Linkswitch #100, Pricing Ecommerce, Ultimate Guides, Beyond Fear
Every other week we roundup some of the highest quality articles and resources that benefit freelancers from across the web. We present these articles here on various helpful topics. This week we have articles on pricing ecommerce web projects, creating remarkable guides, pushing past fear, and more.
Pricing Ecommerce Web Design Projects
It’s a common enough question, and one that always leads your average freelance web designer to take a deep breath and sigh ‘Well, let me see …’. There are many factors that influence the cost of an ecommerce web project, but when you communicate the vagaries to clients, there tend to be three that can have a huge impact – and are often only dealt with summarily: products, postage and payments.
On Criticism, Cynicism & Sharpening Your Gut Instinct
Time and time again, creative people are given two pieces of advice: (1) Listen to your critics and seek feedback, but also (2) Ignore your critics and follow your intuition. Clearly, there’s a powerful contradiction here in need of reconciliation.
Creating Ultimate Guides and Using Them to Build Your Marketing List
You’ve seen them – ultimate marketing guides to Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and other important digital marketing resources. Creating ultimate guides are a great way to attract traffic, links, and social shares to your blog or website. The issue most people run into is with the number of blogs out there (especially ones on online marketing) – how do you create an ultimate guide if there are already tons of posts on a given subject?
Linkswitch #99, Freelance Marketing, Creative Mind, Weak Ties
Every other week we roundup some of the highest quality articles and resources that benefit freelancers from across the web. We present these articles here on various helpful topics. This week we have articles on getting started as a freelance marketing, building your creative mind, the power of weak social ties, and more.
The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Successful Freelance Marketer
Freelance marketers have one of the best jobs on the planet. There’s a never-ending stream of exciting new projects to work on and clients to work with, and at the end of the day, your work is about helping business grow, which means a better livelihood for everyone involved. Not to mention that if you’re doing well, the money is really good, too! In short, it’s rewarding, fulfilling, and very lucrative… a great gig if you can get it. So… how do you get it?
How to Create a Cover Photo for Your Facebook Timeline
Got a Facebook Page for your business? Freaking out about creating a good-looking cover photo for your Timeline? You’ve probably noticed that striking visual piece in the Facebook Pages timeline layout — a nearly-screen-width banner image, known as a “Cover.” On March 30, 2012, all Facebook Pages were converted to the timeline layout with the cover photo.
But you may have noticed that not every cover image is a home run …
4 Ways To Hack Into Your Mind And Become Infinitely More Creative
What if I told you that the biggest threat to your writing is not your lack of passion, your lack of creativity, or your lack of skill? What if I told you that the biggest threat to your writing is… your mind? That’s right. Your mind is the biggest obstacle standing between you and all the work you are trying to accomplish. Our mind is often the one that needs the most convincing that our writing is worthwhile. This is because our mind is hard-wired to protect us from any possible danger. You see, in order to protect us, our mind initially perceives anything it encounters as a threat—including your writing.
Linkswitch #98, Freelance Web Development, On The Road, Facebook Changes
Every other week we roundup some of the highest quality articles and resources that benefit freelancers from across the web. We present these articles here on various helpful topics. This week we have articles on learning freelance web development, grammar goofs, working on the road, and more.
7 Steps to Learning Freelance Web Development,
So you want to become a freelance web developer. Maybe you’re already a front-end developer and want to dig deeper into web applications, or maybe you’re a copy wiz and are eyeing the countless developer positions out there. Either way, it’s an entirely new skill you’ll be picking up. Here’s how to do it successfully. The challenge for most is finding the right resources, understanding them, and staying motivated when you hit walls. While learning from quality resources is needed, it’s the process behind learning that will set you apart. It’s important to create the best learning environment to ensure your success.
15 Grammar Goofs That Make You Look Silly
Making some grammatical errors just makes you look bad, and hurts your effectiveness. Assembled here (as a handy reference) are the 15 most egregious grammar goofs into one helpful infographic.
12 Things That Will Kill Your Blog Post Every Time
Blogging is a lot like fishing. Some people do it all the time and never catch anything…while others catch everything. Why is that? You know better than to say it is luck. So let’s call it what it is…when you look around at successful blogs…whatever industry or topic…there are several undeniable basics to success. And it starts with blog posts that kill it…rather than get killed. But what kills a blog post? Here’s a list of 12 things…ignore them and you will have a tough time being successful.
Linkswitch #97, Analytic Tricks, Fun Website Design, Your Path
Every other week we roundup some of the highest quality articles and resources that benefit freelancers from across the web. We present these articles here on various helpful topics. This week we have articles on Google Analytics tricks, a fun approach to websites, and finding your own path.
11 Google Analytics Tricks to Use for Your Website
Learn how to do more than just track the number of visitors your posts receive. Take advantage of more free Google Analytic options. This article teaches you how to set up Goals, Webmaster Tools, Site Speed, Event Tracking, and more.
8 Must Read Leadership Bloggers
Every young entrepreneur needs someone to look up to — someone who’s been there, done that, and whose experience provides important lessons. Thankfully, there are plenty of great brains and business leaders who share those experiences and lessons online. But which voices are the best when it comes to management and leadership? Learn who the best blogger are for reading advice on improving your management leadership skills.
20 Modern Stationery Brand Templates Fit for Freelance Identity
Do you need to carry your freelance brand into print? If so, you can hire a professional designer to assist you with creating your identity. There is another option though. If your budget is tight and time is limited, there is no better solution than grabbing a high quality stationery brand template. You can present your business with a professional style, at minimal cost.
Linkswitch #96, Productivity, Multitasking, Go Viral
Every other week we roundup some of the highest quality articles and resources that benefit freelancers from across the web. We present these articles here on various helpful topics. This week we have articles on finding the best productivity app, multitasking effectively, and getting your posts to go viral.
20 Best Online To Do List Apps for Freelancers
To do list task managers and full productivity software is essential to a freelancers business. The style of design your looking for in a to do list app will differ based on the size of your small business, the nature of the services you offer, and your personal preferences. How a to do list task manager implements these features has a big impact on it’s user base. Here are some of the most prevalent and useful features to consider in reviewing task based productivity software:
7 Crucial Tactics for Writing a Wildly Successful Guest Post
Most bloggers I see pump out these articles while reciting the mantra “quantity over quality”; there’s no real strategy and there are no real long-term benefits. In this post I am going to show you the seven crucial tactics for writing a radically successful guest post.
Layering: Multitasking That Actually Works
In a few short years, multitasking has gone from star child to black sheep in productivity pop culture. This is because the most common forms of multitasking require rapidly switching between similar tasks, which creates a sort of “flickering” effect in your brain. (Think of a connection gone bad… annoying at best, useless at worst.)
Linkswitch #95, Agile Method, Guest Post Tactics, Charge More
Every other week we roundup some of the highest quality articles and resources that benefit freelancers from across the web. We present these articles here on various helpful topics. This week we have articles on powerful guest post tactics, agile methods, and how to charge more.
Tackling Freelance Projects Like a Software Developer
The trend is fueled by an approach to software development called “Agile”, which calls for compressing development projects into short pieces. It also includes daily stand-up meetings where everyone can update everyone else with what they are currently working on and any obstacles that stand in their way. I think it’s brilliant! I immediately started wondering how I could incorporate this way of thinking into my freelance life. I took a look at the Agile Manifesto and sought to translate it into something freelancers could use.
6 Powerful Guest Post Tactics that No One’s Talking About
Guest posting is a hot topic amongst startup bloggers. It is one of the most widely-adopted blog promotion strategies in existence, and has been made perhaps even more popular by the success of “serial” guest posters such as Danny Iny of Firepole Marketing.
His “blitzkrieg” strategy may come across to some as a triumph of quantity over strategy, but nothing could be further from the truth. He understands the key concepts that we will be exploring in this post, and executes them in a highly effective manner
6 Reasons You Need to Charge More
I’m a reluctant Capitalist. I didn’t grow up with a lot of money (my dad was a country preacher, and my mom was a schoolteacher), and the transition from academia to building a start-up and then running my own consulting firm has been rocky at times. The one thing I still hear almost every week is “You need to charge more,” and I preach the same message to new SEOs even as I try to remember it. This post is a reminder to myself (and to you) of why what you charge matters, and why it’s not just about greed.
Linkswitch #94, Attract Clients, Conduct Experiments, Remote Work
Every other week we roundup some of the highest quality articles and resources that benefit freelancers from across the web. We present these articles here on various helpful topics. This week we have articles on attracting clients without being too pushy, conducting freelance experiments, and working more effectively as a remote worker. Continue Reading
Linkswitch #93, Productivity Apps, Simplifying, Content Cycles
Every other week we roundup some of the highest quality articles and resources that benefit freelancers from across the web. We present these articles here on various helpful topics. This week we have articles on productivity apps, simplifying your freelance business, content cycles, and more.
10 Leading Chrome Productivity Apps
As Chrome is in vogue among freelancers, the new Web Store collection is worth checking out. There are many entertainments tools, online games, utilities and productivity solutions. The last category of getting things done apps deserves freelancers’ attention. Chrome has free web applications like to-do lists, calendars, note takers to help you work faster, easier and more efficient. Let’s browse the top 10 productivity leaders in Chrome’s Web Store.
How You Can Simplify Your Freelancing Business
Simplifying your freelancing business and the rest of your life will give you more time and energy for what’s really important to you. How can you simplify your freelancing business? Let’s consider several areas of your business that you can examine and simplify.
Content Cycles – Make your Business Famous by Reinventing the Wheel
We all like to fool ourselves into thinking that we are covering new ground but the reality is that someone, somewhere has done it before. But is this a problem or does it actually present an opportunity? It depends on your outlook but for the wilier of you out there your mind should now be firmly locked onto the latter.
Linkswitch #92, Big File Transfer, Google +, Web Design Guidelines
Every other week we roundup some of the highest quality articles and resources that benefit freelancers from across the web. We present these articles here on various helpful topics. This week we have articles on top apps for transferring big files, how Google+ can help creative freelancers, new guidelines for web designers, and more.
Transfer Big Files: The Top 7 Tools You Should Use
If you work online, and most of us do in some capacity, it’s likely that you’ll have to transfer big files from time to time. Usually, the quickest way to transfer big files or share your work with someone is to email it to them, which means you just attach it to the email … right? Not so fast my friend. The problem, of course, is that most email clients have an attachment limit of 25MB. I’ve had Powerpoint presentations that are well over that limit. If you find yourself in a similar predicament, check out some of the following tools.
10 ways Google+ is Better than Facebook for Creative Freelancers
People are understandably hesitant about using Google’s recent addition to social networking in the form of Google+. Surely having a presence on Facebook, blogs, LinkedIn, Twitter and more, is enough for sharing content and promoting ourselves! Facebook alone can prove to be an enormous time-burner.
10 New Guidelines for Web Designers for 2012
To capitalize on the earning potential of web design industry there has been surge in the number of custom service web design providers. However, only a handful of freelancers are able to sense the change in the industry dynamics and add value to their creative ideas during implementation. In order for you to stay competitive, effective, and yet innovative with your web designs I propose the following ten guidelines.
Linkswitch #91, Facebook Apps, Boost Productivity, Tribal Management
Every other week we roundup some of the highest quality articles and resources that benefit freelancers from across the web. We present these articles here on various helpful topics. This week we have articles on getting going with top Facebook apps, grabbing productivity boosting tools, strategies for managing your tribe, and more.
30 Top Facebook Apps for Business
Facebook is a good place to communicate with friends and get new job offers. Freelancers should not miss an employment opportunity on Facebook. The social network app section is a real treasure box with multiple handy applications. These are some of the best Facebook applications that help freelances boost their productivity, enhance their business pages, show off their portfolio and attract new contacts. Since many freelancers work with social media as experts, account managers and analysts, the list below has both apps for personal profiles and Facebook pages.
50 Online Tools That Will Help You Boost Productivity and Earn
One of the great things about the web is the number of useful tools that can aid you in keeping track of all that you have to do and manage. More importantly, many of these tools can be used to save time, increase productivity, and earn more money.
10 Writing Mistakes that Will Guarantee Your Blog’s Failure
You have the ability to project them well on your blog, and you are quite confident in your writing ability. Yet, unknowingly, you could be building a sinking ship, punctured by these ten writing mistakes that will doom any blog to failure. You needn’t be disheartened, however, as any blogger can avoid them. It just takes awareness of their existence, and a keen focus on giving the reader what they want, at all costs.
Do you make any of these ten fatal writing mistakes on your blog?
Linkswitch #90, Experience Based Rates, Explosive Blog Growth and Talent vs. Grit
Every other week we roundup some of the highest quality articles and resources that benefit freelancers from across the web. We present these articles here on various helpful topics. This week we have articles on setting your freelance rates, the role of design in content creation, the power of persistence, and more.
Keys to Setting Your Rate Based on Experience
Instead of pricing yourself at a point that seasoned freelancers are getting, there’s nothing wrong with pricing yourself at a competitive wage that reflects your skill set. You can still make a good salary, plus you won’t be excluding the opportunity to build your skills and your portfolio.
The Role Of Design In The Kingdom Of Content
If content sits at the top of the food chain, why do we spend so much time talking about the finer points of design? Every day we debate, experiment with and discuss topics that easily fall into the category of aesthetics, enhanced functionality and layout; in fact, relatively rarely do we talk about content. Nevertheless, even though we should concede that content is king in this realm, this doesn’t mean that design should be devalued.
The Future of Self-Improvement, Part I: Grit Is More Important Than Talent
It’s not difficult to see how self-control would be predictive of success in certain spheres. It means trading short-term gratification for long-term goals, skipping the temptation to go to the movies and working on your novel instead. But that’s a relatively simple example — one that makes the decision to exercise, or not exercise, self-control easy to see.
Linkswitch: Why is Food Critical to Freelance Success?
Every other week we roundup some of the highest quality articles and resources that benefit freelancers. Today is a special edition of Linkswitch for Blog Action Day 2011. We’re taking some time out to consider this year’s topic, which is food.
Lack of access to food in some countries causes devastating famines; however, it’s the opposite end of the pendulum that many freelancer’s need to be wary of. Stress eating can devastate your health and lead to all kinds of problems. Yes these problems can negatively impact your mental energy, stamina, and the success of your freelance projects.
It’s important to learn to eat well, create long lasting healthy eating habits, while enjoying every bite. It’s also helpful to keep your budget in mind when planning your meals. The better we plan our grocery shopping, cooking, and eating habits, the more we can keep us hungry freelancers moving, without falling off balance. Let’s take a look at some helpful articles and resources that will improve your food consumption habits.
