You are lying on an exotic beach, drinking a fruity cocktail from a coconut shell, and enjoying the cool breeze. You open a laptop and start writing. It’s impossible not to feel inspired in such a location. Or, you are in a hip café in Prague, working on a project with the astronomical clock tower…

Hello. I’m Ben Matthews, a friendly digital marketing consultant from the UK, living in London. You’ll usually find me talking about freelancing, marketing, running a small business, tech for good, travel and general London life. I run Empower. We’re a digital marketing agency for charities and nonprofits. My book Freelance in 30 Days is available in paperback and ebook from Gumroad. You can email me at [email protected]

This is a guest post from Costea Lestoc, who began writing on his personal blog and then discovered his true calling: writing about technology. Costa has since been a technical writer, author and blogger since 2005. An industry watcher that stays on top of the latest news, Costa is extremely passionate about juicy tech news and everything related…

Setting up and using a PGP key is not straightforward, but tools like GPG Suite and Mailvelope make it easier. Here’s how to create and use a PGP key with GPG Suite and Mailvelope. 1. Download GPG Suite The first step is to download and run GPG Suite. When that is done, it’s time to setup…

Being a digital marketing consultant, it can often be quite easy to forget that the world was once dominated by paper-based communication – and in many places, it still is. As our global society moves increasingly to digital-first formats, the art of writing letters, sending postcards or simply sending a thank you note is becoming…

Surveys can be a legit way to make some extra cash and we all know that can come in very handy at the end of the month. However, not all surveys are created equally and understanding how to sort the good from the not so good is a must. So, what do you need to…

Why freelance? Well, freelancing is one of the best methods to earn extra cash, and with the information gathered by Zeqr in the infographic below, it’s almost certainly going to convince you to try it. Although you’ll face competition when applying to certain jobs, Zeqr strongly advise you not to give up. Some of the…

This is a guest post written by Louisa Dean, a freelance writer from Dorset, UK. She loves the freedom that comes with being her own boss, as well as the much coveted work/life balance.   Identifying what makes you stand out from the competition like a daunting prospect, but in the climate of today’s economy, having…

I happily accept sponsored posts and guest articles, and I’m PR-friendly. Email me in the first instance at [email protected] and we can chat about your needs. Here are some general guidelines: Content must be original and not published elsewhere Content theme must be related to freelancing, marketing, running a business, travel or general digital life.…

30-day free trial From $15/month Sign up at quickbooks.com What is Quickbooks? Quickbooks has been around for a long time, first as a desktop version and now as online accounting software. Quickbooks have heavily invested in their AI and automation features to help you quickly tag and categorise your invoices and expenses so you can see what…

From those to whom much is given, much is expected. Philanthropic giving is an outstanding way of expressing your appreciation to the customer base providing the support your business needs to thrive and grow. What’s more, according to the Journal of Consumer Research demonstrating social consciousness gives your customers the impression your products are of…

There is nothing quite like being your own boss. Running your own freelance business can be one of the most exhilarating and thrilling experiences of your life. However, it’s important to remember that being self-employed is also equal parts exhausting and scary. Just like with anything else running your own business has its own faults…

How much do you know about video formats? Are you aware of what they are, and more importantly what they do? Don’t worry if you’re unsure how to answer these questions, as the fact of the matter is most people have a passing understanding of video formats – at best. In fact people often tend…

The tech industry has been quite active as of late. And while there is are uncounted tech releases that deserve your attention, the one type of tech that has the technology-inclined drooling over their shirts is artificial intelligence. And no, I’m not just talking about AI-powered smartphone cameras that seem to be sprouting like mushrooms…

Voice search is growing at a pace that no one expected. Digital marketing is already gearing up to embrace the change brought in by the growth of voice search, but what about social media? People are already showing a change in search behavior when using voice enables services, soon they will move onto social. We…

Taking paid surveys, like most choices you can make to earn money, comes with both benefits and drawbacks. This post is intended to shine a light on these advantages and disadvantages and teach you more about earning money by completing paid surveys at home.   Taking Paid Online Surveys: The Benefits 1) No Stress Or…

Abraham Lincoln said: “He who represents himself has a fool for a client.” Abe was right. If he had not gone to the theater, he eventually might have said the same thing about lawyers who handle their own marketing. Lawyers are legal advisers. They know tort, statutes, rules, regulations and proper courtroom procedure. They can…

Search Engine Optimization refers to any activity that is intended to improve a website’s ranking in search results. Websites that rank higher in search results are perceived to be more credible, and websites that rank on the second page are often perceived to be less reliable. This perceived level of reliability often translates into traffic. Websites…

This is a guest post from. Alex Sidebottom. Alex is a keen travel writer and explorer of Asian cultures. He has lived in Macau for the last 12 months and is fast becoming a go-to online expert on life in the ‘Vegas of the East’. Alex is looking to broaden his horizons with a stay…

Lindsay writes: My biggest problem as a freelancer is… loneliness. I worked with a 25-strong team of talented young marine environmental scientists for 25 years. They challenged my every thought and decision along the way but I always felt proud and privileged to be a part of their professional development and their lives. After selling…

Companies prefer hiring successful, articulate, and competent executives, although the initial encounter between a candidate and the company usually puts the candidate in a highly stressful and uncomfortable situation, which is the interview. The truth is that you need to deal with the process of hiring as it’s currently constituted. To achieve that, you need…

Being an entrepreneur can be really satisfying. You get to make all the decisions and have no boss. What could be better? Things are even easier nowadays, when anyone can take advantage of the internet and start an online business, without investing too much. However, this can also be a challenge. When it comes to ecommerce…

If you want your letters, emails, or reports to have an impact on the people who read them, you need to be able to communicate clearly through writing. If you are unable to get your message across, your written documents won’t have the desired effect on your audience. Writing is a lot different than speaking…

30-day free trial From $15/month Sign up at freshbooks.com What is Freshbooks? FreshBooks is one of the most established freelancing accounting software in the market today, having been founding back in January 2003, by the owner of a design agency who was frustrated that when it came to billing clients, Word and Excel were difficult to use…

A successful freelance writer creates dozens of pages of text every week. This is no surprise that even an experienced writer makes mistakes considering this amount of work. Sometimes you just don’t notice a typo or misspelling after finishing your third page in a row. And a word processor is not a magic stick that…

Getting paid as a freelancer can be a stressful experience, especially when a client is delaying payment on a large invoice that you need desperately. While getting paid is the top of your list, all too frequently paying you falls to the bottom of your list. Here’s how to get paid as a freelancer and…

The world of internet freelancing has created a vast amount of unique opportunities for people all around the world. Online freelancing has made the world of work easier and smaller as experienced and knowledgeable individuals can now easily find freelance clients with those who are looking for their desired skill set. For many, it’s a…

Freelancing is your best opportunity for freedom of work – that feeling where you feel that you can work wherever, whenever and for whomever you want. Sir Walter Scott was credited for coining the word freelance, referring to a “free lance” worn by mercenary warriors which indicated that their lances weren’t tied to allegiance to…

A wireless network is one of the most popular and convenient things in your home or office, but when it’s down, then what? Your Wi-Fi is the force that keeps you working to earn the dough; it also keeps you from being bored when it’s 1 a.m. and you can’t sleep. It is the glue…

Marketers will always say that content is king, and when it comes to your search engine visibility, this couldn’t be more true. If you have any kind of digital marketing strategy in place, you already know why content marketing is important for your SEO strategy. However, knowing why to do something is quite different than…

Being a content writer accompanies some extraordinary advantages. Depending on your position, you have the liberty of working from home or going to a coffee shop nearby. Besides, you choose the subjects to write about, and you have control of nearly everything that you do.  That said, freelance content writers should understand that it takes…

Just like any job, working as a freelancer has its ups and downs. While it’s exciting to be your own boss, control your own schedule, and have a better work-life balance, it can also be immensely overwhelming and exhausting. One stressful aspect of the freelance lifestyle is making sure your invoices are getting paid for…

Using Best Practices To Enhance WordPress Operations First, let’s take a brief look at WordPress. If you’ve already got a business using this tool, you understand. If you don’t, then know WordPress is basically an open-source (that means “free”) website making tool. Essentially, this is a powerful blogging solution. In terms of content management and…

Every day it seems like there are a plethora of digital products launched. As the world of digital products continuously grows, so does the competition between the product creators. If you enjoy a challenge, you should see this as a great marketing opportunity. Quality marketing can stand out above competitors and bring more users to…

It is natural that you want to put in more effort when you don’t get the expected results. However, such may not be the solution as results can still be underwhelming. Quality should always be preferred to quantity. Therefore, using the same approach and expecting different results don’t make sense. You are doing too many…

If you have been in e-commerce for quite a while, you may have come across the idea of “humanizing your brand.” When we say that you should humanize your brand, it simply means making your business relatable and engaging. This is possible if you focus more on building relationships with your market, rather than shoving…

Email marketing is a cost-effective way for small and medium-sized businesses (SME’s) to find new business and build relationships with existing customers. This guide will show you how to build an email list, how to get up and running with your small business email marketing software, how to design emails for optimum engagement and the…

It is a fact that websites with boring photos or too much text attract less traffic than those with exciting photos. This is because the human brain is immediately drawn to visuals. A person is more likely to connect to content that is visual as this leaves a lasting impression on them. Actually, statistics show…

One of the best ways to ensure that your website creates a long lasting online presence is to invest in various digital marketing strategies. One example of is Search Engine Optimization (SEO), which uses various processes that allow search engine sites to rank and file your website’s content accordingly. When done properly, you can enjoy…

Satisfying customers might seem like an obvious objective of any business; however, the reality doesn’t always align. In e-commerce, a clear lens into how customer-focused a brand is can often be found how they take care of their customers. Does the company do the bare minimum or go the extra mile when servicing customers? Let’s…

I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re Doing Something. So that’s my wish for you, and…

Starting a freelance blogging business is a dream for many people. But how do you actually make that happen? Where do you start? How do you make more money through blogging? We spoke to one freelance blogger who has successfully built their freelance blogging business to the point where it’s now they’re main source of income.…

Millennials are increasingly turning to freelancing – any why shouldn’t they? Freelancing gives you the flexibility and freedom to work wherever and whenever you want, making it the perfect career for millennials. That’s according to a new survey by FreshBooks, the online accounting software for freelancers, that found that millennials don’t just work because they have…

If the idea of working as a freelance web designer is appealing to you, that’s not surprising. Here are just a few benefits of starting a freelance career as a web designer or developer: You get to be your own boss. You can work from anywhere with the exception of the occasional, in-person client meeting.…

Not being ‘good enough’ is a freelancing myth. Supply and demand is what drives freelance work. If a freelancer has transferable skills that are in demand, then they will find clients who are prepared to pay them to supply their services. The key to freelancing success is to identify a target market that requires those…

If you’re working as a freelancer or a contractor through your own limited company you’ve probably heard people talking about IR35 legislation. They’ve probably spoken about it in hushed tones, like IR35 is this big scary thing to be feared. IR35 is a piece of legislation that you need to know about, but it’s not…

Freelancing can give you a huge range of benefits, which makes becoming a freelancer such an attractive option compared to being employed. Higher pay, improved professional satisfaction and greater flexibility are just some of the benefits of freelancing. However, freelancing does not suit everyone, as there are some challenges associated with starting and running your…

If you’re going through the process of setting up a limited company for your freelance business, your accountant may well ask you to choose between the normal VAT scheme and the Flat Rate VAT scheme. It should be pointed that they you will only have to register for VAT of you’re revenue will be above the…

One of the main questions you may have as a freelancer is "what sort of expenses can you claim?" Well, a ‘business expense’ is an expense which is wholly and exclusively for business purposes. In this article, we’ll be covering such topics as business travel, subsistence, entertainment, use of home, pensions, fixed assets and other…