimonials

When people use the Internet to find a service or a product, they often start by looking for reviews first.  They don’t want to just know what you have to say about you; they want to know what others say about you.  They want to know what you are good at and they want to know what actual clients have to say!  You can start by getting clients to give you a testimonial that you can place on your site or blog.  If you have a Facebook page you can ask clients to come and like the page and leave a comment about your services.  If you have a site or blog there are review sites that special in reviewing.

Forums and Groups

What better way to demonstrate your knowledge and promote yourself than by helping people?  And forums and groups are great for that.  They can especially be helpful if you have a specialty.  Your specialty likely has a Yahoo group, a forum, or a Facebook group connected to it.  Join it and participate.  Look for the chance to answer people’s questions.

And don’t forget that many forums let you attach a bio or a signature.  Make use of this!  If you use a signature, make sure it is something catchy and appealing.  If it is a bio fill it out completely.  If you’re on Google+ (and you should be – it is growing!) make sure your Google profile is completely filled out.  It’s a sales page and people will read it so don’t miss out on this chance to promote yourself!

Article Marketing

Do you think that since Panda came along article marketing is out the window?  It’s not.  There are still sites that are doing well and article marketing gives you a chance to share your knowledge and get valuable links back to your site or blog.  Write great stuff and always make sure that your profile is filled out completely.  People can’t find you if you don’t tell them where you are.

Guest Posting

You can’t get everyone on the Internet to your blog.  But you can go to where other people are.  Guest posting has the advantage of allowing you to reach a targeted audience that is just sitting there and waiting for you to show up.  Well, not necessarily you.  But someone.  And if it isn’t you it will be someone else.

Follow some great blogs and study them.  If you have a specialty, you’ll want to look for blogs in those niches, obviously.  But if you’re not sure yet, follow blogs in a niche that you’re interested in and can write about.  Observe how their blog posts are structured and the tone of the writing.  Then write something great for them and contact the blog owner and offer your guest post.

This Isn’t a Waste of Time

I hear writers say all the time that they don’t want to waste time on social media or don’t have time for guest posting.  All these things are not a waste of time.

They are good business!

Every business needs to promote.  I don’t care if you have an online business or a bricks and mortar business.  You can’t just rely on drive by traffic to keep your business profitable.  You need to promote.

Think about it – if you’re not promoting yourself and using some of these techniques, you are wasting your time being in business for yourself.  You’d be better off to go and get a retail job IMO.

Are You Using These 7 Important Tools to Promote Yourself as a Writer? is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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One of the most difficult aspects of being a freelance writer is staying motivated. You can lose your motivation because you’ve worked so much you’re burned out, because you feel isolated, or even because you can’t imagine anyone being interested in what you have to say on a blog. When you lose your motivation, freelancing writing becomes a chore rather than a career that you love.

Join a Group

A great way to stay motivated is to join a group of other like-minded writers. Some writers are interested in eventually having enough passive income to live off of while others are content working for content mills or private clients. Whether you want to have passive income from your own sites or prefer working for others, make friends with some of these writers. You can often find groups on social networking sites like Facebook.

When you are so burned out from overworking that you can’t even think, a group of writer friends can be a lifesaver. Not only will they understand what you’re going through, but they can help you come up with strategies to overcome burnout. You may be surprised at what other writers do to help with burnout and you will find that those strategies will often not only work for you as well, but will renew your energy enough that can you finish your work and even do more of it.

Image by OkayCityNate via Flickr

Avoid Isolation

Isolation is a big motivation killer and every freelance writer will eventually face it. Whether you work from home to take care of your children or just to avoid the office, isolation and loneliness can creep in when you least suspect it. While freelancing gives you the ability to be home and avoid bosses or gossip, it also keeps you from being able to visit with coworkers around the water cooler. There’s no one to talk to about difficult assignments or clients. Unless your family members are also writers, they just won’t get it. When you join a group of writers on a social site you find friends that understand. The group becomes the office water cooler and you can relax while talking about your workday.

If you are not confident in your abilities as a writer or that people will actually read what you have to say if you start your own site, your friends in a writer’s group can help you find the confidence you need. You can ask their opinions about pieces you’ve written. You can bounce your ideas off of them and have a big brainstorming session. You’ll come away with more ideas than you ever thought possible. Knowing that your friends and fellow writers think you have valuable ideas can be the best boost to your motivation that you need to keep going and achieve more than you thought you could.

Do You Need Motivation as a Freelance Writer? is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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If you are looking to get into the world of freelance writing, I highly suggest you take a look at Ghostwriting Cash by Tiffany Dow. This is the most helpful, thorough course on the topic that I have seen on the Internet. Tiffany was once a ghostwriter herself, writing articles and reports for some of the biggest names online. Because she has been there, she tells it like it is and provides her customers with the best methods for setting up a profitable writing business.

What You’ll Learn

The Ghostwriting Cash course features an ebook that will help you set up a successful freelancing business. You will learn how to set up a website in order to gain orders from new clients. You also learn how to go out and network with those that may be interested in your services. When appropriate, Tiffany also includes videos so that you can see exactly what you need to do. Having a look over the teacher’s shoulder is always nice!

Benefits

To me, there are many benefits to following Ghostwriting Cash when making the decision to offer writing services on the web. It helps you shorten the learning curve needed to set up a website and market your services. There is no guess work as to where you should seek clients and orders. Tiffany gives you several methods for finding those that need content created. All you have to do is present them with your offer.

Tiffany also stresses the importance of eventually becoming your own client. I think this is something that most other freelance writing courses lack. They just teach you how to offer services, and don’t really cover anything beyond that. However, Tiffany has always viewed services as the “foot in the door.”

When You Have Steady Work

Once you have steady work coming in, you can begin to raise your rates. This allows you to earn more money, but with fewer clients or orders. This, in turn, gives you time to become your own client. Working for yourself should be your ultimate goal, as you will then be free from other people’s deadlines and can create passive income streams that pay you again and again.

When writing a product review, it is best to present the pros and cons of the product. However, as far as Ghostwriting Cash is concerned, there are no negatives! This is, of course, my opinion, but I think it’s a thorough course for beginners as well as experienced writers looking for more clients. I honestly cannot find anything wrong with it! I have followed Tiffany for about 3 years now, and she is as ethical as they come. She doesn’t attempt to sell you on the idea of making $10K overnight or buying that shiny Ferrari. She is the real deal, and also provides excellent customer support.

Ghostwriting Cash – The Perfect Solution for Those Beginning or Struggling with Freelance Writing is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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This is the third part of a three part series.  If you haven’t read them yet part talked about marketing as a freelance writer and part two talks about getting personal, pricing, and contracts.  You should check those out before you read this.

Here are some more mistakes you might be making.

Mistake #6: You wait too long to discuss payment.

You get a phone call or email asking if you have time to do a large blogging project. Woo hoo! You respond immediately to get more details. An hour later, an email comes back and the topics are right up your alley.

They want to see samples similar to the type of work you’d be doing. You spend time gathering and fine tuning some previous articles you’ve written. They love them. You have a phone interview, and you grow increasingly excited when the person tells you that this will be a long-term gig. Finally, toward the end of your conversation, you ask what they’re budget is.

“Well, we can pay around $2 for 300 words.”

Oops.

By now, you’ve wasted at least a couple of hours of your time. How many cold calls could you have made during that time? How many emails could have mailed off? How much paying work could you have gotten done?

Ask for a company’s budget as soon as you know a few of the project details. If it’s well under what you’d normally charge, politely decline before either of you has wasted too much time.

Image by Beni Ishaque Luthor via Flickr

Mistake #7: You don’t know your floor.

One of the biggest issues writers face is deciding when to walk away from an offer. Before you can determine whether a job is really worth your time, you have to know what your rock bottom hourly rate is.

Consider this scenario. You are offered a gig paying $100 for one article. Doesn’t sound too bad, right? You jump on it. Yes! As you delve into the work, though, you realize that it’s going to take you quite awhile to finish. You have to do an interview and several hours of reading. By the time you’re done, you’ve spent 10 hours interviewing, brainstorming, researching, and writing. That equals out to $10 an hour. Not such a good deal after all, eh?

Avoid this type of situation by figuring out the least amount you’d be willing to accept per hour, and then multiplying that by the amount of time you think a project will take. Now you have the least you’d be willing to take for the project. Quote higher to leave a little room for negotiation.

Mistake #8: You don’t follow through with warm leads.

When you start any new marketing campaign, there are usually four potential answers a prospect will give you. Some will say “no.” Some will have a project they want to start soon and will ask for samples. Some will never get back to you one way or another. And some will offer to “keep your information on file” for when a new project arises.

That last group needs to be nurtured. Connect with them on Twitter or LinkedIn. Send them an article that you think they might find interesting. Send them a quick email announcing your new site or blog launch. Do something to stay within their line of vision. If you do, you’ll be the one who comes to mind when they have a new writing project.

What’s the biggest mistake you can make as a freelance writer? Giving up! Remember: nothing good happens overnight, and this is no different. Just keep putting yourself out there, demanding fair pay, and fine tuning your craft.

Have you made any of these marketing mistakes? What do you think is the biggest mistake a writer can make when marketing her business?

Are These 8 Marketing Mistakes Hurting Your Freelance Writing Career? – Part 3 is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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This is part two of a three part series.  In part one we talked about marketing yourself as a freelance writer and targeting your marketing efforts.

Here are some more mistakes you might be making:

Mistake #3: You’re not getting personal enough.

Copying a pasting the same generic message and sending it to hundreds of companies may be less time consuming than writing personalized messages, but it might come back to bite youlater.

Think about it. When you get an email (or phone call) from someone you don’t know, you probably delete (or ignore) it if it doesn’t immediate grab your attention. Sending a “to whom it may concern” message is not going to win you any brownie points, and it will probably get your message deleted before anyone even has time to read it.

The solution? Do a little digging to find out who is responsible for hiring writers within each company, and then send messages targeted to each person. Read each company website, and become familiar with what they do and how they go about doing it. Position yourself as the perfect writer for their particular needs or industry.

If you can’t find the person in charge of hiring freelancers, send a brief note to customer service or human resources and ask who you should speak with. Often times, they’ll either send you an email address or forward your message to the right people. If you’re cold calling, ask them who would be charge in hiring freelance talent.

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Mistake #4: You are pricing your services too low.

You might be tempted to charge rock bottom prices just to make sure you get the gig. Don’t. At least, not unless you want to be earning rock bottom prices months from now.

While it is possible that a low-baller will walk away if you quote professional rates right off the bat, ask yourself: is that really the type of client you want? Plus, once you are locked in at a low rate, it’s very hard to increase your prices later on.

Another pitfall of charging too little is that the good clients, the ones who know the value of quality content, might not take you as seriously. You could be the best writer in the world, but if you’re charging $5 for an article, clients will assume will you don’t have the experience or talent they’re looking for. Know your worth, and don’t be afraid to ask for what you deserve. Don’t price yourself as a bottom basement writer, unless you want to work with bottom basement clients.

If you are a new writer, you’ll stick to the lower end of the pay scale, but don’t price yourself off the scale altogether.

Mistake #5: You don’t have clients sign a contract.

Get everything in writing. For one thing, it ensures that you’ll get paid (or at least provides ammo if you have to dispute an unpaid invoice). Secondly, clients will assume that you’re a real professional if you have a contract. Business owners have contracts. Hobbyists who are trying to make a little extra pocket change, don’t.

Once you have a potential client interested, you want to keep him interested. That means conducting yourself in a professional manner before you ever even get to work.

A contract doesn’t have to be anything fancy. A simple statement of the project and payment arrangements is fine. Make sure it is stated that the client won’t own your writing until payment is received in full. If you want rights to resell the work, make sure you include those terms in writing as well.

Watch for Part 3 tomorrow!

Are These 8 Marketing Mistakes Hurting Your Freelance Writing Career? – Part 2 is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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You have all the makings of a successful freelance writer: talent, professionalism, and a can-do attitude. Stellar writing samples? Check! Killer website? Check! LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook business pages? Check, check, and check! So, why aren’t clients beating down your door?

Easy. You haven’t gone out to find them yet.

As with any business, if you want to succeed as a freelance writer, you’re going to have to do a little (a lot) marketing to build your client base. Unfortunately, marketing alone isn’t enough. You have to know where to market, who you’re marketing to, and how to negotiate the process once you have a fish on the hook. Sound daunting? It doesn’t have to be, but there are plenty of things that could be hurting your marketing efforts without you even realizing it. Here are 8 of the most common mistakes.

Mistake #1: You’re not marketing yourself enough.

You made 50 phone calls and placed 10 ads on Craigslist. Great! What else? If you don’t have an answer to that question, you probably aren’t marketing yourself nearly enough. It takes time to find clients, and one single burst of effort isn’t going to cut it. You’ve barely even scratched the surface. Keep sending emails or making calls. After you’ve done that, gather a new list of prospects and do it all over again.

Set a weekly goal, and stick to it. If you plan on sending 5 emails a day, do it.

How many contacts do you need to make before you start seeing results? That depends, and it’s different for every writer. Some will get lucky and start landing gigs after the first week. For others, it can be a much longer process.

A simple answer would be: keep doing it until you have enough work to stay busy. Then, continue doing it (albeit, at a slower pace) to make sure you stay busy. Rest assured, if you keep doing it enough, you will see results.

Image via CrunchBase

Mistake #2: Your marketing efforts are not targeted.

While it’s true that almost any company could benefit from professional writing help, some make better prospects than others. The main things you should consider when choosing who to target are the industries you have the most experience writing for, and the size of the companies you want to contact.

The way to get started is to stick with what you know. Were you in the insurance biz for 10 years? Great, write insurance articles or offer to write brochure copy for insurers in your area. Did you go to school for veterinary assisting? Contact vet clinics, pet stores, and dog food makers.

The size of each company is also important. Very small businesses often do not have the financial resources available to hire writing talent, while very large businesses usually have writers on staff. You want to start in the middle. These companies usually don’t have the money to keep writers on payroll, but they do often have a large enough budget to pay freelancers on an as needed basis.

It’s also a good idea to deal with companies that are older than the Internet. These businesses were around before SEO and $3 articles. They know the value of good content, and they are willing to pay for it. That’s not to say that all newer companies will try and low ball you, but aiming for more established businesses will lower the chances of being offered $100 to write an entire ebook.

Don’t miss part 2 and part 3 – coming soon!  Subscribe to the feeds so you don’t miss anything.

Are These 8 Marketing Mistakes Hurting Your Freelance Writing Career? – Part 1 is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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If you accept clients without requesting that they sign an independent contract agreement or a freelance writer contract, you may want to seriously reconsider the next time you take on a new project. Many freelance writers will not even touch the subject of contracts because they do not want to insult the client and lose a potentially great gig. However, this shouldn’t be the case at all. In fact, any upstanding and legitimate client should show no hostility or hesitation when asked to sign an agreement for the writer.

Why You Should Request a Contract

1. It protects you from being scammed: While some writers still get stiffed from illegitimate clients even after an agreement is signed, a client is typically less likely to disappear without paying you if you have a contract in place. The threat of legal action if the agreement is breached is enough to force some hesitant clients to cough up the dough.

2. It leaves a paper trail: Similarly, if your client does try to disappear without paying you, your contract will help you if decide to take the matter up in court. Clients tend to stiff writers because they do not believe that the writers have time or money to go after them. Fortunately, a written and signed agreement should give you enough ammunition to pursue your case and get what you deserve.

3. It shows good faith for everyone: A signature is like a handshake in that it finalizes the project. It means that the client has every intention of awarding you the job and paying you promptly. It also means that the writer has every intention of completing the task to the best of his ability, for the amount agreed upon in the contract.

4. It lists all terms and conditions: A signed contract actually helps you as a writer. Everything is laid out in front of you, all of the terms, conditions and expectations regarding the work that you have been asked to complete. There should be no question or dispute later down the road when a client claims you did not follow his instructions if you stuck to what was stated in the initial contract.

5. It ensures you are paid fairly: Some clients tend to assign a writer a small number of pieces, only to request additional articles and revisions later. While it is fine to complete more work, you should be compensated for each piece and extra revisions that are not included in your contract. Your workload will increase, so your pay should be subsequently higher as well. Some writers include one or two rounds of revisions at no charge, but when a client starts asking for 10 or more revisions, the time spent rewriting each article can make the writer’s hourly rate hardly worth their time.

Image via Wikipedia

What You Should Include in Your Contract

Writing agreements do not have to be pages long, nor do they need to be formal. A simple listing of your duties, your client’s duties and the price should be sufficient. By asking your client to type “I agree to the terms listed above,” you are requesting that he provide his electronic signature to seal the deal. You may also consider including the cost of extra services such as additional revisions or future pieces. Keep in mind that, even though the signature is electronic and does not need to be notarized, courts still view them to be legal and binding.

The Bottom Line

You should absolutely use a writing contract or agreement any time you accept work from a client, whether it is for one article or 100 articles. You would not take a job outside of your home without your employer requesting you sign paperwork, so why should your home business be any different? These agreements protect everyone involved, not just the writer, so a client should have no problem signing one. If he agrees without hesitation, you can move forward with your working relationship feeling more at ease. If he seems hesitant or flighty, it’s best for you to move on and find a more accommodating client.

Mallory Hall has been writing for several years. A mother of two, she enjoys crafting articles around topics such as the freelancing life, parenting health, nutrition, personal finance and the law. You can find her for hire at Guru.com or on Textbroker.com under the author name “M. Hall.”

The Writing Contract: To Have or Not to Have? is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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SEO or Search Engine Optimization is, in the simplest of terms,

…the process of improving the visibility of a website or a web page in search engines via the “natural” or un-paid (“organic” or “algorithmic”) search results. In general, the earlier (or higher ranked on the search results page), and more frequently a site appears in the search results list, the more visitors it will receive from the search engine’s users. SEO may target different kinds of search, including image search, local search, video search, academic search,[1] news search and industry-specific vertical search engines. (Wikipedia)

So what has that got to do with being a freelance writer?

Well, as a freelance writer, one of the best ways to get more business is to give your clients added value!  If you understand SEO and the terms and language that come along with it, that means that your clients will not have to spend extra time explaining how they want their articles or blog posts written.  When you understand what they are asking for when they say they want 1.5% keyword density, that saves them time and that means they are getting more value for the dollar.  That is a good thing!

When you begin to explore the world of SEO (and SEM or Search Engine Marketing) you will find that there are many out there online that will profess to be a “guru” or “professional” but the thing is that many of these people are just out there to make a buck.  So how do you find the real info?

You stick to the people who have proven themselves in this area.

Image by Nick Stamoulis via CrunchBase

One of the sources I always turn to when I want the best information on SEO and recent trends is Brick Marketing.  Their reputation is stellar and they have been written about in Entrepreneur, Forbes, Reuters, and other high profile magazines and journals.  The owner, Nick Stamoulis, has mo

re than 12 years experience and the testimonials will blow you away.

Their site features a blog and video lessons, but if you really want to keep up to date and find out what is new you should subscribe to their newsletter.  It is filled with topics that will keep you informed and let you provide real value for your clients.  Some of the topics they have covered recently in the Brick Marketing newsletter include:

• Does Twitter Really Help Your SEO?
• Why Are You Buying Fans, Friends, and Followers?
• Don’t Rely on One Source of Traffic
• The Risks of Writing a Company Blog
• And so much more!

Do yourself a favour – if you haven’t already started, begin learning about SEO/SEM now.  Your clients will thank you for it later!

SEO – Do Freelance Writers REALLY Need to Understand It? is a post from: The Social Freelance Writer.

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