Some writers have decided that the best way to make money is by creating and selling private label articles. For freelance writers, there is stiff competition for freelance writing jobs. One of the challenges with trying to sell private label articles is that they must be done in bulk. One of the advantages of private label articles is that instead of being told what to write, you can write about nearly any topic.

One of the challenges of course, is that there are few topics that have not been touched on by some website. Website owners are generally the ones who most commonly purchase PLR articles. All owners of websites understand that the fresher the content, the more likely they are to be found in search engines. This can help increase their visitor count, and make their websites more interesting. One of the challenges is that many website owners will only purchase content that is currently popular. In this vein, if you are writing marketable articles, you may find a niche with private labels.

There are two ways for freelance writers to pursue article writing. One is to wait until you’re hired and write only about what your buyer is interested in. This takes time, and often times the gaps between writing jobs can be lengthy. The second option, is for a writer to write articles, and then search for a buyer. This is also challenging. One of the benefits of private label resell rights is you can let others sell your content for you.

In effect, private label resell rights can be sold to someone along with the right to resell them in large quantities. It then becomes their responsibility to market and sell them. The buyer may be able to claim this content as their own, and alter it as they see fit. It’s really up to you to stipulate in your user agreement.

When offering your article writes for sale, you may feel that it’s important to include your name as the author. There certainly are advantages to this, although it may have a serious impact on how much you are able to sell the rights for. Most buyers prefer to purchase these articles only if they can alter them and claim them as their own. If you allow this, you will be able to charge more for resell rights.

Finding PLR sites that will purchase your articles in bulk may be one way for you to earn extra funds. Just remember, that you will most likely not retain any ownership or other rights to these articles. Make sure if you decide this is something you are going to do, that you fully think out the earnings potential for that product prior to making a sale.

continue reading "Should you sell to PLR sites"

With all of the recent layoffs, more and more people are turning to freelancing as a way to survive. Many freelancers can go days, weeks and yes, even months between new assignments. But, this does not have to be the case if you understand all of the money-making options that are available to you, and how to make the most of them.

1.  The very first thing you must do is make an honest assessment of your skills. Once you have accomplished this, you may identify skills that you were not even aware were marketable.  A comprehensive list of your skills will help you decide which freelance market is best for you.  Whether your skills are in writing, creating websites or graphics work – be honest about what skills you have and what level they are.

2.  Marketing yourself is the next way to begin your journey to being a successful freelancer. There are a number of ways you can do this, one of the more effective being the use of LinkedIn.   LinkedIn allows you to invite previous co-workers, fellow members of your volunteer groups, former classmates, etc. to leave a reference for you.  This can be very helpful for those just starting out.

3.  Create a blog about yourself.  Post regularly, even if you use it as a diary to update what you are doing to market yourself as a brand new freelancer.  Make sure that your posts include positive messages reflecting your own personality.  Don’t forget to use your “skill” as a keyword in each post.  While you are thinking about a blog, if you can afford private hosting, consider setting up a blog where you can make some extra money from Google AdSense!

4.  If you are a writer, of course one recommendation that is top of the list is Helium!  Set up a strong profile, contribute regularly and watch your pennies begin to accumulate!  Do not forget to hook your About Me page to your blog for additional exposure. Not only is Helium a fun way to make a few extra dollars, but with the added bonus of Marketplace and stock content you will soon be able to launch your freelance writing career using your extensive portfolio!

5.  Begin investigating freelance sites.  Ask around and find out from fellow freelancers how they got started and what sites they use.  oDesk is a site that offers free registration, free profiles, hundreds of skills tests and thousands of jobs. Their fees are reasonable, 10% is added on to your base rate.  oDesk like all freelance sites is a competitive, open market.  Do not get discouraged.

6.  Once you have established yourself try to convert your clients to long term relationships. Not only will this save you hundreds of hours a year looking for work, but often these clients will refer other clients.  Since maintaining a steady flow of work is your biggest enemy as a freelancer, long term relationships are critical to your long term success.

Summary

Every freelancer has challenges. These tips can help you overcome major obstacles in launching a successful freelancing career.