Freelance Life Magazine brings you another dose of trending news in the freelance world from different websites and platforms. You will surely find these topics and information interesting and value-adding. Below are recent headlines from the best freelance website we can find on popular freelance platforms.
The 7 Most In-demand Tech Skills for Freelancers — Many Pay More Than $125 an Hour
Source: CNBC
Recently, there has been news spreading here and there about different Tech companies like Amazon, Google and Microsoft laying off tens of thousands of individuals who they believe do not have the required skills they need at the moment. Since demand for tech skills remains high, the vacuum needs to be filled! In case you are a tech expert and you are looking for a juicy opportunity, CNBC analyzed 7 skills that will be needed for freelancers this year and how much freelancers are charging on the site.
CMS Development
A content management system, or CMS, is software that helps users to manage all types of content, from creation to publication. In its database, it also keeps content for subsequent use. CMS developers create both the back end and the front end of the software. CMS developers charge as high as $105 per hour.
Full Stack Development
Full-stack developers are skilled at creating websites’ front/back ends. The back end powers the site while the front end is what visitors view and interact with. They test websites and software to make sure both run smoothly. On Upwork, full-stack developers can charge up to $135 per hour.
Manual Testing
Without the aid of automated technologies, these professionals test a software’s functionality. They test the software in various circumstances and record any faults or difficulties that arise. On Upwork, manual testers charge up to $50 per hour.
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Mobile App Development
A mobile app developer specializes in creating applications for smartphones, tablets, and computers. On average, a Mobile App Developer will charge as much as $155 hourly.
Script and Automation
Automation scripts are a set of commands for computer programs that enable the automation of tasks like sending emails to customers. They are written by experts in coding languages like Python and JavaScript. Specialists in automation and scripting can charge up to $350 per hour.
UX/UI Design
These designers concentrate on making user-friendly interfaces for websites and mobile applications. They design the layout of their websites, develop the content, build prototypes, and test for bugs. They usually charge as high as $120 per hour.
Web Design
Websites are built by web designers who use graphic design tools like Adobe Photoshop and programming languages like HTML and JavaScript to create the proper functionality and aesthetic. On Upwork, web designers can charge up to $250 per hour.
Should Freelancers Outsource Their Work?
Source: Make Use Of
Are you struggling to keep up with your workload or want to expand your capacity as a freelancer? If you are in this category, I know the urge to contract some of your work to another person will come. That act of contracting someone else to execute a certain job or business task that you would ordinarily accomplish yourself is what is referred to as outsourcing. However, there are some factors to consider when considering this process. The popular platform, Makeuseof, highlights some of these factors and further provides insight on how to thread with caution.
Importance of Outsourcing
Flexibility
As a business owner, you must learn how to carefully use your time because it is our most valuable resource. To reduce stress and give yourself more time to live and breathe, consider outsourcing. Imagine having an additional day each week to focus on other personal engagements.
Increases Income
If you are adept at managing your time, you can plan and hire different freelancers to complete different tasks for you. This will ultimately increase your capacity, therefore earning you more money.
Improves Workflow
Outsourcing is a great way to increase work output and likewise the workflow. It provides you with the ideal opportunity to be able to boost production at a faster and more reliable rate.
Reduce Business Costs
Outsourcing gives you the opportunity of saving resources; reducing the use of electricity, and other utilities, all of which can help you save money.
Precautions to follow when Outsourcing
Costs
Although outsourcing can be a great way to make extra money, you must take your budget into account to make sure you aren’t making losses. This means that to ensure profit, you must outsource the work at a lesser cost than you would be compensated to do it yourself.
Locations
Even if a task can be completed remotely, the location of the job and the intended person should always be taken into account when outsourcing. Ensure that the individual you select to outsource to is close to the place where the job or project is.
Experience Levels
When outsourcing, the individual you choose must have the experience and skills necessary for the job.
Insurance
You can create a contract when outsourcing. This is advisable because someone you agree to outsource work to might not complete it or do it incorrectly. I believe this will imbibe some sort of discipline and security to both parties.
I Read ‘The 4-Hour Workweek’ And It’s Helping Me Work Less And Find More Time in My Day For Living.
Source: Business Insider Africa
Freelance writer Alli Hoff Kosik, read a book, “The 4-Hour Workweek.” by Timothy Ferriss’ book and the story was shared on Business Insider Africa. She claimed that the book advocated taking little career vacations rather than never taking any at all. Parkinson’s law, which states that you should schedule how long something should take, is another principle the author strongly supports.
Having seen the review of the book, I’m not quite ready to start drastically reducing my work hours. Nonetheless, the book helped me reframe my viewpoint on my career. She found the following lessons from “The 4-Hour Workweek” to be particularly valuable. Check them below:
Periodic ‘Mini Retirements’ are a worthwhile alternative to a single retirement later in life
In his book, Ferriss lays out a sobering truth: If you save up all of your happiness for the end of your career, you run the risk of not being able to take pleasure in the rewards of your hard work. In other words, by the time people reach retirement age, they are frequently too old or exhausted to travel or participate in other activities.
You decide how much time something takes
According to Ferriss, we have been socialized to feel more productive by cramming our days with more and more activities. However, this isn’t bringing us any closer to our ultimate objective, which is to work less and live more.
Notifications are not the only distractions out there
He is aware that phone notifications divert his attention away from tasks and is putting a lot of effort into recalibrating his relationship with a phone so that it doesn’t take up most hours of the day.
Add life after subtracting work
If the main objective of the book is to urge readers to spend less time working, its secondary objective is to persuade them to spend more time doing activities they genuinely enjoy. He challenges his audience to deliberately consider the activities that make them happy, such as travel, side projects, trying new things, etc., and use those activities to fill the void left by the absence of work and deadlines.
A Freelancer Earned More Than $1 Million Writing Amazon Product Descriptions via Fiverr
Source: Business Insider India
In 2014, a description writer, Levi Newman signed up for Fiverr intending to kickstart a side hustle of copywriting and by the middle of 2022, his total lifetime earnings exceeded $1.2 million. According to records confirmed by Business Insider, as of 2022, the writer has produced more than 13,000 different item descriptions and made more than $1.2 million. He earns roughly $150,000 annually. He also has a five-star rating and is named one of Fiverr’s “top-rated” freelancers.
These are the steps he took to enter the freelance market and how he was able to make more than $1 million using them:
Find a Platform That Manages Logistics
He initially signed up for Fiverr in 2014 and began with $5 gigs, earning roughly $100 for days as a side income and took his side business full-time after a few years of expanding it to a few hundred dollars each week. The platform, which Newman claims he uses solely, is the reason he has been able to develop such a sustainable business without becoming overburdened with work.
The Process Starts With Collaboration
The freelancer determines the project’s deadlines and the best way to advertise the product on his first call with clients. Then, he communicates with clients using Fiverr’s messaging platform to learn more about the goods they are attempting to sell. He then discusses the best way for them to reach their sales objectives. The use of keywords and thorough SEO preparation are two components of success that other copywriters should maintain in the forefront of their minds, according to him.
Newman Researches The Niche To Inform His Descriptions
Thoroughly researching the demands and concerns of his clients, including the market for the product, market trends, and customer demographics gives him a broader view of the concerns of the project. In a follow-up email, he stated, “I read, read, and read some more before I write anything to ensure that what I’m saying properly translates to the target audience “I’ve been fortunate enough to work on a lot of different projects, so prior experience helps a lot.”
Freelancers, Here’s Your 2023 Marketing Plan for Your Self-employed Biz
Source: Freelance UK
Freelance Uk recently published news for business owners on how to make an effective marketing plan for the year. As a freelancer, you can use this easy, step-by-step marketing plan to gain new clients as a freelancer, establish your brand, and expand your network to make this year your most prosperous one. Here are 5 tips I found on their website to revolutionize your marketing game in 2023 and even beyond;
Master your LinkedIn profile to win new business
LinkedIn is also a useful tool for expanding your network of professionals and other freelancers who can assist you in completing client tasks when you require more resources or specialized knowledge. These include:
- Choose a professional high quality headshot picture.
- List your previous experience with past clients and projects.
- Use ‘In-Mail’ wisely.
LinkedIn is a social networking site like any other. Your profile is what speaks for you. You get to receive what you put into it.
Update your freelancer portfolio
There will be a database that matches your speciality. Choose the best one for your industry, then fill up your profile as soon as possible.
- Showcase your best project.
- Keep it updated.
- Make it searchable.
Perfect your elevator pitch
You must be able to clearly and concisely describe what you do and why a client should hire you rather than another freelancer. Here are 5 easy steps to go about it:
- Know who your target market is.
- Outline your core services.
- Specifically state an example of ROI you delivered for a client.
- Write them all out and remove any unnecessary details.
- Practice saying it out loud a few times till it feels natural (Try to get this done in under 60 seconds).
Focus on ‘People-First’ content
Google and other search engines have started emphasizing “People First” material more recently. Make sure your content is written for readers rather than for SEO if you want to help your website rank highly in searches. That entails refraining from keyword stuffing and writing solely for writing
Make time for face-to-face networking
Even if Zoom is still a helpful tool for all of us, there are many fantastic possibilities to expand your network. Getting out of your home office and interacting with people is beneficial to your mental health. Don’t undervalue the value of face-to-face networking for expanding your business in 2023.
