When I first began as a freelance writer, Elance was a good starting point.  It let me build a reputation, showcase feedback, and get jobs for a relatively low investment of 20.00 a month and a certain percentage of each job.  Now that I’ve been at it for a few months, I’ve discovered a few other places to find jobs that don’t cost money to apply to, and I’m definitely skewing towards getting jobs on my own through my own marketing rather than going off of Elance. 

My problem with Elance is not the quality of jobs or the quantity, but the fact that they take a commission on top of the membership fee.  If I am doing a $800.00 job, I am paying Elance $80.00 for the privilege.  To me this is a little steep.  I would think that the membership fees are enough to keep the site afloat and pay for everything, the commissions seem unnecessary and profit-taking.  Odesk, by contrast, only takes a commission and does not take any membership fees.  While I am not 100% in love with the Odesk software, I can’t help but admit it is a transparent way to work for the buyer that may just give them an extra measure of confidence.  That being said, the pool of decently paying gigs on Odesk is very small compared to Elance.    

I have found the quality of jobs to be rapidly declining on Elance, especially over the past 2 months or so.  This may be because everyone is on vacation, but I am concerned that it may represent a long term trend of people seeking $5.00 articles that take 2 hours to write and research.  While we do live in a free market economy, I’d rather let those willing to do this work for so little cash bid and stay out of the pool.

It’s also not very hard to find job boards and sites that offer jobs for freelance writers.  All you need to do is a few simple internet searches and you are hooked up. 

I have downgraded to the free membership on Elance and will be experimenting with my own online and offline marketing campaigns through brochures and data mining.  I’ll post an update on my ROI if I have time – I already shouldn’t be writing this article!

Just to be fair to Odesk, I thought I’d take a look at it today and see if it has improved/declined in the quality of the jobs.  It has tanked harder than Elance.  It isn’t uncommon to see ads like this one:  “$30.00 for 28 posts”.  I think I just completely ruled out ever using Odesk again - I’ll check back in a few months to see if the quality has spiked, but I doubt that will happen.  

Posted: August 26th, 2008 under Internet Marketing & Advertising, Work & Career.
Comments: none

OK kids, here is the deal.

I have watched everything Joss Whedon has ever been involved with, ever, because I love his writing.  Everything he writes is frickin hilarious, or insightful, or moving, or all of those things at once.

I believe Serenity could possibly be the best written sci-fi movie OF ALL TIME, and Alien Resurrection could have been if they had actually used his script instead of throwing it in the trash bin, fuckers.  So imagine my absolute burst of fandom when I saw this.Not only is he creating new content which will be distributed free on the internet, and available for download later at a nominal charge, which will change the face of entertainment as we know it (as it should be), but he has picked Neil Patrick Harris as a star.

He is also relying on viral social marketing to get the word out.  Could it be that someone in the outside world is GETTING SEO??? And it is God’s incarnation on earth, Joss Whedon, who has made this realization?  We are not worthy.

I haven’t been shaking this much since I was a 16 year old girl with my first candle and a pack of lube.  July 15th… get here soon.  I await you eagerly and with my finger poised over my mouse ever so curiously, in wonderment.

Posted: July 1st, 2008 under Internet Marketing & Advertising.
Comments: none

MLM & Facebook

Multi-level marketers know that they need to keep up with all of the latest techniques and use every weapon in their arsenal to stay “one step ahead” of the competition. Properly used, Facebook can be one of these tools.

Multi-level marketers are no strangers to social networking, and that is what Facebook is entirely based on. However, there are a few key factors to keep in mind when doing anything resembling selling on Facebook.

First of all, Facebook users do not like to be “sold” in any way. It is easy for them to block you, and even complain about your techniques to Facebook management. All of the power is in the hands of the users, so if you get a number of complaints you may find yourself banned from Facebook very easily. There are mediums in which you may be aggressive in – Facebook is not one of them.

There was a small thing called “Beacon” which was introduced in 2007 to Facebook – this allowed user’s Facebook friends to see into details such as what their friends were surfing on the internet, without that content being controlled by the user. Many Facebook users cancelled their accounts or threatened to do so until the Beacon service was cancelled. Such is the power of a Facebook user.

There is no need for abandoning this medium since you can’t “sell” on it – it is still excellent advertising for your business. Think about how extensive your own social network is – chances are you’ve tried to sell everyone you know on your business. What about that old friend from high school you just added? You probably haven’t tried to advertise to them. Facebook is a way of letting them know what you are up to without being aggressive, and if they like it they will go to your website and hook up with you further.

Posted: March 16th, 2008 under Internet Marketing & Advertising.
Comments: none

Getting Started Advertising on Facebook

 Article Outline

I’m sure a ton of people on there are wondering if advertising on Facebook is pointless, companies are nervous because it isn’t a proven quantity and don’t want to spend un-budgeted money on the enterprise, etc.

The only problem with indecisiveness in the paid-to-advertise internet world is that your competition can smell fear.  You need to be the first to do everything, no matter how insane it might sound.  Speaking as a thirty-something who has seen the internet corporate world go through several evolutions, and not as a tween something who is just saying “Jah Facebook iz kl I heart it”, I can pretty much assure you that your competition is going to come to this conclusion if you keep waffling.  Your customers are on Facebook, and most, like me, haven’t even bothered to block ads.  Why?  They help keep the site alive and rich.  There’s nothing like putting Versace on a guy who was just getting wedgies from his roommates 5 years ago, it’s a vicarious thrill.

So stop and get started.  Here’s how: 

Go to http://www.facebook.com/ads/.  This is the jumping point for your ad campaign. Ignore the first item on the page, which is “Create Your Social Networking Ad”.  For now.  Go to “Create Your Own Company Page”. 

You will be presented with a choice of Local, Brand or Product, or Artist Etc.  This is fairly straightforward.  I typed in “Siasma Cookies”.  Facebook gave me this – and by the way, this part is free;

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Siasma-Cookies/9085513394

Next you want to build the heck out of this page.  Load it up with everything you possibly can so that when you do place your ad, people are impressed.  Before you build your ad, be sure to click on “Share With Friends” at the top right hand corner, and share with your friends list, and ask them to share with their friends list as much as possible.  Right now it doesn’t matter, but I think that one day Facebook will come around to the Googlecreed of “the site with the most friends… wins.”  Leverage that social networking power.  For Free.   

Posted: March 15th, 2008 under Internet Marketing & Advertising.
Comments: none