By: Marlene Affeld
Freelance writing offers an ideal method to supplement your income or a full-time vocation that allows you to work from home in your pajamas. Set your own schedule and work anywhere around the world with an Internet Connection. However, to do so, you have to find writing assignments. Let the worldwide web know you are available by showcasing your talents with a personal blog or writer's website.
Select A Reputable Web Host
You may have heard it before, but selecting the right web host for your writing site is crucial in establishing a viable online presence. Select a reputable web host that offers sufficient disk space and bandwidth to host all the text, images, video and data that you have on your site, both now and in the future. It is imperative that you have a well-designed site that functions smoothly hosted by a dependable web host that can offer high uptime. Look for a host that offers, “live” 24/7 technical support and customer service. Glitches happen. The real issue is how quickly the problem is resolved. If your site is down, visitors can’t find you. It pays to read the reviews and to select a web host that offers dependable service as well as online tools to help you manage your site and analyze traffic. Your site it a reflection of your professionalism. You want it to be clean, crisp and uncluttered, easy to navigate and a glowing reflection of your writing abilities and quality services.
Avoid free web hosting sites. Your site will be bombarded with advertisements you can't control. These busy ads distract from the professionalism of your site. Read the reviews. There are several reputable web-hosting companies that offer dependable service for a low-cost monthly fee. Scrutinize the hosting agreement carefully to avoid hidden fees or to avoid paying for e-commerce tools and services you do not need. Look for a host that offers a plan that allows you to add additional space or services as your traffic increases and your site develops.
An A+ Effort
Remember the adage, “Content Is King” when writing articles and posts for your blog or website. Craft titles that grab the readers attention followed by relevant, interesting, grammatically correct, and error-free content the offers a new insight or perspective that will entice readers to become followers. Throw in a bit of wit or humor to establish your own personal style. This is your chance to “shine”. Content must be original and never published elsewhere. Never, never, never use spun or scraped copy, thrown together irresponsibly. Never ever, hide text or links in images. Less than your best effort reduces authority and credibility.
Use SEO Tactics
Use your main keyword in your title and gently sprinkle your keywords throughout your content. Always include a category related to your submission and tags that relate to your unique content prior to publishing. Make sure that every article you write has a bio link or other acceptable method of communication.
Post At Regular Intervals
Google and the other major search engines compete to offer users the latest updates on the search term they are looking for. If you post at regularly scheduled times, the web crawlers will recognize the pattern and will automatically increase the traffic to your site. Try to post as frequently as possible so that your site is always fresh and up-to-date. When visitors see that your last post was 17 months ago, they assume the content is stale and move on.
Submit Guest Posts
Search for websites and blogs that are seeking fresh content from guest bloggers. Carefully follow the Web master’s submission guides. There are many sites that require content to improve their PR rankings and happily pay for content. A link is included to your site in your author bio. Some sites offer a residual income through revenue sharing while others pay per post.
Use Social Media To Promote Your Content
Social media sites are designed to share intriguing and thought-provoking content with friends, family, and co-workers. Promote your articles on Twitter, Facebook and a host of other social networks.
Build Backlinks
Building backlinks is one of the most effective ways to increase traffic to your site.
Submit To Article Directories
Initiate a web search to find reputable article directories in your niche market that rank high on the search engines. When sites with a high PR post your article, which includes the bio link to your site, you will soon see an impressive increase in traffic.
Create A Mailing List
Develop an opt-in e-mail list of your favorite clients and fans. As long as they have opted-in to receive mail from you, a friendly note is a great way to present your latest content and receive additional writing assignments.
Comment
Comment on high-ranking blogs and websites relative to your niche market. Ask thought-provoking questions and stir up some controversy. Request feedback. Respond to comments and start a dialogue. Popular posts receive high traffic and lots of comments. Your comment containing a link to your blog or website will generate additional traffic.
Advertise
Placing ads for your writing services in online free classified directories is another way to generate new writing assignments. Make the ad short and to the point, with a link back to your site. Update your bio frequently to improve your site's rankings with search engines.
Network
Print up an attractive business card promoting your writing services. Be sure to include an e-mail address and the title of your blog and website along with your name, phone number and any other pertinent contact information. Include a link to your writing site. Network with friends and family. During these lean economic times, be willing to barter or trade. Look for opportunities to offer to write or edit reviews or advertising copy for local businesses in exchange for goods and services. Perhaps your favorite restaurants need their menus revamped or the folks at the gym could use a new brochure. There are writing opportunities everywhere. Use your imagination. Be creative. That’s what writing is all about.