FSw v3 – What Would You Like to See?

Q: Are there any services you’d like to see offered here?

You guys could do some paid (or free) review on a freelance work?

Q: Are there any other resources or tools you’d like?

I think some free SEO tools would be nice, like they have in seomoz.

Q: If you’re a job board user, is there anything you’d like improved or added there?

A widget on the main site about new jobs posted on the board, automatically updated, would be nice.

Q: Would you like to see anything done differently with the blog itself – e.g. more frequent posts?

I might be wrong, but it looks like most of the articles in FS is focused towards either designers or freelance writers. How about people who just blogs in their own blog, or other types of freelancing out there? how about some focus on SEO? Social network sites? Creating a community around forums? Creating your own blog network? Starting a freelance career as a blogger from scratch?
I could write some articles on these topic myself but I doubt FS will accept it because I don’t have much of a portfolio.

I think the current focus group is too narrow. Just my 2 cents.

Subscribe to Comments Plugin. I have no idea why that isn’t here already, but it’s irritating to have to remember to come back to the site just to participate in conversations. It feels like, “Drop one comment then go away. Buh-bye. That’s all we need from you.” Small blogs I get. Big blogs like yours? Not sure why this isn’t here.

Being able to easily see the blogger’s name at the top of the post. I know very well that “Freelance Switch” (or whatever the tag is) is not a blogger’s name. I like to know who I’m reading before I read, even when it’s a guest post.

Less bloggers. The site seems to be a catchall of all sorts of bloggers. Good content, joy, yes, but it’s impossible to get any sort of loyalty going or feel like we get to know any one person, because the bloggers always change. Pick a couple of names and stick with them.

Of course, these are just my suggestions, but hey. You asked

Here we go!

Are there any services you’d like to see offered here?
=> An international chart of good practices for freelancers… and their clients (a kind of professional quality label).
=> Professional Training and certs! and related online services.
Or the kind of stuff you could find on http://www.iwanet.org/ …
=> Contracts templates!

* Are there any other resources or tools you’d like?
There are always ads for online project management websites on the right side of the site… What about making your own service? When reading FSW, many freelancers recognize themselves in the post. FSW is like a looking glass of our professional environment so I think it’s natural to for tools tools like that… You could make a partnership with one of your announcers…

Ooh, I’m excited!

Like to see more interviews of successful freelancers from different fields.

I really want to see more posts from N.C Winter
One post per week isn’t enough!!

Also I would like to see more interviews with coders and developers

Keep rocking FSw is one of the things I love about freelancing

I would like to see more interviews with succesfull freelancers, How they made it etc..
Yes and I’ve never really read an interview with a web-coder, so that would be interesting.
Otherwise I love the cartoons from N.C Winter!

1. Other Services: More N.C. Winters cartoons.

2: Other Resources/Tools: More advice on passive income.

3: Job board Improvements/Additions: More Photographic/Film industry jobs please!

4. General Blog Edits: More Photography/Film industry related/slanted postings. Or postings from photographers giving comments on freelancing. By doing this they would still help the freelance community, but could give idea/examples from a photography perspective rather than from a writer’s designer’s perspective.

Other than that, I love your site!!

Moi

Perhaps a section that highlights users of the site. A sort-of gallery to show what users are producing. We could submit projects for review and if accepted we could be interviewed. This could maybe be part of the job section?

The ability to provide feedback for posters on the job board. We recently had a scam artist on there, and I’d hate to see my FSW peers bidding on his future projects without indication of his history here.

I’d like to see a video podcast

also I think you should look at adding a Uk podcast panelist

A “FreelanceSwitch en Español” spinoff! =)

Definitely would like to see some generic business templates such as contracts and such.

Collis, I’ll email you regarding potential additions/changes to the forum, a lot will depend on what is capable with Vanilla and what your developer can do!

Cheers!

I’d like to see an improved forum layout, with categories. Maybe implementing phpBB or something similar. The forum is kind of hard to follow right now.

i like it that way – super job !

Improvments :
have some kind of way to make it easier to search posts into the site-blog. I’ve try a couple of times and searching a word like “portfolio” inside a blog here was a pain is the a** really. Never found the post…
Same thing for PSD and NET tuts sites, better search, and PSD is sometimes really slow to appear.

I’d like to see more interviews.

I’m with James on the subscribe to comments option. I also agree with the comments about some templates for contracts and that sort of thing. Legal resources would also be cool, but that might be difficult with a worldwide audience (what’s relevant in one country may not be relevant somewhere else). I also would like to see the author name my RSS reader without clicking through to the site. Especially with so many authors it’s nice to understand who is writing it so you can get the proper perspective.

@Ben Gribbin

Im in the process of setting up a blog similar to FSw here in the UK with a podcast to come shortly after. So these things are on the way

Translations?

Hey all,

A few people so far have mentioned interviews as something they’d like to see more of.

The good news is that, with the help of Kirsten, we’re kinda launching interviews 2.0. Though they’ll be less frequent (bi-weekly) we’re going to be focusing on higher profile names in industries that more FSwers can relate to (mainly designing and coding, as something like 80% of our readers are in these fields). But we will also be covering many other types of freelancers as well.

The only difference is that we’re going to try to interview more of the people you admire–people who are leading figures in their respective industry. We figure we’ll all have some things to learn from them!

Thanks for the suggestions so far!

I’ve been a freelancer Web Developer for almost a year. Initially I struggled getting my documents together. You know the ones. A Proposal document, Contact, Invoice. Sure there are tons of resources on the internets for these. But would be nice if maybe, just maybe you put together a collection of starter documents into some form of freelance starter packet users can download to get started.

First, there definitely needs to be more than one way to pay for the job board, besides Paypal (I can’t use my debit card on it). Otherwise, there is simply no way I can contact the employer. Also, maybe you could arrange something where the job poster can choose to display contact details to everyone?

The other thing I’d like to see is that this site find a freelance programmer to make at least a few posts every now and then. As has been mentioned before, this site makes it seem like only designers, writers, and other “creative” people freelance.

I’d like to see posts about leveraging freelancing. I guess I see freelancing as a stepping stone away from working for a company, which gives you some freedom. Launching our own businesses would be another step in that direction.

Lot’s of small internet based companies or individual freelancers launch their own membership sites (freelance writers), create software (freelance coders), develop and sell website templates (freelance web designers), and more.

I’d like to see more content about launching internet businesses from a freelancers perspective. This is possible to do while freelancing. Content that helps us leverage our existing knowledge to launch web based initiatives would be great. Anything that could help us generate passive income would be great. Also, ways to make money blogging would be great.

I think more of this type of content would be a good addition. It would still only make up a fraction of the site and not drastically change the character and focus of the site. But would add another area to write about. It would be great to read about how others balance these types of projects with their freelancing.

I also want to second the request for professional document resources, like sample contracts.

Thanks.

id be nice if the community in the forums flowed more into the blog. Like i our comments then could link to our user profiles. Also …more info to those profiles would be nice and maybe a way to “favorite” or start blog articles – us in the forums have long been mentioning how nice direct messaging would be.

thats all i got for now..

I’d love to see the resources section expanded to include things like sample contracts.

I’d like to see your RSS feed not scroll off the right side of the window, like it does in Bloglines.

Yeah, a comment subscription thingie would be nice, I agree. I am always checking back to read more comments.

Also, perhaps doing some sort of weekly feature post or something, highlighting the skills of on of our many talented commenters/forum members.. might be cool.

I also agree that the site can sometimes get pretty “writer specific”, which isn’t a big problem, but broadening the spectrum some more to include more graphic design and illustration (my personal faves, other areas are cool too) would definitely keep me coming back for more (as if I wasn’t anyways).

And like Benek said, sample contracts and other paperwork would be nice to see in the resource section as well…

Can’t wait for the new version!

The only thing I can suggest is some sort of mentor match-up service, where some of the more experienced freelancers can sign up to take on some of us noobs and give us more direct one on one advice and suggestions.

I would love to be able to share resources, such as custom shapes and patterns.

A videocast would be awesome, to show neat tricks.

And as a wild dream… a version of fsw adapted for latin countries in Spanish.

you guys are the best!!!
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

A “collaboration” area for those seeking others to work with would be very useful. While I know the Job Board is used for this at times, It would be nice to have a members index with categories “devs seeking designers”, “designers seeking writers”, etc. This portion of the site should be strictly accessible by members only.

Searchable based on geographic location and perhaps language(s), would be helpful as well.

A “subscribe to comments” would be very nice. Even when my own articles go up, I don’t get notification of comments.

Someone once suggested that there be a map that shows the location of all the freelancers who comment on the forums, etc.

I think that would be awesome as I would really like to connect to freelancers closer to my area.

ZM

@ Zackery M – Go to the forums, click on Account and then View all members on the left. Is that what you were talking about? Oh and to whom it may concern there is a php error on that page…

Now, I have to second more N.C. Winters cartoons, paper (contracts, proposals, etc.) templates and more frequent podcasts.

Maybe this is a long shot, but how about a “myspace” like user profile where freelancers can show their portfolio? The integration of the forum users who reply to FS with their own profile/portfolio page within FS would be nice IMO.

Something like pavs.freelanceswitch.com

its funny how many of the feature you people are asking for are actually already in place

i want to see more frequent pod casts with a new group of hosts
ones that can relate real world experience and projects to the topics being discussed

Also, if this website could evolve into an almost Facebook like entity, that would be amazing.

Job board: let the job poster flag their position as filled.

A tutorial section would be nice. Where people can up load their own tutorial to do with specific software. Flash/flex/photoshop ect. But well organised Like how your job section works now. Maybes a pay for system to download the acturale files?
I like how http://psdtuts.com/ works.

Thanks
Aidan

I have to agree with the templates for resumes/contracts and more cartoons. Maybe section off the cartoons? And more podcasts! They’re like my morning television.

As well, the forum layout does get a little confusing.

Regarding the Archives section: have the list shown in grids of alternating colours, and maybe allow us readers choose how many results we want to see at one time. Currently it only shows 12 results on one page, and I have to keep on clicking ‘Previous Articles’ to reach the end.

Also, it’d be good to have a ‘most commented on’ section in the Best Of FSw menu.

It’s surprising it’s not been done yet, but Videos in FSw I reckon will be good. I know bandwidth might be a problem, but it can be linked through YouTube.

In the Resources page, there can be a section on recommended books, DVDs, magazines, movies, or websites for freelancers. This can be listed by the admin group, or open to subscribers to post. I know most of these things are addressed in posts, but having to dig through them using search is not so productive. If it compromises regular posts, put stuff in there 3 months after the relevant post has been up.

Lastly, put up a news feed that shows press coverage relating to the industry, or something that might affect freelancers (economy, political climate, legislation/policies, prices of paper/ink/accessories, etc.) This might require international help for regional news.

I’d like to see 2 things on FSw v.3:

- The subscribe to comments plugin (hey and James will stop bugging you about it lol)
- Collis, more posts from you buddy! I’ve always really enjoyed your posts. I know you’re busy, but maybe 1 a week or 1 every 2 weeks would be awesome

Voila

I feel the quality of the posts have been slipping

Would like to have a human agent who could find and arrange freelance jobs for me in return for a percentage of fees paid by employer/client.

I think the only thing I would like to see is more meaty posts. I know sometimes a slow newsday is a slow newsday but I would rather wait a day for an article that has a few good paragraphs with relevant information that a one paragraph post that rehashes another rehased post on the same subject as before. Even if there isn’t a post for a day or so it’s better to come back and read a really good article that a 1 paragraph rehash.

I also think it would be cool to have the ability to contact other freelancers here. Maybe a “trade area” where for example the following could happen: A programmer needs a designer and posts an entry. A designer needing some kind of application or back end built finds the entry, and they help each other out with the project. A little different from the job board.

Content wise I think reviews of some of the tools freelancers could use would be useful. (Reviews of using Freshbooks, Google Apps, etc).

Also it would be nice if content submissions could be opened up because I have a few ideas for articles.

Great thoughts so far – keep ‘em coming!

You know, I have a lot of article ideas to share for when I’m on a project or I get off of one, but not the time to polish this and submit it to you as a polished article. I’d love to be able to email a good writer and have them aggregate my thoughts with other submitters, and then they come out and post those thoughts in a polished article for others. I mean I don’t mean a 1:1 thing where my thoughts are collected by you guys and published as one article. No, I mean where you take the thoughts of many freelancers, categorize them, and then when you need an article, you can pull from this, polish it, and publish.

But in general, I’d like to see at least 3 new fresh articles every day on this site. This site is so fantastic that I’d love to dedicate two days a week reading it and thinking about all that is discussed here to see if it can make me a better freelancer. (Of course, I’d love to read it every day, but that’s not practical to many busy freelancers.)

wow, people have great ideas !!
exchanges between freelancers, product-software-services reviews, interviews, keep Collis posts coming, search into site section, videos, world freelance news, let us comment on stuff like product or services or items, develop the forum more, premaded documents, useful link section, translate fsw in other language like french and spanish etc, hook some favorite post into our Fsw account-forum, give voice to other freelancers related to our jobs like programmers and marketing etc, also more photographer and tv industry workers…………….
…super ideas !!

I personnaly like to see Fsw keeping coming the tips and trick on “How to get it done, better, bigger, money, etc.” when you’re freelancing.

I think we arrived at where some of us are rereading same subject posts, some are advances and want to know further into the game, and some are new or relatively new into it.

I think that Collis will have to take time to think to : Do I change this site and try to create a huge myspace/FB for freelancers… or do I just keep this present site well running with some add-ons…!
Again – for a 2 years old blog – well done Eden !

@Justin Shreve I think you have some awesome ideas there mate.

I am thinking, with all these changes, perhaps the design will need some tweaks? I’d like to hear from cyan more too

Audio jobs? There are so many audio graduates coming out around now. A lot of courses started up 3-5 years ago and right now they’re spilling out like lies from Bush. Annually they will grow in number exponentially.

Maybe a job referral system? To encourage people to refer a job to someone who is not on FS, and then lead to that new person coming back for more.

Agreed on contract templates, and any other template that will be useful.

1) There are certain fundamental processes and organizational things to know as a freelancer to get the business going to and to keep it coming – AND to make it more profitable. I think you’ve obviously touched and lots of these topics but they’re kinda scattered across the site. It would be great to see these key strategies ( and variations ) mapped out visually since so many of us (*ahem*… designer) learn much better from visuals. I guess the idea is basically visual roadmaps for freelancers! yay! Put these in the resources section and mark them gold. I’ll print one out right away.

2) How about a “daily freelance practice” .. with a better name… that gives you one totally productive thing that could be accomplished in 5-10 min (for example, take 5 min and clean your desk, or go update your resume, or … say hi to a client… ) You probably have way more ideas than me. This is obviously nothing ground-breaking, but sometimes it takes some little task while we’re browsing the internet to get us back being productive again!…

you all are doing a great job

More consistency with the style of writing. Even though we have different writers, the style should be consistent.

A lot of posts can be repetitive. I’d like to see us have more of a core group of writers like we used to.

I have read over many great suggestions, such as profiles for job providers and FSW users, business templates or guidelines, more cartoons, and collaboration area. Thanks all for those ideas.

But I would like to see a area where designers can post their various rates and areas. This would help the new freelancers get a good perspective on the standard rates around the world and where they should start. This could be a specific area or more posts about this topic. I am suggesting this because I have come across many clients who expect low rates because of the many new freelancers who charge below what they should. Sure there are many clients who are just plain cheap, but some clients are just ignorant of the standard rates because of the many freelancers out there who charge way below what they should. I think this would be a great way to educate freelancers the standard rates in their area and industry.

May be start a rating system, let user register on your site and rate for the article or you may have your own rating system. It would be better for fast searching of good articles.

I have noticed that the forum is not so hop. You can add a column like that of recent posts and random post from the forum itself.

A more organized and structured forum.

Hi Guys

Congratulations on a great site , I view it daily. All I could suggest is perhaps a tutorials section for any relative software. And perhaps a download resource with vector art, flash, photoshop brushes anything cool really.

cheers

@Ryno

You may want to check out:

http://psdtuts.com/
http://vectortuts.com/
and http://nettuts.com/

All part of the FreelanceSwitch/Eden Family… they have a premium section with photoshop files you might be interested in.

I agree though – it would be cool to share tools and resources such as contract templates, brushes, etc with other freelancers.

Collaboration is cool

Hey guys! Thanks so much for all these suggestions, yesterday we met with Skellie here in Melbourne and discussed many of them, there’s still more to go through. Now we’ll be planning out an improvement map to upgrade the site in teh coming months!

Anyhow this post will be here in case anyone wishes to leave more feedback – which we’re always interested in!

MORE POSTS FROM COLLIS
MORE POSTS FROM N.C WINTERS!!

FSW FTW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I only have two things! more great articles from Collis & something like a “toolbox” for freelancers / designers with contracts & more templated stuff that could help us out on the business side.

yeah…FSW Toolbox.

I read somewhere on here that a document library was coming, but it never has, so that would be a great start!

I would like to see a more comprehensive forum. At the moment it’s great but it lacks some of the core features most forum users would love to have, like private messaging etc.

I would love to see the forums integrated more into the site. Like have the same template, and the forums not open in a new window when coming from FSw. Also lately I’ve been using the forums a lot more than the blog, some of the recent posts just haven’t grabbed my attention like the older ones.

I would like to hear a UK panellist on the podcast too, right now they’re all American except for Cyan.

I think the link at the top to the FSw book would be better placed in the resources section, this would leave more space for another link that could be of more importance. Like a document library if one were to be introduced.

Oh, and weren’t you guys getting a new cartoon dude to go at the top of FSw?

I’ve recently written a couple of tuts for VectorTuts and wondered if you may consider site improvements for authors too? For example once someone has become published on any of the envato sites they receive login details with which they can access their own Author’s account.

The account could include uploading facilities (instead of submitting everything via email) for future articles/tuts, perhaps viewing stats for that author’s existing posts, payment prompts, general ‘calling all authors’ communication, tutorial/article suggestions, editing suggestions for submitted posts etc. etc.

This applies to all sites of course, or maybe an all-encompassing ‘contributors.envato.com’.

Perhaps not so globally useful to everyday visitors, but a way to keep the contributors engaged. (?)