Community Building

5 Freelance Conferences to Visit in 2012

April 16, 2012 by Angus Shaw 5 Comments

Being a successful freelancer requires that you acquire and maintain the latest information, tools, tips and skills in order to stay successful among the many people setting out on their own in the professional world. While there are tools available to all freelancers via the invaluable resource that is the internet, the physical disconnect between you and your colleagues and customers often leaves something to be desired.

On that note, as a freelancing professional looking to add to their current skill set, there is no better way to combine valuable educational opportunities with the ability to rub shoulders with the best and brightest in your niche than the many fantastic freelance conferences taking place around the world each year.

In the interest of spurring you forward towards exciting experiences and new opportunities, here are five freelance conferences to visit in 2012: [Read more…]

Show Your Writing Face?

October 25, 2010 by david Leave a Comment

Everywhere I go, I see Joe Purschke’s face. Who is Joe Purschke? Well he’s my mortgage broker. But I knew him long before I met him. That’s because Joe uses his face on every ad. From highway billboards to refrigerator magnets – I can pick Joe out of a lineup better than I can identify some members of my family.

Seeing Joe everywhere got me thinking…why do some business types rely on “face” marketing while others don’t? And should bloggers be plastering their author picture next to every article they write? [Read more…]

The Facebook Fan Page Saga Kicks Off

May 13, 2010 by david 7 Comments

In a previous post I said I wasn’t too on board with the whole making a separate Facebook page for your blog (or pages for your many blogs as the case may be). However, after Facebook introduced “Like” vs. “Fan” I felt better about pages in general and finally created my very own blog page. Yikes.

Why the change of heart?

One was because of the “Like” issue – something about the term fan rubbed me the wrong way. Secondly, I thought it was time for a page because my blog’s page views have shot up and I’m writing there more often (i.e. I have way more links now). Plus, I wanted to secure my blog’s name before someone else did.

Mostly though, I created a dedicated Facebook page so I could separate myself from my topic. I write about environmental topics – which is my dream job. Back when I first started blogging I wanted to write about green issues all the time but often, in order to make a living, I didn’t have that kind of choice. I’d write about anything – computers, architecture, budgeting, bullies and more and that was fine, but really I would have rather been writing about green issues.

Fast forward a few years and I’ve managed to carve out a niche for myself by working hard and becoming much more well known in my topic field. Now all my gigs (minus two) are related to the environment and oddly sometimes I get sooooooooo tired of thinking about green issues. Don’t get me wrong I LOVE eco-issues and I know that I’m hyper lucky because I do get to write about a topic I adore day in and day out but honestly, I need a freaking break. Some days I don’t want to have to care about organics and water conservation and energy and greenwashing. I don’t really want to see my personal Facebook page peppered with green links – you know?

Making a page for my eco-links works out better for me in terms of sanity. I get a green break when I visit my own profile page.

Still there are cons though…

Deb’s post on driving community away from your blog is something you should seriously consider before making a Facebook page.
Creating a good Facebook page is a little time consuming IMO. I know not everyone agrees, but after managing Facebook pages for clients, I still think managing a page is work. Especially when you run into lame little glitches such as, how to “Like” another page as your page, not as your profile (frustrating). PS I figured that out with some help.
It’s somewhat difficult to track if a Facebook page is successful. Yeah, you might have 20,000 fans but how does that translate to better traffic, sales, or other perks at your actual blog. I’m sure for some bigger companies the perks are obvious, but for a blog I think it’s harder to track those perks.

Be prepared…

Being the hyper anal list-maker that I am, I researched making a successful page before I made mine. You should too. There are many helpful guides out there to help you create a kick-ass vs. mediocre Facebook page. Keep in mind though that your page doesn’t have to start out awesome, it will evolve over time and you should still be yourself. Following are some helpful links.

How to set up a winning Facebook page
5 Tips for Optimizing Your Brand’s Facebook Presence – great help if you’re looking for info about how to size your Facebook page profile image
How To Develop A Facebook Page That Attracts Millions of Fans – such a loaded lame title IMO, but this post does offer some excellent tips
The Freelance Writer’s Guide to Facebook

Beyond reading some tip guides I checked out all my favorite pages looking for pros and cons. This is a great tactic when planning your own page because you already know which pages you visit and why. You shouldn’t copy other people’s pages, but gathering ideas is smart. Here are five pages I really like…

Freelance Writing Jobs – NO I was not bribed by Deb. Deb’s page is not flashy and there are no images (something I like in a page) but this is honestly the page at Facebook I visit the most. Why? Because Deb draws me in with fun questions and casual conversation. It’s always a fun page and offers me an awesome break in my day.

The Thrifty Mommy – money saving is a pet topic of mine so I already know a lot. That said I don’t visit this page for tips much BUT if you were a mom looking to learn some money saving tips you’d be all over this page. Karen not only updates frequently, but has a killer profile image that’s cute and attractive and also adds little perks for the community like coupons and recipe images.

Village Free School – this is the page for my son’s school and not a popular page at all. However, what it does well is build a sense of community among members who do have kids at the school and gives a nice sneak peak at what it would be like if your child did attend. There are frequently updated pictures and events and if you’ve got a small local business this is a good page to mimic. One thing I’d suggest – if you have a page like this I’d amp up the conversation; post little questions, like Deb does.

Tremendous News – I LOVE the Tremendous News blog and the Facebook page for said blog is equally as fun. Many of the questions offered up here make little to no sense and sometimes the owner of this blog is hands down rude but he’s always hilarious. This page makes me laugh and this guy gets pages of comments so he must be doing something right.

Local Harvest – this Facebook page isn’t all that interesting in terms of funny content or bling apps but what it does well is delivers what the community wants day in and day out. There’s no going off topic here. If you’re looking for up-to-date info on food news and safety, organics, local food programs and so on, you’re guaranteed to find it here. This is something to keep in mind. You want to offer what your specific community wants. Going off topic often is a little sketchy in terms of a news-minded site.

Of course you can also check out some really popular pages:

Now, will having a Facebook help me out or just give me more to do? Who knows. I know it’ll get those green links off my personal page. I’ll let it fly for a month or so then I’ll come back here and write an update to let you know how it’s going and if I’ve run into any issues.

PS of course, if you’re into green living you can join my page.

Tell me how your Facebook page is doing – OR are you considering starting one? Why?

How a mediocre blogger can get more links than an amazing blogger

May 13, 2010 by david 10 Comments

I don’t think you should aim to be a mediocre blogger. Always aim to write top content and do your best. However, it’s not your kick ass writing skills that are going to get you links.

Fact – when I started blogging professionally – and by professionally I mean paid – I was a lot more careful. I wrote and re-wrote posts, gave it my all and really tried to put super killer content out there on the web. AND I pretty much got zero links back to my carefully written, time consuming posts.

Fact – now I’ve been blogging professionally for many years. I’m not so careful anymore and yet I get a lot more links back to my content now then I did in the past.

It’s not that my writing has improved either. I think I’m a better blogger now then I was five years ago. I don’t have to try as hard. I never re-write. I know my pet topics better, my voice is clearer (i.e. I’m me without trying) and I can push good posts out much faster than when I was a newbie blogger. But overall I’m not some amazing writer now as compared as to years ago. So what’s with the links?

My friends and peers link to me.

Most of the time here’s who links to me…

My friends who blog.
My peers who blog – I consider peers who blog people I meet via Twitter, Facebook, or by some other means, and we keep in touch and chat from time to time but I don’t develop deeper relationships with them. I.e. we don’t chat it up on Skype for an hour or anything.
The competition. For example, I’m a green blogger and thus talk to many other green bloggers, most of whom have blogs that directly compete with mine. Some of these blogger have WAY more popular blogs than mine. However, niches do tend to stick together even when competing. We email each other. We send little green updates. I link to them. They link to me.
PR folks. Now that I’ve been blogging for a good long while PR people come to me. I don’t have to hunt down green products or news hardly ever. I write about green stuff PR people send me and they’re happy and make sure my post gets some links. Back when I first started blogging I almost never talked with PR folks (I missed a lot of links).

See the above – that’s who I link to as well. I don’t usually seek out the very best content on the web to link to. I’ll seek out the best content from a friend or peer and link to that.

Of course I link to some issues directly like news or studies or if I know for sure the blogger is considered an expert on the topic but when it comes to basic link love I almost always choose someone I’ve had interactions with vs. someone I haven’t. Loyalty among bloggers is strong.

What can you learn from this?

A mediocre blogger with killer social networking skills will absolutely get more links than an amazing writer with zero social networking skills. Your content may rock that mediocre blogger’s content right out of the water but without people to link to your content so what?

Here’s what you do, right from the start…

Make more friends and be insanely popular – plus interact with your peers.
Read the competition and give them lots of love.
Learn about the social networking methods that are best for you.
Learn about how to interact with PR folks.

Lastly, don’t assume some peers or folks in your niche are too good for you. Here’s an example: If 10,000 people read your blog and 200,000 read another blog in your niche it’s easy to assume the following – OMG they’re so much better than me; they don’t need my link love; they’ll never speak to me. Not true.

You know how popular blogs get and stay popular? With a steady diet of links, readers and social networking. Just because a blog is bigger doesn’t mean they still don’t like the same things you do, say a link back. I have link relationships with bloggers in my niche who are more popular than me and also with bloggers who are less popular than me. I’ll be friends with anyone – popularity is lame to focus on. This isn’t freaking high school.

Are you putting yourself out there to get more link love?

On Deleted Blog Posts…

March 5, 2010 by david 7 Comments

Dear Deb,

I came by looking for a post called “WAHMs: Make Sure the Ends Justifies the Means” that you wrote last summer about residual writers. I know it was there and now it’s gone. Several posts in that same discussion are gone too. I think what everyone says about you, that you change your tune to suit your sponsors is true. I don’t respect you anymore. Only people with something to hide delete blog posts.

I dare you to post this.

Signed some anonymous emailer

So I’m not posting this email because I was dared to, I’m posting it because this isn’t the first time I was asked about the “WAHM” post. I also deleted other blog posts having to do with that discussion. I didn’t delete them because of my affiliation with Demand Studios, though, and I didn’t delete them because I changed my mind. I deleted them because I hurt people’s feelings and I feel bad about it.

I don’t change my tune about how I feel about residual sites. Someone working for one month and only earning a quarter doesn’t sit right with me. However, I posted some forum entries and made a few judgment calls and that wasn’t very professional or nice. After reading blog posts and comments about the now famous “WAHM” post, I felt bad.I mentioned some time ago that. I mentioned it in another blog post but no one said anything so I didn’t think it was that major a point.

That’s what happens whenever I react in anger. I write things I regret. Yes, I delete blog posts. I delete them not because I changed my mind or way of thinking, but because I feel bad about how they made other people feel. It’s those blog posts and the reaction to them that made me take my vow of positivity for 2010.

You know what, though?

I meet a lot of people who remember that blog post. They didn’t see it as me helping them to understand a better way, they saw it as me talking down to them and posting parts of their forum discussion here for all to see. It wasn’t appreciated. I regret making them feel that way.

I have many blogging regrets and each one of them has to do with my reacting in anger at one thing or another.

I realize there are people who don’t respect me for this and a variety of other reasons. It is what it is. I don’t think it’s wrong to delete content. What’s wrong is to react in anger and treat people unfairly. So I’m making a conscious effort to not do that anymore.

Do you have any regrets as a blogger? Have you ever deleted a blog post? If so why? Have you ever regretted a blog post? Tell us about it.

Are You Easy to Contact?

November 20, 2008 by david 4 Comments

I had a frustrating morning. I was working at my “day job” and needed to contact a bunch of bloggers. The problem is a couple of them had no contact info on their blogs. No “about” page, no email adress, nothing making it easy for me to get in touch with them. This is a big mistake.

I asked a couple of bloggers why they didn’t have contact info on their blogs. Both told me they didn’t want spam. They also said they don’t want the hassle of email to deal with. As someone who gets tons of email daily, I can sort of relate, but I also enjoy reading mail from the members of my community. How do I know what’s on their minds or what I’m doing wrong or right?

Without contact information no one can ask you about advertising on your blog, invite you to guest blog or speak at a conference, interview you for a blog post or offer you a job.

As someone who needs to contact bloggers on a regular basis, I can’t tell you how frustrating it is not to find contact information on a blog. Your readers and others should know how to contact you if they need you. I’ve been blogging for several years now and I can tell you that most of my mail isn’t spam. If I didn’t provide contact info I would have missed out on so many opportunities. Don’t you miss out, let people know where to find you!

Image via stock.xchnge

10 Ways to Let Your Competition Be Your Guide

May 22, 2008 by david 11 Comments

I’m always hesitant to use the word "competition" to describe other bloggers in my niche. I always like to look at them as colleagues in which to share ideas and community rather than the person whose traffic I should be stealing. For the purpose of today’s blog post, we’ll allow it just this one time.

If there’s one thing I learned with Freelance Writing Jobs is that if you have a popular blog, others will want to do the same exact thing. It used to frustrate me, but I decided to use this to my advantage. Rather get frustrated with all the other job listings blogs, I look to them to see how I can do things better or different.

Some of my network blogs are in competitive niches as well, my blogs on saving money or beauty tips certainly aren’t the only ones out there. How do I stand out among the rest?

Here are 10 ways I let my competition be my guide.

I participate in their communities – It would be silly to expect no one else to have the same type of blog, wouldn’t it? My philosophy is, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. The great thing about the blogosphere is that there’s room for everyone. If I’m not going to be the only blog re-listing freelance writing jobs or offering tips for finding said jobs, I’m going to welcome the others into the neighborhood. By participating in the other blog communities I’m offering my insight, learning and gathering new ideas from others, and maybe even gaining a reader or two.
I look to see what they’re missing – When I look at another blog like mine I wonder what they’re missing. What do their readers have questions about and what topics aren’t they discussing? Offer something your competition doesn’t have and people will respond.
I define my niches. When I visit other blogs in the same niche I wonder how I can do things differently. For instance, with Freelance Writing Jobs I became more than a "relisting" blog. I began offering advice for finding and getting jobs. At this blog, Jennifer and I target bloggers who work for others rather than the usual make money online blogging blogs. At the List Maven, my beauty blog, I offer all tips and product reviews in list form, and at Simply Thrifty I offer stories from my youth and updates on home DIY projects. Even my celebrity blogs are different – I have one featuring celebrity role models and one featuring celebrity lists. Now when people visit me it won’t be the same old thing they see on other blogs.
I continue to evolve – This holds hands with point number 3, by continuing to evolve I don’t get stuck in a rut. I don’t have to talk about or do the same things over and over. It’s ok to change your blog’s focus now and then to adapt to your readers’ tastes. Sometimes that’s by widening a narrow niche, other times it’s by changing a blog’s design.
I look to see what my competitors do right – When I see other blogs in my niche, I want to know what they’re doing right. I’m not going to copy them, but I am going to use them for ideas for bettering myself and my blog.
I investigate the most and least popular articles – What topics do their communities respond to most and least? This will give you a good indication of what your readers might like to learn about. Don’t copy, but do add your own point of view.
I investigate their traffic – Knowing how the competition is faring can be a great kick in the ass. How many comments do they get? What is their Alexa, Technorati or Google ranking? Are they at the top of the search engines? Where does a lot of their traffic seem to be coming from? Do they get lots of track backs from other blogs?
I investigate to see who is linking to them and why – Other other blogs and communities responding to my competitors’ posts? If so why? What makes one post more popular than another? Is controversy or negativity such a good thing? Knowing which posts get the backlinks might give you some good ideas of your own -and might also give you an idea of other communities to target.
I offer to trade guest posts – By trading guest blogger posts with your competitors or fellow niche bloggers you’ll be sharing ideas and traffic.
I keep them on my radar – Even the bloggers with the most popular blogs keep their competitors close. Even if you only visit the blogs or feeds once a week, know what others in your niche are talking about as well as the reaction of their readers. This way if they start to all of a sudden gain a lot of traffic or comments you’ll know why…and know what to do to use it to your advantage.