5 Tactics to Boost Your Freelance Writing Services

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Editor’s note: This post was written by Christopher Jan Benitez, content marketer during the day, heavy sleeper at night. Dreams of non-existent brass rings. Writer by trade. Pro wrestling fan by choice. Family man all the time.

Being your own boss and working without the restraints of an office environment are words that make freelance writing such a promising career choice for many individuals. While nothing beats having your own home office and working at your own pace, freelancing can be one of the most demanding and stressful jobs. [Read more…]

Year End Task: Revamp Your Online Portfolio

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As the last month of the year fast approaches, it’s a good idea to set aside time to assess your freelance writing business. Take a look back at the past year, what you’ve achieved, and whether you’ve reached the goals you have set.

It is also the perfect time to look forward and plan for the coming year. There are many things involved in planning for a brand new year, and one of them is to revamp your online portfolio. If you do not have one yet, we suggest that you read “Why you need an online portfolio“. It will help you understand the value of having your own venue to showcase your work.

If you already have an online portfolio, this resource is designed to help you take it to the next level in order for you to get the most out of it. [Read more…]

Why Freelance Writers Should Be on Medium

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I don’t know if you’ve heard of Medium, but it is getting a lot of attention lately. Content marketers, especially, are taking advantage of Medium to achieve their goals.

What is Medium?

It is a platform where anyone can write and publish articles. More than merely publishing content, however, one can give and receive feedback on the fly. In that sense, Medium is a collaborative venue for writers. [Read more…]

5 Online Portfolio Platforms for Freelance Writers

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My Story Portfolio

Are you looking for a place where you can display your work online  and tell the story of where you have accumulated clips so that prospective clients can get to know you and your work? Every writer has a unique voice and you can apply for gigs, make cold calls and visit clients face to face, but the only way that someone can decide whether you are a good fit for the project they are currently hiring for is to read a sample of your writing. Show, don’t tell, a client what you can do – post your best work in one of the online portfolio platforms for freelance writers.
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6 Reasons Why You Should Update your Online Portfolio Regularly

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How long has it been since you have taken a close look at your online portfolio? If it has been longer than a couple of months, you should set aside some time to go through it carefully and make some changes as necessary. Since this is the way you share what you can do to potential clients, it makes sense to update your online portfolio regularly.
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Tips to Create an Effective Writer’s Website

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If there is one thing that we’ve said over and over again, it’s that freelance writers need to have their own website. A writer’s website serves many purposes, perhaps the main one being your online portfolio.

If you don’t have your writer’s website yet, don’t fret, as there are many platforms and tools that make it easy for non-developers and non-designers create a website, of which website.1and1.com is one example. Practically anyone can use it without having to worry about technical aspects.

Even if you have your writer’s website already, you might want to take a look at it again to see if it is optimally laid out so that you can get as much out of it as possible.

Here are some tips to create an effective writer’s website.

Craft great landing pages

A landing page is a page on a website that a visitor is directed to with the intent of getting him to respond to a “call to action”. For example, a landing page on your site can ask the visitor to sign up for your newsletter. Another example is to entice the visitor to buy your eBook.

The key to landing pages is that you want people to actually take action. You want conversion. Results.

There is an art to writing landing pages that convert, and here is a good guide that will help you: The 5 Stages of Writing Irresistible Landing Page Copy.

Here is another comprehensive guide to help you with landing pages.

Create sections and make navigation easy

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What is the purpose of your website? At its core, a writer’s website is your identity online. It can serve as your business card. It can showcase your writing portfolio. It can have a section that serves as your blog, where you can write about anything you want and update it on a regular basis. It’s your website. You can do what you want with it.

However, do remember that the simpler things are online, the more appealing to the reader. Create several sections, but don’t overdo it. For example, have a Blog, Portfolio, About Page, Contact Page, and Products Page.

The next crucial element: make sure those sections are easy to find and that your entire website is easy to navigate.

Try to make sure that your visitors have to click as little as possible to get to information that they want. One less click is always good.

Also read: Difference Between a Resume and a Portfolio?

Provide specific information about yourself

Since a writer’s website is meant to be your online representative, it needs to introduce yourself properly. You want clients to get in touch with you, right? That means you can’t be an anonymous person online. People need to know who you are, and they need to know some details about you so they can make a decision whether to hire you or not.

Make it easy to get in touch with you.

Again, you want your website to convert – that is, get people to hire you or buy your products if you’re selling any. As such, make it as easy as possible to get in touch with you. In your contact page, highlight your contact information as much as possible. Whatever email or phone number you display, make sure you check them often. If you know your response time is between 24-48 hours (or whatever number), make that clear as well.

3 Cheap Options to Create a Freelance Writing Website

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Editor’s note: This post was written by Jennifer Parris, career writer at FlexJobs, the award-winning site for telecommuting and flexible job listings. FlexJobs lists thousands of pre-screened, legitimate, and professional-level work-from-home jobs and other types of flexibility like part-time positions, freelancing, and flexible schedules. Brie provides career and job search advice through the FlexJobs Blog and social media. Learn more at www.FlexJobs.com.

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Back in the day, writers would dutifully cut out their clips from magazines or newspapers, paste them into a book, and shop their portfolio from one interview with an editor to another. In today’s writing world, where many writers are getting their pieces published online, it’s important to find a way to display your published work so that any editor, anywhere, can read your articles. As a writer, though, you might find that you’re on a limited budget. Here are three cheap options to creating a freelance writing website.

Clippings.me

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For those who want a fast site without a lot of HTML fuss, Clippings.me is a great option. The site was created specifically for writers, bloggers, and journalists in mind. You can add your own bio, easily add PDFs and online pieces, and completely customize the look of your site. Clippings.me provides stats to show which of your stories is a hit with viewers, and you can even create your own URL so that your site has a customized domain name.

Price: Free for a basic plan.

Why You Need an Online Portfolio

WordPress

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By far, a WordPress blog is one of the most popular platforms for writers who need a place to display their articles. WordPress is free and fairly simple to use. There are numerous designs and themes to choose from, so you can create a polished-looking website in no time. And with so many online tutorials, navigating through WordPress should be a breeze.

Price: WordPress software is free to use, but you will have to pay for hosting (some plans are as little as $5 monthly).

About.me

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If you want to keep it straight-forward, writers can always write their way to the next writing job by using About.me. It’s one-stop shopping for users, consisting of a single customizable page, and can be ideal for writers with clips that are far-flung throughout the web. If you have articles on various websites, you can provide a list of links to your work, so that potential employers can read your clips on their original sites. Another bonus: you can not only link to your work, but you can stay social by linking your LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook profiles, too.

Price: Free

Since many writers are making their bread and butter online, it makes sense that their portfolios should be online, too. By having an online presence in the form of a freelance writing website, writers may find it easier to land writing work that will help them write their way to a great future in no time.

Why You Need an Online Portfolio; Yes, You!

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What is an online portfolio anyway? In an article Jodee wrote some time ago, she clearly explained the difference between an online portfolio and a resume.

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To sum it up, an online portfolio is a web site or blog which showcases your work. It can contain a variety of formats, including:

  • Blog posts
  • Excerpt from a book, either in print or an e-book
  • Link to an electronic newsletter
  • Link to your own articles published online
  • SEO articles

Now that we’re clear about what an online portfolio is, it should also be easy to deduce why a freelance writer needs one – especially these days, when clients have so many writers to choose from. For argument’s sake, though, let’s dig in a little deeper.

Do I really need one?

Yes, you really need an online portfolio, and here are some compelling reasons.

One-stop shop for prospective clients

Let’s say a prospective client stumbles upon an article of yours online. She or he might be interested in hiring you, but might want to know more before getting in touch. That’s where your online portfolio comes into the picture. If you include the link to your web site in your author bio, all a prospective client has to do click on it, and he’ll find what he needs to see.

One-stop shop for you to find samples when needed

Looking at it from your perspective, having your best work located in one place makes it convenient. When applying for a writing gig, clients usually want samples. Whether they want URLs or Word documents, you can easily visit your web site and cherry pick the samples you can send.

It makes you come across as a professional

Having your own web site which tells people about you, your background, and your work adds to your professional image. It says a lot that you were willing to invest time, money, and effort in creating an online portfolio.

Something to peruse when you feel down

This may not seem to be directly related to getting clients, but there are times when a writer feels down; and when this happens to you, reading some of your best work will certainly give you a boost. That, in turn, can lead to higher productivity and better work.

How do you go about it?

website-builder

I hope you’re convinced by now that you need an online portfolio. If you haven’t got one yet, then there’s no better time to start building one than now.

How?

The simplest way is to to use a free website maker, of which there are lots to choose from. The good thing about these platforms is that you don’t have to pay initially. If you do want to upgrade for more features, then that’s when you can shell out money. Additionally, these builders – even the free versions – are chockfull of tools that are meant to assist even those who may not be design/code savvy. You just have to choose styles and themes, and then drag and drop elements. Their user interfaces are usually designed to be very intuitive.

You can also use WordPress, which has a free version and is very easy to use as well. While WordPress is often associated with blogs, the platform has so many features that you can customize your web site to your heart’s desire. Even better, there are support forums where you can find assistance whenever you need it.

Once you’ve decided on what platform to use, you just need to choose your best work and highlight them. Of course, you also want to make your online portfolio look clean and professional, so here are some tips to create a stunning online portfolio.

Who has an online portfolio? Want to share them with us in the comments?

Creating A Professional Image As A Freelance Writer

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As a freelance writer, one of the biggest challenges you face is setting yourself apart from everyone else. There are lots of amateurs out there who claim to be professional writers – so unless you show your potential clients that you are serious, you’re not going to stand out from the crowd. There are a number of effective ways to do this, and some can actually save you time and money.

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Appearing professional starts with the quotation that you give to your client. Don’t just write an email that explains how wonderful you are – instead, invest the time to put together a proper quotation and attach it to your email. Include a cover page that clearly identifies that this is a quotation that you have prepared for the client, along with the name of the job, the date on which the quotation was issued, and the date on which it expires. [Read more…]

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