Completing Your Profile: Don’t Let Any Route Escape You

So, picture the scene: You’re a Textbroker client and you need a writer who’ll be able to write you an expert article on a ‘leafy bladderwort’. Or, more precisely, you need the text to cover its use and care – a very specific topic, I know.

Luckily, however, the perfect writer for the job is a writer with Textbroker: Mr. Biggs has got a degree in Ichthyology (study of fish) and he works mainly in a pet shop. His main area of expertise is aquariums and he knows that this order is about a green plant which is really suitable for Nano Aquariums.

To find a writer like Mr. Biggs, you’d certainly be prepared to pay a little more for the content. You’re thinking a DirectOrder would be the best way to go, so what’s the problem? The problem lies in the fact that you’ll never find Mr. Biggs.

This case scenario is by no means seldom occurring. Authors tend to be invited to the managed projects, Team- and DirectOrders when clients and Textbroker staff can find them. The author profile presents the opportunity for a great deal of self-marketing.

What makes a good author profile?

Clients can use keywords to conduct a targeted search for suitable writers. Generally speaking, then, complete your profile as much as you can and make it say everything you need it to. Present your interests, subject knowledge and strengths as a writer clearly.

Don’t’ forget: the more keywords and specialist areas you have in your profile, the more likely it is that you’ll be selected for suitable Direct- and TeamOrders.

Here, we’re going to take you through the different parts of the author profile step by step.

General: Introduction and Availability

Below the tab ‘General Info’, you’ll be able to save all of the key points of information which would be of use for any clients. It’s important to select ‘Show my profile to clients’ from the Profile Access tab so that clients will actually be able to find you. Only Textbroker clients and Textbroker staff will be able to view your profile.

Ask yourself what you can offer. What can you do? What can you do really well? Which areas would you class as your specialist topic? The space for free text next to the Curriculum Vitae is the opportune place for you to present yourself and give clients their reason for placing DirectOrders with you. Saying a quick hello to these clients also always goes down well.

As Textbroker protects your anonymity as a writer, please don’t introduce yourself with your real name. You are able to create your own nickname, and doing so is a great way to ensure clients remember you – otherwise only your author number will be displayed.

Whether or not you’ll receive orders is decided greatly by your availability. How much time are you able to dedicate to potential orders? Is writing your main profession, or is it something you do in addition to your day job? On your author profile, you can indicate how many 500-word items you’d be able to produce each week. This means you can rest assured that the orders you receive enquiries about can be realistically planned into your schedule.

Are you on holiday for two weeks over Christmas and New Year? If so, then use the ‘away’ notice. Here, you can indicate when you’ll be available again and it also means that clients won’t wonder if you don’t reply to their message or Team invitation.

Abilities: Qualifications and Areas of Expertise

In the section ‘Abilities’, you can include details on your professional history, your working background, qualifications, not to mention the type of writing you enjoy most.

When it comes to ‘education background’, select your highest qualification from the dropdown menu. In the section on ‘occupation’, you can cover the areas in which you’ve previously had work experience.

Do you know about medicine and care? Have you got experience as a manager or personnel? For Industry Experience, include all of the areas of work where you’ve had experience. This section is particularly useful for clients.

What’s your favourite type of writing, where you know your style really flairs? Do you specialise in advertising copy or prefer more in-depth, expert articles? Where it states ‘Type of Writing’, list the kinds of articles you enjoy working on most.

Writing Samples: Show what you know

This section of your profile is for you to show clients a bit of your style. Here, you can impress clients with up to three samples of your work.

It’s best to choose shorter articles here, which concisely show the quality you’re able to deliver. The maximum length you’re able to upload per sample is 200 words. Giving these samples a quick proofread to iron out any spelling errors or typos is always worth doing.

Remember! You’re not able to post any articles here which you’ve already sold to clients!

Languages

You can write well in Spanish? Or you’ve got a good working knowledge of Polish? The languages section of your profile is for you to show which languages, next to your native language, you’re capable of working with. You’re able to indicate your level of knowledge here, and can also show your comprehension skills – if you’ve got a good understanding of a foreign language, but can’t write fluently, it doesn’t matter. Sometimes clients just need writers who are able to understand source articles in a foreign language.

If you’re a gifted writer in many languages, though, you are able to submit a short sample or writing to give clients a flavour of your abilities.

Interests: Specialties and Hobbies

It’s likely that subjects which come under your list of hobbies will require a little less research if you were to write about them. It’s true to say that a writer’s passion and enjoyment for a topic really comes through in articles specific to that subject, which is a great plus point for clients.

For each topic on this section, you’ve got the possibility to indicate where you specialise exactly. Is music your passion? Then outline which areas specifically, for example which instruments do you play, which style of music do you like or are there any bands you really enjoy listening to?

Maybe you’re a passionate bookworm? If so, then show which genre fills your bookshelves. For each topic, you can write a little description about why the subject fascinates you or what it is about the hobby which really captivates you.

When clients search for writers with specialist subject knowledge, they’re able to find an ideal match by searching for key terms from the hobbies page.

Travel: Where in the world do you know?

All countries which you’ve travelled to so far could be of interest to Textbroker clients. Knowing a country and a bit about its culture could really make you the qualified writer for certain travel reports, for example. On the map provided, you’re able to show which countries, cities and points of interest you know.

Profile Picture

A picture often says more than 1000 words. The picture is by no means an exclusive condition in order to be found. In our experience, however, clients do tend to prefer writers with a picture. It just gives an overall impression of who exactly the client is dealing with, making you appear more approachable. Much like creating a catchy nickname, the profile picture helps clients to remember you.

Keep your user info up to date

If these tips haven’t been enough, we’re throwing in a couple of extra points as a close, which will also help you gain more custom orders direct to you.

Remember when you signed up? There, you had the opportunity to select a number of different categories which class as your areas of expertise. These are meant to reflect your personal interests: which topics do you enjoy writing on? These may certainly change with your increased experience as a Textbroker writer.

Keep your selected categories up to date. You can change these at any point when you go to ‘my user data’ and scroll down.

In addition to this, it’s really useful to include a telephone number in your account. Rest assured, this can only be accessed by Textbroker staff. It’s not unusual for clients to ask directly for writer recommendations, and Textbroker staff  are always on the lookout for authors who can help out with projects that are managed on a client’s behalf. Especially when there are urgent projects, it’s incredibly useful for us to get in touch with suitable writers quickly.

Completing your profile as much as you can is one sure-fire way to securing interesting Direct- and TeamOrders.  Think of your profile as a job application page, and take it equally as seriously.

We hope that this tutorial has been useful and we’d like to wish you luck in getting those orders!