Editor’s Note: Here at Dispatches, we are always looking for ways to help our readers do things. For some of our readers, that means helping navigate the working world, for others, it means assisting in the ever challenging question,“what’s for dinner?” For still others, it means figuring out how to balance family life with everything else. In an effort to aid in all of these endeavors, we have collaborated on this article written specifically for our readers.
There’s never been an easier time to make money from creative talents. Writers, photographers and video editors are in high demand.
These jobs are in demand, but it is a crowded market and you need to know how to effectively market your services. Focusing your marketing to your targeted industry is tricky – but not impossible.
Writing
It’s hard to market yourself as a writer, because getting people to read a 1,000-word post is difficult, for even highly trained journalists writing investigative pieces. So, instead of your ability to write lengthy articles, you have to market what makes you unique and draws people to read your writing.
This all starts with adding content to all of your social media accounts. You might choose to focus on Facebook and Twitter. Here, you’ll need to set your bio up in such a way that it’s brief, eye-catching, witty and links to your work. Say something unusual and creative. Try to make it stand out and be memorable.
Because getting people to read your articles is tricky, you may not need a professional website to start out. You can accomplish much of the same goals with a well-written and heavily linked LinkedIn profile. This way, you can keep all information about you brief and to the point. Look into guest posting too – this is a quick way to get your help with name recognition.
Photography
Because photography is visual, you should consider as a virtual portfolio. You may want to stay away from image sliders – they’re confusing and don’t allow the visitor to focus on a single image.
WordPress themes like those found at Photocrati are worth considering. As a photographer, you need a theme that allows you to place an emphasis on your pictures on the landing page and these ones do that. Alternatively, scour the web for lists of the best photography themes, and you’ll get a plethora of results.
Next, you’ll want some SEO tips for your photography site,. You’ll need to know how to correctly format images with SEO best practices in mind, so brush up.
You should also consider registering with social media channels that are visual heavy, Instagram and Pinterest are two of the top ones. These platforms put photos front and center.
Video Editing
Your place to start is a YouTube channel. Create a professional-looking logo and banner, that lets people know what you’re all about. Use this space to upload your portfolio and use a variety of videos to appeal to different viewers and hopefully, clients.
Just like with writing and photography, look to register on social media sites that pertain to your field. Vine, Vimeo and SnapChat are good places to start that highlight video. These sites allow you to create short, shareable video content, that can display your editing prowess and within a short space of time.
You should also keep things brief. Across your entire portfolio, make sure your videos are short and entertaining. If there are any scenes that lag or any edits that aren’t exciting, make them pop. People will turn off quickly if they aren’t interested, so focusing on brevity is your best bet.