Private Clients, Contributor Communities, or Yourself? What's Best for Online Article Writers?1/27/2015 by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer 
Image © Javier Bedrina via Flickr.com/jbedrina
As a mentor among my online writing peers, I often get asked which route to go when it comes to freelancing. People want to know if they should take on private clients, write for content sites or contributor communities, or start their own niche sites. I have tried several different strategies. What's best for online article writers? I recently made the decision to slow down on certain work with private clients and dedicate myself mostly to my own venue, which also happens to be a contributor community. I am the happiest when mentoring peers and providing content for the Write W.A.V.E. Media network. I see the most income for the least amount of stress when I focus solely on projects that help others and make me happy, as far as writing goes. While this works for me, the best choice will vary for each person.
Know your work habits. In any online writing, you need to be able to work independently. But if you are working for clients or content sites, you may need to pair that with teamwork. If you don't work well with others, you may want to go solo and write for your own blog or domain. But even then, you might still need to deal with people in one way or the other. If you like to be the only one to correct the work and will accept no changes to your material, you're better off writing for yourself. But keep in mind that even if you don't have to bend for editors, you still need to consider what your readers want. Pay attention to your writing style. What style and voice is present in your work? Can you change it up some to fit what clients want? If not, you may be better off either finding clients or content sites that align with your style or writing for your own venue. Check out contributor communities and content sites to see what the top writers are doing. Does it look like something you'd be interested in doing? If not, move on to the next or create your own venue that matches your style. When writing for private clients, I learned that analyzing their needs based on their audience and existing content helped me provide the best content for them. If you'd rather write freestyle without analyzing things, your own website may be the best option, providing you will still cater to the audience. Consider your schedule. Managing time and deadlines will be of more importance when writing for content sites and private clients. You'll need some sort of schedule when writing for yourself. But it will likely be more flexible that way. Some private clients may prefer to speak with you about projects during certain hours. Usually it will be normal business hours. If you cannot commit to that or are unavailable during the day, content sites, contributor communities, and your own domains may be the better option. Most contributor communities do not require you to be available during specific times. There can be deadlines if you claim certain assignments, but it is up to you at what time you write the material. Think about your goals. Are you looking to get your byline featured across multiple sites? Would you rather keep your name to its own venue? Do you not want your name out there at all? What are your revenue goals? Writing for private clients can sometimes involve a great deal of ghostwriting, which means your byline will not be featured with the content. Content sites generally feature your byline with the content. Some also offer opportunities to be featured on high quality web properties. It could take more time to build up a reputation on your own venue. But if that is what you prefer, the hard work can pay off, if done right. The best fit for you is the closest to covering your main desires. Consider all of the above, as well as any other factors that are important to you. Then, decide which option most fits that mold. You could be like me and choose a combination of two methods, choose just one, or go for something else together. Regardless of which choice you make, be sure it is one that aligns with your individual goals and dreams for the future. Remember that not everyone will have the same needs. Just because one plan works for your friends does not mean it will do the same for you. Align your writing career with your unique plans for the best results. *I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network
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by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff
Online article writers serious about their writing must remember the purpose of our content is to provide someone else with the information they need. Even when the writing goes to a client that will not return any page view or click revenue, remember that their audience still needs accurate and relevant info as well. Ultimately, someone will be reading the finished content. Here are five ways online article writers can get and keep clients. Get and Keep Clients by Learning SEO I know I must sound like a broken record to regular readers, I mention SEO so often. There's a reason for that. SEO skills are an absolute must if you are serious about making money as an online article writer. The main purpose clients purchase web content is to draw traffic where it's placed. If your articles do not have proper SEO, clients will look elsewhere to meet their content needs. If you often lose out on higher paying clients, gigs, and assignments, SEO skills may be to blame. If so, get and keep clients by reading up on SEO and implementing it into your work. Get and Keep Clients by Providing Consistent Effort Some online article writers make the mistake of putting less effort into lower-paying gigs than they would with others. This makes no sense. First, this shows a lack of pride in one's own work. Secondly, your name or pen name will be attached to everything you write. Do you really want potential clients to read one of those lesser-effort articles? Would someone want to hire you after reading them? Online article writers are lucky in that many of us enjoy doing this for a living. Plus, we can make money writing articles from anywhere we prefer - even at the beach. However, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't maintain consistency and professionalism. Putting effort into each and every piece of content you produce gives you better odds of being noticed and appreciated by clients. Get and Keep Clients by Making Assignments Unique When a client gives out an assignment, there are times where you may feel the topic is too broad for their audience. To solve this, write on the topic the client has assigned you, but choose a unique slant. Most will likely appreciate the extra effort. For instance, if the client asks you to write about bathrooms for seniors, you could write about eco-friendly bathrooms for seniors. Go for an angle that isn't saturated all over the web. Some clients might need reasoning behind your changes, but in my experience, most understood when I explained about topic saturation. I rarely receive rejections on my work. Sometimes clients will reward the extra effort with extra money or be appreciative enough to buy more content. Even so, don't get upset with those who don't seem appreciative. Just make any revisions and move on. That's another way to keep clients. Get and Keep Clients by Setting Up and Maintaining an Updated Website Setting up and maintaining an updated and professional website is an absolute must for online article writers for hire. A website will give you a place to share writing samples and a background on yourself and your writing skills. Have a contact form on your website as well as an alternate email in case the form experiences a glitch. Potential clients may like something they see on your site and bookmark it for later if they aren't yet ready to purchase content. Keep the website updated with current information so that people will want to continue visiting. Maintain a blog with writing tips and business updates. Get and keep clients by referring them to your website for business, rather than an email address. This is an important way to establish your personal brand as a freelance writer. Network With Fellow Writers Learning and growing is a big part of being successful in an online writing career. Things change so rapidly that it's important to stay connected with other writers to learn and grow together from each other. Just because you've been writing for years does not mean you know everything there is to know. While you may have expertise on one aspect of writing, another writer may be an expert in a different area. Get and keep clients by networking with other writers to share and discuss knowledge. This will keep you up to date in the online writing field. Plus, it can be a great deal of fun. *I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network RELATED Web Writing Tips: Legitimate Clients Vs Scams & How to Protect Yourself Web Writing Tips: Make More Money 8 Musts on a Freelance Writer's Website
 by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff When freelancing for a living, a business website to refer clients to is a must. This is a simple and professional way to let clients know what services and expertise you can provide. But what information is essential to share? As one who has been freelancing for years, here are 8 things I feel are absolute musts on a freelance web writer's website. Bio A bio describing some of your experiences, interests, and areas of expertise should be included in a prominent area. This lets potential clients know exactly what you are all about. You want them to know this because it helps them decide if you may be what they are looking for. Would you rather hire a construction contractor who was upfront with their skills and experience or one who simply stated he was a contractor with no additional information? Freelance writing is no different. Experience Experience is touched on briefly above, but you may be wondering what to include. Experience can refer to degrees and it also can refer to work or research that you've done. For instance, are there special clients or media agencies you have worked for? Do you have a degree that contributes to what you produce as a freelance writer? How many years have you been freelancing? These are just some of the things you can discuss on your website. Writing Samples Potential clients will need to see what type of work you are capable of. It also is a good way to show your professionalism and skills to more people. You can still email samples to potential clients, but it will be much easier for both of you (and provide a wider reach) if you make these easily available on your website. Some may choose to display these as files that can be downloaded. Others may choose to link to work they've done around the web for various clients and content sites like Associated Content. Contact Form A contact form is an easy way for potential clients, as well as readers, to communicate with you. These are easy to set up and can be customized to fit your purpose. These forms will forward directly to your email address. It makes contacting a simple and quick process for those who visit your website. They also can help to cut down on spam requests, as many can be customized to track IP addresses, ask for a captcha code, and other preventative measures. Blog This is where you can engage and interact with your audience. It's where you can talk about different aspects of the writing business, give writing tips, and also give updates on your business ventures. Don't be afraid to add some fun things in every now and then. Who you went out with last night and what you did may not be a good topic for a blog on your business website, but adding an appropriate personal touch is good. It helps followers and potential clients connect with you. RSS and Email Subscriptions Freelance web writers should always have a way for their audience to stay updated on their work. RSS feeds and email subscriptions can be extremely helpful here. Some content sites that freelancers may write for already have RSS feeds available to the writer. These can be placed in widgets that allow readers to view or subscribe to the content via email or feed readers. Each time a piece of content is published to the feed, those who are subscribed will be updated. Making this available on your website can be helpful in building a following. Social Media Connections If you are using social media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc) to increase your online presence or to make connections in the writing world, place those links on your business website. This will help people connect with you around the web and can be useful in creating a following. Not everyone is comfortable with every form of communication. Social media helps create a variety of ways to connect with your readership. Interaction Every freelance web writer should have some form of interaction on their website. RSS, blogs, and social media links are a few ways people can interact with you and the site. You may also want to have an advice page where readers can use a simple contact form to put in suggestions or ask advice that you can answer in upcoming articles. A forum is also a good source of interaction, but only create one if you have time to keep up with it. The main point is to have some way that readers can interact with you and/or your website. This will keep people coming back. RELATED: Web Writing Tips: Why You Need a Website Why All Web Writers Need a Website Why All Web Writers Need an Online Resume Page *I originally published a version of this via Yahoo Contributor Network
A.L. Woods has been working as a freelance commercial writer since 1989. She is an author, editor, and lover of all things tech. When asked about her writing mantra, she states, "Building my own little corner of the world one word at a time."
Her writing interests include technology, health and fitness, medical, religion and spirituality, cars, Jeeps, Internet, digital and social media, and lifestyle. Twitter: @writerangela Pinterest: writerangela "Wordsmithing is the spice of life." ~A.L. Woods  by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer
As a long-time web writer who now also helps fellow writers succeed, people often ask me how to make more money. What are the best ways to succeed in web writing and how does one apply them for the maximum reward? Maximize your content. Keep the rights to your content as often as possible and re-purpose it when you can. Many publications will accept non-exclusive work, which means you can do the work once and get paid for it repeatedly. Just be sure that the information stays up to date and syncs well with each publication it's submitted to. Even if you have ti make a few changes now and then, it will be easier than writing new content every time. While new content has its place as well, there's no reason you can't re-purpose existing content when appropriate. Be flexible. We all have our own habits and methods. However, sometimes it pays to bend personal rules if it makes a client happy to do so. You of course want to always let a client know when you feel what they want isn't what's best for them. However, you should also be flexible in some of the ways you work so that may better provide the service in the way clients expect. They each will expect something different. Therefore, it pays to listen, keep an open mind, and be able to adapt to varying situations. Meet or exceed deadlines and expectations. Happy clients will often be repeat customers, which means there will be more money lining your pockets (or your PayPal funds). A big part of keeping clients happy is meeting the deadlines and guidelines laid out in the contract. When you can do this every time -- and exceed expectations when possible, clients are more likely to use you again or even recommend you to others. Just like any other business, word of mouth can be paramount to making more money in web writing. Spread your talent. Some people will be content with just one client. I've been there before. However, no matter how well one client pays, it's always good to have more than one. That way, if something happens unexpectedly, you don't lose all of your income. Keeping a variety of clients also provides more experience writing upon request in varying styles and topics. All web writers need a website. I've said this many times before. But I will say it again and again. All writers need a website. Your website is where clients can find more about what you do and contact you for services. A good writer's website should include at the bare minimum a contact form, an online resume, samples, and a blog. For more on what to include, please read "8 Musts on a Freelance Writer's Website." If you use your site correctly, you'll be making more money just by having an easy way for clients to interact with you. Maintain a blog on your professional website. As mentioned above, a blog is an essential part of a writer's website. In addition to helping fellow web writers succeed, keeping an active blog helps showcase what you can do to clients, which can lead to more money. Some things successful web writers can blog about include writing tips, marketing tips, information for clients, book releases, tour/book signing dates, events, and special features of your work. The possibilities are endless. Just keep it active and keep it relevant. The more you blog, the more traffic your site will get if you do it right. This can lead to more clients. Active writers generally make more money than those who are simply waiting around without action. RELATED: Web Writing Tips: Why You Need a Website Why All Web Writers Need a Website How This Writer & Advocate Gets Both Exercise & Productivity Without Going 100% Insane How to Make the Most Money in Web Writing 5 Ways to Make the Most of Your Web Content  by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer
Try doing a Yahoo search on anything related to freelance writing jobs and you’ll pull up a multitude of opportunities, many of them scams. The simplest way to tell if one’s a scam is that it usually starts with “make easy money” just like any other scam. While it’s true that some aspects of a freelance writing career will become easy to an experienced writer over time, freelance writing as a whole is NOT an easy full time career path. But it’s worth it. As a full time freelance writer, I used to spend countless sleepless nights thinking, researching, and typing out the results endlessly. Wait, “used to”? If I’m no longer a full time freelance writer, what do I know? The thing is, I spent years as a full time freelance writer and I slowed down, not because of the lack of money or interest, but because I wanted to help other freelance writers. That’s right. Now my full time job is helping others do what I did. But I still write almost full time as well. Therefore, I assure you, you can trust my experience. Some people think “Oh, I can write. My poems from high school are great. I should be a writer.” And if that’s you, writing might be a good career choice for you. But just keep in mind that writing for the web and writing a poem here and there are two entirely different things. Freelance writing as a full time career path will involve writing for a considerable amount of time most days. Decide which you REALLY want to do and do that. Writing for the web as a full time freelance writer is hard work. Yes, work. Forget all those scammers out there telling you it’s easy. Yes, it’s easy for them at first because they’re copying and pasting the text that I (or another talented writer) put real time and heart into in order to create it. But it no longer becomes easy for them when we decide to pursue it legally. Ah yes, there’s another thing about freelance writing. You’re not JUST a writer. You’re a writer, researcher, marketer, CEO, manager, self-appointed attorney, and many other things. The first part – the actual writing – may come easy to you sometimes and maybe even most of the time. But there will be days when you may not be able to form a complete sentence no matter how many deadlines you’re facing or how much money is on the line. Even for writers who seem to just sprout creative words in an instant, writing all day every day can become difficult. And you WILL need to write very often (among other things) in order to make the most money at web writing. I know what you’re thinking because it’s me as well. I definitely said it too. You’re saying “but I love writing. I already write all day long, nonstop. I can do this.” If so, then you probably can, just like me. However, keep in mind that even you will likely have days where you just can’t. Also keep in mind that everything you write, though it may come from your heart, is for someone else. And, while you are in charge of yourself, you do still have to actually work. Otherwise, what are you getting paid for? Up until this point, I may have turned some people off already because it sounds like a big complaint. But heck no! I love what I do and wouldn’t trade it for the world. The thing is, if you’re going to be in the business, someone needs to tell you the real facts. Yes, I can spend more time with my kids (human and fur variety). Yes, I make a fairly decent income when I’m consistent with it. But it does take real work and effort and if you can’t commit to that, this is NOT the career for you because if you stop working, the money stops coming. For me, the benefits of staying home with my kids, the satisfaction of knowing my words may help people, being able to finally start saving some money, and some of the other things directly related to being a freelance writer are worth the hard work. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. Still want to be a freelance writer? If you said yes, I commend you. Feel free to reach out to me on my Facebook page for help getting started: facebook.com/LynLomasi (No, I’m not going to charge you anything for advice, unlike those scammers out there looking for a quick buck. NEVER pay for work. You’re the one working. YOU should be the one getting paid.) **Photo Credit/Copyright: Lyn Lomasi I originally published this here on BUBBLEWS (no longer published there)  by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer
How many of my friends use a pen name when publishing their work? The name I use for the majority of my published work right now is Lyn Lomasi. If you use a pseudonym, do you have a creative way that you came up with your name or does it have special meaning? Mine is both creative and sentimental. The name Lyn means "waterfalls" or "rain showers" and the name Lomasi is generally used as a first or middle name in a Native American language. It means "pretty flower". I chose to use it as a last name to be different. A good writer buddy also used to call me "pretty flower" so I purposefully chose a native name that meant as much. Lyn is my birth middle name. Combined, the two names mean to me "When the rain falls, a pretty flower emerges". It holds significance to me because I identify with it on many levels. Obviously, one reason is because of my friend. Another is because I have been through quite a bit in my life. But, like a flower, I always emerge strong and beautiful no matter what kind of storms life brings into my life. Tell us about your pen name in the comment section. Photo Credit: Lyn Lomasi (Yep, it's another pic of me) (I originally published this on BUBBLEWS (no longer published there)  by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer
No offense meant to the writers this applies to. But I have been doing this a long time and am a natural observer. I've noticed that oftentimes the writers who have the most interaction from readers are those that update their profiles, especially photos. I mean, who wants to look at the same picture for years, no matter how good looking it might be? When you update your profile photo often, it shows that you are active and it also gives readers something fresh to look at. Think of your profile photo just as you would your written content. Random browsers may find an older photo or piece of content interesting. But those faithful followers need something new to look at or they might wander somewhere else more interesting. Yes, most of what readers will be focused on is the written content. However, it does help when the author photo is shiny and interesting. People on the interwebs like shiny things. It's a given -- and new shinies appear often. How often do you update your profile photo? Have you observed the same things I have? Tell us about your experiences in the comment section. Photo Credit/Copyright: Lyn Lomasi  by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer
UPDATED 1/4/2014 I was browsing around Facebook and came upon a site called Bubblews. A friend had been posting content from there, so I decided to try it out. Is Bubblews.com worth it for freelance writers? Is Bubblews worth it? The answer to that question will depend on each individual person's writing needs. However, I personally find it both fulfilling and profitable. I can speak my mind about whatever I wish and get paid to do so. I can also interact with fellow writers. What is Bubblews? The best way I can describe Bubblews is that it's like blending Facebook and your own blog together with some simple submission guidelines -- and getting paid to use it. How much money can you make? Earnings at Bubblews are based on page views, comments, and other activity on your postings. How much you earn depends on the effort you put in, as well as how much people are interacting with your work. It is also based upon the ad revenue being generated by the site. Therefore, it does fluctuate now and then. I generally earn an average of around $13 per 1000 views, give or take. When I am receiving more activity on my posts, that number is higher. Bubblews also pays for referrals. But the amount per referral is low, fluctuating based on a variety of factors and credited each time a referral makes their first post. I've seen it at anywhere from a penny to just under a dollar. Therefore, the real earnings are in the writing, as it should be on a writing site. How do I get paid? Payout is achieved as soon as enough is earned. The minimum redemption amount is low and there are several payment options, currently including PayPal, check, Visa Gift Card, and an option where you can shop online and choose to have Bubblews pay the bill with your redemption. While the other options are listed, last I checked, PayPal payment was encouraged/preferred. What do I do besides write? Networking is a big part of the site and you will find it integrated into pretty much all actions there. On the articles themselves, you can like or dislike, leave comments, click on tags that lead to related content, find other members to interact with via their comments, share to other social sites, and more. Profiles display a member's posts, offer more personal commenting, and display other activities as well. You can also connect to your favorite Bubblews members to get notified of their newest posts. Though not required, networking is heavily integrated and can be beneficial in many ways. Would I recommend Bubblews? After being a member of the site for a while, I would definitely recommend other freelance writers try it out and see how it works for them. It's an experience that must be examined by each person individually to see if it's right for them. Like any other site, it's not everyone's cup of tea. I know people who do well with it and I also know people who found their experience less than enjoyable. As for me, I am enjoying putting the site motto "Speak Freely. Write Your World." into action and have received many payouts already. Looking to try it out? Sign up today!  Photo: (c) Lyn Lomasi via Flickr.com By Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer
Do you actually make money with your writing? It's just for fun or because you're bored, right? How do you pay your bills when you just play on the computer all day? These are the types of questions i get from people interested in learning how to make the most money in web writing. Often they are skeptical, thinking that a decent income is impossible in this business. You need a website. Some will tell you this isn't necessary. But, I repeat: All web writers need a website. While you can definitely make money writing online without having your own website, you're likely to earn more money if you do. Sometimes my clients find me via the various companies I publish with but they tend to visit my website even if they find me elsewhere. Your website should be a place where clients can learn more about what you do, find out your rates, and contact you for services. Without a website, that's more questions they will need to ask you and some will skip over authors they can't research more readily. You can even place an easy to reference online resume page on your website to save your potential clients more time. Query, submit, query, submit.. To keep your name out there, you need to be actively querying new outlets, as well as submitting to existing clients. For instance, if you have signed up with two sites that allow freelancers to submit work, keep those sites active. But in addition, query for other work and sign up for additional sites as often as possible. It is always better to have an overload of opportunities you can pass on to your writer friends than to have none at all. Publish, publish, publish. Like querying and submitting, do what you can to make sure you are publishing as often as possible. The more your name gets seen in writing, the more potential clients will see you. If one venue is not publishing your submissions as fast as they say they will, don't be afraid to pull them for publication elsewhere if beneficial. Always have multiple clients and venues available. It is perfectly valid to post the most often with the venue or client that will publish your writing most often. Just be sure you do still have some variety where possible, as variety keeps your name spread around and keeps you learning varied experiences. To make the most money in online writing, you need to be sure that if things are slow or undesirable with one venue or client, you still have other revenue possibilities. Be yourself. When you see a successful writer, it is easy to fall into line and try to mimic what they are doing. There is only one of each individual. The better strategy is to use some of their techniques and apply them to yourself. Be smart, but also be original and unique. Be you. If you think about the people you look up to in web writing, most likely you will be able to say that there is no one quite like them. The writers that are honest with and about themselves -- and in their experience are most likely to succeed. Copycats will eventually show their true colors -- usually in their work. Be flexible and choose appropriate work. Clients can sometimes be particular about what they want. It is normal to make suggestions you feel will be helpful. But the end result should always be something your clients are satisfied with. To avoid conflicts in this area, choose topics and workloads suited to your personal experience and preferences and leave the other work for someone else. Be adaptable. The world of web writing can be largely unpredictable as far as what works at the moment. Smart web writers stay prepared for changes to occur and adapt with the changes instead of running from them. Because the world and the web are ever-changing, it is important to stay up to date with the best current strategies and marketable skills. Those writers who are willing to go the extra mile in preparation are the ones that will continue to succeed now and into the future. More from Lyn: Web Writing Tips: Forming Ideas Web Writing Tips: Risks are Necessary to Succeed Simple, Effective Ways to Enhance Your Brand  Why would online article writers need a website if many article submission sites allow a professional profile? This is a question I get asked often when I mention the idea. Here are some of the many reasons I feel all freelance web writers need a website of their own.
Writer's Resume When applying for online writing jobs and gigs, reference links and/or a resume are often required. This will be much simpler for those with a website. Some may create an area where a client can download their resume by requesting the link. Others may post links to samples. Yet others may do both or handle it another way. Online article writers need a website in order to reference their work all in one place. Professionalism Professionalism is key, even though you don't see your clients face-to-face when writing online. A freelance writer's website is like a virtual resume, meeting place, and office at the same time. This is where you can let your clientele know you are professional by including all of the right things. A bio, samples, and a contact page are just a few. Read "8 Musts on a Freelance Writer's Website" for more details on those and other must-include items for professionalism. Info Source Even if a client finds your work elsewhere, they may want to know more than they can find in a limited bio attached to your profile on a content site. This is where your website comes in handy. Many content sites allow article writers to place a link to their website in their profile or bio. Also, be sure to link to it from any blogs or other profiles you have. Giving clients (both potential and current) a place to find more information about you as a person and as a writer is very beneficial to them as well as to your writing career. Announcements If you have any big writing projects, off days, exciting news, etc it can be posted to your website. Of course you don't want to announce information that is too personal, but a web writer's website can serve as a great way to spread the word. Doing this has many benefits. Some include letting clients see that you are accomplishing things, engaging with your audience, and also depending on the announcement it might bring in more readers or clientele. File Storage Depending on how much bandwidth your site allows, this can be a great place to store certain files. Of course you still need a hard copy backup, but storing them in a secure, hidden location on your website can help you keep everything related to your online article writing all in one spot. This also can free up space on your computer if you'd rather not have the files there. Just be sure, as mentioned above to keep a hard copy if you go this route. *originally published by Lyn Lomasi on Yahoo! Voices by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff  Photo: PublicDomainPictures.net There was one point in time where I would have recommended to absolutely focus mostly on search engine rankings in terms of traffic. However, that may be coming to a close soon. By the way, that doesn't mean you shouldn't still strive to rank well. But you may discover (like I did) that more recently Facebook is now the highest referrer of incoming traffic.
Where is your traffic coming from? Up until recently, without a doubt, one of the larger search engines had always been my biggest referrer. Another large search engine was always close behind. Most people found me organically through search. Facebook was bobbing back and forth between second and fourth place among search engines and content sites. But this past month, I noticed a huge change. The major search engine fell a couple slots as the main referrer, my traffic grew overall, and Facebook became the main referrer. Did I fall in rankings? No. Upon further research, I discovered I was still getting generally the same amount of traffic from the major search engines and in some cases more. However, I was getting much more from Facebook than ever before. Focus on your strong points Take a look at your data to see where the bulk of your traffic is coming from. Is it Facebook or is it a search engine? You may be as surprised as I was at the answer. Wherever your strength lies, that is where the most focus should be. However, don't completely abandon the other traffic sources because you never know when things will change again. Since Facebook looks to be a very strong point for me right now, I will focus more on that aspect of my promotion. In digging deeper, it appears that the traffic is coming from my niche pages on Facebook as well as my personal profile and other people's profiles. Will I change what I am doing on Facebook? No. Whatever I am already doing is working. So the only change I should make is to be more consistent with it. Simply put, I need more focus. What if Facebook is your weak point? Once you have discovered and utilized your strong points, set aside a little time for the weaker ones. You don't have to be on Facebook all day to use it to your advantage. Create a few niche pages that fit your writing style. Link them to relevant pages on your site or blog. You can set up RSS feeds to automatically post to your facebook pages and profile. That way, you can focus on answering questions and posting other interesting things for your audience. This helps to make the most of the small amounts of time you may have to spend on this. This was my strategy in the beginning and apparently it has paid off. Never underestimate what a few minutes per day can do over time. Has your Facebook traffic grown recently? Share your tips in the comments section.  by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer
But I have a LinkedIn profile, a facebook fan page, and a profile page where I write. Isn't that enough? No, I have to tell you that it doesn't quite make the grade. While those things are necessary as well, they are not all you need as web writer. You need a resume profile page on your own website. What?! You don't have a writer website? Read this first. Then come back. You need a place to refer clients and fans to. Whether you are handing out business cards in-person, applying to gigs via email, or filing out online or paper applications, you need one main place to refer to clients to. If you're using a blog, facebook page, or LinkedIn profile for that, it's a good start. But you need to go above and beyond and have a full profile where potential clients as well as fans can find all (or most) of what you do. Having your own domain looks professional. If you want to be considered a professional, you need to walk the walk. When you hire a professional plumber, are you going to hire the person who is borrowing someone else's tools and appears to be just learning the job? How about someone who can show you their license, has all the right tools of their own, and can provide you with referrals right away? Your online resume page is your most valuable tool. Build it and use it. You cannot include all you need on someone else's domain. Blogs and social profiles are generally not set up to provide every item you might need, such as a clear bio, resume, picture, and links all on the same page. You may get close. But there will always be limitations on what you can do. With your own domain, the only limits are those you set for yourself. You have easy access to keep it updated. When you have your own domain, you make the rules about how often it gets updated. Just log on and get it done. This is true of some social profiles as well, but not all of them. Some require submitting help tickets that are handled whenever that site admin is able to. Get your own domain so that you dictate when your own online writer resume is updated. Ooh, shiny things! Customization is the key to standing out. But you can only do so much of that on someone else's website. When you have your own online writer's resume on your own domain, you can jazz it up or tone it down at your own discretion. Design your profile around the topics you write and how you would like clients to see you. Don't know how to make an online resume page? I can help at a reasonable cost. Check out my Design Services. More from Lyn: Lyn's Online Resume Page Why All Web Writers Need a Website Web Writing Tips: Fan and Follower No-Nos  Image © Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved Why would online article writers need a website if many article submission sites allow a professional profile? This is a question I get asked often when I mention the idea. Learn some of the many reasons all freelance web writers need a website of their own.
Writer's Resume When applying for online writing jobs and gigs, reference links and/or a resume are often required. This will be much simpler for those with a website. Some may create an area where a client can download their resume by requesting the link. Others may post links to samples. Yet others may do both or handle it another way. Online article writers need a website in order to reference their work all in one place. Professionalism Professionalism is key, even though you don't see your clients face-to-face when writing online. A freelance writer's website is like a virtual resume, meeting place, and office at the same time. This is where you can let your clientele know you are professional by including all of the right things. A bio, samples, and a contact page are just a few. Read "8 Musts on a Freelance Writer's Website" for more details on those and other must-include items for professionalism. Info Source Even if a client finds your work elsewhere, they may want to know more than they can find in a limited bio attached to your profile on a content site. This is where your website comes in handy. Many content sites allow article writers to place a link to their website in their profile or bio. Also, be sure to link to it from any blogs or other profiles you have. Giving clients (both potential and current) a place to find more information about you as a person and as a writer is very beneficial to them as well as to your writing career. Announcements If you have any big writing projects, off days, exciting news, etc it can be posted to your website. Of course you don't want to announce information that is too personal, but a web writer's website can serve as a great way to spread the word. Doing this has many benefits. Some include letting clients see that you are accomplishing things, engaging with your audience, and also depending on the announcement it might bring in more readers or clientele. File Storage Depending on how much bandwidth your site allows, this can be a great place to store certain files. Of course you still need a hard copy backup, but storing them in a secure, hidden location on your website can help you keep everything related to your online article writing all in one spot. This also can free up space on your computer if you'd rather not have the files there. Just be sure, as mentioned above to keep a hard copy if you go this route. 
Do you have non-exclusive writing lying around collecting dust? If you write for a living, chances are that not everything you submit or publish is exclusive to one party. What are you doing with the work that you still hold publishing rights to? If you answered "Nothing" you are not making the most of your work.
Offer reprints. What are reprints? Put simply, reprints are pieces that have been previously published but can be published again. If you submit your work to someone non-exclusively, you still have publication rights. Always read the fine print everywhere that you publish your work to be sure who has the rights. Just because you still hold the copyright, does not always mean you still hold publication rights. Once you have determined that you do hold publication rights, there are several ways you can offer reprints. Here are some of my favorites:
 Image © Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved What do you want out of your writing? Are you writing for the money? The audience? Do you write to help others? Is it simply because you like it? Whatever you write, always know what it is you want to get from it. Knowing what you want will help you get to your goal faster. It will also help you make important decisions along the way. Never write a word without knowing its intended purpose as well as where you want to be with writing, in general. What you want should be apparent in your actions, as well as your words. Do you know what you want? |
Staff Authors
Lyn Lomasi & Richard Rowell are life & business partners. Owners of Brand Shamans & the Write W.A.V.E. Media network, we are your brand healing, soul healing, & content superheroes to the rescue!
Running our network of websites, tackling deadlines single-handedly, and coaching fellow writers, brands, & entrepreneurs to be thought leaders is our top priority. While rescuing civilians from boring content and brands, we conquer the world, living the RV life and managing our Intent-sive Nature with our awesomely crazy family while recounting The Nova Skye Story, along with Kymani’s Travels. We also strive to one day cuddle with lions and giraffes. Until then, we’ll settle for furry rescue kitties and doggies. We support many causes via our business ventures, such as homelessness, support for trans youth, equality, helping starving artists, and more! A portion of all proceeds from Intent-sive Nature goes toward helping homeless pets in local shelters. Hire Lyn & Rich! Ask Lyn Stalk Us On Social Media! Highly Recommended
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