Just as I am willing to customize my style and process to meet each individual client’s content needs, I am also willing to look at the myriad of alternative payments that are possible in today’s technologically-driven world.

If you don’t have the cash or credit available and have freelance blogging needs, crypto is now happily accepted. Contact me to talk through your job.

The post Freelance Blogger – Now Accepting Crypto appeared first on Blogger Freelance.

When I decided to become a freelance blogger, I was looking for the opportunity to take my passion for writing and turn it into a business. I knew that I would have to work hard to find opportunities, but it turned out that there are lots of opportunities for writers out there. Because of this, I learned quickly that being a freelance blogger meant deciding what I wanted to write, how much I wanted to make and who I was going to work with on projects.

When you’re looking to hire bloggers and work with a freelance blogger, it’s important to know just how much influence we have on what we decide to write — at least for freelancers who give a damn.

Writing is a talent, but it’s also a profession, which means that freelance blogging is a skill that businesses need (more than ever!). It helps people online find out more about their business, services or products.

Keeping my experience in mind, here are seven reasons someone might choose to become a freelance blogger:

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions
As a freelance blogger, it is up to me to decide who I want to work with and when. I have complete control over the clients I write for, and that’s especially important when it comes to producing unique content. When it comes to writing, it’s all about enjoying the words you’re putting on the page/screen. If you can’t do that, how can you be good at your job? Freelance blogging is an opportunity to be selective with projects so that you’re always able to put in 100% effort.

Let Your Creativity Shine
Whether you’re blogging as a side hustle, or as your full-time job, having the opportunity to write for different clients and take on varied projects is a chance to stay “fresh” creatively. Having the opportunity to research and write about all different kinds of topics is creatively satisfying, and definitely beats going into the office and doing the same old same old, every single day. When you hire bloggers, you are gaining access to fresh ideas and perspectives.

At Home or On The Road
What’s the best part about being a freelance blogger? I can be anywhere and everywhere, thanks to my phone and laptop. Whether I’m in a cafe, at home or in a hotel, I am always able to do my work and stay online. That accessibility allows me to be productive whenever I am feeling inspired, instead of having to wait to get to my desk to start writing ideas down; I can put pen to paper (digitally speaking) right away. Freelance bloggers are able to do their work just about anywhere, and mobility is key to productivity.

Great Expectations
When it comes to working with clients, I am the main point of contact as a freelance blogger. This means that I’m getting expectations, deliverables and nuances (like style and tone of voice) directly from you, the client. Things aren’t being handed down through another channel or person, so I don’t have to play a game of telephone to figure out what my client wants. I have direct access to them, and they have direct access to me.

Providing Expertise
I personally get excited whenever a freelance blogging opportunity comes around on a topic that I’m particularly passionate about. Freelance bloggers are researchers at heart, and we love finding new information to talk about with our clients. Whenever I’m able to provide my expertise to a client, they’re getting information that is unique and tailored exactly to their needs. My job isn’t to repeat what’s already said on other sites, it’s to create content that gets noticed for being unique on its own.

Reputation In Check
Whenever you’re self-employed, the work you do tends to be a direct reflection on you personally – and freelance blogging is no different! Whenever I am blogging, whether my name is attached or not, my reputation as a writer is on the line. Not only with clients but with myself. This is especially important when new projects come along, and I can point to my work on the internet that will impress them. Not only is it an opportunity to develop new business, but it’s also important that I am always happy with the work I’m creating.

Developing Your SEO Skills
One of the most important, and valuable, skills that a freelance blogger can have is an in-depth knowledge of search engine optimization (SEO) principles and best practices. It’s important that the work we do, as bloggers, isn’t just pretty to read – it also has to be searchable. In an age where digital marketing is becoming more and more important, this is especially valuable for clients. Having SEO knowledge is going to help your work become even better.

The Three Keys to Being an Effective Freelance Blogger
The best freelance bloggers all have three things in common: they’re the ones who understand the value of their work, know what they’re talking about (or are willing to put the time in to do research and found out more) and are able to manage client expectations/correspondences in a way that is fair and fast. The best freelance bloggers don’t take their skills for granted. They will always have their client in mind.

Clients are always looking for new ways to get their business noticed, and freelance bloggers are an invaluable resource to help put their services into words. It’s an opportunity to create timely, optimized and well-written content that really effects people and helps them make a decision about the services they’re looking for online. Whenever I am writing a blog, I always think to myself: “is this going to change someone’s mind about this product/service/business?” That way, the work I’m doing is always convincing.

Have you been looking for a freelance blogger for your business? As I’ve outlined here, the best bloggers are the ones who care about their work, know what they’re talking about and understand the value of their role. Writing is an ability that can be easy to attempt, but hard to perfect. Make sure that you’re always working with the best for your online writing needs!

The post Freelance Blogger – Why You Need to Hire Bloggers (or become one!) appeared first on Blogger Freelance.

We’ve put a few gift ideas for a freelance blogger together in this article, complete with pricing information and links to make your shopping job as simple as possible. Many of these ideas and tools come highly recommended from prolific freelance bloggers.

HD Webcam
Recommended Product: Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920

Many freelance bloggers use some element of video in their posts or as part of the social media content promoting their blog. Many opt to create a Youtube channel as an additional audience building tool, blog traffic generator, and as a way to add more depth to their content.

Video is actually an extremely useful tool when trying to rank on a search engine results page – and high-quality video is the gold standard. This Logitech HD Pro Webcam comes recommended from freelancer extraordinaire Melyssa Griffin of The Nectar Collective.

Microphone
Recommended Product: Yeti USB Microphone

Another area most bloggers are starting to explore to build their audience and generate traffic is podcasting. Having a great microphone ensures that sound quality is high and listeners won’t be put off by weird background noises that a lesser microphone would likely catch. It’s not easy to edit sound after the fact, so get it right the first time with this Amazon bestseller. Great sound quality also helps with video production, so use it with the aforementioned webcam for best results!

Note Taking Device
Recommended Product: Aqua Notes

No more great ideas down the drain!” Is the slogan/inspiration behind Aqua Notes, one of the quirkiest gift ideas for a freelance blogger on this list. Essentially, the paper is waterproof and the writing tool is just a simple graphite pencil. If you know someone who gets their best ideas at the most typically inconvenient times, this gift is sure to go over well.

Wall Organizer
Recommended Product: Chalkboard Wall Decals

Between their own projects and commissioned client work, freelance bloggers often have a LOT of different posts and deadlines to keep track of. Having some kind of wall organizer, where it’s easy to write out tasks separated by days of the week, is one of the most useful gift ideas for a freelance blogger. Don’t miss deadlines – organize, instead!

A Great Book
Recommended Product: Born to Blog

There are too many excellent books to choose just one to recommend as a gift idea for a freelance blogger, but Born to Blog by Mark Schaefer is a book that bridges the gap between personal and business blogging. There really is a practical application for almost anyone reading this excellent blogging resource.

Image and Photo Editing Software
Recommended Product: Adobe Creative Cloud Membership

Any good blogger knows that images are one of the most important parts of a successful blog. An Adobe Creative Cloud membership includes access to the latest versions of both Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom. Adobe Photoshop makes it possible to make simple or complex edits on images, which is especially useful when creating social media content and other blog images. Adobe Lightroom is a tool used by many photographers and bloggers to edit their images with different filters and presets. Together, these tools are must haves for a freelance blogger.

Camera
Recommended Product: Sony Alpha a6000

If you’re in a really generous mood, the Sony Alpha a6000 is an excellent camera for a blogger who’s a beginner in terms of photography. This DSLR has some of the best features in it’s category, at the best price – it’s no wonder that it’s a bestseller. As the blogger you’re gifting to becomes more proficient in photography, they’ll be able to unlock additional functionality in this camera without outgrowing it.

Photography Backdrops
Recommended Product: Table Top Photography Studio

If you have great image editing software and a powerhorse camera, the only thing you may be missing are some cool photography backdrops. There are plenty of cool vinyl patterns to choose from across the internet, but a basic tool to add to your freelance blogger giftee’s repertoire is this table top photography studio, which gives a clean white backdrop for photo shoots involving small objects, like when photographing photos to go with product reviews.

Beverage Warmer
Recommended Product: Electric Beverage Warmer

Ending this list of gift ideas for a freelance blogger on a slightly silly note, we can’t think of a single person who wouldn’t benefit from this electric beverage warmer. It keeps coffee and tea warm as long as you need it to – perfect for early morning or late night blogging sessions.

As a freelance blogger, wouldn’t you love some of these gift ideas!?

The post Gift Ideas for a Freelance Blogger appeared first on Blogger Freelance.

Whether you are looking to hire a freelance blogger or are a content provider looking for clients, there is one certainty: the topic of rates will arise.

Freelance writers spend considerable time honing their writing skills so they can command the best freelance blogging rates. From taking college-level English classes to participating in online writing seminars, it seems there isn’t enough time in the day to sharpen our literary acumen. However, the same amount of time and sweat rarely is devoted to devising freelance blogging rates. In fact, many freelance writers undercharge for freelance blogging services.

Freelance bloggers need to learn the factors that form the structure for freelance blogger rates. First, let’s take a look at the two primary ways freelance bloggers charge clients for their time and services.

Fixed Versus Hourly Rates

Freelance bloggers use two methods for charging clients for work delivered. Fixed rate projects charge clients a flat fee, regardless of the time and resources spent to complete a project. Hourly rate projects charge clients for work performed each hour of a project. Both freelance blogging rates carry advantages and disadvantages.

Fixed Rate

Talk to any experienced freelance blogger and you find that fixed rate projects do a much better job of motivating writers. The faster a blogger completes a post, the more money he or she earns per hour. Fixed freelance blogging rates work best for fixed word posts, such as blogs that require 500 words per post. On the other hand, fixed rate jobs can come back to bite bloggers, as unexpected problems arise that delay the completion of a blog post.

Hourly Rate

Third-party platforms that connect clients and freelancers provide time keeping software that makes it easy and accurate to bill clients for writing services rendered. Not every freelancer bills clients for hourly work delivered via third party platforms. Hence, questions arise on projects that freelancers submit hourly rate bills that don’t include the use of a timekeeping device. Hourly rate charges work best for lengthy writing projects, such as eBooks and white papers.

Some freelancers charge a combined rate for more elaborate projects. For example, a client wants a freelancer to review a series of blog posts and then transform the posts into an eBook. The freelancer hired for the project can charge a flat rate to review the blog posts and an hourly rate to create the new eBook content.

Factors that Influence Freelance Blogging Rates

The first thing for writers to establish credible freelance blogging rates involves performing research into what other writers charge for similar projects. Third party platforms typically list each freelancer’s projects, including the details of the project, as well as what the freelancer charged the client. After researching industry rate standards, freelancers must consider several other factors for establishing freelance blogger rates.

Education

Clients typically want to hire freelance bloggers that have received some sort of formal education. The education requirements range from a Bachelor’s degree in virtually any discipline to a PhD in English Literature. Clients also review writer skill sets by referencing tests administered by third party platforms. The better that you perform on the tests, the more you can charge per hour and project.

Experience

Clients feel much more at ease working with freelance bloggers that have a track record of writing blog posts that attract visitors to websites. Experience for freelance bloggers comes in the form of an expansive writing portfolio and client feedback, whether the feedback comes from a third party platform or client testimonials presented on a writer’s website.

Type of Genre

The type of genre matters for charging freelance blogging rates. Search engine optimized blog posts written to attract more website visitors is worth more than a sci-fi short story written for entertainment purposes only. Freelance bloggers can charge more per hour and project by writing posts that double as website landing pages and creating white papers that help customers solve problems.

When Time is of the Essence

Whenever a freelancer sees a job post that contains the word “Rush” or the phrase “Need within 24 hours,” the time has come to bump up freelance blogger rates. Reasonable clients that have rush jobs understand that they must pay a premium for the commodity called time. Just make your rate hike reasonable. Otherwise, clients have other freelancer options that fit within their budgets.

Freelance bloggers run a business, which means they must account for expenses when coming up with freelance blogging rates.

Here is a short list of some of the expenses incurred by freelance bloggers:

• Utility Bills
• Internet Access
• Computer Hardware
• Freelance Writer Software Packages
• Telephone Bills
• Office Furniture
• Computer Accessories (Camera, Headphone, etc.)
• Printing Equipment

All of the expenses play a factor in what you charge clients. You also must consider client added costs, such as reviewing an Amazon product or purchasing a book that you have to read to write a review.

The post Freelance Blogging Rates appeared first on Blogger Freelance.

A copywriter portfolio, aka a writer portfolio, offers great insight into how a freelance blogger can help your business achieve its goals.

Choosing the perfect blogger or copywriter for your project isn’t an easy task. There are plenty of writers out there, and with agencies and bidding sites offering up freelancers in the thousands, it can be a long and arduous process trying to distinguish the top-quality writers from the mediocre ones.

One of the key indicators as to the quality of the copywriter or blogger is their writer portfolio. This is their catalog of proof – their advertisement to the world that boasts the best of what they can do.

This being said, the most important thing when considering a copywriter for your next project is to know what a good copywriter portfolio should contain, and what you should look for within their examples of past work in order to decide if their services are right for you.

What Goes Into Creating a Great Online Copywriter Portfolio?

A professional copywriter portfolio is one of the areas of freelance blogging where style does not outweigh substance. While plenty of bloggers and copywriters have snazzy-looking online portfolios, presented on a responsive webpage with a professional design – this does not necessarily indicate that the writer is a professional.

What matters is the content!

Don’t be distracted by a flashy layout and a compelling color scheme. There are certain things you should look for in a copywriter’s portfolio that go far beyond mere aesthetics:

Live Links to Existing Work

Professional portfolios (particularly those belonging to freelance bloggers or web writers) should include live links to web clips, or at least screen shots of live webpages. If you want to be sure that the copywriter in question has the necessary skills to deliver, be sure to check that they have completed published work for previous clients and that their work is, indeed, good enough to get published.

Checking that their online portfolio has live links to web copy, articles, web pages or product descriptions is one way to be sure that the writer in question has the necessary skills to write for the web.

Well-Presented Print Examples

Next, take a look at their print copywriting samples. These should be presented as high-quality PDFs of scanned articles, packaging descriptions, posters, brochures or other print copy. It is always a good idea to check the samples to see whether the copywriter in question is credited as the writer, though for some projects this isn’t always applicable.

Having a mixture of both print and web copy (i.e. online and offline projects) shows that the writer is able to produce a diverse mixture of copy, usually in a variety of different writing styles. Print examples are also testament to the writer’s quality, as these show that past clients value their work highly enough to invest in printed materials.

Testimonials or References

Testimonials or references are a huge asset to any freelance blogger or copywriter’s portfolio. A testimonial from a past client can go a long way, as it is a form of social proof that the writer in question is able to deliver top quality work. Be sure to connect on LinkedIn as well!

Testimonials inspire confidence, eliminate doubt and give potential clients a feeling of security that the freelancer is able to complete projects to a high standard, and provide great customer service.

Look for a good selection of testimonials within the portfolio. Ideally, these should include the name of the client, some form of contact details (such as a link to their company website) and a brief description of the works completed. And, of course, a few shining words of praise about the project.

Work Examples from Big Brands or Authority Sites

If the writer in question has worked with big brands, or had their work featured on authority sites within their niche, then this can be a huge indicator that they are a true professional.

These types of samples in a writer’s portfolio inspire confidence in the same way that testimonials and references from past clients do. Such samples are a form of proof of the writer’s abilities, as authority sites and big brands are not likely to employ someone who cannot write to a high standard, or deliver projects that are anything less than the highest quality.

Consistent Work

One way to distinguish a great writer portfolio from an average one is by checking the publication or completion dates of each piece of work within the portfolio. While it’s true that the quality of writing within the samples should be one of the main focuses, it does help to see if the portfolio contains recent work samples, rather than outdated ones.

There should be at least some level of consistency in the copywriters work as far as dates are concerned. If the portfolio contains only clips from five or six years ago, then this could be an indication that the writer either has not completed any quality projects in recent years, or simply has not taken the time to keep their portfolio fresh and up to date. Look for a mix of recent and older clips.

Impeccable Spelling and Grammar

It’s the small details that can distinguish a good writer from a great writer. While typos and spelling errors are easy to make, they are also easy to rectify. If a writer is serious about their craft, then their portfolio should be free of any grammatical or spelling errors.

It is this level of meticulousness that indicates quality – as not only does it show that the writer is serious about maintaining an image of professionalism, but also speaks volumes about their attention to detail. If a writer is sloppy enough to allow minor errors and grammar mistakes to slip through into their own professional portfolio, then this doesn’t bode well for their clients’ projects.

Impeccable spelling and grammar across the entire portfolio is a key indicator that the writer takes pride in what they do and is serious about delivering top-quality work, every time.

Be sure to examine that copywriter portfolio to determine whether or not the freelance blogger in question is worth hiring.

Like what you’ve just read? Hire me to freelance blog for you. Start here.

The post What to Look for When Evaluating a Copywriter Portfolio appeared first on Blogger Freelance.

Writer needed? Many small businesses do not have the time, nor the resources, to build and maintain a strong online presence or a solid online content strategy.

It is well-known that having an online presence is crucial to business success, and engaging directly with consumers and potential customers.

Having a blog is beneficial for small businesses, allowing them to build loyalty among their current customers, gain feedback, and attract new leads (therefore increasing sales) whilst also helping with the search-engine ranking of the company website.

Suffice to say – blogging for small businesses is pretty important! It is an effective way of communicating with your target audience, and provides a cost-effective way of building and maintaining an online presence, without the need of hiring costly web designers or having to learn HTML.

With all of this in mind it is worthwhile investing in a professional writer, needed to make your content stand out from the crowd and get your message heard. Here are just some of the ways that blogging can benefit your small business:

Communicate Your Brand Proposition

Your blog is your way of reaching out to your potential customers, and the content you publish will shape and enhance the ways in which your audience connects with your brand and company. You can use your blogs’ content to drive engagement, as well as increase the likelihood of new customers discovering your business, through publishing high-quality, shareable content.

A good writer is needed for you to be able to pull this off effectively, as blogging also creates a level of trust between your organization and your target consumers. People are more likely to ‘trust’ content that is written on a blog, by an individual – rather than corporate-style sales material that is purely promotional and offers no real benefit to the person reading it.

In this respect, blogs enable small businesses to establish a clear, authentic voice and communicate their message in a meaningful way online in a way that many larger corporations do not.

Boost Your Websites SEO Ranking

The first thing that a potential customer will do when they are looking for a specific product or service is search for it via Google, or another search engine. Therefore, you want your business website to rank as highly as possible in search results! Having a blog attached to your company website is a highly effective way of climbing the search engine ladder.

A good blog writer will be able to identify the appropriate key words for your business to target, and then create content around those key words to improve your search-engine ranking. This goes beyond the simple offerings and services of your business – and can include peripheral keywords that your target consumers will be searching for.

This type of targeted marketing based on the demographics and interests of your consumers is highly effective, and much less costly than other traditional forms of marketing and print or media advertising.

Enable You to Build a Mailing List of Potential Customers

If your blog contains useful information that your target consumers are searching the web for (which it will – provided your blog writer performs the appropriate keyword research as stated in the point above), then ultimately the people who land on your site are warm leads who might benefit from your products or services.

By offering a free, downloadable piece of content on your blog (such as an Ebook or pdf that addresses certain pain points within your target consumer) – you have the opportunity to capture the email addresses of your target audience.

This can be used to build a database for future direct marketing campaigns, as you will steadily build a catalogue of customers who have already expressed an interest in the types of services or products your business is offering – and are therefore more likely to buy from you.

This type of lead generation is extremely valuable for small businesses – and what’s more, it’s easy to manage. Using a free service like Mailchimp to build your email list, you can plan future marketing campaigns strategically, and also send out company newsletters to promote engagement with your customers.

In Conclusion

If you’re serious about boosting the online credibility of your small business, and growing your customer base – then regular blogging should be central to your content marketing strategy. There is a writer needed!

It is critical that the content you produce keeps consumers coming back for more – as is striking the right balance between genuinely useful and engaging articles with more promotional content.

If you plan your strategy carefully and understand the importance of hiring a writer needed for executing that strategy, then your small business can most certainly gain a competitive advantage, even against some of the bigger, key-players within your industry.

The post Writer Needed: Why a Blog Can Give Your Small Business an Edge appeared first on Blogger Freelance.

It’s no secret (at least to fellow bloggers) that running a successful freelance blogger business can be hard work. Luckily, there are a multitude of blogging tools out there to help streamline the process, increase your productivity and prevent you from becoming overwhelmed. Here are some of my favorite tools to make blogging life a little easier.

Google Docs

Google Docs is a great editing and collaboration tool, offering pretty much the same functionality as Microsoft Office, but with the added bonus of being absolutely FREE. The ability to work collaboratively with others on projects and documents is great, especially if your blog has multiple authors, and the fact that work is stored on a secure cloud server means it can easily be accessed from anywhere by simply sharing the web link.

But aside from being a great editing and writing tool, one of the best things about Google Docs is the additional functionality through helpful add ons (such as thesaurus, language translator and Mindmeister – an application for mapping out content ideas), which are available all over the web.

Evernote

Evernote is fantastic for content curation and for your own ideas. It’s a great online tool for organization, making it simple to store ideas, notes, photographs, webpage content, plans and draft blog articles – all in one place

It allows you to be flexible in the way that you organize your notes, content and information – allowing you to name your different ‘notes’ anything you like, and use tags to categorize your content for easy searching.

Another reason Evernote is a useful blogging tool is the fact that it can be used across multiple platforms and is great at syncing between different devices. So, if you’re out and about – and make a couple of quick notes on your iPhone – you can then access them on your desktop later when you come to crafting them into your next blog post, even if you use a Windows PC.

More great blogging tools include…

Tweetdeck

Controversial as this statement may seem, crafting high-quality, killer blog posts is only one facet of successful blogging. Promoting your posts and additional content to your targeted audience via social media is paramount for any new blog to gain traction and start to grow an online following.

Tweetdeck is perfect for managing your social media presence. It offers the function of scheduling your tweets and posts, meaning that you could share and promote your blog posts multiple times a day if you choose to. It’s easy for tweets to be lost in a busy Twitter feed, so by promoting your blog posts via Twitter, say, 3 times per day – this gives you a much better chance of having your content seen and then read by your followers.

Tweetdeck is also a great tool for organizing your own Twitter feed, curating the content you follow into lists that you can then browse singularly – without having to trawl through your entire feed to find the content that is important to you. You can also use Tweetdeck to follow specific hashtags, which is great if you are looking to engage more personally with your followers and prospective readers of your blog, or if you’re taking part in a Twitter chat.

Podio

Podio is an online tool for project management and communication. It has been described as somewhere between an online social network for businesses and a project management platform, like Asana.

One of the biggest benefits of using Podio as a task or project management tool is the fact that it is extremely flexible. When used as a blogging tool it is great for keeping track of projects and also to keep yourself and other users (if your blog has multiple authors) of due dates for posts and content creation.

The ‘social’ aspect of Podio is great for collaboration, allowing users to share files and information freely through the activity stream (kind of like Facebook’s news feed, but private). This allows for easy communication between collaborators, who are able to ask and answer questions and share ideas. And one more thing – it’s FREE!

SEMRush

It’s no secret to anyone who is familiar with writing for the web that keywords matter – a LOT! The primary way people will find your content online is by searching Google for keywords and phrases, so it’s drastically important to make sure you show up as high as possible in the search engine rankings.

It’s also no secret that there is a lot of competition out there. This is where SEMRush can give you an advantage, as it shows you the keywords that your website ranks for, and the monthly amount of searches for those keywords. This information is highly useful if you’re looking into improving the optimization of your blog content, or if you want to know which keywords you should be focusing on when crafting your next blog post.

The post My Favorite 2015 Blogging Tools appeared first on Blogger Freelance.

Whether you’re a start-up business looking to define your online presence, or a large, established enterprise seeking to implement a strong content strategy – you need engaging, fresh content to help communicate your brand and your story.

Not every business has the time or resources to do this in-house, so if you’re in need of help developing your online content, then one option to consider is outsourcing your content needs to a professional freelance blogger.  However, before you do so – it is important to know what to look for when searching for a blogger to help you develop your online content. 

Where to Find a Freelance Blogger

Where you look for a freelance blogger is likely to dictate the sort of person and caliber of writer you will find. While many freelance bloggers will undoubtedly use multiple platforms to get showcase their work to prospective clients and get hired (ranging from their own professional website right through to anonymous content mills), it is worth paying attention to the different places you can find bloggers for hire, as this will give you some indication of their level of both expertise and professionalism.

Google Search

This seems like a no-brainer, and it is. Using Google search is one of the easiest ways to find freelance bloggers within your particular niche. However, rather than searching for the broad term ‘freelance blogger’ consider narrowing your search down to ‘freelance (niche) blogger for hire’.

Many professional bloggers have their own websites (and professional blogs, of course) so by searching for your chosen niche you will gain a good understanding of the level of authority a particular blogger has within their field. If a blogger turns up on the first page of Google’s search results, then this gives you a good idea that they are a professional!

Online Bidding Sites

There seems to be divided opinion about online freelancing sites such as Odesk, Guru and Elance. While plenty of experienced bloggers do use these platforms, they are also rife with less experienced, less professional freelancers.

In spite of the divided opinion about the caliber and quality of freelancers you might find on these sorts of sites, it may be worth checking them out if you are looking for a freelance blogger and have a particular budget in mind.

While not many bloggers publish their rates publicly (largely due to the fact that many prefer to charge per project, based on the size and scope of the works) – online bidding sites will show a freelancer bloggers desired hourly rate on their profile.  When you need to find a freelance blogger, this can be a decent starting point.

What to Look For in a Freelance Blogger

Let us assume that you’ve used some of the above tips to find yourself a freelance blogger for your content needs, and narrowed your choices down into a shortlist of potential candidates. Now, there are a few things that you should look for when seeking to hire a freelance blogger:

Find a Freelance Blogger Through Professional Portfolios

Any professional blogger should have a portfolio of past work. This is important for showcasing both skill and experience, and also client testimonials. Most bloggers will have a portfolio of some form on their website, or at least be able to provide links to works they have had published.

If you are seeking to recruit entry-level bloggers, who may not have a sizable portfolio of past works – then check out their personal blog to get a feel for their style and quality of writing.

Guest Posts on Authority Sites

Take a look at some popular, high-traffic sites such as Copyblogger, The Huffington Post or any other high-authority website within your specific niche that accepts guest post contributions.

In simple terms – if a blogger was able to land a guest posting position on a high authority website, then you can deduce that their abilities are up to scratch. Typically, high-authority websites have strict author guidelines which must be adhered to, as well as demanding high-quality, engaging content. If a blogger has guest posted on authority sites then you can also assume that they know how to follow guidelines and instructions, as well as generate fascinating content ideas.

An Understanding of SEO

When it comes to freelance blogging, having least some knowledge of SEO principles is crucial. It is important to check that your prospective blogger has knowledge and experience in this areas – so look for some of the articles they have written in the past. How do they rank in the search engines? Do they have a nice balance of keywords?

You can use online tools such as chkme to assess the SEO ranking of an article – or use a free Keyword Density Analyzer to ensure the content has a good ratio of keywords.  This should give you a good indication of whether or not your prospective blogger has a firm grasp of best SEO practices. Oh, and SEMRush kicks serious butt if you have a few extra dollars in your budget.

Fluency and Excellent Grammar

You could have the most interesting, unusual content in the world – but if your blog is littered with spelling mistakes and grammatical errors then readers simply will not stick around. When looking for a freelance blogger, be careful to check their samples for any grammatical or spelling errors.

Also, check that the blog posts published on their own sites are fluent, engaging and of high-quality. These blog posts, unlike those written for clients or guest sites, will most likely not have undergone an external editing process. Because of this, they are a good indicator of just how well a blogger really knows his or her craft, and speaks volumes about their proofreading skills, as well as their attention to detail.

Professional Training and Experience

This information should be readily available to you – any blogger who’s worth their salt will have an about page on their website, a profile on a freelancing website such as Elance – or at the very least a Linkedin profile listing their skills, expertise and experience. If they don’t, then you can cross them off your shortlist.

Publically showcasing professional training and expertise is a sure-fire way for bloggers to convey professionalism to prospective clients. Check out their social profiles, personal website and any other public information they have published to see what experience and credentials they have.

If you are ready to hire a professional freelance blogger, contact me today for a quick and painless price quote!

The post Need to Find a Freelance Blogger? Here’s What to Look For appeared first on Blogger Freelance.

So, you’ve taken the big plunge into the world of freelance blogging as a web content strategist. You no longer have the security of working for a large company. The freedom to write about whatever you like gives you an uncanny sense of professional pride. Although working as a freelance blogger has its numerous benefits, several pitfalls await first-time freelance bloggers who don’t understand how to build a thriving freelance writing business. If you’re about to take the big plunge into freelance blogging, you should follow blog tips for first-time freelance bloggers that ensure your nascent career turns into a longstanding professional endeavor.

Create a Blogging Calendar

Although the term “freelance” conjures up freewheeling and dealing, seasoned freelance bloggers understand that they need to create and adhere to a regular blogging regimen. Most experienced freelance writers develop monthly blog post schedules that include the date of each scheduled post, along with a topic to discuss. A monthly blogging schedule not only keeps first-time time freelance bloggers organized, it also ensures readers that they can expect regularly uploaded fresh content.

Revisiting Topics is Okay

Many first-time freelancers who are web content strategists have the silly notion that once they address a topic, they can never go back and revisit the topic in subsequent posts. However, think about the number of new readers of your blog since the last time you discussed a popular topic. First-time bloggers should consider revisiting popular topics every three months or so to update trends and educate new readers about a topic that has staying power.

The Proof Is in the Quality

First-time bloggers make many mistakes, some of which irrevocably cause them to lose readers. The most glaring mistake of all involves uploading content that includes misspellings, poor grammar, and amateur sentence construction. Nothing screams shoddy more than blog posts that the publisher obviously didn’t proofread and edit. First-time freelance bloggers must pay special attention to presenting meticulously proofread work that minimizes conventional English errors.

Promote Your Blog

“Write it and they will come” does not work in the world of freelance blogging. First-time bloggers must actively promote their blogs online, from posting messages to forums that cover similar topics to creating interest via social media websites. Just because your write like Hemmingway and provide helpful tips on how to make reader lives better does not mean people miraculously find you online. You need to promote your blog by thinking like a  web content strategist.

SEO Gets Your Freelance Blogger Career Noticed

Search engine optimization (SEO) makes the difference between your freelance blog landing on the first search engine results page and languishing on page 34. First-time bloggers often neglect to create fresh, relevant content that search engines such as Google reward. You can write the most compelling blog posts and count the number of visitors on one hand, unless you develop SEO practices that the three major search engines reward with high rankings. That’s where a web content strategist comes in.

Guest Bloggers Ensure Fresh Content

Too many first-time freelance bloggers approach their blogs as if they oversee a vast treasure. They refuse to allow anyone to add insight into topics and they dismiss other perspectives. Since networking opens doors to your freelance blog, a good way to expand your network involves recruiting guest bloggers to produce fresh, relevant content for your blog. The flip side of recruiting guest bloggers is that your guest bloggers may reciprocate the offer to contribute to your blog by offering you a platform to post on their blogs.

Stay Within Your Area of Expertise

The most effective way for a first-time freelance blogger to grow his or her audience is to establish a reputation for being an authority for a particular subject matter. This means blog about what you know and allow commentors to fill in the blanks of what you don’t know. Nothing destroys the credibility of a freelance blogger faster than spouting off about a topic that you have little or no knowledge. Stick with what you know and build the level of trust that makes you an expert in your chosen profession.

Build a Portfolio

The age-old question of what came first, the chicken or the egg, has relevance for first-time freelance bloggers. In this case, first-time bloggers must learn how to gain credibility in a crowded field of other first-time bloggers. You need to build a writing portfolio that demonstrates your writing acumen and knowledge of your specialty. The best way to build a portfolio is to join one of the third-part freelance writing sites that match clients and freelance writers. After spending time building your portfolio, you have the capability to show your readers that you have the chops to produce a compelling blog.

Solve Reader Problems

How do you get readers to keep coming back to your blog for more? The answer lies in helping your readers solve problems. Whether you write a plumbing blog or upload cycling related content, you have the perfect platform for helping readers solve difficult problems. Plumbers can help readers address a wide variety of plumbing issues and cycling enthusiasts flock to cycling blogs that provide helpful tips on bike maintenance. Far too many first-time freelance bloggers write content based more on opinion than fact. Readers want facts, preferably facts than enhance their lives.

First-time bloggers make many mistakes that eventually lead to the end of their blogging careers. You can avoid most of the mistakes by taking a methodical approach to building your readership. Most first-time bloggers take years to develop a loyal following online and they reach readership milestones by following a few time-tested tips that are low on theatrics and high on writing fundamentals. Blogging can become a lucrative career, as long as you avoid the many pitfalls that await first-time freelance bloggers.

The post So You Want to Be a Freelance Blogger and Web Content Strategist? appeared first on Blogger Freelance.

You have likely heard about the concept called “Content Marketing” and considered hiring a freelance blogger to help your campaign. Unlike most other online marketing strategies, content marketing has enduring staying power. The three major search engines reward webmasters who continuously upload fresh, relevant content that provides actionable advice helping readers solve problems. Okay, so you understand the importance of content marketing.

Do you have the ability to write the blog posts yourself?

The goal of any content marketing campaign is to attract potential customers to your small business website and then convert the new readers into lifelong patrons of your products and services. However, that is easier said than done, as most small business operators can’t spot a punctuation error if it came in the form of 16-point bold font. Most small business operators can barely write an invoice, much less compelling posts that form the cornerstone of their content marketing programs.

You need to recruit a freelance blogger to get your message across to potential customers. Here’s how a freelance blogger can attract customers to your website.

Talented Freelance Bloggers Know SEO

New customers don’t stumble upon your small business website. They type in keywords that help them find local businesses online. The best freelance bloggers not only know what keywords new customers use to find you online, they also know how many times to sprinkle the keywords within the blog content. SEO also involves technical skills such as back linking to reputable sites and uploading fresh content that search engines reward for providing useful information. Hire a freelance blogger wand watch your website traffic steadily grow.

A Freelance Blogger Knows How to Solve Problems

How do you attract customers and more important, how do you convert the customers to comprise your growing number of loyal patrons? You recruit a freelance blogger who knows how to solve customer problems. From an auto mechanic blog that teach basic car maintenance to florist posts that help your website visitors sustain robust flower beds, your small business blog attracts customers because they need solutions to difficult problems. Professional freelance bloggers have the skills to define problems clearly and then provide step-by-step instructions on how to solve the problems. Solving customer problems builds the level of trust that turns website visitors into devoted followers of your small business.

Attention Grabbing Headlines Require a Professional’s Touch

Yes, content sells, but headlines grab reader attention. You can’t expect to attract more customers if most of your website visitors disregard your content because it appears bland. The best freelance bloggers write captivating headlines that prompt website visitors to delve deeper into the content. If you remember one content marketing statistic, it should be this: Five times as many people read headlines than the number of people who dive into blog post content. Compelling blog post headlines also improve search engine results.

Freelance Bloggers Write with Clarity

Nothing turns off visitors to your small business more than muddled content. Disjointed organization and awkward sentences that do not clearly define the benefits of doing business with you causes potential customers to seek other small business owners that know how to convey their messages clearly. A freelance blogger uses simple language that engages readers, instead of writing overblown sentences that confuse, instead of educate potential customers.

A Good Freelance Blogger Knows How to Tell a Story

As Roger C. Clark notably said, “Humans do not understand logic. They understand stories.” The best freelance bloggers know how to spin a yarn that entertains readers. Dry, bland copy turns off readers who have other choices for finding the small business that best matches their shopping needs. Stories evoke emotion, which is the ultimate goal of any copy that you present online. You attract customers because they have forged an emotional attachment to your small business story. Professional freelance bloggers understand how to craft provocative emotional stories that create the unbreakable bond between customers and small business operators.

Professional Freelance Bloggers Leverage Social Media

A growing number of social media pages appear on Google’ search engine result pages. Customers find you on Facebook and Twitter, before they visit your organic small business website to learn more about your product and services. Freelance bloggers are much more than content driven professionals that educate potential customers. The best freelance bloggers adeptly work social media websites to promote client products and services. A freelance blogger that doesn’t have social media savvy doesn’t do your small business much good.

What Good are Customers that Don’t Buy?

Potential customers might flock to your website to read your freelance blogger witty posts, but what does it matter if potential customers don’t make purchases. A freelance blogger not only attracts potential customers, he or she successfully converts potential customers from online bystanders to regular patrons of your small business. A freelance blogger understands how to leverage demo videos, case studies, and white papers to convert website visitors into repeat customers.

Reputation Draws Customers to Your Website

So, you made the plunge and hired a freelance blogger to attract customers to your website. Are you going to allow the freelance blogger to post content under his or her name? The temptation is to publish ghostwritten content under your byline, but the temptation can cost you customers. Popular freelance bloggers have developed loyal followings that go to whatever websites the bloggers make contributions. If you want more customers to visit your website, make sure to promote your freelance blogger by using the blogger’s name in the byline.

Small business owners wear many hats in the operation of their enterprises. Savvy small business owners know which of the hats to pass onto more accomplished professionals. Not every small business owner has what it takes to create winning content marketing campaigns. Pass on the freelance blogger hat to a professional that has the skills and knowledge to attract customers to your website.

The post HOW A FREELANCE BLOGGER CAN ATTRACT CUSTOMERS TO YOUR WEBSITE appeared first on Blogger Freelance.