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Outshine the rest by being a relatable and relevant freelancer. Here’s how
By: Helen Wallace
Tags: Freelancing, Freelancers, Solopreneur, Freelance Tips, Freelance

Pixabay from Pexels

If there is anything we have learnt from the rise of influencer culture, it’s that being relevant and relatable can pay the bills. And this doesn’t only apply to digital content creators, but to freelancers (and most working people, TBH) as well.

So how do you make sure that you stay in the know and on top of your game? Here are four ways to stay relevant and relatable as a freelancer.

1. Stay in the know

You don’t have to be one of the cool kids, but you do need to stay on top of trends, especially ones that fall into your specific niche. Knowing what’s cooking in your industry is crucial if you want to stay on top of your game, and on top of every client’s freelancer list. Follow some social media pages related to your industry and sign up to PR mailing lists so that you are the first to know of breaking news or innovations in your field.

2. Hone your skills

Technology changes at such a crazy-fast pace that it can be hard to keep up. But if you want to stay on top of your game as an independent professional, it’s advisable that you not only keep abreast of these updates but to also hone and freshen-up your skillset — regularly. Using outdated software or implementing old-school methods when creating work for clients could have them doubting your abilities and strategies, so keep your finger on the pulse of what’s hip-and-happening in your field.

3. Get social

We all know the power of networking and, whether you do it online or face-to-face at events and meet-ups, it gives you the opportunity to build connections and forge relationships in your field with prospective clients and peers alike. Whether you join an online freelancing community or attend the occasional industry launch, getting your name out there (for all the right reasons) can keep you front-of-mind when someone is looking to hire or collaborate.

4. Seek out opportunities

Good things might come to those who wait, but not those who lie in their beds binging series and not being proactive. There are always opportunities out there, and it’s up to you to be able to identify them and reach out to the right people to let them know what you could do for their business. It might take more guts and more effort than watching every season of Friends for the millionth time, but the reward could be a lot more lucrative.
How to Respond When People Want to Pick Your Brain for Free
By: Robyn Roste
Tags: Writing Prompts, Freelance, Freelance Writing, Freelancers, Freelance Writer

“Hey, can I take you out for coffee and pick you brain? I have a question about freelance writing.”

This is such a common question and I’m sure you’ve been asked it in one way, shape or form at some point in your career.

In fact, I’ve heard this taught as an actual tactic for learning the business.

In fact, I’ve definitely asked people if I could pick their brain! (And still do sometimes!)

So, is it good to do this? Is it smarmy? Is it somewhere in between?

Hey, can I pick your brain?

Ahh…I guess it’s kind of a grey area.

When we’re just getting started, or trying to figure out how to level up, we need someone who is further along to point us in the right direction.

But if you’re that person who is further along, you’re probably REALLY busy. And you likely get asked this question a LOT.

The answer here, for the asker and the mentor is boundaries.

Because here’s the thing, in the content marketing game, sharing valuable advice and offering free information is important!

And literary citizenship is super important!

But sometimes you need to get paid for your advice.
Always Make Time for Prospecting — Zero to CEO: Day 3
By: Cj Estavillo
Tags: Landing Page Design, Freelance, Freelancers, Business

Created in Canva Pro

My last update for this journey is last Thursday!!! 😱

I am able to connect to Upwork last Friday however I got busy later at night due to my deadlines.

Anyways, the lesson here is don’t let excuses come to you. CONNECT, NETWORK with every single workday. Even you are busy or you have lots of client works, always make time to do your business.

(I think I did a great job here because I did connected in Upwork on Friday 😂)

And for almost a week, I am consistently connecting to my ideal audience in FB and it still feels like a struggle to me T__T

That’s why after connecting for few hours, I closed my Safari browser and will open it for the next prospecting day.

Because if I’ll not do that, I will not do adding new people to my circle because I am an introverted one and I do not know how to make the conversations flowing. It drains my brain 😂

Yet, I need to do this because I do not have any backup plan right now. I took a risk of not getting back to the corporate world after my long-term client and I had parted ways.

Anyways, those are my thoughts on Day 3.

See you on later days!! 😁

P.S.: Here’s my reward for working hard last week. Korean foodies ♥️

Banana Milk and Jajangmyun Noodles | Photo by me

Don’t forget to reward yourself when you worked hard 😉
7 Golden Tips For New Online Freelancers
By: Ihthisham Ahmed
Tags: Freelancing, Freelancers, Fiverr, Freelancing Tips, Freelancing Career

Freelancing is an outstanding way to make money on your own terms and conditions. Every freelancer should know these 7 tips aimed at new freelancers.

The 7 golden tips for freelancers are :

How do freelancers get paid?

Do not start working online without a portfolio.

Create some tutorials.

You should improve your communication skills.

Consider your health.

Go outside freelancing sites and promote your service.

Be patient.

Tip 01 : How do freelancers get paid?

Most people don’t believe that they can make a living through the internet. One of the main reasons is that some payment methods are not supported in their country. For example, PayPal is not available in some third world countries. But there are so many methods to get the payment.

Don’t overthink. If you start working online as a freelancer and start getting orders, you will surely get paid nevertheless your connected your PayPay account or your Bank to the site.

PayPal allows you to get paid online. But if PayPal isn’t available in your country, you can use Payoneer to receive your payments. (Payoneer is available worldwide).

{Click here to continue reading…}
3 Websites Where To Get Free Mockups in 2021
Tags: Mockup, Graphic Design Tips, Freelancers, Graphic Design

3 Websites Where To Get Free Mockups in 2021

Improve your presentations for clients with quality mockups, and for free. Karlina Jan 22·3 min read

When I started as a graphic designer, I didn't know how to present the designs I had created for the client. Were bare images of my beautiful logos attached in an email enough? The answer is no. But through lots of Googling and hours of YouTube videos watched, I have learned how to present the concepts and get feedback that is actually useful. So please learn from my mistakes and create beautiful presentations that properly sell the designs you have created.

Mockup from smartmockups.com with images from a personal project.

I have found that the key to presenting the full potential of created logos to a client is by showing the logo in different forms and uses, this way allowing the mockups to tell the story rather than me just saying how it would look good on a t-shirt. The visuals do the talking for me. So, here is a list of websites You can use to get great quality mockups for your next design project.

1 Smart Mockups (web mockup generator)

screenshot of smartmockups.com

An amazing site that has a variety of mockups for free. One of the best things is that it is all done online. Simply upload images and voila.

More about the website:

Free 200 mockups

Customise background / colour

Premium $14 a month

Choose between 3 download file sizes (highest res 5000 x 3500)

link here: smartmockups.com

2 Freepik (Photoshop files)

screenshot of freepik.com

This site has absolutely everything, from mockups to illustrations and icons. A variety of them can be downloaded for free. However, you have to make sure to give credit to the website when using it.

More details:

Limit of 2 downloads a day

Amazing variety of different mockups

Attribution needed when using the files

Premium €9.99 a month

link here: freepik.com

3 Rawpixel (Photoshop files)

screenshot for rawpixel.com

What I like about Rawpixel is that the mockups have a beautiful aesthetic. Further, they are very generous with 10 files that You can download for free a day.

More details:

Casual membership (personal use $3, or business use $19)

10 free downloads a day

Creative Boards to find similar files

link here: rawpixel.com
How to Earn Points on Bixex
By: Victoria Lazarus
Tags: Bixex, Business, Freelancers, Points, Leads

Do you know you can be promoting your business or skills on Bixex, generate more leads and contacts, and still get paid by the platform? This is no joke at all, Bixex has a superb provision for users who truly want to earn some cash via the platform. To achieve this, all you have to do is invite someone to the platform, get the person to register, and get paid just for doing this.

Imagine if you invite one person and get paid $5. Then you invite 100 persons and all 100 registered on the platform, this means you get $500. In a situation where you are able to get more people, you earn more. If getting paid by the platform is something you would like, then follow these steps:

Sign in to your Bixex account

On the home page, among the six options under the “my community,” navigate to invite and click on it.

navigate to and click on it. You will be redirected to your invite page where you not only see your invite link but can also copy it

If you have the mails of the people you want to invite, just fill them out.

If you would rather send the invite link, copy your link and send it.

Once your invited user registers, you get paid for bringing people to Bixex.

The more people you bring in, the more money you earn.

Bixex is simple, safe, and secure
Cracking Upwork Interview
By: Kazai Storyboard
Tags: Upwork, Freelancing, Freelancers, Freelance, iOS App Development

My Upwork Adventures

First Attempt

I registered on Upwork in spring of 2017.

Most of my mates more or less involved in freelance and outsource development were saying that the time had already gone and there was no way to start on Upwork due to incredible competitiveness there.

It seemed to be true. Furthermore, I was scrolling through the jobs posted there and most of them looked like bullshit for meaningless amounts of money.

I’ve spent about a month, sending proposals without any success. Profile with an empty job history was a real barrier and I gave in.

Second Attempt

After about three month I decided to give a second try.

I’ve spoken to a couple of my friends who were rather successful at Upwork those days. Advice was not something I needed actually. A living example, a proof that it was doable and worth doing. That was something I really lacked.

Star Trek: First Contract

This time I was bidding and sending proposals as usual but surprisingly landed the contract rather quickly.

Suddenly on the bidding screen I saw a message saying something like: “Freelancers with skills similar to yours usually bid higher. Recommended amount is X”.

I called it “an invisible hand of the Upwork market”. I bid that exact amount and immediately got the interview. Then we had a call, discussed the details and I got the contract.

Coincidence or unbelievable match?

Top Rated

It took me about half a year to achieve 100% success score and Top Rated status.

Top rated perks

For me personally, there isn’t much profit from it, except the fact that the account becomes a little bit more attractive.

At also allows to bring non-Upwork clients to Upwork with zero commission and use Upwork as an automated invoicing tool.

One more feature is an ability to delete one client’s feedback per year. That may be useful in case of your sudden freelance failure.

Accidentally, I’ve come across one more feature that Upwork provides for top rated freelancers. It’s advertising.

Yeah, it turns out that Upwork puts top rated freelancers everywhere and that’s a rather pleasant thing.

How I lost my top rated status

I haven’t worked through Upwork for the whole 2019 and haven’t been active there at all. As the result I’ve lost top rated status. Unfortunately that will probably cause difficulties with landing jobs in future.

Good news is that I’m going to get it back soon.

Is Upwork worthy?

Continue reading at my blog: “Cracking Upwork Interview”
Call for Freelance Writers: Torchlight Africa Series
By: Nigeria Health Watch
Tags: African Writing, Freelance Writing, Freelancing, Freelancers, Africa

In 2018, Nigeria Health Watch launched its Solutions Journalism series, known as Torchlight Series. The series are articles that go beyond reports and analysis of topical health issues and challenges, seeking out stories that focus on responses and solutions to the many challenges the Nigerian health sector is facing. Expanding on this, Nigeria Health Watch is seeking to engage freelance journalists to write for her Torchlight Africa Series. The Torchlight Africa series is a collection of articles written as Solutions Journalism pieces across Africa. Usually 1000 words, each story should identify the problem statement and one or more solution strategies employed by individuals or organizations in addressing the problem.

Our focus areas:

Freelance writers will be required to identify and research on solutions stories around these areas:

Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Routine Immunisation Nutrition Family Planning & Reproductive Health Primary Health Care Universal Health Coverage Infectious Diseases General Health

Story Pitch Template

Interested freelancers will be required to fill in a story pitch template providing further details on the story idea. Please see below a story pitch template which will be sent to our Editor via torchlightafrica@nigeriahealthwatch.com

From:

Your full name

Designation/Position

Organisation

Social media handle (please specify platform)

To:

Ada Ezeokoli

Editor-in-Chief

Nigeria Health Watch

Date (Date of sending pitch)

Title: (Proposed title of your story)

Problem Statement (Give a brief on what issue your solutions piece is tied to (2–3 paragraphs)

Solution I want to Pursue

Who is solving the problem?

Research/Data Analysis into authenticity of solution (What research have you done on your proposed subject? What further research/ data analysis are you proposing for the story? 2 paragraphs.)

Location (Where is the solutions idea?)

Limitations (What are some of the limitations of the solution you are pursuing?)

Timeline (How long approximately will it take to fully develop your story?)

Field Research Details:

Planned locations you want to visit for your investigation with rationale for selecting these locations. This will also include the people you plan to interact with and interview at these locations and facts you plan to gather from these locations.

Date of Story Submission (State the proposed date the story will be submitted for publication)

For further inquiries, please send an email to torchlightafrica@nigeriahealthwatch.com
I used to write 2,000 words a day on my phone.
By: Amrita Singh
Tags: Content Writing, Copywriting, Freelancers, Freelance Writer, Freelance Life

Photo by Paul Hanaoka on Unsplash

I was fresh out of a job and had no clue about what I wanted to do. The only thing I had done for the last three years was plan weddings. I wanted to take things slow and not rush into another job that would kill me in 6 months. As the previous company I worked with had hired me to write, I decided to start freelance writing for a bit.

My first plan was to get an internship and learn the ropes of the craft. Luckily, I got one. I had to write 2,000 words every day. In the morning, they would send me the topic and the keywords. I had to research, write & edit the entire 2,000 words within 24 hrs. The funny part is, I had no laptop or desktop.

So, I would research on my phone. I wrote articles on a word document, added pictures, and edited the entire blog all on my phone. It was tedious, irritating and I would sit hunched in one corner of my room, typing furiously. The internship lasted for ten days as I was frustrated by bending over my phone and staring at it for almost the entire day. And at times, late in the night.

They didn’t pay me for the ten days. But, they did tell me how much they loved my work. During this time, I got paid a substantial amount to write 70 words for a friend’s article, and I knew my next call of action.

I started looking for freelance opportunities on the web. I used to scour Facebook groups day in and day out. Until, one day in December 2019, I got my first client in a Facebook group! She was based in Dubai and wanted someone to write copy for her website.

When I took up this work, I knew I needed to work out the no laptop & desktop issues. I would sit in the cyber cafe near my house or use a cousin’s desktop during the afternoons. My hard work and persistence paid off. Today, clients reach out to me, and luckily, I have a laptop. But even now, my phone is my favorite companion.
How To Work From Home — Make A List Of Your Top 5 Subjects And Research The Business Opportunities
By: Crystal Santos
Tags: Freelancers, Online Business, Work From Home, Online Marketing, Website Traffic

How To Work From Home — Make A List Of Your Top 5 Subjects And Research The Business Opportunities Crystal Santos Follow May 16 · 2 min read

Most people are motivated by the potential money remunerations or by the passion they have for a particular choice made on the home business scene. Though having these elements to keep the business choice alive is important, there are also other contributing facts that should be considered when deciding on a suitable home business endeavor.

Research

Here are some ideas and the possible research style or material that

links the two:

• Choosing at have an online business can be quite rewarding and

interesting. Besides the more obvious reasons of having minimal

overheads, there is also the fact that there is virtually no limit to the

type on online businesses available. Being internet savvy is

advantageous but not necessarily a prerequisite. There are so many

options available and all it takes is a little time and effort to find one

that is suitable and profitable.

• Choosing to start a home business that provides the services of

supplying food is also a rewarding endeavor. Individuals who are

passionate about food may choose to go into this field. Having the

necessary culinary skills is also an added advantage as it can cut out

the cost incurred of having to hire someone to do the actual cooking.

• An online writing home business is another popular choice to

make. A lot of companies are willing to pay good money to have

articles written in the various media tools available. It is also a good

way to keep abreast with the latest information

•Starting an eBay style website is also another income earning

option. Doing some research to understand the market requirements

would help to unsure the product chosen are salable.

•Another easy and rewarding money earner is venturing into the

teaching line. Giving tutorial allows the individual to put to work all

the information learnt in his or her own academic life. If imparting

knowledge is one’s forte then this is an exciting area to explore.

I hope this article helps you out! For more information about Online Marketing and Search Engine Optimisation, visit: Clients Booster
Freelanex?? 🤔🤔
Tags: Freelancer, Freelanex, Blockchain, ICO, Flx

FreeLaneX is a decentralized platform which provides an environmental system on Blockchain. It represents a unique opportunity for approaching bargains by using a decentralized System with smart contracts, through an interface user friendly. Everything will be managed thanks to a transparent and decentralized portal that will help in gaining the confidence in the transaction between the client and the freelancer.

As we said at the beginning, we live in a time highly affected by the technological revolution and the other digital influences. And in most cases these new technologies play an important role in our life. At this stage we have been able to think about a revolutionary idea and how to implement it. Through a multidisciplinary study we found that there is a defect in the independent economy and there is a demand to organize the standards of safety, to establish a reliable business relationship between the freelancers and clients. This is the reason behind our search about the characteristics and standards of the Blockchain technology to upgrade services and expand the relationship between the freelancers and their clients. 😎

#Freelanex #FLX #Blockchain #ICO #FreelancersPlatform#FutureOfFreelancers
35 EUR People Per Hour Promo Code For Your Next Order (Easy!)
By: Kristaps Hardwork
Tags: Voucher, Freelancers, Promo Code, Peopleperhour, Pph

People Per Hour £30 Voucher

I have working People Per Hour promo code just for you to spend less on your first project. This voucher will give you up to £30 (35 EUR) discount for your first order on the People Per Hour marketplace. Not excited yet?

Offers You Can Find On People Per Hour Marketplace

People Per Hour is a global freelancer hub where you can find skilled and professional freelancers to get anything done for you.

For example, fully functional website, article writing, search engine optimization, logo creation with unlimited revisions, virtual assistant and so much more.

The best part? This People Per Hour promo code is compatible with any order or freelancer. Make the best of it!

All PPH categories you can browse through:

Software & Mobile App Development/Developer

Video, Photo and Audio

Writing and Translation

Sales and Marketing

Web Development

Business Support

Social Media

Design

Use People Per Hour Promo Code Correctly

It’s very important for you not have an account prior to using this PeoplePerHour promo code. Otherwise — it will not work.

Tips to get PPH discount:

After clicking on People Per Hour coupon link create a new account and proceed with your order. If you already have created an account — forget about it. After you’ve clicked on a discount voucher link — sign up with a different email or Facebook account. Using this promo code create a profile with your friend or family member account and make an order as usual.

Share & Clap

If you find this People Per Hour promo code mini-guide-article useful then feel free to share it around the social media and make some noise with claps. You may never know who might find it useful!
Does the world see freelancers as normal workers?
By: Ana Karina Larez
Tags: Freelance Insights, Yolofreelance, Freelancer, Freelancing, Work

I do not think that most of the people who dedicate themselves to be freelancers dream of it as children or adolescents. We imagined working for a company, and that at the end of the month they would enter a payroll. Something as normal and ordinary as the occurrence of our parents if they were not autonomous.

The problem of working with your account is the wrong messages of those who, through their platforms, spread an attractive halo in their house, when it comes to money just when customers do not respond when paying. The reality of being the one who directs your life in the workplace.

Being a freelancer, undertaking or working on your own carries more negative than positive points. In fact, that happiness that does not sell or stop going hand in hand with a dose of stress and a burden that results in not charging much at the end of the month.

One can be a freelancer by vocation, but the great majority is because the salaries paid in companies are low and the hours that are given are too many.

Selling intangible services is not valued. By this I mean that when a professional goes through a budget to a client, therefore, it is about thinking that it should be more economical. After all, you work from home.

How to convince humanity that a freelance is a worker?

When ‘salary to agree’ appears in any job offer, we should take advantage to sell a clear, serious and concise idea: I value what I work. And if you have time as a freelancer the tests on your blog, personal portfolio.

The quality of an assignment, a project, can be better measured in the tools that an independent professional, usually are registered online. Yes, it’s not like that, it can be a good time to create that space that reflects your trajectory.

Would you like to say goodbye to the freelance worlds and say hello to a contract?

It is difficult to generalize, it is unfair and complicated. But, a few cases where a freelancer that does not stop being someone who seeks to make a portfolio of clients and survive, if he is lucky, what he likes; is a person who lives in a continuous state of stress where the days have more than 24 hours.

This does not mean that working in a company, and less today, sea, the panacea, or the tranquility that meet a schedule and get to a house to rest, not a pleasure that many freelancers can savor.

For this reason, many leave a profession to be trained and are moderately good or very good, for a fixed salary and a job to use.

Have you considered leaving freelancing at some point?
Benefits of an Outsourced Accounting Service
By: Vijay Shah
Tags: Contractor, Freelancer, Accountants, Sole Trader, Bookkeeping

In an organization when business happens, cash flows for business come in and go out. Accounting and bookkeeping is an essential key of the business process to manage cash flows. As a small business or startup doesn’t put much effort on accounting and so they don’t keep specialized people for handling accounting department. However, a lot of time, mishandling of receipts and records often occur and potential earning and analysis is lost.

Have a look at the benefits of outsource accounting:

Money saver: When you choose outsourced accounting services for your finance and accounting work, it will reduce the cost of your organization. Your work is done by expert and professionals and so you get the quality of work and you don’t have to waste much time on running behind other.

Technical support: Most of the time, business need to be updated about the latest technology and for that; they pay extra money for such technology. But this thing can be avoided when you choose outsourced accounting services. An accountant has all the latest technology and this will give you the extra benefit in the long run.

Continuous Operations: When you approached for outsourced accounting services, the professional will deliver your work within your set time frame. One of the benefits of outsourcing your service is that you get non-stop service.

Efficient Management Reporting: When you outsource your work, you will get a custom-made solution that will give you the surety of your need being met. Their collaborative work will reduce your cost of managing accounts.

Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability: Complete reliability and availability you get from your professionals for your work to the firms. As it is, their core product they ensure your information remains confidential and secured.

At FinacBooks, we offer bookkeeping service for all types of business. If you are looking for outsource your accounting service, FinacBooks is here to serve you for all your accounting services such VAT Return, company formation, self-assessment, tax filling and many more.
Merry Fraking Freelance Xmas California
By: Nebojsa, Nesha
Tags: Freelancing, Gig Economy, Freelancers, Freelance

California knows how to party, but does California know how to freelance?

I reflect on California Assembly Bill 5 from the safe distance of my third world country. I enjoy my tax-cozy life as a freelance outlaw to the fullest. One of my freelance buddies from India says this is Karma at work. He’s emotionally compromised. He just can’t let go of an article where some CA freelancer bragged about making six figures with no sweat.

I don’t share this bittersweet sentiment. I feel for my freelance brothers and sisters who will get hurt and burnt, but not by the sun on the sandy beaches in California.

Run To The Hills, Run For Your Freelance Lives

A personal fun fact. I have a law degree. Thanks to my average grade I can get a Ph.D. in let’s say four years unless the European higher education laws haven’t changed dramatically. But, I don’t it for the most reasonable piece of advice I can possibly give you. Pack your bugs. Hit the road Jack and don’t look back.

You know your protesters’ rights. Knock yourself out. Walking and screaming (optional) are good for your freelance health. You can make news but not California lawmakers to change their minds.

There’s a serious possibility of a national law-demic. The AB 5 can spread like a virus, literally. Are you willing to trade California beaches for Bali beaches?

Isn’t It Ironic, Don’t You Think?

Ah America, the birthplace of AIDS!

Sacha Baron Cohen as Admiral General Aladeen in The Dictator. Funny.

Ah AB 5, the graveyard of freelancing. Not funny at all.

America invented freelancing (let’s not argue about that for the sake of this article) and now they’re killing it. Why?

In its strict legal essence, this law is supposed to protect freelance folks. The trouble is that bill-pill can kill our freelance Bill. You’ll become a regular (protected) employee against your will.

Someone may say, don’t let me be misunderstood that’s for your own freelance good. Whoever even thinks that way clearly hasn’t worked a single second as a freelancer.

I wrote once that one day we will all be freelancers, sooner or later, this way or another. Well, seems to me that 9-to-5 doesn’t come with a knife, but a big legal gun.

I Have A Spare Room To Share

I used to dream about moving to the States. If you dream, then dream big and sunny. Dream California.

Some of my countrymen are living their American freelance dream. They charge five to ten times more. Same people. Same freelance services. But, you know how they say, location is everything. That’s something I call the power of your freelance flag, but that’s another story.

Is the “exodus” of freelancers inevitable? Are we going to have digital refugees instead of digital nomads? Is this the end of freelance days?

CA-AB-ageddon?
Is CONTENT is the key to the success of every website?
By: Ashab Santow
Tags: Content Is The King, Content Writer, Freelance Content Writer, Freelancer

Is CONTENT the key to the success of every website?

Content is the key and still is and will be in the future. Billions of internet users every second browse the internet to find content.

That is why content is the core of every SEO campaign or planning. The growing demand for content is everywhere.

The common mistake about the content is its only the written content. It's wrong. Content is everything you read, see or enjoy online. It can be a simple image, text, amateur-video, or anything.

Content also greatly dictates the nature of future tech & vice versa. The voice search was always there but just recently it’s got hit by Alexa and Siri. Both Amazon & Google are creating amazing hardware. It also dictates to create new content for this new tech!

You will find tons of podcasts online nowadays.

Content is the king over all internet and only content can make your website or social platforms worthy to audiences.

I have a website and found all this info that intrigued me a lot. I then start researching how to write quality content and trust me it's hard. Written content is the best way to get trust from search engines. I am not an SEO guy nor a content writer so I searched online. I took freelance support from a freelancer content writer. Now my website is getting a nice audience and I am getting the revenue which I dreamt of.

If you need a content writer or freelance content writing service feel free to knock Ashab. He is a great freelancer and a talented content writer. He also posses a great deal of knowledge about Search Engine Optimization.
How to increase your client base as a freelance content writer?
By: Abhijeet Modi
Tags: Content Writing, Freelance Writing, Freelancer, Beyondwordswrite, Content Writer

With everything getting online these days, freelancing writing has become highly popular and enabled people to start their careers from the comfort of their home itself. However, freelancing requires a lot of discipline, networking, and collaboration to increase your client base. Here are some of the ways in which you can increase your base as working as a freelance content writer:

Link up with other freelancers

You can team up with other freelancers, either in a group or individually. For this, you will need to start the negotiation and share the fees to collaborate with them for longer. One of the biggest benefits of this is that you get a lot of steady work from the concerned source. With time, you will get a lot of steady work from that source and would be able to make your content writing profile better. Through skills, expertise, strengths, you will be able to achieve a happy relationship.

Team up with people who have expertise in different fields of work. For instance, in case you are working as a writer, collaborate with web designers who can help you set blogs and your website.

Build your social media presence

Make sure that you build your online presence on social media accounts and reach out to maximum people online. This is important so that you get feedback from the people, and can reach out to potential clients. You need to be present every single day across all the relevant platforms so that you remain active and can build a presence. Another thing that you need to be careful about is that your graphic elements, profile pictures, and personal bio are consistent across different profiles so that people can recognize your accounts and drop by your channel more often.

Enroll yourself in a freelancing marketplace

There are several platforms available online where you can enroll yourself as a freelancer and start bidding over the projects. For this, you will first need to check which website or platform would be the best fit for your profile. Then, you need to make sure that you build a strong profile describing your work and the previous samples that you have worked on so that the clients know about your work process. You will need to aggressively bid over the projects and reach out to clients with a proposal so that they can confide in you and consider you for their projects.

Focus on getting SEO traffic

SEO plays a huge role in garnering website traffic and improving the ranking on the search engines. It is important that you incorporate SEO tactics and make use of keywords that can make your content or website rank higher. Another important thing that you need to keep in mind is to be original and make sure that your content is readable to the audiences. This would also help in garnering the client’s attention easily.

Hope that you are now aware of the ways in which you can expand your client base as a freelance content writer and achieve great heights in this career.
The Handmaid’s Tale Told By a Freelancer
By: Nebojsa, Nesha
Tags: The Handmaids Tale, Freelancing, Freelancers, Freelance, Lifehacks

I took Latin in high school. To be quite honest, I wasn’t thrilled about it. Later, I become annoyed by people who liked to show off with their knowledge of Latin phrases. I mean, what’s the point? You have to Google like crazy just to figure out what has someone tried to say. The easiest way to put it is in plain and simple English. Why bother?

Then, I stumbled upon a Latin phrase, and I liked it so much that I thought, it would be a great tattoo. I’m dead serious about it. So, why this sudden change about the way I feel about Latin phrases?

Nolite Te Bastardes Carborundorum

Here’s my second moment of truth. I haven’t read the book — The Handmaid’s Tale, but I will. That’s a promise. In the meantime, I was watching the TV show. One of the episodes was all about this Latin phrase. What’s supposed to mean? More importantly, what it has to do with freelancing and freelancers?

My best and totally free interpretation is, don’t let the bad clients bring you down! This has become my “mantra” I keep repeating whenever a client rubs me the wrong way. I get caught up in the malicious circle of revisions. I hit the wall of an I-am-your-client-I-am-your-boss-I-am-always-right attitude. I wait to get paid long after I submitted my work. I get an unjust bad review with the sole purpose of ruining my flawless working record. I know it’s time for me to do my Nolite-Te-Ritual.

Just because you’re going to repeat your favorite Latin phrase a couple of times, it won’t make your problems go away. But, that’s not the point. You’re going to feel good about yourself and your work, even for a moment. Every freelancer knows that sometimes this is enough to get through a rough day “at work.”

You Don’t Need a Tattoo — Just a Life-Saving Screensaver

As you can see, I use my kid’s old blackboard to organize my projects and keep track of my work. I just can’t help it. So, I write and clean this small blackboard every single day, over and over again. But, the Latin letters are here to stay and remind me never to lose faith in myself.

I know that a freelance life is way more complicated to simplify it and make it easier with one Latin phrase. But, what are the alternatives? At least, the healthy ones. “Yes Sir” are going to become the only words, you’ll use when talking to your clients. Or, you will need a handful of tranquilizers to finish your projects.

If you have found a better solution to keep it cool while you’re freelancing, I have to say it, I’m all ears. While waiting to hear from you, I’m going to stick to my Nolite-Te-Ritual. It helps me keep my spirits up. There will always be “bastardes” who will try to bring you down, and there’s nothing you can do about it. The only option you have is to change and strengthen your mental attitude. If a Latin phrase can help you achieve this goal, then use it as often as possible. Let me know does it work for you.
4 Productivity tips for freelancers who need help staying on track
By: Darryl Kelly
Tags: Freelancer, Productivity, Freelancing, Freelance Tips, Freelance

4 Productivity tips for freelancers who need help staying on track

It’s not always easy to stay on track especially when you’re your own boss and work from home. Here are great productivity tips to help. Darryl Kelly Follow Mar 8 · 3 min read

The life of a freelancer is one of the most flexible working environments that there is. And while that can be incredibly satisfying, it can also hold its own set of challenges like productivity.

When you’ve got the freedom to create your own schedule, ensuring that you stay motivated and productive can be challenging. If you’ve been struggling with productivity, we’re here to provide you with some productivity tips that will help you get back to producing high-quality work at a decent level.

1. Have a schedule

As a freelancer, you get to set your own schedule, and it can be easy to work whenever you feel like it. But, if you don’t take the time to create a schedule for yourself, you’ll find that you find reasons to put off your work.

When you set a schedule, you should set aside a block of time to focus on getting your freelance work complete. After this time is up, you’re free to do anything else that you’d like to do with your day.

This alleviates you from facing any missed deadlines or filling your entire day with work as if you’re in a regular corporate office.

2. Continue to educate yourself

Whether you’re a beginner or have been at this freelance thing for years, you must continue to educate yourself on your craft. For, example if your a freelancer that focuses on building websites, it would be useful for you to continue studying the varying types of coding.

Not only does this keep you up-to-date on current coding practices, but you’re also able to broaden your skillset and be able to take higher-paying jobs.

3. Take a break

There are going to be times when you’re driven to work for hours on end. And while you’re going to complete a higher amount of work, the quality of your work may begin to slip. This is because although you wish to continue working, your brain and body are telling you they need a break.

Ensuring that you stick to regular breaks will give you the time you need to move around and refresh yourself before getting back to work.

4. Know when you’re productive

Some people are productive early in the morning with a cup of coffee in hand, and others are more productive after the sun goes down. One of the best work productivity tips we have is to know yourself.

Knowing what time of day is the best for you will ensure that you make the most of your peak production times.

Productivity tips 101: Getting back on track

When it comes to being a freelancer, there are tons of productivity tips available. Tips that include working when you’re the most productive and taking the time to give yourself breaks in between your work schedule.

If you’re looking to learn more about a freelancer’s life or get started on your freelance journey, visit Hecticapp.com.
10 questions for finding the right clients
Tags: Freelancing, Photography Business, Freelancers, Creative Business

Minorstep @ Instagram

Running a creative practice isn’t about managing to find enough clients — it’s about managing to find the right ones.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how we can get there and I’ve compiled ten questions to ask yourself to guide your thinking about what kind of clients will enable you to do the work you want:

1. If you could ONLY work with a few brands/clients, which would you choose?

2. Why are these clients ideal for you?

3. What do these ideal clients want from a creative service provider?

4. What do you want from your clients?

5. What story will you tell clients about why you are the best for them?

6. What story will you tell clients about why they are the best fit for you?

7. How will you price your services to attract only those ideal clients?

8. How many of these right customers do you need to build a viable practice?

9. Where will you find these ideal clients?

10. How will these clients find you?

Client-Creative fit is so extremely underrated.

George Kroustallis // Minorstep

www.minorstep.com

instagram.com/minorstep
Covid-19, Taxes 2020, and Freelancers
By: Flyfin Ai
Tags: Tax Returns, Freelancers, Taxes, Covid 19, Covid 19 Crisis

It’s hard for freelancers to navigate through all the financial complexities and tax regulations during the best of times. But with COVID-19 everything had become so much messier. With changes in tax rules, due to Covid-19, taxes for 2020 became a bit more complicated.

Some of these key changes to note are:

1.The “CARES” package:

Intending to provide support and financial relief to the individuals and businesses who are dealing with the economic fallout from the Coronavirus pandemic last year, the U.S. government signed the CARES Act, under which you are eligible for unemployment benefits, amounting to $1200 payment ($2400 for married couples) from the IRS, plus an additional $500 per dependent (16 years or younger).

2. Work From Home Deductions:

The pandemic forced all of us to “work from Home”. So, if you think you had to go out of your way to buy home office utilities, you’re not the only one.

If you’re a freelancer who had to set up a home office, there’s some good news for you. You can deduct and claim up to $5 per square foot of the office area. You can also categorize all the utilities you bought for your home office, as deductions. This includes chairs, stamps, printers, work desks, and other supplies you might be using in your office.

3.Impact on state taxes:

The federal government doesn’t care too much where you work — but states do. The state income taxes you pay may be affected if you’re working remotely during the pandemic in a state that’s different from where your employer is located. This could result in double taxation. It is always advisable to look into the state tax rules that different states have.

Instead of being stressed about the complications that came with Covid, freelancers can make good use of this situation by equipping themselves with the necessary information and consulting with an expert CPA at the right time. Doing this will help you save loads! Download the FlyFin app and get a free CPA consult now. You can also file your State+Fed taxes for just $99 assisted by an expert CPA.

Here’s the link to get the FlyFin app for free- http://onelink.to/yhk9q6
Freelancers and Virtual Assistant Demands Increasing During COVID-19
By: Archit Vyas
Tags: Work From Anywhere, Freelancers, Covid 19, Work From Home, Virtual Assistant

Growth of the Freelancer & VA market has been increasing ever since the concept of virtual assistant came into existence. More and more people and businesses are outsourcing their tasks to a freelancer or a virtual assistant who gets their work done as and when required. This on-demand solution model has been useful for both the employee and the employer. There has been a tremendous increase in the demand of virtual assistants in the business market. If we consider the statistics by different freelancing companies, there has been a 90% increase in demand for Virtual assistants and Freelancers in the last few years.

Doesn’t matter if you are a small business entrepreneur or a solo practitioner, having someone handle your task when you are unable to do it by yourself is a great help. Or maybe you can buy some hours from your hectic schedule to outsource your life by assigning the daily chores or pensive tasks to virtual assistants.

Here is a list of few reasons that may be the cause of sudden growth in this field:

1) The employer no longer has to hire different numbers/quality of people who do different tasks to deliver some output. Instead, a virtual assistant can be hired who can do many tasks simultaneously.

2) There is no need to pay a certain “N” number of people to do their job if a virtual assistant can perform the assigned duty alone.

3) Once we break down certain exercises into parts and assign those to different people, it is quite difficult to coordinate with each and every one and to bring together the solution we wanted in the first place.

4) A freelancer or a virtual assistant are paid only for the assignments they do. Generally, they are not hired as regular employees who are paid monthly or annually.

5) There is no hierarchy or a system like a normal business model has. Virtual assistants work closely in contact with the person who has hired them. They are directly answerable to their employee which makes it feasible for both of them to communicate better on the tasks assigned.

6) A virtual assistant has the liberty to work from anywhere as long as they deliver what is needed. For example, a business person in New York City can hire a virtual assistant from a company that may be based out of as far as a country like India.