Incentives You can Utilize with Facebook To Engage the Market

Though social media is relatively new, it is a crucial part of what we are now. An average of one per 6 minutes is spent on Facebook and given the list of connections that you can draw from followers, it is imperative for any page owner to incentivize Facebook users who they consider their prospective market.

1. Offers

Everyone loves to have discounts. Let’s admit the fact that we are becoming easy to lure prey for online businesses thanks to our impulsive nature to draw the credit card and purchase. Large part of businesses On part of the businesses on the other hand, having coupons for your prospective market can increase engagement through likes and comments and even shares. The good thing about this type of incentive is that you make your company’s wallet fatter.

Of course, if they can have it for free, the consumers would love it. For businesses, “free” basically means you purchase from me products in an overpriced value, then I give you something for free. It is always a win-win situation. You get to sell someone products that you wanted to sell, probably things that are just to difficult to dispose of in itself.

1. Causes

Ever heard of corporate responsibility? It is a way of companies supporting socio-civic actions. Basically it is a way of giving something back to the community. In social media sites like Facebook, people get easily attracted to these types of actions. Just take a look at Kony 2012 video easily shared by one person to the other. Anything that touches the element of human kindness is a great way to increase your Facebook engagement online.

1. Content. Content. Content

Content doesn’t come in the form of copies alone. Along side copies, you can also share images, videos and other simple things to elicit reaction from your market.

Facebook is all about interactions. Without interactions, it is impossible to reach for the goals that you have set for your company. 50% of people who actually looked into your page and commented has a strong chance of going for your product. Therefore, it is also a good way tot turn prospects into actual buyers.

My Winning Formula For Odesk O-Conomy!

Like I said in this blog’s about page, I am a nurse by trade, a writer by choice (circumstance). Almost 5 years of writing vacillating in between “just doing it for fun” and you-need-to-work-for-money impulse, I had my own ups and downs. In this dog-eat-dog industry, I learned a lot, and though I like what I receive and what I do; I finally accepted the fact how you need to be realistic on your approach. For someone aspiring to earn a living sitting on his bed room ravaging the keyboard and populating the World Wide Web with copies meant to be read and shared by other people, then this is dedicated to you my friend.

The Right Spot

If you have what it takes to write, you just have to find the right place where you can actually haggle for the right price for your set of skills. So far, I found Odesk to be ZE BEST site where you can get your services quickly to a decent number of scrambling companies. If you’ve been looking around Craiglist or some other advertising site, nothing compares to how Odesk handles the freelancers. Whether it is an urgent, a short term or a long term work, Odesk updates a great number of job categories that will match with your expertise.

The Economy of Movement

Why waste and spend 8 hours for 8 dollars when you know for a fact that your services are more than that? Odesk made it possible for skilled professionals with lower costs of living to  post their competitive salary. However, there are exceptions especially when you are already gaining positive feedbacks from your past clients. In my personal experience, this signals for a higher wage.  But also, you need to find a grey area on what’s competitive and what’s considered too hefty by most companies.

Weed the Good from the Bad Companies

No matter where you go, there will always be that person whose always up to no good! I’ve had some bad experience with some companies trying to lure you out of Odesk. Also, it is common for some employers to not respond to your works once you’ve delivered your work!

So how did I weed the good from the bad companies? I would have to thank the rating system made by Odesk for that. They are allowing you to have an idea just how good is a company when it comes to work relations. You can also check out just how much they’ve been able to shell out in Odesk.

Mix Of Hourly and Fixed Rates

Hourly rates may not always be the best deal for you especially when you’ve grown familiarity with some topics. If you can finish more work in an hour, then probably it is time that you explore the fixed rate options. Though Odesk doesn’t guarantee payments, given ways on how you can identify scammers and real employers; you can get the most of your work!

Prove Your Worth

How do you say that you are a good writer if you don’t have the credentials? Odesk is all about bragging rights and one way to do it is by gauging your level of expertise through their test. The tests would range from Blogging and Article Writing tests to English language tests. Ace all of the tests and you are on your way for a guaranteed high salary and increased average interviews per week!

For now, these are some of the tricks I’m going to reveal. For the next set of Odesk hacks, you might want to Like Freelance Writing Like a Boss on Facebook. This 2013, I am planning to release Ebooks, I am considering a run through on how you can be the best copywriter suited for ODesk! You can also contact me through my Odesk profile if I can be of  help to you!

Why Every Copywriter Needs to be Social Media Savvy?

A lot of people think of social media as an extension of their own self.  With more than 1 billion users on Facebook plus the fact that people spend around 16% of their time looking into their Facebook account, it has become a part of what we do everyday. Facebook is the social media site that has learned how to adapt and tap the markets for adults and younger generations alike.

So why do you need to learn how to be a social media savvy web copywriter?

Building A Name

Facebook, Twitter and other social media outlets could give you a leverage in terms of reputation. If you are building a name for yourself from scratch, it is hard to rely mainly on your blog. You need followers not only on your blog but also on social media avenues. Just imagine how many people stumble upon links online shared by other users? Given the potential of reaching viral, you simply have to be active not only online per se but also on these social media venues to get a better name for your self as a writer.

Good for SEO

Considering you have a starting website, you can’t rely on the backlinks from forums, blogs and other half ass sources. The real currency of rankings today is the amount of shares in the social media venues. The more shares in the different timelines and the different tweets talking about your link, the greater value spiders give them.

More Traffic

The purpose of posting your copy online is for this masterpiece to be read and appreciated or even criticized. Without anyone reading it, it is definitely useless. Average Facebook user has around 20 contacts. This means that there is an additional 20 who could view your post when it is being shared online.

It is the fastest way to reach an audience

Ever wondered how the radio would compare to the world wide web now that it has the social media sites? It tool decades for  radio to reach 50 million users. On the other hand, it took only 12 months to complete 200 plus million users for Facebook. This growth in terms of reach is significant when you build readership.

Social media is definitely changing some of the past internet’s known practices like its SEO. Social media is a vital tool for communication and there is really no reason why a copywriter should alienate himself from the rest of the crowd. If you are writing for a living, this can also give you a certain legitimacy in the niche markets.

Why Consider Writing an Ebook?

Have you spent some time writing this 2012? If you haven’t established a great portfolio in that amount of time or establish a good amount of clients from the best sites in the market today, then you will be interested to read this latest post. This latest post aims to nullify the fear of writing lengthy and informative copies to be provided for your reading public whether or not it is under your name.

If you wish to broaden your chances of earning an extra buck from writing, probably you would want to write an ebook. Though it costs a lot of time and effort, it is worth the try considering the number of successful best sellers in this format. There are different purposes as to why people would read an ebook. It could be for entertainment, for schooling or for career; whatever the reason is there is a serious market for ebooks. Billions of dollars are spent on ebooks and just about everyone is now having an ebook reader or a tablet.

Here is an infograph on some interesting numbers that could convince you to meddle on ebooks.

In 2011, $1.97 billion were spent on ebooks world wide. From $800+ million in 2010, it has shown a significant increase in sales. From December 2011 to January 2012, the number people worldwide with ebook readers doubled. Prior to 2012, only 10% of the population owns an ebook reader. By the time 2012 came, 19% of the population is already using an ebook reader for different purposes. Continuous growth has also been shown in the number of ebooks sold and the leading genre is still fiction raking in $1.27 billion in 2011.

In the US, the popularity of ebooks dropped the number of printed books sold. In contrast to the decline in the printed books’ sales, a growing number is seen among ebooks for sale. And 850 thousand of the 950 thousand selections available as ebooks cost $9.99 or less.

These are only some of the notable numbers that you may want to know as a copywriter aspiring to write his or her own ebook. So what is the best ebook to write about?

I have personally made ebooks meant to help different professions. The more recent ebooks I have made involves PTC business. PTC is structured like a multilevel networking business. You get commissions from the downlines and you use the money provided for by the advertisers. If you want to know more about this, I will be posting more information about this soon.

So are you now decided to write an ebook? If you still don’t know how to write an ebook, let me provide you with one in the coming months!

 

Idiot Friendly Tips to Become a Copywriter Online

Publishing your ideals, thoughts and ultimately anything that runs through your head in the last decades have watered down thanks to the World Wide Web. Despite the growing non-intelligent conversations that populate the internet, you can’t remove the fact that people love things that actually make sense. If you plan to capitalize on this, you may want to learn how to write.

Being a copywriter is a lot easier than what most people think. It is not rocket science at all. In my last 4 years writing copies for countless clients in different niches, it takes a few months in order for you to adapt to this kind of job.

For those aspiring to do the same day in and day out, here are some things that you might find helpful.

Be Web-Savvy

If you are working online, it pays that you know your workplace. If you’re a fish that can’t swim, you are probably an idiot. The same concept goes when you work online. You may want to read about Google Analytics, Google Algorithm and many other topics that will definitely play a great role on your job.

Know Your Strength

If you studied some distant degree, you will be surprised how this could actually work on your favor. With the presence of different niches online, you will find a client who will be looking for a writer who actually knows what he is talking about. For instance, there are some graphic artist sites that require copies; so what better way than to hire a graphic artist who knows how to communicate through his written work?

Develop a Habit

Habits will help you develop your knack for writing. For instance, cleaning your desk will help you clear your mind. In most cases, coffee can help break writer’s block. If you a re some weird-ass writer, alcohol could work too.

Make Your Line of Thought Organized

Organizing your line of thought is much easier said than done. In today’s world where instant gratification rules plus the fact that noise can take your focus away from your work every 5 minutes; this takes practice.

Make it Funny

If you can’t help but be funny, use the regular meme to integrate into your content to at least tickle the funny bones of your readers. You will be surprised by how many people could actually relate more when you are funny as hell. But of course, this may sometimes need to be tapered down whenever you write for formal clients (not unless you want to get fired).

 

 

Writing For Social Media Accounts

In today’s modern age, though content remains to be king you just can’t ignore the weight of Social Media. A lot of people remains intrigued on how Social Media can increase the likelihood of sales. According to the latest statistics, over two billion users worldwide are now ogled online. 600 million of them have Facebook and 50% of which checks their accounts everyday.

With these numbers, it is an important thing for any copywriter to learn how to interact through short copies. Whether it is a status, through a meme or a detailed instruction on the description; social media content is important especially for a business with a small capital.

One of the smarter ways to attract clients with your social media account is the use of a home page. Here in this tutorial right by the bottom, you will find how to actually entice clients to like your site.

So far, I’ve been busy building “fans” and other prospects using Facebook for my business. As of now, I reached 400 likes via Facebook and basically that is still quite a small number. Though the business hasn’t penetrated the bigger markets in North America, Australia or US yet; it is still doing progress thanks to effective communication using social media outlets from Facebook to Twitter.

2 Years of Freelancing Like a Boss

July 21, 2010, few weeks after I recklessly abandoned a fixed gameplan in the last 4 years of becoming a hospital workhorse, I ended up with a company that accepted me as one of their writers. In fact, it was a freelance writer position. Why I ended up with a freelance position and not a 9-5 gig is all because of my indecisiveness. My gut tells me to slack and to be the bum I always wanted to be but my head tells me to work. I was asked if I was looking for a full time or for a part time position and the latter offered a convenient grey area between my two opposing thoughts.

2 years since then, I have enjoyed and fortunately weathered the storms that I faced. To name a few, I already experienced the inconsistencies of being a freelance writer. I already experienced and lived the meaning of cheap labor. And when the outsourced material turns out to be already outsourced for the nth time, you get only scraps while still there is no excuse for less than the best quality write up. All of these things I have experienced in the last 24 months of my life.

I never had the chance to experience bumhood or practice bummery at its finest. I just worked, and I worked hard. The only time I ended up having a “long break” (more than 2weeks) from my job was when I volunteered as a nurse in Samar with some missionaries from the US, Canada and Spain. Though it looked more like a military draft than voluntary work, but that is another story; other than that it was the only time that I experienced zero worries from work.

Bummery is a luxury to me and so far and it made me realize just how precious time can be. As for the lessons that I received (and was forced to received) so far after more than 700 days of being part of the so called rat race, here are a few ones.

People always Read

If people don’t read, then I’d be asking for money right now. It is the mere essence as to why I write. I may not have a large readership but thank the United Nations for pushing education as a right that people read every single day of their lives.

Though people read, they also look for something worth their time

If you write about unimportant things, who would even care to read that? It is a waste of time and space in the World Wide Web. You need to be engaging as a writer as you could possibly be. Just like food, you don’t always have to eat all of the things stacked in your local department store. Learn to determine what is trash and what is useful.

Keep on rocking in the third world

I have a lot to be thankful for but every aspiring writer should learn to determine what is really cheap and what is commensurate to your effort. I guess this should also be applicable to the other freelance junkies. Being in the third world, some clients mistaken it for the times of industrial revolution. There are a lot of clients online that would be more than willing to offer you cheap rates only because you live in a country with a weak ass labor code plus a shitty economy.

Cover your weaknesses accentuate your awesomeness

Portfolios don’t involve your lame works. It doesn’t involve your bad days only the good ones. In getting that deal, you need to learn how to package yourself. You may not be the best, but with certain tweaks you may look really good (at least on paper). The good thing with the internet is that it reduces human interaction that may catch you as to what you look like. A lot of HR personnel would have biases as to what a preferred employee should look like. That’s what dress codes are for. These things can be eliminated thanks to the internet!

Though the company I first worked for finally realized that paying me as a freelancer is more costly than enslaving someone in a 10 hour shift, they resorted to not call me and give me work anymore. I now work via different clients and I am really happy with the way I worked in the last 24 months of my life.

If I could talk to my self 24 months ago, I’d tell him to get as much work as he can though not resorting to uberly cheap deals (which I actually made!). As for validation that I made the right choice, I guess I’m Freelance Writing Like a Boss since 2010!

On How Not To Get Douched By a Boss

I really find it funny how corporate ladder works. Honestly, there is just too much drama out there. Being an introvert (95% of the time), I find it a waste of time, calories and oxygen to interact with backlogs to finish (yes, whether it be short term or long term).

What Freelance Writing Like a Boss Stands For?

This is what I personally believe freelance writing like a boss is all about. You get what you need without the drama and without the ugly office politics. It’s just sad how a cubicle could ruin a once active imagination. How you imagine that you will be the guy changing the system and sticking it out to The Man; and all of a sudden you are stuck in a rut. By the way, it doesn’t have to be the office anyways.

6 years ago, we were programmed to believe that we are the best of what Philippine nursing has to offer. Our competencies and our knowledge are at par with that of world standards and we should excel on what we are going to do. Well, yes they gave us competencies and all but a decent paying job in your own country? Well that is another story.

I read of this article about a letter of a former fresh grad to his/her twenty something fresh graduate self who has to take trash from his superiors. Freelance Writing Like a Boss will never be about taking trash from other people. As long as you can meet and surpass the standards for copies whether for articles, press releases, contents and/or for reviews; everything will be fine.

Market Your Work=Getting Clients

Just like any other profession, it also takes patience and a lot of hard work to introduce and  market your own skills. This is probably one of the hardest things to do. But thanks to the World Wide Web, you can market your work and get the online presence that your freelance career needs.

Here are some of the sites that can truly save you and get you on the map in terms of your writing.

Ezine Articles

This site works both ways for your clients and for yourself. The very first thing that could get you reputation is to create articles that could get through the Ezine Articles editorial board. Ezine has one of the best standards in article submission. They make you wait for days before approving your articles and for articles that will have problems, you will need to edit them over and over again. Platinum Membership or Expert Author status will however be the price for successfully accepted articles.

Blog

There are a lot of platforms to start with. In my opinion, Blogger offers better free blogs than WordPress in terms of their themes. This opens a number of opportunities in fact this can be a good source of income for some writers. There are X-deals that you can actually get if your blogs popularity breaks boundaries and established consistent traffic.

Coroflot

Though most commonly used by designers, this site can save captures of your submitted works. This can be used for magazine publications, newspapers among many others.

Things Every Freelance Writer Should Have

A lot of people have made freelance writing look bad online. Let’s agree on the fact that some clients are now hesitating to hire writers from non-English speaking countries because of some applicants who can’t commit to the job.

Before you even apply or even try to be a writer, you need to at least know these basic things.

Knowledge of Proper Grammar and Punctuations

If you are grammar Nazi, the better it is. This is a continuous process though. You have to constantly check your copies once in a while and reassess your progress as a writer. Most of the time, the simpler the sentence means less chances of mistakes.

Fountain of Ideas

Ideas must come from different inspirations. Most of the time, this will require you to read things that you love and things that you hate. There will be topics that would sound alien to you. The best example I could think of are the real estate laws and bankruptcy chapters that a great number of clients request for.

Provide Quality and Never Copy!

Copyscape is the best plagiarism police online. You just can’t hide if you are someone who doesn’t really write. You will only anger your client plus you will get screwed out of your job.

 

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