Be a Freelance Blogger

Freelance Blogging in 2015: What to Expect

How’s this year looking for you so far?

Do you know what you’re doing and how you’ll grow your freelance blogging business in 2015?

It’s OK if you don’t.

It’s awesome if you do know, but it’s totally OK if you don’t.

I just agreed to get married this year, so I don’t know exactly what I’m doing in 2015 except that it now includes a wedding and a honeymoon. None of that was in my “goals for 2015” list at the end of 2014!

You don’t need to know exactly where you’re headed right now to make this year a success. And in a moment, I’m going to offer you a fat prize that will make 2015 your take-off year.

First, let’s recap where we are and what’s been going on. This is our starting point for a shiny future.

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By Kat Loveland

Freelance Bloggers on YouTube: A Beginner’s Guide to Video Creation

What makes your freelance blogging business stand out from the rest?

You all write blog posts. You all have websites. You all look pretty much identical to prospective clients — at least until they’ve taken some time to check out your portfolio pieces and testimonials.

But you don’t have to stay that way.

Do you have a smart phone? Are you willing to learn a new trick or two?

Then video content may be just what you need to get ahead of the crowd.

The internet is an increasingly visual medium.

Sites like Buzzfeed use slideshows as articles, with a picture and a quote on each page.
Vines, vlogs, and YouTube channels bring their creators both money and recognition.
Popular bloggers like Derek Halpern or Gary Vaynerchuk make a new video for almost every post on their blogs.
Businesses are all over Pinterest, Instagram, and even Snapchat, using images and videos to get attention.

So what’s a freelance blogger to do to capture and use this ever growing demand for visual content?

Adapt.

Learn the basic skills that let you take advantage of the increasing popularity (and decreasing production cost) of video content.

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By Carol Tice

Create Popular Blog Posts With These 7 Insider Interview Tips

Are you blogging your heart out, but not getting a lot of readers?

Do potential clients seem unimpressed by your blogging portfolio?

Well, here’s one way to really grab some eyeballs and get the online traction that brings clients to your door:

Deliver an exclusive, fascinating interview with a prominent person.

Wait, wait, I hear you say — how will I ever get anyone to talk to me? Worse, what if someone does talk to me and I get so nervous I blow it?

You’d be surprised at how easy it is.

As a journalist by training and a former staff reporter, I’ve interviewed hundreds of people. If one person you want to talk to won’t say yes, I can promise you, there’s someone else who will.

And with the 7 tips I’m about to share, your nerves won’t matter.

Why interviews? Having fresh information in your posts is key to driving traffic. Most blog posts just recycle things we’ve all seen 100 times before, so when you have exclusive interviews, you immediately stand out.

In fact, when writers ask me how they can earn more this year, I tell them to learn article writing. And the big thing that makes articles more interesting than the typical blog post is the interviews.

Of course, once you get someone to talk to you, you have to be a great interviewer to get some really juicy comments. Here are my tips for how to ace your interview and create an attention-getting blog post:

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By Sophie Lizard

Pitchfest: Win $100 for Your Next Guest Post

We’re getting close now. Only a week to go.

I don’t know what you celebrate at this time of year, but for me it’s the winter solstice. One long, cold, dark night that turns the whole year around.

Call me crazy, but I believe we all have to go through solstices in our freelance writing careers. There are peaks of giddy genius and troughs of utter despair along the way, and they’re supposed to be there.

Because without them, we can’t learn and grow. Without good days, we won’t recognise bad days. Without challenge, there’s no achievement.

I may not believe in much, but I sure as hell believe in that.

Dear gods, did I just start giving a semi-religious lecture on my blog? [And, hey, was it working? Do you feel inspired?]

OK, moving on: I’ve got a challenge for you if you’re willing to accept it.

Time for the last Pitchfest of 2014!

You pitch a blog post idea and we’ll choose our favourite ones to publish, with a $100 prize for the best pitch. I’ll explain the rules in a minute, but first…

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By Kristen Hicks

7 Reasons to Feel Good About Dumping Your Problem Client

Every freelancer has had that client.

You know the one I mean — the client all your friends hear about over drinks, whose name you dread seeing in your email inbox or your phone’s caller ID.

You know working with that client makes your life harder, but you can’t shake the feeling there’s something wrong with ending a client relationship.

That’d mean less money in the bank each month. You’re supposed to be grateful for any work you get, right?

Wrong.

One of the great (and often underused) privileges of working for yourself is the ability to walk away when something’s not working. Your time is valuable, so don’t feel obligated to spend it on a client that isn’t worth it to you.

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