Archive for October, 2010

Freelancer Writers Are The Wave Of The Future

The concept of freelancing has been around for a long time, but has really caught on over the last few years. As unemployment has risen, more people are now working for themselves. Freelancers are professionals in their own fields (writing & editing, graphic design, social media communicators, web & IT, etc.) and offer their specialized services to other companies and organizations.

Why do companies need freelance writing services?

The tough economy has caused many companies to downsize their staff, including cuts in the marketing department. This may prove especially problematic in the future, as few analysts are predicting a booming recovery anytime soon, yet business must still carry on as usual. Other companies don’t need a full-time in-house writer, regardless of the economy.

Hiring someone who isn’t on the regular payroll or who requires regular benefits, but works on a project or “contract” basis, can add very beneficial flexibility to your organization. And hiring a freelance writer frees up your employees to do their jobs – without worrying about researching, writing, editing and proofreading.

You shouldn’t forget that your online content is critical to your success. Don’t underestimate its importance! As mentioned on our homepage, not only does it persuade those who visit your website today, but actually generates your future traffic through its SEO value.

If you already have content on your site, analyze it to make sure it is serving its true purpose. If you are thinking of building a new website, decide what it is you want the content to do for you. We can create content that effectively communicates with your visitors, educates them, guides them through the website and pushes them to make a purchase.

By developing a good working relationship with a freelance writer, you can rely on them to get to know you, and your needs…and become a vital resource for your business.

Duplicate Content Is Not A SEO Crime

 

Duplicate content” refers to the same article being published on multiple pages online. This term is usually associated with how the various search engines perceive an article that is published on many sites online.

There is some misunderstanding about how search engines regard identical content. Many people, including some webmasters, will tell you that duplication of your copy or content on various websites will hurt your SEO, not improve it.

And while this may have been true at one time, in 2010 it’s a myth.

Google does NOT punish an author, copywriter or website for having an article published on more than one website. This is because the whole goal of article marketing is to have your article republished or cited on as many sites as possible.

Search engines don’t regard it as being a bad thing to have a piece of content published on multiple sites, though they will most likely only show a couple instances of the article in their search results.

Most online publishers or article directories are ok with duplicate content as well, provided that you are the exclusive copyright holder of the copy. That’s because the entire purpose of these directories is to provide free reprint articles for news aggregators, website owners and ezine editors. When an article is published on a directory, the end GOAL is usually that the article be republished on other websites.

This is not to say that there are not a few directories that prefer to be the first website to publish your content. Check the editorial guidelines at the article submission site to see if the site has such a rule.

It should also be noted that when talking about identical content on the web, you mean the same copy on DIFFERENT websites. Submitting duplicate content to the SAME publisher is still a no-no. This is a different scenario than the one above, because no publisher wants to receive duplicate feature stories or articles. Your articles may discuss the same topic or topics repeatedly, but publishers want authors to submit articles that are fresh – completely new to their site.

Top 10 Business Websites

Sometimes we could all use a little help, or good business advice and resources. So with that in mind, here are 10 of the top business-oriented websites available today… each which provides info and tools for entrepreneurs, small business owners and other organizations.

AllBusiness.com has a variety of small business resources, advice, and business ideas for entrepreneurs and small businesses to start, manage, finance, and build a business.

Bplans.com offers free sample business plans, business plan software, business calculators, and articles on writing a business plan, starting a business, and other small business topics.

Business.gov helps small businesses understand their legal requirements and locate government services from federal, state, and local agencies.

Credit.com covers all aspects of personal credit and includes free interactive tools and unbiased product comparisons.
Entrepreneur.com offers a comprehensive range of practical information for small business owners including articles, videos, tools, newsletters, and message boards.

EntreWorld.org is a collection of resources for entrepreneurs designed to support and help build entrepreneurial economies. The content on the site focuses on starting, growing, and locating support for your business.

IRS.gov/businesses/small/index.html – This IRS Small Business Resource site covers a broad range of tax resources for entrepreneurs and small business owners including workshops, forms, and publications.

MoreBusiness.com is filled with sample business plans, marketing plans, templates, sample contracts and business agreements to help entrepreneurs start and grow a small business.

One of our personal favorites, Mashable.com is the top source for news in social and digital media, technology, and web culture. The business section offers tips, tools, social media resources, and guides you will find extremely helpful.

SBA.gov is run by the U.S. government and it is dedicated to helping small business owners by giving a wide range of sources for technical, managerial, and financial help and assistance.

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