How to Become a Freelance Content Writer

Freelance Content Writer

Have you been toying with the idea of becoming a freelance content writer? There are many perks to the job.

The most obvious perk of working as a freelancer of any sort is that you can work from anywhere and at any time. But a freelance writer has additional perks as well.

First, you have the opportunity to read and learn about a wide variety of subjects and topics. If you consider yourself a person who loves learning, this is an excellent job for you.

Second, being a freelance writer allows you to use your creativity and intelligence. Perhaps you have had jobs in the past that were rather mind-numbing or routine. Maybe you always have felt that you were underutilized in previous positions because you are a creative, problem-solver who enjoys a challenge. You have to use your brain as a freelance writer, and that can feel immensely satisfying.

Just as a musician gets better with more practice, writers get better the more they write. As you work as a freelance writer, you become a faster, more competent wordsmith. As long as you are open feedback from editors and proofreaders, you can develop a craft as you earn a living.

But we may be preaching to the choir. Maybe you already know why you want to become a freelance writer, but you need help with the “how.”

How to Become a Freelance Writer

There’s no one right way to become a freelance writer. Read on to discover how to become a freelance content writer if you have no previous experience.

1(a) Create an account with a freelancing website.

There are plenty of freelance writing websites that facilitate the introduction between the client and the writer. The largest website of this kind is Upwork.

Before you can become a writer through Upwork, you need to create a profile that lists the details of your education and employment history. At this time, you can list what type of writing style preferences — such as content writing (or writing for websites), creative writing, resume writing, technical writing, etc.

OR . . .

1b. Reach out to online or local businesses to ask for employment as a freelance writer.

Of course, you don’t have to work through a freelancing website. Upwork takes 20% of the money you earn, plus they charge a monthly fee for the privilege of using their site. You can keep more of the money you receive if you work on your own.

Regardless of whether you work through Upwork or go out on your own, the next step is the same.

2. Begin applying for jobs.

Once Upwork accepts your profile, you can begin to apply for jobs. We’re not going to lie — applying for jobs is a very frustrating process.

When you apply for a job through freelance websites, you write individual letters to the clients, persuading them why you are worthy of the position. It takes a lot of time to write these proposals, and you aren’t paid until someone agrees to hire you.

Most clients want to hire people who have writing experience — or at least a profile of articles to share.

Some clients will seek out the novice writers for shady situations — such as writing reviews for products you haven’t purchased or writing term papers for students.

3. Write.

When you begin working as a freelance writer, you may feel as if you only want to apply for jobs in your areas of expertise. You then will quickly realize that no one wants to hire someone to write about how much they love “The Crown” on Netflix, and there aren’t many jobs about how the KC Chiefs fixed their defensive line.

If you want to make it as a content writer, you are going to have to write about all sorts of crazy topics. If you wait around for the perfect job before you apply, you are going to be waiting for a long time.

4. Develop relationships.

Just like any other career, freelance writing is about relationships. You may write for some clients for months or years without never meeting or even talking on the phone, but you get to know one another by communicating online.

Finding good clients may take a while. Once you have found customers who can keep you busy as many hours as you would like to work, you can officially call yourself a freelance writer.

Good luck with a career as a freelance writer. We hope that we were able to get you started on your journey.

This article was originally posted at Freelancing Buzz.

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Why People Fail At Freelancing

Pakistan is the 5th largest freelance market. As more and more unemployment grows, because of a shortage of jobs and unsatisfactory pay scale many are opting to earn online. Now a lot of people fail at freelancing because they think they can complete their masters degree and do freelancing or they can do their full time job AND freelance. Now, majority of the projects given to freelance writers or earners require A LOT OF TIME. As a freelance writer, I know that the articles require comprehensive research and it should be free from plagiarism while at the same time fulfill the requirements of the client. I can’t do research for 5 to 6 hours if I come back from ANOTHER full time job or after a college exam. Its FULL TIME work. If people will treat it like a hobby they will FAIL. Secondly, BE UNIQUE. Honestly there are a lot of plagiarism checkers and clients don’t tolerate copy paste work. They want QUALITY work. You can’t be lazy and think I will just get it over with and expect your client to appreciate it. Third, DO WHAT YOU ARE GOOD AT. Seriously just don’t do things you can’t do. Don’t sign up for it. Know your strengths and weaknesses. Fourth, FIND THE RIGHT PLATFORM, do your research and find the right platform for yourself. Don’t sign up at places you know won’t help you. For example if you are into cooking videos MAKE A CHANNEL ON YOUTUBE. Don’t use unknown websites. To sum up: give freelancing all of your time, do unique and honest work, do what you are good at and do it at the right place.

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How to price projects and value what you do as a freelancer

A freelancer must feel good about what they do, have freedom, develop their best talents, and have the time to continue growing their skills. So you want to be a freelancer? A report shows that “some decide to do it as their full-time job and others as a supplementary part-time job. Nevertheless, a small segment (about 7%) of the top freelancers earn more than US$1,500”. You may ask: How much do I charge so I do not “scare away potential clients”? How do I compete with other freelancers? Can clients understand that my price is really not that expensive? If I keep my prices low will I earn more projects? Your mindset Many freelancers think that the cheaper their price, the more clients and income they will receive. They also think it’s easier to earn a client by charging lower rather than higher prices. These beliefs are more effective for positioning yourself in and growing within the market , rather than finding valuable clients. A valuable client is one who will become loyal to your services, which means a constant income for you and whose relationship will allow you to grow and feel good. A freelancer must feel good about what they do, have freedom, develop their best talents, and have the time to continue growing their skills, among other things. So why undervalue yourself with prices way less than what you should really charge? 1: Describe who you are and why they should hire you It’s like training to enter the ring and doing more than just lasting each round – it’s training to win. So, don’t give up before the bell rings. Clients are not going to deny you based on the price of your service, they will do so because they feel you’re not the appropriate professional for the project. It’s important when fixing the price for a project that you ‘sell’ what makes you different from the competition. Keep in mind that your benefits specific to them are part of your unique and valuable proposal. Here is a list you can use as an example to explain why they should hire you: • You are a professional. • You are dedicated to achieving perfection and completing client satisfaction. • You have experience. • You can advise them on how to achieve more clarity about the project. • You are responsible and will deliver everything on time, and even before deadlines. • You have great communication. 2: Find your differentiating factor A differentiating factor is “that something” that sets you apart from the competition. And “that something” is what the client you are looking for needs – those who will also pay whatever it take to have you work on their project. 3: Think long term Some freelancers get tired of being rejected and feel like failures, giving their services away at very low prices. The truth is that you are not a failure. It’s actually a victory . Formula for pricing projects: Time + Energy […]

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How to Catch Up on Retirement When You’re Self-Employed

Having enough money saved for retirement is a crucial concern for many Americans. With more people becoming self-employed, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to invest enough money for retirement. However, there are ways to catch up on retirement savings. Having enough money for retirement is a big deal. When you work for yourself, you don’t get special 401(k) benefits. Nor do you get a match program to help you stay on track. People are living longer these days as well. Therefore, a common rule of thumb is to at least have the same amount as your annual salary invested by the time you’re 33. The self-employed, or freelancer. If you are self-employed and have nowhere near that much saved or aren’t on track to have that much, here are a few things you can do to start catching up. Consider reigning in some of your business expenses. Entrepreneurs tend to have a ton of business expenses. Many are necessary to keep your systems running smoothly so you can continue to make money. On the other hand, some expenses may be a little excessive. If you want to catch up on retirement savings, you’ll need to prioritize investing by freeing up some money. Do an expense audit and decide whether you can cut or reduce some expenses . You may be able to insource some tasks without spending too much time. Don’t feel like you have to skimp on valuable tools and resources you depend on. You can even extend this practice to your personal budget and reduce some of your everyday expenses. As a result, you’ll free up more money to contribute to retirement. Open a SEP IRA If you want to invest more money, you’ll need to use the right vehicle to do so. While a Roth IRA is a great retirement account to contribute to when you don’t have employer benefits, you can only currently contribute a maximum of $5,500 per year ($6,500 if you are 50 and up). With a Simplified Employee Pension Plan (SEP IRA) you can currently contribute up to 25 percent of your net annual earnings or $54,000 – whichever is less. Contributing to a SEP IRA allows you to put so much more money into your retirement account and in less time. You can still contribute to other tax-advantaged accounts but diversifying your portfolio can really help. Pay yourself a salary. One of the most common reasons to bypass investing in retirement when you’re self-employed is because you may never know exactly how much you’ll earn each month. The best way to regulate your income is to pay yourself a regular salary each month or every two weeks. Decide what your average earnings are and look at your budget to determine how much you need to live on each month. Live below your means. If you are living below your means, you should have some money leftover for investing, business expenses, and savings. Add retirement contributions to your salary amount so you can […]

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Starting out as a freelancer: Here’s how you can manage your money like a pro

Pixabay While working for yourself means having lots of freedom to set your schedule or choosing your clients you would like to work with, it also means you are solely responsible for delivering your work and managing your finances. From having to track your income for taxes, to finding your own health insurance, you will face a unique set of challenges financially when you go freelance. To help overcome these challenges, we put together 5 tips on financial management for freelancers. #1 OPEN A SEPARATE BANK ACCOUNT FOR BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS When you are freelancing, you are basically running your own business. This means you are required to keep full and accurate records and accounts of your business transactions from the start, and such records must be supported with invoices, receipts and other relevant documents. You will also need to prepare a statement of accounts consisting of profit and loss, as well as a balance sheet. With this in mind, you should open a separate bank account to track your income and business expenses apart from your personal expenses. A separate bank account will help avoid getting your business expenses tangled up with your personal expenses. In this way, you can effectively track your business expenses to see if you are investing enough or spending too much, and using these expenses to use it for claims as deductions when you file your annual tax returns. Plus, you will have a much easier time to monitor closely your income and see if you are hitting your goals. #2 SETTING ASIDE A PORTION OF EARNINGS INCOME FOR TAXES When you are earning your keeps as an employee, your employer will usually automatically prepare and declare for you your income for you to file your taxes. But as a freelancer, you are now running your own business, and this means the burden of tracking and managing taxes falls on your responsibility. Just as like running any businesses, a healthy cash flow is important, and so is paying taxes on time. It is your duty to ensure you have sufficient cash for taxes, and if you are to overspend your money and leaving insufficient funds to pay your tax obligations, you are likely to run afoul with tax laws. That is why it is a good habit to prepare ahead of time by setting aside 20 per cent to 30 per cent of income for taxes. This enables you to prepare adequately when the time comes for you to pay your taxes. #3 CONSIDER GETTING ADEQUATE INSURANCE Life is never a bed of roses; there are times where the unexpected happens. Unlike working as an employee, freelancers do not get typical benefits such as paid medical leave and medical insurance. This is why having adequate insurance coverage is important, as it will come in to protect yourself from any unforeseen financial burden should any misfortune happens. One insurance you may want to consider getting is the income replacement insurance. This insurance can protect you […]

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Should freelancers have their own website?

Freelancers Owning a Website

Yes, many freelancers claim that the secret to their success is that they have their own websites. In fact, some are adamant that having a website makes them stand out from the crowd of freelancers flooding the market.

While it wouldn’t hurt to have your own freelancing website, there are things to take into consideration. Let’s think like a potential client and consider the positive aspects of creating your own website as well as some concerns about the process.

Why you should build your freelancing website

Having a website will make you seem more professional.

Imagine that you are a client who is hiring a freelancer for the first time. If you’ve never worked with a freelancer before, you may feel more comfortable hiring someone with a professional online presence. Since you may be unsure about the process of hiring a freelancer, you may feel more comfortable working with someone who knows the ins and outs of that unique client/freelancer relationship.

Having a website gives you the aura of being a person who is serious about freelancing. Having a website makes it look as if you know what you are doing.

Having a website will give you more credibility.

The freelancing/client relationship is built on trust. This trust is really amazing when you think about it because people working with each other online can make all sorts of claims, and many times that information is unverifiable.

If you were a client looking for a writer who has expertise in a specific subject, and you submit a job listing on Upwork, you don’t know if the freelancer who applies for the job has experience in your field or not. But if that same freelancer directs the client to her website where she lists her qualifications or shares links of her work, that freelancer has a bit more credibility than a writer without a website.

Having a website could make writing proposals easier.

Getting new clients is a tedious process. It takes time, concentration, and energy to write unique, thoughtful proposals for jobs. If you had a website, your client could learn your background and qualifications without you having to repeat that information in each bid.

Having a website will help you find work in your niche.

Someone who is searching for a specific type of writer or designer may be able to find you through your website, especially if you have a particular niche. Using SEO strategies on your websites may help potential clients find you.

So whether your client is searching for “professional writer dog breeding” or “website designer for office supplies,” you may be more likely to be found if you have your own website.

Concerns about building your own website.

You may have concerns about building your own freelancing website, especially if you are starting in the business.

What if your online work is attributed to someone else?

Perhaps you are concerned about building your own website because most of your work is not attributed to you. This is a common practice in the freelance writing community.

Website creators may feel as if the work will have more credibility if a professional in the industry gives his name to the work. Some of your clients will ask that you write a blog in their voice so that they can add it to their LinkedIn pages. Much online content is not attributed at all. Some clients handle so much material that they mistakenly attribute pieces to the wrong writers.

This may be a concern as you think about creating your own website. A potential client would expect that links to your writing would be included on your page, but what if the articles look as if they were written by someone else?

What if your work doesn’t bring in comments or shares?

What if you complete quality work for a client, but it doesn’t receive likes, comments, or shares? Would you want to share your work with new clients if it looks like it gets little attention? What if your work has never been featured as a snippet? What if none of your pieces have ever gone viral?

What if the client doesn’t take the extra step to look at your website?

People are lazy. When you are writing a proposal, how can you be sure that your potential client will take the time to click on your website? From there, how many seconds will the person spend on your content? Would it be better to spend all your time on submitting a quality proposal?

Final Thoughts

Do you have your own freelancing website? Has it helped generate work for you? Tell us your experiences with creating your own website in the comments below.

This article was originally posted at Freelancing Buzz.

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RingOver: Friend of the Flexible Freelancer

As a freelance writer I am used to working in creative and innovative ways, but when dealing with clients it’s vital that this freedom and flexibility is never perceived as a lack of professionalism or presence. The online world lets us connect with and collaborate with anybody we like, in any location, but sometimes the voice calling component of this carefully constructed persona can be the giveaway — that maybe it really is just you, your phone and your laptop, whatever your beautiful website implies. Your professional voice presence Ginelle Bell That’s why RingOver’s cloud phone system is designed to meet the needs of every user, including the solopreneur — who can now have all the functionality of a powerful PBX, via a simple mobile and web app. Untethered to a big desktop endpoint, the digital nomad, home-based worker or co-working hot-desker can attend each call in the way it best deserves. Whether you’re between cocktails on a Caribbean beach, or actually getting some work done somewhere indoors in defiance of all flexible working clichés, your caller can be greeted with a professional IVR, and a call routed appropriately to different mailboxes as required. Accounts payable? Please leave a message. New business enquiry? Putting you through right now! (provided it’s incoming during the hours you’ve chosen to receive those kinds of calls. It’s all about how you decide to set it up and manage it.) As RingOver’s UK Country Manager, Ginelle Bell , explains, with a system like this, “…you transform the image of your business from the onset of the first call. And it enables you to separate your personal life and calls from your professional life, without any hassle or disrespect” A world of freelance freedom Today’s freelancers operate in a global marketplace, so being able to quickly add local international numbers for both inbound and outbound calls is a feature which amplifies the effectiveness of the presence. Being 100% cloud-based and device-agnostic means that if a surge of interest emerges in a new market you can quickly offer new localised calling options just for people in that country, via a simple dashboard. But while I intend to freelance till I die, for other entrepreneurs it’s just the first stage of an enterprise which will grow fast, from solopreneur to startup and eventually to global domination. Often this means adding increasing layers of administration and complication overhead, having to introduce new systems for doing things to reflect new volumes. RingOver’s simple per-user-per-month model is designed to grow alongside your business when it expands. This means there won’t need to be disruptive transitions which impact on comms as you scale and suddenly need a ‘bigger’ system for the type of business you’ve become. It’s just a case of adding the new users in the account with their preferred device, as easily as you add them to an email directory — and it really is designed to be implemented by any user, no CTO or IT specialist required. So […]

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9 Easy Ways on How to Write a Blog Post That Goes Viral

Are you wondering how to write a blog post that goes viral? Many bloggers and content marketers are struggling to create viral content. So if you’re at this stage of your blogging career, this article is right for you. Content marketing is a lucrative business and one of the leading digital marketing strategies for B2B and marketers. Let us examine these blogging statistics by Impactbnd published. The research revealed that: B2B marketers who’re using blogs in their content marketing mix attract 67% more leads than those not using blogs. 75% of B2B marketers say they’re more likely to use blog posts in their social media content strategy. 53% of marketers agreed that blogging is their top content marketing priority. Businesses that make blogging a top priority get 13x more positive ROI on their marketing efforts. There’s more as you can see from the infographic: Source Image via Red Website Design Although you might be struggling with how to write a blog post that goes viral, the truth is that many other bloggers are having tremendous success in crafting viral posts. Hence, the question is: What are they doing that you’re not doing? What strategies are they using to write blog posts that go viral? Before we go deeper into this article, let us find out why you should always strive to make your blog posts go viral. Why Make Your Blog Posts Go Viral? The benefits of viral blog content can never be over-emphasized. Here are just a few reasons. Viral content will: Boost website engagement. Help improves click-through rates (CTRs). Increase your email sign-up. Generate and convert more leads. Boost email opens Etc So it is essential to make your blog posts go viral once published. But, as discussed above, your competitors are hitting it big with viral blogs, while you’re still trying to create your very first viral blog post. Therefore, how can you beat the competition with content virality? In this article, you will discover proven strategies on how to write a blog post that you can apply today and start your journey to virality. How to Create Blog Posts That Goes Viral In 9 Simple Steps 1. Replicate What’s Already Working Replicating content strategy that is already working in your niche calls for observation and focus on your part. You must be observant of the top-performing content in your industry and your blog. Then, reproduce your version of the material and publish it on your blog. In other words, search for blog posts in your niche that have gone viral, study them carefully to find out why they went viral, and craft your copy. How to Find The Most Shared Blog Content? There are several ways to identify the most shared blog posts. But we will be looking at a few of them. A. Perform Content Audit on Your Blog One of the best ways is to do a content audit on your blog. A content audit will let you see the best-performing content on […]

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RealtimeCampaign.com Explains What Freelancers Must Know About Filing Their Taxes

(MENAFN – GetNews) Freelancers manage their own taxes in most cases, and some don’t understand exactly what they are doing. Learning about tax deductions helps freelancers save money on tax responsibilities and keep more of their earnings with them each year. Financial articles help freelancers discover new ways to save and avoid higher costs at the end of the year. Plan Tax Payments Every Quarter Planning tax payments every quarter helps freelancers pay their tax implications at the end of the quarter. It’s invaluable for freelancers to submit quarterly tax payments instead of waiting until the end of the year. Too often, the end of year payments become overwhelming for freelancers and lead to tax liens. An accountant could help the freelancer calculate their tax liability according to their earnings at the end of the quarter. Reviewing Tax Tips for Freelancers helps freelancers learn new ways to manage their tax responsibilities without negative consequences. Keep Receipts for All Expenses Keeping receipts for all expenses helps freelancers track costs for their business and deduct the costs according to tax laws. Freelancers gain tax deductions according to what type of work they do and how they use their earnings for their business. For example, freelancers can use fuel expenses as a tax deduction if they travel to client’s homes or use their automobiles to travel to facilities for research. Reviewing business-related expenses helps the individual save on their tax implications and avoid high payments each quarter or at the end of the year. For more information, freelancers can read more articles by David Burton on his blog here . Do You Work From Home? When working from home, the freelancers can deduct certain expenses for their home business on their taxes. Deducting the space used for the business helps the freelancer save on tax liabilities. According to RealtimeCampaign.com, the freelancers can deduct a portion of their utility bills on their taxes, such as their electric and water bills. If the freelancer uses internet services for their business, a portion of the costs is tax-deductible, too. Any supplies the freelancer’s purchase for work purposes are deductions, too. What Business Services Do You Use for Work? Reviewing business services the freelancers use for work helps them find more savings. For example, if they outsource their company network services or use a call center for incoming calls, the freelancer deducts the expenses on their income tax returns. As long as the business service is used as part of the freelancer’s job, it is deductible. Track All Your Earnings Dave Burton recommends tracking all earnings helps the freelancer determine what expenses are unnecessary. It’s a great way to trim the fat and save more for more business investments. Cataloging all expenses helps the freelancer create a budget, too. Freelancers discover extraordinary ways to save money on tax implications. Following the advice of financial professionals helps the freelancer get a better understanding of what they can deduct. Reviewing available tax deductions could maximize the freelancer’s refund […]

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The Importance of a Work/Life Balance as a Freelancer

Importance of Balance Life as a Freelancer

Many people with “normal” 9 to 5 jobs don’t understand how difficult it is to maintain a work/life balance as a freelancer. This balance is especially hard to keep when you are first starting out on your own.

Granted, there are those with regular jobs who have a difficult time balancing work responsibilities with life, too, but perhaps only commissioned salespeople will understand these underlying truths of being a freelancer.

There’s no such thing as sick days or a paid vacation.
Nobody cares when a freelancer or a commissioned salesperson gets sick. A salesperson has a quota to meet, no matter how he or she is feeling. Freelancers may beg for an extended deadline from their clients, but if they have a tightly packed schedule, that extended deadline for one client may disrupt the work for another.

Both salespeople and freelancers may go on vacation, too. But either they will have to complete the required work before they go by working longer hours and weekends, or they will not have any income for the week.

Take this into account before you become a freelancer. You learn quickly that as a freelancer, work = money. Which leads us nicely into this next discussion . . .

“I didn’t do much at work today.”
Perhaps you had a “regular” job in the past that kept you hopping one minute and bored the next. Maybe you didn’t have specific deadlines for completing projects, so there was no sense of urgency to work hard or fast.

You may hear others discuss this phenomenon in this way: “One of my clients didn’t show up today, so I chatted with my coworker for a couple of hours.” or “I didn’t feel like doing much today at work, so I did all my Christmas shopping and ordered holiday cards.”

Freelancers can have an easy day, but this means that they will not make as much money. Your friend ordering Christmas cards at work will still be bringing home the same paycheck regardless of how much work was completed.

Is saying “no” really an option?
As a freelancer, your main goal is to make your clients happy. If they are happy, they will reward you with continued work and higher pay. Since it takes time and effort to find other clients, it is much easier to keep the ones you already have instead of writing proposals for new ones.

This means that even if you are booked solid, can you really say “no” when a client asks you to work on another project? After all, you don’t want them to get used to turning to someone else to get work done. Instead, you calculate how much more money that project will bring in for the week, and you will watch as your to-do list gets longer and longer.

We are not trying to say that working a typical job is not without stress. What we are trying to say is that freelancing stress is different than the hardship that comes from working an average job.

How do we combat this problem of maintaining a work/life balance as a freelancer? Consider these words: Your work is not your life. You may love your work and are happy for the privilege to complete projects for your clients each day. You may feel proud of having established business for yourself and are delighted when you see your pay increase each month.

But – your work is not your life. Your family needs you, and your friends need you. You need to give back to your community and form relationships with your neighbors. Since freelancing is lonely work, you need to join groups and organize social opportunities. Plus, you need to take time to watch the sunset, go to an afternoon baseball game, and take your kids sledding.

We agree with other freelancing websites that you should work hard to develop your business. But, on the other hand, does your increase in income make you a more balanced person?

So, we challenge you to set hours for yourself and stick to them. Schedule several social opportunities each week. Give yourself a full half-hour for lunch that is free from screens. See if saying, “no” really brought with it the disaster that you expected. Give yourself at least one day a week free from work.

At the end of each workday, tell yourself that you did the best that you could do with the time you had that day. And then live your life.

This article was originally posted at Freelancing Buzz.

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7 Ways to Market Yourself as a Freelancer Like a Pro

Freelancing is rapidly gaining more traction – in fact, by 2027, over 50% of the entire US workforce is projected to engage in freelancing, whether part-time or full-time. And if you’re reading this now, you might either be a freelancer yourself or are trying to break into the gig economy. Freelancing definitely has its perks – from working your own hours to increasing your pay rate at your own time instead of a company’s – but it’s not without its challenges. One common challenge for freelancers? Finding new clients . Keep reading to see why freelancers might be struggling to hit a consistent stream of clients, and what you can do to stand out from the crowd and market yourself as a freelancer that clients cannot miss out on. Why do many freelancers struggle to get more clients There are a few reasons why a freelancer might be fighting an uphill battle when trying to score more clients: Dealing with “Imposter Syndrome” Imposter syndrome is a common struggle among freelancers. This is when you feel like you aren’t good enough for a certain project or feel that there are other, more qualified people out there for the job. Struggling with time management For some freelancers, they aren’t able to find new clients because of lack of time. If you feel that you’re on the same boat, you might have thought once or twice that you don’t have the time to look for new clients while working on deliverables for the clients you already have. Not all freelancers possess marketing skills And lastly, some freelancers are at a loss for how to properly market themselves. Being unable to communicate the true value of your work and service might be costing you dream clients. If this is a struggle for you, read on to the next section, where we talk about 7 of the top tips to market yourself as a freelancer and reel in new clients with less of the hassle. Tips to market yourself as a freelancer Tap into your personal network Don’t underestimate the power of tapping into your personal network for new clients . You can ask people you know directly whom you’re sure would need someone like you, or you could ask for a referral. You can even score new leads by posting publicly on LinkedIn or Facebook that you’re open to accepting new clients for your area of expertise. Try using this template for when you create your post: Hi, everyone. I’m accepting new clients for [your service]. If you know anybody who might need this, do send them my way or tag them below so we can get in touch. Thanks! This works better than asking directly if your connections need your service because they’ll be put in a position of thinking, “Do I know anyone who needs this?” versus “Do I need this?” – which gets you more leads in the long run. Have an online portfolio If you don’t have one already, […]

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Joust Launches Banking App for Freelancers

Joust has unveiled its new improved banking app for freelancers and self-employed workers. The new app by the sole banking platform for freelancers comes with an intuitive design and several features that round out its original beta app. According to the developers, the application is based on customer feedback. For example, it incorporates features such as an analytical dashboard, Joust Visa debit card management, invoice creation/payments, and more. The Denver based fintech’s application launch was brought about by the rapid increase in independent workers seeking a wide range of new financial services. For example, the new features help manage clients, accept a range of payments through credit cards, and mitigate the risk of irregular income. New Joust Banking App for Freelancers, Self-Employed Joust’s application will continue to use its invoice-guaranteeing product, PayArmour , which funds unpaid client invoices, and its FDIC-insured bank account combined with a merchant account. Catering to the Growing Gig Economy As a result, the app will come in handy for the booming freelance sector in America . For example, there are currently 57 million freelancers in the US working today. This figure is expected to double by 2027 with more of the country’s workforce expected to freelance in some capacity. “Our users are risk-takers who want one place to easily manage their finances, so they can have the time and space to focus on their passions. They wanted a modern, streamlined user experience, ways to quickly visualize their finances, and manage clients, income and payments,” said Lamine Zarrad Joust’s CEO and Co-Founder. The app’s major selling point is its invoice protection tool that resolves late or non-payment of dues by clients. How Will it Change Payment for Freelancers? The revamped application can now offer freelancers and small businesses more robust banking and financial management services. Through the launch of the application, Joust is trying to simplify finances and make them less taxing for freelancers and contractors. Thus, offering individuals and small businesses with banking services previously reserved for big companies. This in effect will help cut costs in regards to hiring dedicated teams for financial management.As a result, it will allow room to focus on the work at hand. Joust’s application looks to ease the financial management challenges of freelancers who account for close to 35% of the total U.S. workforce. In recent years freelancing has become a more prominent fixture in the American economy accounting for almost 5% of the U.S. This GDP is more than the construction and transportation industries combined. Current projections indicate earnings from freelancing could hit the $1 trillion mark. Joust’s new offering seems to be answering to the demand of this sector. PayArmour and Other Features Through PayArmour, Joust’s invoice guarantee product helps alleviate client nonpayment. It’s a common problem that affects 71% of the gig economy workforce, according to Joust. As a result, the app will help smooth income volatility with an option to receive same-day funding. The all-inclusive banking app is designed with the self-employed worker in […]

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Older Workers, Women Benefit From Freelance Lifestyle

Older Workers, Women Benefit From Freelance Lifestyle More Freelancers of all ages likely enjoy the freedom that comes with working for themselves, but a new study suggests that certain demographics particularly profit from the freelance economy. Global payments platform Payoneer surveyed more than 7,000 freelancers from 150 countries to gain insight into the freelance market and learn more about how much freelancers earn and what they gain from the freelance lifestyle. A majority of the freelancers surveyed (69%) were under the age of 35, with the age breakdown of survey respondents as follows: 21% were between 18 to 24 48% were between 25 to 34 22% were between 35 to 44 6% were between 45 to 54 3% were between 55 to 64 1% were 65 and over Although younger workers make up more of the freelance market, the survey found that older, more experienced workers tend to make more money. Those between the ages of 55 and 64 had the highest average hourly rate of $36 per hour compared to: $16 per hour for those between 18 to 24 $19 per hour for those between 25 to 34 $24 per hour for those between 35 to 44 $27 per hour for those between 45 to 54 $34 per hour for those 65 and over Freelance gender wage gap not as pronounced Older workers aren’t the only ones making headway when it comes to freelance earnings. The survey also found that the wage gap between male and female earnings is smaller among freelancers than it is in the general job market. According to the study, female freelancers across the world earn, on average, 84% of what men make across all fields. In comparison, the global gender pay gap was 68% in 2018, according to the World Economic Forum. When it comes to the wage gap, female freelancers do well particularly in the field of marketing, where they earn an average of 17% more than men. Women also come out ahead in web and graphic design, where they earn 4% more, on average, compared to men. However, women continue to trail men in other areas. For example, when it comes to finance, women make only 53% of what men make, and for project management, women earn only 56% of what their male counterparts earn. Not all freelancers get all of their work through the gig economy either. The majority of respondents — 69% — freelance exclusively, but the rest divide their time between freelancing and a full-time job. The oldest workers and the youngest were most likely to freelance exclusively, with the age group breakdowns as follows: 76% of those 18 to 24 freelanced exclusively 67% of those 25 to 34 freelanced exclusively 67% of those 35 to 44 freelanced exclusively 68% of those 45 to 54 freelanced exclusively 76% of those 55 to 64 freelanced exclusively 81% of those 65 and older freelanced exclusively For those frustrated by the slow progress in closing the gender wage gap , the […]

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How to Become a Freelance Web Developer

Working as a Freelance Web Developer

Do you find yourself drawn to the world of freelancing? It’s little wonder. There are a lot of perks to working for yourself. Perhaps you like the idea of cutting out the middle man. You want to work directly with clients and then enjoy all the profit from your work.

Maybe you are tired of office life. Even if you are able to work from home, there are weekly “check-ins” with your boss, weekly calls with your team, constant emails about how to avoid carpal tunnel from your company’s health advisor, and, of course, all the training videos you have to watch about positive work environments.

Maybe you are unable to work from home with your current position and love the idea of sleeping until 7:50. Perhaps your family situation requires you to have a more flexible schedule so you can assist with your kids or older family members.

Regardless of your reasoning for considering working freelance, it is a pretty sweet life.

Are you ready to learn how to become a freelance web developer? Keep reading for some insights into that world.

Develop your technical expertise.

If you have worked in the industry, you know what kind of technical skills are required to become a web developer. Take a close look at your work to determine if your current skills are good enough to enable you to work on your own.

If you find yourself continually turning to coworkers or supervisors for assistance, then maybe you need to beef up your abilities before working as a freelancer.

Sometimes it isn’t very easy to analyze your own abilities. Your current boss and coworkers may not be the best people to talk with for an assessment since they have a vested interest in whether or not you stay in your current position. That’s why it is always a good idea to have a professional mentor who works outside of your workplace help you make career decisions.

Consider your work ethic and attitude.

Not to sound harsh, but not everyone has the work ethic to become a freelancer. Ask your friends or life partner if they think you have what it takes to work independently.

Are you able to be productive without a boss breathing down your back? If you don’t have an office to go to each day, will you be able to manage your time effectively? Are you easily distracted? Do you have a problem meeting deadlines? Are you organized? Do you have a good grasp of time management?

Try floating the idea of working as a freelancer to your family and friends. If they immediately furrow their brows and say, “you want to work as a freelancer?” with a bewildered expression, then perhaps you need to do a reality check to see if this is the right move for you.

Analyze your communication skills.

First, you may be the best web developer in the world, but this may not count for much if your communication skills are lacking. After all, as a freelancer, you will be required to have much more client interaction than you probably did while working for another company.

You may have to attend face-to-face client meetings. How are your “people skills?” Remember, you need to sell yourself when you sell your service.

Perhaps all your interaction with clients will be through written proposals and emails. Whether or not you feel you are a great writer, invest in a Grammarly subscription to assist you with those tasks. If you struggle with the written word, hire a freelance writer to take care of your proposals and emails.

Part of the struggle you may experience is that your clients may not know enough about technology to be able to describe what they want and need. That means your communication skills need to be above average. You need to be able to analyze and interpret their technological needs, and then teach them enough about your skills to show them how you can help.

You’ll need to be able to answer dumb questions without being condescending or impatient. You may become frustrated in explaining why you “you have to charge so much.” Does this sound like a nightmare to you? These may be the struggles that your current boss undergoes when interacting with clients. If you become a freelancer, those struggles will be yours.

Create a portfolio.

You may not be able to share your previous work with new clients legally. Perhaps some of your work is proprietary.

This means you may need to complete some work for a reduced rate or for free to enable you to develop a body of work to share with your potential clients. As you do so, consider step five.

Develop a niche.

Sometimes a niche is chosen, but often it is selected for you.

Maybe your niche is a result of having a particular skill. Perhaps it comes from interest or work in a specific industry. Regardless of where your expertise comes from, having a niche enables you to market to specific customers. It makes your potential clients feel comfortable that you have a grasp of what they need.

Do you think you have what it takes to work as a freelancer? You will find a lot of negative comments about working for freelancing websites like Upwork and Fiverr. Still, perhaps those comments come from people who don’t have the necessary skills to compete in a competitive industry.

Websites similar to these serve their purpose in finding your first clients. They also will have your back if you find yourself in dispute with a customer. Don’t dismiss these websites to help you get started.

Good luck!

This article was originally posted at Freelancing buzz.

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Freelance FAQs: Finding Clients, Budgets and Working From Home

Recently, I read an article on SEO, as part of my attempts to improve the Google listing for my clients and my site. In said article, the author recommended using question forum Quora in part of your marketing strategy as you establish yourself as a person of knowledge for your particular field. I spent the next couple of hours answering questions about freelancing, marketing, social media and mental health, linking back to relevant blogs and articles I’d written on the topic. To my surprise, these answers went down very well and my inbox soon became flooded with an increasing number of questions on other areas of self-employment, from the best hourly rate to charge to setting up your first Self Assessment account. With that in mind, I wanted to write a blog post that tackled some of these big issues all in one, as an informal guide to becoming a freelancer for the very first time. If you do have any more questions, or just want to know my recommendations for starting out, feel free to drop me an email and I’ll do my best to get back to you! In the meantime, let’s start with the basics. A: Investing in a good quality and informative website for your freelance business can be a game-changer for finding new clients. However, they can also be time-consuming and complicated to set up. For my website, I used WordPress, with the Elementor plugin to build the site, Unsplash for sourcing my imagery, Canva for any neccessary graphic and I’m currently hosted by TSO Host. I really do recommend TSO Host as a great, and cost-effective, platform to set up your first site with. They have great customer support and can typically get any existing domains or information transferred over to your new site in a number of hours. They can even set up your SSL certificate for you, which is vital for a safe and reliable site. One of the first things I would do is to write up a quick sitemap, or a list of the pages you want to include. This would usually include Home, About, Services, Case Studies, Blog and Contact but you can add your own variations depending on your brand and industry. This can then help you to flesh out those pages with copy, images and links before you start implementing it into the site itself. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself to get a flawless website the first time around — most sites go through evolutions and edits, and you’ll learn what looks right as you go. It can be a really fun experience to teach yourself how to build your own website, and will be a huge selling point for your new clients too! A: One of the biggest differences between working self-employed, and working for a company, is the lack of external and automated resources at your disposal. You no longer have an accounts team, a manager who pays your salary, […]

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10 Best Freelance Jobs In America

The gig economy is hot and that means freelancing is becoming more and more popular in time. It is quite appealing to have the option to work from home and not have to worry about the rat race and working from 9 to 5 every workday. And for people that are tired of the work at home scams that have been circulating since the 1990s, they will be happy to know that they really can make money from home on their own. The only thing to remember when it comes to freelancing is for freelancers to continuously market themselves in order to be successful with it. Listed below are 10 freelancing jobs that are the best in America. Social Media Marketing And Management Social media is a powerful marketing tool for businesses and with new platforms popping up often, business owners do not have the time to do their own social media marketing and management. They need social media managers to do the job for them so they can concentrate on managing their own businesses. Social media management has been rising up for a while in the gig economy . Social media management and marketing are hot fields for freelancers and they can be hired by business owners who will be able to take care of the job for them. It is easy to learn the field and it can be a lot of fun as well because it requires freelancers to tap into their own creativity. Writing And Blogging Business owners need writers to ghostwrite articles and blog posts for them, and publications need writers to contribute to their platforms for a rate. This is why one excellent field for freelancers to go into is writing. They can do writing for online publications, ghostwrite blog posts for business owners, and write other types of content that they need. Freelance writing is an easy field to get into because the competition is not usually an issue since so many writers are needed. And the supply is often higher than the demand. Writing is a great job . There are only so many writing projects a freelancer can handle, so that means its rare for a shortage of work being an issue. Freelance writers can gain recognition by showcasing an online portfolio of their written work for clients or created by themselves for this purpose. Teaching There are many freelancing opportunities when it comes to teaching online from home. There are companies that hire teachers to teach students in different areas of the world. For instance, there are plenty of opportunities in North America for teachers to teach English to students in China. The only thing that is required is that the freelancer has a teaching degree. However, there are plenty of teaching platforms for anyone in general as well who are skilled in one area that can create courses in their field of expertise. For instance, expert crafters can create courses on crafting and how to become successful with […]

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A Gig Worker’s Guide to Applying for a Mortgage

The gig economy is booming these days, with as many as 75 million workers participating in it in some shape or form. Often it’s the flexibility that drives people to pursue this type of employment, as opposed to signing up to collect a steady paycheck from a single employer. But all of that freedom comes at a price — a lack of financial stability. Not only can that make budgeting and saving money difficult, but it can also make it tough to qualify for a mortgage when you’re ready to buy a home. If you’re in the market for a mortgage but are a gig worker without a predictable paycheck, you’ll need to work extra hard to get approved. Here’s what to do. 1. Be prepared to offer up proof of income When you’re a salaried worker, proving that you earn enough money to keep up with your mortgage is easy — you just show prospective lenders a copy of your pay stubs or W-2 form. When your income is variable, it’s a lot harder to convince mortgage lenders to take a chance on you. But you’re more likely to get approved for a home loan if you show proof that you’ve been earning money steadily for years. To this end, dig up tax returns and 1099 forms (which, if you’re self-employed, you’ll receive from clients you work for who pay you at least $600 a year) from the past several years. If your income varies from month to month but you generally earn, say, $80,000 a year, you can prove that that’s the case by providing your lender with a few years’ worth of income data. 2. Make sure your credit is solid The more trustworthy a borrower you appear to be, the greater your chances of getting approved for a mortgage. This holds true whether you’re applying as a gig worker or a salaried employee. But if you’re in the former situation, you’ll really need strong credit to prove that despite your variable income, you’re able to keep up with your bills. What specific credit score should you aim for? A score between 740 and 799 is considered “very good” by FICO standards , while a score of 800 or above is considered “exceptional.” If your score is lower, it pays to hold off on applying for a mortgage until you’re able to raise it . You can do so by: Paying incoming bills on time. Paying off some of your existing revolving debt (namely, credit card balances). Checking your credit reports for errors (and correcting any mistakes you find). 3. Save for a sizable down payment The more money you put down on your home, the less risk your lender takes on. If you’re able to come up with a down payment of 20% or more, you’ll not only avoid private mortgage insurance , but you’ll also send the message that despite your non-steady income, you clearly have a respectable level of cash reserves. 4. Keep […]

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