Freelance Work on the Internet

The biggest question asked is where can I source work? Having some understanding of the internet and the way websites operate, can simplify matters. Here is a brief overview of terms that are often tossed about without full understanding.

Common Terms

• Domain – A domain name locates an organization or other entity on the internet.
• URL – Uniform or Universal Resource Locator. This is the address of a resource or a file available on the internet.
• SEO – Search Engine Optimization. This is the process of improving the quality and flow of traffic to a website. When doing a search, the articles that pop up first on the list, are those that rank highest on the search engine. This optimization is achieved by a combination of keywords and content.
• HTML – Hyper Text Markup Language. This the computer language used to create documents for display on the World Wide Web.
• HTTP – Hyper Text Transfer Protocol. This is the set of rules that governs the transfer of documents and files across the internet. It appears at the beginning of every internet address.

Pinpointing Subjects

There are websites that analyze the most common word searches of the day. It can be helpful to look through these as they give an idea of the type of thing people are reading. Some subjects may be a short-lived trend and others are more stable. If writing web content, it will be useful to keep an eye on these sites. Here is one to try:

http://www.google.com/trends

Searching the Internet

There are dozens of websites that offer links to freelance work opportunities. The best way to find suitable sites is by doing a word search relating to the type of work sought. For example, if looking for work that involves writing articles, enter the following words: freelance writing jobs articles. Placing inverted commas around the words will narrow the search to links that contain the words in that order only, so focusing the search.

Metasearch Engines

These link several search engines and run a search over all of them, saving time and effort. Here is one to try out:

There are several different ways that they operate. Some provide the information for free and others charge a monthly subscription. Some offer low paying market information and charge a fee for accessing the higher paying markets. Others charge commission on work that is done through them. A variation on this, is sites that allow writers to bid on projects and the most suitable gets the job. There is normally a fee involved. Article databases accept articles from writers and the writer is paid according to the number of clicks made on the adverts that accompany their article page.

Choosing Sites

The best way is to set aside a morning or an afternoon, and browse through some websites. Make notes on how they operate and how many suitable jobs are on offer. Decide between a paying membership and free resources and then choose some jobs.

Many of these sites supply links to further information and opportunities. There is work out there that suits writers of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. It just needs to be located by skilful searching.