zurza » Guides

How to Apply for Freelance Blogger Work (Yes, there’s a right way)

zurza — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:58:20 +0000

As I’ve warned you before, there are a ton of other bloggers applying for that freelance opening. In fact, the last time I was looking for a blogger, I received over 800 inquiries!

That’s a lot of noise to cut through. There are several tactics you can employ to help increase your odds of landing a freelance blogging gig. Here are a few that have worked for me. Follow them and you might grab that next gig right out of my hands!

- THE HIRING AGENT IS BUSY, VERY BUSY. In my experience, the folks making hiring decisions for blogs and/or blog networks are busy. They normally wear multiple hats and are subjected to more Web noise then the average person. Unlike typical Human Resources professionals, these people are not trained to hire/fire. Therefore, you must approach them differently. That means no long cover letter or resume attachment.

- PLAY WITH THE SUBJECT LINE. Much like e-commerce campaigns, your first goal is to get the individual to open the e-mail – a major challenge in itself. Your subject line should be concise, descriptive, and unique. If there is a default subject line when filling out a form or clicking an e-mail link – change it. If a job asks you to list the title of the job in the subject line, do so, but put your own spin either before or after the requested information.

- GET THEM TO THE CONTENT. If you are applying to be a blogger, the hiring agent will be most interested in examples of your previous work. If you include a link to past posts, be sure that it is obvious that the post belongs to you when they land on the page. You want to avoid giving the employer any extra work to do. If they have to hunt for answers, they’ll likely just move on to a different applicant. I recommend using a link shortening service. It keeps the e-mail free of long URL’s and it lets you know if the employer actually viewed the page.

I also recommend that you copy and paste your strongest writing sample at the bottom of the e-mail after your closing/signature. People can be wary of clicking links from strangers. Plus you’ll combat a potential broken link.

- TIME IT RIGHT. This one is out of your control, but the bulk of applicants will apply for the freelance blogging job within the first few days that it’s posted. Based on sheer volume, you are likely to get lost in the shuffle. Applying for a job after it has been posted for at least a week might give you a better chance of getting the hiring agent’s attention. Also, I’m a big believer that the first people to apply come across as ‘job board patrollers.’ To me that means they are not interested in a specific job – but any job. And in my world, that takes you out of the running.

- BANK ON BEING GOOGLED. Just accept the fact that an employer will plug your name into a major search engine. It’s your job to make sure that every Tweet, picture and post makes you a desirable employee. Use common sense!

Share your success stories below! How did you land that freelance blogging gig?

Show Your Cards: How Much Do You Earn Per Post?

zurza — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:11:35 +0000

Money. It’s the reason 97% of us work. But for whatever bizarre sociological reason, it’s always the last thing to come up during job interviews.

It doesn’t get any better for freelance bloggers. In fact, since many of the hiring agents are small in size (when compared to brick and mortar companies), I often find them to be quite unsure what a fair wage actually is. Most blog employers want to tow the line of paying as little as possible (while being fair) in return for quality product. That is why as a freelance blogger, I find it important to go into a conversation about a job knowing how much I want to be paid. At the very least, have an understanding of the minimum you are willing to accept.

While it is possible to glean some basic rate information from job posts, it is not as good as knowing what someone is actually making.

Feel free to keep it anonymous, but help your fellow BlogHearld readers out by giving full disclosure on your blogging rates.

I’ll go first…

- I have earned as low as $5 for 250 words (I will no longer except this rate)

- I have earned as high as $25 for 250 words

- My average rate is approximately 5 cents per word

I will always factor in the post frequency and offer a ‘bulk discount.’ Blogging items that you are expected to perform, other than writing, should be built into your rate. For example, if the blog owner expects you to locate an image, crop it, add keywords, submit to social networks, etc. – this should be factored into your rate or used as a negotiation point.

Being a compulsive bunch, I realize most bloggers are pleased to simply make a few extra dollars. But if you value yourself, you will make sure that you are earning what you deserve.

How much do you earn per post?

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Back to Basics: 4 Forehead-Slapping Blog Promotion Methods

zurza — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 17:55:18 +0000

Ever feel frustrated by the difficulty of promoting your blog and getting more people to discover and enjoy it?

Well, here are four of the simplest – but, wouldn’t you know it, also hardest – ways to promote your blog. See if one or more of these makes you slap your forehead and say, “Snap! I totally forgot about that.”

And then of course all you’ve got to do is do something about it. :)

In increasing order of forehead slappiness:

4. Pick up the phone. You’ve got one of those nearby, don’t you? Hey, you’ve probably got one in your pocket right now. Dial somebody’s number, wait till they answer, and say, “Hey, what’s up? Have you checked out my blog? It’s really cool, you might like it.” Embellish as desired. But seriously, nothing beats direct mouth-to-ear communication for spreading the word about a blog.

3. Put some pants on. And get out the door and go somewhere where you can apply the “hey, I can talk to people” concept from #4 above in a physical, offline setting. Repeat after me: “I need to tell that guy on the street corner with the sweet trumpet skills about my blog.” That, or the group of suits at your next business conference.

2. Blog about … your blog. This one is like, “ouch.” So easy to do, and yet so many bloggers fail to do it. For heaven’s sake, just put out a blog post every now and then (but not much more often than that) saying hi to your readers and letting them know what’s up. What you’ve been working on writing or recording or assembling for them, what that shiny new widget bling in the sidebar means to them, why you think they ought to subscribe to your blog updates by email or RSS, and especially, why they should pretty please (with sugar on top) tell their friends about your blog.

1. Be more valuable. Maybe — just maybe — your blog is tough to promote because it’s not really all that special. Don’t get me wrong – you as an individual are plenty special. But what do people really think when they see your blog and partake of its content? Does it jar them awake at 3 AM because they can’t shake the sweet awesomeness? Or does it fade within a tenth of a second into the rest of the ginormous ocean of constantly churning content in their brains? When was the last time you sat and just meditated for a few minutes on what you could do to make your blog more irresistible, more addictive, more magical, more incredible – in short, more promotable?

Hope these get your bloggity brain going. Any other forehead-slapping ideas on how to get your blog out there more prominently?

image credit: Russell D Egan

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Blogging in the Classroom

zurza — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:14:14 +0000

Today marks the final day of school here in New York. That means as you read this, thousands of kids, ages 5 – 17, are jumping for joy.

As you would image, computers – and blogs – have crept their way into the classroom. One of the cooler sites is 21Classes. Designed to get your “classroom” blogging, the publishing platform enables teachers, with any level of technology know-how, to set up a portal for their classes.

Each student gets their own blog, a personal space where they can freely express themselves while fostering greater communication/interaction amongst other kids.

There is a central console where the teacher can create accounts as well as a master homepage for the class.

Add in edit/publish features, the ability to upload images/multi-media, and fully customizable templates (via CSS), and you’ll impress your principal!

A free account will handle up to 10 students. But for more robust features, including 100 students, a personalized domain, the ability to upload HTML and adjust security settings, you can expect to pay around $9 a month.

The only question remaining…how young is too young to blog?