On the Road to Success with Textbroker

As individual as people, our experience tells us just how unique and diverse text- and content requirements can be. No two needs will be identical, and everyone has their own expectations.  Getting your perfectly customised article is not an issue; even with our self-service model, you can easily get what you want and need. It’s knowing how to place your order so you get the perfect text back in return which may seem a bit of a task. In this tutorial, we are going to help you get to know the ins and outs of the Textbroker ordering system.

1. Just register and confirm your client account.

Once you’ve signed up as a client, you’re pretty much set to go. All registrations are free of charge, and your account will not be expiring any time soon. You’ll get a link via email to activate your account, and should you be unable to find the email in your inbox, please double check in your spam folder. After clicking on the link, your account will be activated and you will be able to sign in to Textbroker.

1. Set up your account

The first thing to do is double check the details listed in your account. Go to ‘Account’ and ‘My User Data’ and check that all important information is listed accurately. The address listed is your billing address and we use this for your invoices. Don’t forget to check the name of the contact person for your account.

1. Load up your Account

Before you can place an order, you have to fund your account. You can do this by going to ‘account’ and ‘deposit funds’. Making a deposit can be done by either bank transfer (please do not forget to include your client ID!) or by PayPal. The net value of your deposit will be loaded onto your account. If you are an EU client, please remember to give your VAT registration ID. Once we have checked and verified this with the EU finance databank, you will not be charged VAT on your deposit.

There is also the option in your account to adjust your settings so you get an email notification when your balance falls below a certain level. This will ensure that you always have sufficient funds available to place your orders straight away.

1. Which order type is best for my article?

Under ‘assignments’ you can create a folder for your project. This can be either for an entire project, or for each single order, depending upon how you best like to keep your work organised. After creating this project folder, you can place orders which will all be filed here. Your orders can be placed either as OpenOrder, DirectOrder or TeamOrder.

OpenOrder: An OpenOrder is available to be viewed by all writers of your selected quality level and above. When one of these writers feels they fulfil all of the requirements you have stated in your description, they can get to work on your text. For the OpenOrders, you pay the prices listed on the website. The OpenOrders are the easiest way to get started with Textbroker.

DirectOrder: The DirectOrders are made available to just one writer you choose. If you have been previously impressed with the work of one writer, you can opt to just work with them directly. Using the ‘Author Search’, you can find suitable writers with expertise in the particular area you need. The price per word for direct orders can be negotiated directly with the writer.

TeamOrder: Set up your own team of writers with expert knowledge in your chosen area, and just work with these writers for your projects. You choose the price per word for these orders, but make sure that the price you are willing to pay reflects the amount of research you would expect the writers to do. The more fair the price per word, the more engaged and motivated the writers will be to complete your work.

You can choose between:

1. Public Team: Each writer will be able to see your team and submit an application if s/he feels qualified to do so.
2. Private Team: You invite the writers personally to join your team. You may know them from their previous work, or it may be a first time after utilising the author search.

You can request a written application from the writers, in that you outline the specifications for the team and your expectations. You can then request that the writer submit a short sample text in which the writer explains why they are suitable for your team. This sample does not carry any extra costs, but all rights to it remain with the writer. You cannot use this text for anything other than your own reference.

If you regularly need content on a specific topic, you can set up recurring orders. This order will be placed repeatedly at intervals which you specify, for example each Monday, each month. This reduces the amount of Textbroker administration you need to do, allowing you to concentrate simply on reviewing the completed articles.

Watch out for part two of this series for further details on making sure your order gets in the right hand.