Saturday, September 27, 2008

Freelance Internet Copywriting

By Ray Edwards

In the world of freelancing, copywriting is one of the largest growing fields out there. The Internet has opened up new doors and possibilities creating a whole new market for copywriters. On top of copywriters and clients now being able to find each other easier, copywriters are needed to update existing websites and help write the web-content for countless businesses.

There is plenty of work out there for copywriters if they make the right contacts. Freelance copywriters, in part, write online content that helps sell a product or boost a web-site's viewership. Actually, web content is one of the fastest growing resources for freelance work within all sorts of fields such as photographers, web designers and graphic artists.

Even though there are many different opportunities for freelance work, it isn't guaranteed that you will find projects. With so many other copywriters out there you will have to advertise yourself and find different ways to keep a competitive edge, which will help insure a continuous flow of work. Here are some helpful tips to stay competitive:

Advertise

In the world of Freelance Internet Copywriting, it is essential that you market yourself. How else will clients hire you unless they know about you? Advertising doesn't have to be an added cost, though it would be a good investment. When you meet people, don't hesitate to give them your card and to tell them what you do. Do some work pro-bono and begin to build a client base and testimonials. Log onto some marketing forums and post comments and pointers on different threads were people are asking for advice on their marketing with a link back to your website. Have a portfolio with some of your best work and testimonials that you can give to possible clients when bidding on their projects. Self-marketing is essential because it will give you the contacts that you need in order to start a freelancing career.

Do Consistently Good Work

Since you are your own boss and employee, your business credibility rests on your shoulders. Therefore you need to do your best work all the time. No matter what kind of copywriting you do, your work will form the basis of your entire business. It will help determine your credibility and it will affect the rate at which you win project bids. So it is very important that you do your best work consistently.

Develop A Good Reputation

A consistent and good product is not the only thing that effects your reputation; your attitude also has a significant impact. You can be the most brilliant copywriter in the industry but if you treat people poorly and are difficult to work with, then you will find it difficult to acquire freelance jobs. Not only should you be pleasant and easy to work with, but you must also practice good work ethics and meet deadlines. Your work ethics and your ability to meet deadlines are important factors that employers consider when hiring freelance copywriters.

Look For Jobs

Of course, you can't initially just wait for people to give you work. You need to look for assignments yourself, but at some point, if you work hard enough and produce a quality product, you wont have to hunt for projects as much because clients will be coming to you. There are many ways to look for freelancing jobs.

Ask your current clients for referrals, or anyone you already know that may know someone who needs some marketing help. This helps you establish your business with contacts and people you already know.

Easy ways to find work as a freelance copywriter are the Freelance Internet Marketplaces. Elance.com, www.directfreelance.com, and www.guru.com are great examples. These do basically the same things: they help clients and freelance copywriters find each other. They allow you to post a profile with some of your best work, bid on projects, and have messages automatically sent to you concerning jobs about which you may be interested.

Hopefully this article helped you see some essential aspects about freelance Internet copywriting. It does require some work getting started, but the benefits of being your won boss are far worth the effort. These simple pointers can get you going in the right direction, so good luck with your freelance copywriting career.

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