Google+ Hangouts is one of the most interesting social media tools currently available for freelancers (and others). It is also one of the unique Google+ features that helps to distinguish Google+ from other social media tools.

If you’re a freelancer, you should look into the various ways that Google+ Hangouts can help your freelancing business. In this post, I’ll explain why freelancers should be interested in Google+ Hangouts, describe briefly how you can get started with Google+ Hangouts, and help you find some good Hangouts for freelancers.

Why You Should Be Interested in Google+ Hangouts

Google+ Hangouts offers a great opportunity for freelancers to connect on a more personal level with individuals they would ordinarily not be able to interact with on a face-to-face basis. Google+ Hangouts are easy to use, versatile, and free of charge.

On her blog, Fix Your Broken Marketing, Jodi Kaplan identifies ten ways that freelancers can use Google+ Hangouts including:

• Hosting a conference call
• Brainstorming
• Training
• Holding a status meeting
• Networking

Other Google+ Hangout uses for freelancers could include:

• Building a community
• Discussing potential projects with prospective clients (replacing the sales call)
• Collaborating on a group project
• Holding “office hours” for clients

Google+ Hangout sessions can also be recorded, so a team meeting can be shared with absent members at a later date. Also, this means that a training session could potentially be used over and over. In fact, the possibilities for using hangouts abound for freelancers. You can probably think of Google+ Hangout uses for your own freelancing business.

An important factor to keep in mind is that, for right now, Google+ Hangouts is limited to ten people (including the person who initiated the hangout). So, if you have a need to connect with more people, you’ll need to use another method of communication.

What You’ll Need to Get Started

To take advantage of Google+ Hangouts, you’ll need the following:

• Computer with internet connection
• Google+ account. (If you do not have a Google+ account yet, you can go here to set one up.)
• Google voice and video plug-in. (You can download these plug-ins here.)
• Webcam for video chat or a microphone for audio only. (A text chat area is included in hangouts for those users who have neither a webcam or microphone.)

Freelancers are used to working at home, often in very casual attire. However, if you’re taking part in a Google+ Hangout to advance your freelancing business, you’ll want to pay a bit more attention to your appearance. Replace those rumpled pajamas or scruffy sweats with something a bit nicer and make sure that your hair is neatly combed. Don’t forget to straighten up your office a bit too, since Hangout participants will be able to see everything that’s directly behind you.

How to Get Going with Google+ Hangouts

Are you ready to set up your own Google+ Hangout? It’s actually very easy, provided that you have all of the right equipment in place. (See the list above.)

There are basically two ways that you can start a Google+ Hangout.

• Click the Hang Out link under a Google+ post. (Each Google+ post has three links: Comment, Hang Out, and Share.)
• Click the Start a Hangout icon on the far right of your Google+ screen. (You can also try Hang Outs + Extras, which contains other features such as the ability to name your Hangout.)

Once you’ve started a Hangout, you’ll get a screen that prompts you to check your hair and make sure your microphone works. At the bottom of this screen, you also have options to mute video, mute mic, and tweak your settings. Once you’ve taken care of all that, simply click the green Hang Out button in the middle of the screen to start your Google+ Hangout.

You’ll notice the hangout screen has additional options at the bottom including:

• Invite–Lets you invite others.
• Chat–Text only chat that can be helpful for sharing links.
• YouTube–Use to view a YouTube video in your hangout.

Like all social media, Google+ Hangouts frequently updates and adds new features. However, this should be enough information to get you started on using Google+ Hangouts for your freelancing business.

How to Find Some Good Google+ Hangouts

Finding a good Google+ Hangout can be difficult, because not all hangouts are named or permanent. And, of course, active hangouts are changing constantly. In fact, the best Google+ Hangout may wind up being the one that you start yourself. :)

However, the gphangouts.com site has some great tools to help you find hangouts including:

• A list of permanent hangouts
• A way to search current Google+ Hangouts by category
• A means of scheduling future hangouts.

More Resources

Want to learn even more about Google+ Hangouts? Here are some additional resources:

• Google+ Hangouts gets On Air broadcast and record, dial-in voice and ‘live’ notifications by Matthew Panzarino at TNW
• Five Google+ Hangouts Features Businesses Will Love by Joseph Fieber at PCWorld
• Minding your Hangout Manners by Jim Fierce on Media Tapper
• Hangouts–Google+’s own page and video explaining how hangouts work.

Your Turn

Do you use Google+ Hangouts for your freelancing business? If so, how do you use this feature? Do you have any permanent Google+ Hangouts that you’ve found particularly useful? Which ones?

Share your answers in the comments below.

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The fact is, for most internet users, social media is the main reason they get online. Chances are that many of those same users are also your clients and potential clients. If your freelancing business is not on social media yet, you’re falling behind.

Whether you’re new to freelancing and want to set up an online social media presence ASAP, or you’re a seasoned freelancing veteran who is just now taking the social media plunge, you’re sure to find a platform that appeals to you.

In this post, I’ll provide a quick overview of each of the major social media platforms and explain why a freelancer might wish to use each.

Ten Social Media Platforms for Freelancers

Here are some of the most popular social media tools that freelancers use:

1. Facebook–Even if you’ve never been active in social media, it’s likely that you’ve heard of this social media site. That’s because as of February 2012 Facebook has over 845 million monthly active users (according to Facebook’s own statistics). You may know Facebook as the network to use to contact your out-of-state cousin or long-last high school friend. But did you know that you can also create a Facebook Fan page just for your freelancing business?
2. LinkedIn–This social networking site differentiates itself by marketing itself as a professional network site. As such, it’s a favorite of corporations and other businesses. For starters, think about it as your online resume, except on steroids. You can list your work experience, links to your work samples, and even invite people to leave references for you. There’s more, though. LinkedIn is also home to hundreds of professional discussion groups.
3. Twitter–Twitter is quick and fun. If you can encapsulate your freelancing business message in 140 words or less, then you can use Twitter. Currently, the site seems to be a favorite of journalists (citizen and otherwise) who use it to broadcast articles and other information. It’s also a favorite among conference organizers since Twitter live blogging an event can generate interest. Others use it as a way to instant message contacts using the DM feature.
4. Quora–Do you have a depth of knowledge in a specific field or fields? Quora is a question and answer site, but prides itself on the quality of the answers that Quora users provide. In fact, the answers on Quora are often article-length and can be quite comprehensive. Not only is Quora a forum for showing off your expertise, it can also be used to research topics. Ask a new question of your own, or browse through the answers to existing questions.
5. Pinterest–This is an up and coming social media site that has shown fast growth and popularity. Basically, it works like this. Users “pin” images of things that they are interested in to their “bulletin boards” on the site so that other users can view and comment on the images. Some freelancers have experimented with using affiliate links or using the images that they share to draw traffic to their website. If you sell a product or need to drive traffic, it’s worth looking into.
6. Google+–The search engine giant is branching out. If you hadn’t noticed, they’ve launched a number of business and consumer-oriented products in recent years. Google+ is an important social media platform–both because it is tied to the powerful Google search engine and because it has shown a healthy growth during its first year. Users tend to be less frivolous than those on other sites. Expect to see even more upgrades and attention paid to this social media tool in coming months.
7. MySpace–In many ways, this is the granddaddy of all social media sites. MySpace was the first of the “mega” social media sites. It was originally founded in 2003 and was once the most visited social networking site in the world. MySpace still gets millions of visitors each month. This social media tool is known for its active music and entertainment industry communities, but there are other communities as well. Don’t discount this one if your prospects are here.
8. Tumblr–Tumblr is a microblogging tool. It allows users to create and share original content of various types. As of the time this article was written, Tumblr was getting over 15 billion page views in a single month (per Mashable). Now, that’s significant! One thing that Tumblr has going for it from a freelancing perspective is that it’s very easy to use. In general, Tumblr users tend to be younger and more visually oriented. If you like to share photos or images, Tumblr might be right for you.
9. StumbleUpon–This is one of a number of popular news bookmarking sites. (There are many others including Digg and Reddit.) Like all bookmarking sites, StumbleUpon gives you the opportunity to mark and share content that you like with other users. Users select the interests that they would like to explore and the shares that they see are tailored to this preference. StumbleUpon also allows you to comment on shares and contact other users.
10. YouTube–No list of freelancing social media tools is complete without YouTube. This is an extremely popular site where users share videos of all types. Not only that, many videos can be embedded in blog posts and on other sites. You’ve probably already watched many YouTube videos. For a freelancer seeking to establish their expertise, YouTube can be an invaluable tool. You can create an interesting video that explains a topic of interest to your prospects.

What Do You Think?

Of course, these are just overviews of some of the most popular social media tools that freelancers should consider using. There are many other social media tools available.

If you’re a veteran freelancer who has already been using social media for a while, what tool have you found to be the most useful? Share your answers in the comments.

You may even wonder if there is any way that your freelancing business could possibly benefit from using Pinterest. You may be asking yourself whether you should get involved in Pinterest.

In this post, I’ll take a look at Pinterest from a freelancer’s perspective. I’ll explain what it is and also take a look at some benefits and drawbacks of the site for freelancers.

Of course, ultimately every freelancer needs to make their own decision about Pinterest.

What It Is

Pinterest is known as a pinboard. Offline, a pinboard is a type of bulletin board that you pin photos and other images to.

Online, a pinboard is basically a bookmarking service that lets you save the images of things that you are interested in. While Pinterest is currently the best known pinboard, others include Pinboard and Trello.

One thing that distinguishes pinboards from other social sharing sites is the visual aspect. Members are invited to share and comment on images that interest them. Pinboards (and especially Pinterest) are heavy on the images and light on the text.

If you’ve ever visited Pinterest, you’ll find a variety of topics. Here’s a small sampling of what you might find:

• Recipes
• Decorating Ideas
• Fashion Ideas
• Organizing tips
• Inspirational quotes

There’s even a category titled “Design,” although it’s not necessarily just about graphic or web design.

Benefits of Pinterest

I can see four possible benefits of Pinterest for freelancers:

1. Great for finding inspiration–Whatever it is you need to be inspired about, there are probably images of it out there. Do you want to do a design based on a sunset? With Pinterest, you can see hundreds of photos of sunsets. What about creating a design based on leaves? Again, with Pinterest you can find lots of different leaf images.
2. Visual emphasis–Pinterest has a visual emphasis and as such it’s great for visually oriented freelance professions such as design, art, and photography. Of course, you will find some quotes out there and other short bits of text, but for the most part the content on Pinterest is graphics and photos.
3. Good for branding and building an image–Pinterest can be great for building a brand or an image. Pinterest is still in its early days, so for the most part big name brands aren’t out there yet. However, I can see some visually oriented freelancers creating a gallery of their work and possibly referring clients to it.
4. Links to Facebook–Right now it’s easy to share to your Facebook account when you pin an item to Pinterest. All you need to do is check a box. Currently, there are no links to other social media sites, but who is to say what the site has planned for the future?

Now that we’ve looked at the benefits of Pinterest for freelancers, it’s time to look at the drawbacks.

Drawbacks of Pinterest

I can also see four possible drawbacks of Pinterest (based on the current version) for freelancers.

1. Privacy–Right now, as I understand it, there’s no way to restrict who can view your pinboard. That means that right now it’s really not a good tool to work on or share proprietary materials. With such a restriction in place, however, Pinterest could possibly be used for collaboration.
2. Possible copyright issues–Of course, any time that you share something that is copyrighted online you run the risk of it being stolen. When I discussed Pinterest with some of my Google+ friends, they expressed concern that sharing on Pinterest somehow transferred the rights of what was being shared to the platform. (I’m not a lawyer, so I don’t know if this is true.)
3. Not widely available–Probably one of the biggest drawbacks for freelancers who want to use Pinterest is that it’s not widely available. You have to ask for an invitation. In fact, to write this post I had to look on with a friend to get an idea of what Pinterest is about since I haven’t received my login yet.
4. Limited user profiles–The final drawback that I see for freelancers is that user profiles seem to be very small–just a photo and a few lines. So, Pinterest isn’t really about meeting and getting to know people so much as it is about sharing things that you are interested in.

More Resources

Are you ready to learn more about Pinterest? Here are five more resources:

• 5 Ways to Use Pinterest as a Community Building Tool from Deb Ng at Kommein
• Online Pinboards–Is This the New Way to Facebook? from Eli Goodman at Search Engine Watch
• Pinterest for Brands: 5 Hot Tips from Lauren Drell at American Express Open Forum
• Pinterest: A Tool to Curate Relevant Visual Content for Your Audience from Beth Kanter at Social Media Today
• How to Use Pinterest for Marketing from Monika Jansen at Grow Smart Biz

Your Turn

Are you already using Pinterest? If so, how are you using it? Share your answers in the comments.

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As freelancers we rely on social media to interact with clients, potential clients, and other freelancers.

Social media is a great tool for freelancers (and since social media is most often free it’s very budget-friendly). But if you’re not careful, social media can also take up a lot of your valuable project time.

Of course, strategies will vary for each individual freelancer. However, over the past few years I’ve put a lot of thought into social media strategy. The tips in this post should work for most freelancers.

Decide Which Social Media Tools to Use

There is a huge universe of social media platforms available. Deciding on which ones to participate in can be confusing. Here are a few questions to help you narrow your choices:

• Are my clients active in social media? If so, which platforms do they participate in?
• Is there a social media platform or tool that most of my freelancing colleagues use?
• Do any social media platforms address my freelancing specialty?

If you find that most of your colleagues and clients are active on a particular social media platform, that’s a good indication that you should have a presence there as well.

Here are six social media platforms where participation will benefit most freelancers:

1. Blogging–Not only does blogging help you to connect with others, it can also help establish you as an expert in your field.
2. FaceBook–This social media platform has a huge group of users and shouldn’t be overlooked by freelancers.
3. Forums–Since forums generally hone in on a specific topic, participation can be a great way to target your social media interactions.
4. Google+–A quickly growing social media tool, Google+ has the reputation of having a more technical user base.
5. LinkedIn–The corporate world has embraced LinkedIn as a way to make connections and for that reason you should too.
6. Twitter–There’s more to Twitter than meets the eye. This microblogging tool has influenced trends worldwide.

Ideally, you would be able to establish a freelancing presence on all of these platforms. However, at first you may want to focus on just one or two of these areas due to time constraints. Which brings us to the our next point–exactly how much time should you spend on social media?

Determine How Much Time to Spend

If you jump in without a plan, social media could easily consume all of your time. That wouldn’t be good for your freelancing business. That’s why I recommend designating certain times specifically for social media during your day. I’ve found morning, noon, and the close of business to be the most effective for me, but you may want to experiment and find your own best combination of times.

For most freelancers 15 minutes, three times a day (once you’ve set up your profiles) is enough to maintain a good online social media presence. Of course, if you just launched a new product or happen to be a social media consultant, you’ll spend much more time on social media.

There are third-party apps for most social media platforms that let you spread your participation over a 24-hour period. TweetDeck and HootSuite are just two popular examples of such apps. These tools are a good way to ensure that you reach users in time zones all over the world. However, it’s also a good idea to make sure that at least some of your social media networking is live.

If you find that social media is too distracting, there are also apps to help you limit the amount of social media time that you spend. LeechBlock and Nanny for Google Chrome are two examples of such apps.

Once you’ve budgeted some specific times, you may wonder who to connect with on social media and how to find them.

Connect with Others

Naturally, you’ll want to connect with the contacts you’ve already made as well as the people that you know in your day-to-life. Consider adding these folks to start out:

• Former boss(es)
• Current or former teachers
• Current and past clients
• Classmates
• Work colleagues (past or present)
• Friends
• Family members
• Neighbors
• Bloggers who write about your freelancing niche

Basically anyone in your extended network who could have a lead on a freelancing project and who is already active social should be invited to connect with you. In addition, many social media sites suggest followers (friends or fans) based on your current followers. Review these suggestions carefully–they could lead to valuable connections. You may also wish to add your social media contact information on your blog or website. Some freelancers even include it on their stationery and business card.

Now that you have built up a social media network, you may be wondering what you should share through social media.

What to Share

What you share on social media sites as a freelancer is different than what you would share if you were just using social media for personal use. As a freelance business owner, you may want to think twice about sharing certain topics or downloading family photos. Without careful planning on your part, it’s easy to share T.M.I. Be sure to check the privacy settings for whichever platform you’re using unless you want everyone to see everything.

One of the biggest mistakes that new freelancers make on social media is making it all about them. Have you been at a social gathering and met someone who talks incessantly about themselves? Naturally no one wants to be around that person and it’s the same on social media.

Instead, balance information about you with relevant information that your connections may find useful or entertaining. Of course, it’s okay to share about yourself from time to time–but such shares shouldn’t dominate your social media contributions.

Also, if someone interacts directly with you and their profile matches that of the folks you’re trying to connect with, be sure to acknowledge them. If they ask a question, answer it. If they share something you’ve shared, thank them. If they message you, reply. The higher the quality of your interactions, the better the relationships that you will develop–and some of those may lead to business relationships.

Your Turn

What social media strategy works for you? Share your answer in the comments.

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Social media, however, should be the first and foremost tool to spread the word about interesting articles, searching for individuals to interview, gathering new story ideas and more.

Some of the challenges that freelance writers can face with social media are which outlets to use, how often to use them, and where and when to promote them. Although social media is not rocket science, it can be challenging at times, therefore stop writers from effectively using the various tools at their disposal.

How to Use Social Media Promote Your Business

When seeking to promote your freelance writings via social media, keep these factors in mind:

• Promote, don’t spam–There is a fine line for freelance writers to walk when seeking to promote their articles through sites such as Facebook, Twitter and others. You want to promote your copy, yet not be spamming both friends and followers to the point where they turn you off. While there is nothing wrong with sending out a link to your copy or sharing it with others, do not continuously repeat the process so that the same article is showing up in their timelines several times a day. Promote discreetly so that you’re not viewed as simply a spammer.
• It is okay to follow and befriend–While we’re often told to be leaders and not followers, you want to follow when it comes to social media sites. The more users (individuals and professionals) that you follow, the more avenues you will open your copy up to. It is advised, however, to follow users on Twitter, Facebook, and so on, who are worthwhile. Don’t follow just for the sake of following to pile up numbers. If you’re a freelance writer who covers the restaurant industry, be sure to follow and/or befriend others who are in the same field. When writing an article on the latest trends in this industry, the goal is to tweet and/or share your story with relevant parties so they can be your unofficial “salespeople” and help push your article along.
• Engage in discussion–One of the key aspects of social media is that it allows you to engage in conversations. Since I write for several freelance publications on the side of my full-time job, I will often surf the Internet for relevant discussions related to what I’m writing about. For example, I cover professional football during the fall for four to six months. Doing so gives me an opening when I see a discussion about the NFL. I introduce myself, become part of the conversation, and then send along a link to those interested parties on the latest NFL story I wrote. Not only do I become part of the discussion, but my article does too.
• Take the time–Another of the great features of social media is that it is available 24/7, 365 days a year. Given the fact I literally write eight or more hours a day between my full-time job and freelancing, my eyes sometimes need a break from the computer when I get home at night. If I am feeling restless or there is some available time over the weekend, I can get online, find a relevant discussion, and use social media to promote what I’m writing about. The doors are never closed in the world of social media, it just requires some time and effort to walk through them.
• Look for invites to groups–More and more, individuals are taking part in social media chats. Whether it is a “tweet-up” or another opportunity to go online with others, look for such opportunities. The world of social media is all about networking, so don’t pass up the opportunity to be a part of it. You can also initiate such an online event and invite other freelance writers to join you. This is also a great way to share tricks of the trade with other writers, giving you the opportunity to better your skills.
• You scratch my back, I scratch your back–Finally, you have to remember that the world of social media is not all about you. At my full-time job, we make sure we promote each other’s work–not only helping ourselves, but getting our company more public attention. When others promote your writings, be sure to return the favor, forming and keeping relationships together. If you only ask others to promote their articles and do not reciprocate, you will likely find very few willing to spread the word for you.

Is It a Fad?

Some individuals say that social media is simply a fad, something that will eventually go away.

I, however, think social media is not only here to stay for the foreseeable future, but will continue to expand its tentacles. If you have not already, take the time to understand social media as it relates to your freelance writing efforts, and get off the sidelines and into the game.

Your Turn

Have I missed any social media tips? What would you add?

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Many big brands have jumped on the bandwagon and set up their Google+ Pages. Many freelancers have also set up pages for their blogs and businesses. You may be wondering if these pages can help you build and strengthen client relationships.

If you haven’t looked closely at the Google+ Page functionality yet, you may be wondering if this feature is for you. While I can’t make up your mind for you, I can provide you with information to help you decide whether a Google+ brand page is right for your freelancing business.

In this post, I identify over 20 resources on Google’s new brand page feature. I’ve sorted this information into categories so that you can easily find the information that is most useful to you. Of course, this information is changing all the time, so feel free to add your own Google+ information resources in the comments.

Getting Started with Google+ Pages

The resources in this section provide an overview of Google+ Pages and should give you an idea of its basic features. Many also explain how to set up a page for yourself.

1. Google+ Announces and Launches Pages for Business and Brands on jeffbullas.com–This post provides a good overview on Google+ Pages as well as a step-by-step guide for setting your page.
2. Google + For Businesses: At Long Last, It’s Here on Small Business Trends–Susan Payton directs this overview to small businesses, which is exactly why it’s a great read for freelancers.
3. How to Set Up a Google+ Page for Your Business on Social Media Examiner–Kristi Hines provides her usual detailed look at how to set up a Google+ Page. Probably the best part of the post is the examples at the end, which can give you an idea of what a Google+ Page could look like.
4. Google Plus Rolls Out Brand Pages on Duct Tape Marketing–John Jantsch points out some of the basic Google+ Page features. Have you got your brand badge yet?
5. 3 Ways Google+ Pages Make Business Social on NewRayCom–Ray Hilz explains some of the social aspects of Google+ Pages.

Now that you know that basics, it’s time to weigh the pros and cons.

Benefits of Google+ Pages

If you’re trying to decide whether a Google+ Page is for you, these resources list the advantages.

6. The Power Potential Of Google+ Pages For Businesses on Fast Company–Nathaniel Perez explains some of the business benefits of using Google+ pages. If you’re sitting on the fence trying to decide whether to set up a page for your business, this might be for you.
7. Interview: Google + – Time to Get In for Businesses? on Social Media Today–Cliff Figallo interviews a social media specialist, who makes some very interesting points.
8. Why Your Brand Needs a Google Plus Page on P.S. Jones Communications–P.S. Jones gives a clear explanation of why the new brand pages are important.
9. Why you need a Google + Brand Page for your business on The MarketingMomma.com–Kate explains how businesses can benefit from Google+ brand pages. Great perspective for small business owners (including freelancers).
10. Google+ Pages Live: Thoughts Now and on the Future on George Passwater–This post from a freelancer is actually balanced between the benefits of Google+ Pages and the drawbacks, which makes it the perfect post to lead into the drawbacks…

Drawbacks to Google+ Pages

Here is the other side of the Google+ Brand Page coin–some cautions about using brand pages.

11. I wish I had never heard of Google+’s brand pages on Scobleizer–Veteran internet guru Robert Scoble weighs in with his initial concerns about Google+ brand pages. Although some of these concerns have been addressed, some may still be valid.
12. Google+ Brand Pages Lacking, But You’ll Make One Anyway on Search Engine Watch–Miranda Miller lists some of the functionality that was not initially released with the brand pages.
13. Were Google+ Business Pages a Mistake for the Company? on webmasterview–The author speculates as to what might be the thinking behind Google+ Pages.

Now, let’s compare Google+ brand pages with other social media.

Comparison with Other Social Media

You may be wondering how Google+ brand pages differ from other social media. (I know that I was.) These posts will help you determine the differences between these pages and several other types of social media.

14. Why Google Plus Pages (Will) Beat Facebook. And Twitter on Wired–Caleb Garling provides this very upbeat comparison between Google+ Pages and other social media (including Facebook).
15. Google+ Brand Pages vs. Facebook Fan Pages on Mashable–Christine Erickson takes a look at some of the differences (and similarities) between Google+ Pages and Facebook Fan Pages.
16. Which Is Better: Google Plus Pages Or Facebook Pages? on PCMech.com–Rich Menga provides a point-by-point comparison between Google+ Pages and Facebook Fan Pages.
17. Google+ Business Pages vs. Facebook Fan Pages on The WM Freelance Writers Connection–Alyssa Ayst provides this comparison of the page functionality of Google+ and Facebook.

If you’ve already set up a Google+ brand page, you may be wondering how to improve it.

Brand Page Tips

The posts here will help you make your Google+ brand page more effective.

18. 10 Tips and Tricks for Better Google+ Brand Pages on Mashable–Amy-Mae Elliott presents a slideshow to help us get more from Google+ brand pages. She’s got some really interesting tips and ideas that any freelancer can implement after they get their page set up.
19. Google+ launches an official guide for sharing, promoting and measuring Pages on The Next Web–Sherilynn Macale does a nice job of summarizing Google’s guide and pointing out exactly what you need to know. Of course, if you have the time you can read the complete Google Guide here (http://www.google.com/+/business/index.html)
20. 7 Things to Know About Google+ Pages for Brands on Social Strand Media–This post also contains some helpful tips that freelancers could easily implement.
21. 5 Key Things About e Pages for Your Business on Technorati–Kent Wakely makes some interesting points about the brand pages feature.
22. What Businesses & Brands Can Use Google Plus Pages For Now on Search Engine Land–Practical business advice from Monica Wright. This advice is geared towards all businesses, but most freelancers should be able to make use of these tips.
23. The 10 Step Guide for Great Google+ Page Management on G&B Magazine–Louis Gray provides these ten steps to help you get Google+ Pages right.

Do I Have a Google+ Brand Page?

The short answer is–yes, I do. I created a brand page for my writing blog and another for my writing business.

To be honest, at this point I’m not entirely sure how brand pages will fit into my social media and marketing strategy.

What About You?

Have you created a Google+ brand page for your freelancing business yet?

Feel free to share a link to your Google+ brand page or to add your own Google+ Page tips in the comments.

While it’s important to be authentic and genuine online, it’s also possible to overshare. There are some things that clients, colleagues, and potential clients didn’t really need to know about you.

Yet, oversharing happens all the time. I’ve seen it on nearly all of the major networks, and I’m sure you have too. In fact, some social networks have recently encouraged oversharing by suggesting that you use their network to document nearly every aspect your life.

While oversharing might be okay if you limit your fans/friends/followers/circles to a small group of individuals who are well-known to you, it flies against good sense if you are using social media to interact with clients and prospective clients for your freelancing business.

In this post, I’ll identify some bits of personal information that are better left unshared. I’ll also invite you to discuss online reputation and social media.

Information You Don’t Need to Share

Does everyone really need to everything about you? Check the list.

1. Relationship troubles–This information is best shared only with a small group of trusted confidantes, preferably offline. Yet, some persist in announcing breakups and other relationships online. Besides, what if the relationship mends? Your rant will still be out there in someone’s cache memory, even if you delete your original comments. From a business perspective, airing relationship problems publicly makes you seem hard to get along with.
2. Regular updates on your location–Many would disagree with me on this one, but unless you are attending a conference or other large gathering where you plan to meet up with others, regular updates on your location are unnecessary. From a personal perspective, such sharing might even be unsafe–especially if you are alone.
3. Detailed descriptions of what you ate (or drank)–Unless a meal or beverage was truly exceptional and unique, there’s no need to share it (let alone share a photograph of it). Really, I’ve seen a salad, burger, french fries, steak, etc… The exception, of course, is if you are somehow tied into the food industry (restaurant reviewer, food blogger, cookbook editor, etc.). Trust me. Don’t bore your clients and prospects with this.
4. Graphic details of every one of your physical ailments–Yuck! I can’t believe the details people share on social media about their illnesses and physical symptoms. While I understand it’s no fun being sick–it’s no fun reading about vomit either. Besides, do you really want your prospective clients to think that you’re sick all of the time? I thought not. One exception might be if you are a medical writer, but even then I’m not sure it’s always a good idea to constantly write in detail about your own ailments.
5. Griping about clients and past clients online. It can feel good to rant about a bad client. You may even justify your actions by telling yourself you are warning other freelancers. However, if you constantly gripe and complain a potential and perfectly legitimate client may be scared off. Besides, there are non-ranting ways to turn in a bad client. In the U.S. these methods include contacting a state’s attorney general’s office, filing a complaint at the Better Business Bureau, and even hiring an attorney.

As you can see from the examples listed above, there really can be such a thing as sharing too much information. Of course, all of this ultimately impacts your online reputation.

T.M.I. and Your Online Reputation

As a freelancer, your reputation as a professional is probably your greatest asset. Because most freelancers rely on the Internet find work, your reputation as a professional must also be maintained online.

Your website or blog may not be the very first thing that your prospective client reads about you. (That doesn’t mean you don’t need to have a strong business site, though.) More and more frequently, clients are meeting freelancers through social media and then turning to search engines to learn more about them.

It may seem nearly impossible to control your online reputation, and it’s true that there are elements that are beyond your control. For example, someone may tag you, write about you, or otherwise share about you without your permission. However, there is still much about your online reputation that you actually can control. In many cases, it’s just a case of setting boundaries between your personal life and your professional life.

Your Turn

Did I leave out any examples of information that doesn’t need to be shared? Do you think oversharing is a problem for freelancers? Why, or why not?

Sadly, however, too many freelancers are not taking full advantage the social media tools that they have available to them. Yet, they wonder why they aren’t benefiting from their social media participation. You’ve probably heard their complaints:

• “Social media is a total waste of time.”
• “I’ve never gotten a client through social media.”
• “My clients don’t use social media.”

In this post, I’ll help freelancers optimize their social media participation by identifying the five elements that all freelancers should have in their social media profiles. Having an optimized profile should address many of the complaints that freelancers have about social media. I’ll also identify some characteristics of spam social media accounts so that you can see the difference.

Five Critical Social Media Profile Elements

If you’re using social media for purely personal reasons, then you can totally ignore this post and do what you like. Just keep in mind, though, your clients may be able to find your “personal” social media account even if your privacy settings are set high–so it’s a good idea not to post anything that you wouldn’t want them to see.

However, if you’re hoping to glean some professional advantages for your freelancing business through social media participation, you’ve come to the right place. Although every social media platform has its own unique characteristics all social media platforms have one thing in common–they all have a user profile.

As a freelancer, your social media user profile is an important part of your online presence and it shouldn’t be ignored. If you’re serious about using social media to your advantage, your social media profiles should contain at least the following five elements:

1. An Image. Although studies show that most people react most favorably to personal photographs, it’s also acceptable to use a logo or design. Whatever you do, don’t set up a social media profile and leave the default image in place. Using the default image for your social media profile shows that you’re uncomfortable online or even worse, a spammer.
2. A description of your freelancing business. Your social media contacts shouldn’t have to guess what type of business you are in. It’s okay to include some personal information in your profile as well (after all, these sites are meant to be social), but don’t exclude your professional information.
3. A link to your site. All freelancers should maintain a blog and/or a professional portfolio and naturally, your profile should link to them. This lets prospective clients find more information about your business easily.
4. A way to contact you. Whether it be through direct message, or an email address, prospective clients need a way to communicate directly with you. Be sure to include contact information in your social media profile and keep that information up to date.
5. Some activity. This element is last, but not least. Your social media profile is most valuable and most effective when you are actively participating. A social media profile that sits dormant for months is unlikely to yield any professional contacts.

Despite the fact that it seems like common sense to use the elements in a social media profile, an amazing number of profiles (some of them belonging to freelancers) are incomplete.

Don’t Get Mistaken for a Spammer

One problem that freelancers face when they join media is being identified as one of the “good guys.” You certainly don’t want anyone on a social media site to mistake you for a spammer. Here is a checklist with some of the characteristics of spammers. Make sure that your social media account doesn’t match of these:

• Skimpy profile information. Spam accounts rarely bother to fill out a complete social media profile.
• No profile image or a suggestive profile image. Using the default image or a suggestive image as a profile picture is a spammer give away.
• One-way communication only. Often spammers broadcast the same message over and over (until they are blocked or banned).
• No friends or fans or followers. Because they don’t really interact with others, spammers usually have no friends, fans, or followers.

Your Turn

Do you keep your social media profiles up to date? What other information do you make sure to include in your social media profile?

What other tips would you add?

Image by liako

But if you’re a freelancer, don’t disregard LinkedIn as a client-getting tool. Many companies and business owners who hire freelancers are also in LinkedIn. And that’s why you want to be there too.

LinkedIn exists so you can capture your existing network–that is, people you already know from school, previous work places, etc–and grow that network through groups, referrals and introductions. You know it’s often not what you know and can do that matters, it’s whom you know! That’s why having a wide network helps if you’re looking for clients and prospects.

There are a ten key things freelancers need to know when using LinkedIn. Keep these in mind and you’ll get results faster and with less effort. In this post I’ll share what you must know about LinkedIn.

Point #1. SEO Applies

LinkedIn is a website, and it provides you a free webpage in the form of a LinkedIn profile. As such, your profile needs to be search engine optimized, just like any other page on the web.

Remember your target keywords when populating the different fields in your profile. Pay special attention to the headline (the line of text that appears underneath your name) and summary. Use keywords as well when adding links to your websites, instead of keeping the default text LinkedIn provides.

Using the right keywords will help your ideal clients to find you on LinkedIn.

Point #2. Copywriting Brings Better Results

Your LinkedIn profile functions like a resume, but don’t let it be as dry as a traditional resume. Apply basic copywriting techniques in your profile to get prospects interested in connecting with you.

Use a benefit-oriented opening paragraph in your summary. Focus on what results you get for clients, rather than simply listing what services you offer. Use recommendations to increase social proof for the quality of your service.

Keep your summary readable. Break long paragraphs into chunks, use bullet points, and add headings and sub-headings to make the entire summary easy to scan.

Point #3. Show Off a Little

LinkedIn’s Answers and Groups allow you to showcase your expertise. Monitor and answer questions relevant to your field or expertise. Join groups where your ideal clients may be hanging out and give thoughtful answers to questions you can answer with authority.

One LinkedIn expert even advises communicating with the people who posted the questions, so you can get their attention and possibly move the interaction outside of LinkedIn.

Point #4. It’s a Secret Tool to Find Key People

Let’s say you’re about to embark on a direct mail campaign for your freelancing services. You want to add a specific company, but don’t know the name of the specific person you should address your letter to. You can use LinkedIn to find out!

Do a search for the company name. Employees who have LinkedIn accounts will come up. Or you could Google “(position) (company name) (LinkedIn)” to find a specific profile.

Point #5. Short-Cut the Introduction Process

Unlike other social networks, LinkedIn makes it harder to connect with people you don’t know in the first place. You have to find some real-life connection first, such as having gone to school together or worked in the same company, before you can invite someone to connect. And then they have to agree to add you to their LinkedIn network.

Unlike on Twitter, you can’t send a message to anyone unless they’re in your network.

However, there are ways around this. One option is to send the person an InMail. You do have to pay for this feature, but LinkedIn says InMails get a higher response rate than regular mail. Presumably, it’s because the email is identified as coming from LinkedIn, which is a trusted source. Also, if the person doesn’t respond to your InMail within seven days, you’ll get your InMail credit back.

The other way is to join a group that the other person is also a member of. From there, you can invite the person to connect with you. You can also send a message to anyone who’s in the same group as you, even if you’re not in their network.

Point #6. Job Vacancies Can Be Opportunities

LinkedIn is a great place to find jobs. Companies and individuals commonly post job vacancies, either through the jobs feature or in relevant groups.

Even if you’re not looking for employment, it’s still worthwhile to keep track of these vacancy announcements, because the company could be open to outsourcing the work. Do approach the person who posted the vacancy and ask if they would consider hiring you on a freelance basis. (Heck, if the offer is good enough, YOU might agree to being employed again ;-D )

Point #7. This Isn’t Facebook, Nor Twitter

Each social networking site has its own set of features, tone, and culture. LinkedIn is best known for its professionalism, so you should treat it as such and not use it the same way you would Twitter or Facebook.

For example, Twitter users have more patience for personal, mundane banter than the folks on LinkedIn do. So think twice about synchronizing your Twitter account with LinkedIn.

Point #8. It Doesn’t Have To Be a Time Suck

Maintaining an active presence in different social networks takes time and energy. Fortunately, several tools exist that can automate everything or at least make it easier and faster.

I’ve already mentioned that it’s possible to sync your Twitter and LinkedIn accounts. In fact, you can sync them with your Facebook and Google+ accounts too through Publish Sync.

You can also link your blog to your LinkedIn account, so new posts are automatically displayed on your profile.

If you’re constantly on the go, install the LinkedIn app for your mobile device. That way, you can post updates, respond to group discussions, and send messages to people in your network–without firing up your computer.

Point #9. Give to Receive

As with other social networks, the best approach is to give first before asking for anything. For instance, if you’d like to get more recommendations, go ahead and give them first. The other person will most likely want to reciprocate. If not, move on to somebody else.

Same thing goes for introducing people to each other, if you think they could both benefit from the relationship, pass along job vacancies to people in your network, and generally just be helpful.

Point #10. You May Not Need a Premium Account

LinkedIn is free to use, but with a premium account, you get extra features. These include being able to see metrics, such as which keywords you rank highly for within the LinkedIn search results. You’ll also be entitled to a certain number of InMails per month, depending on the package you subscribe for.

These features are useful, but you don’t need them in order to get results from LinkedIn. Maximize your presence there first, get active in groups, answer questions, and connect with people. When you do start getting clients and become a power LinkedIn user, then a premium account would probably make sense.

Are You On LinkedIn?

I went to my first live networking event recently and one of the first questions a lady asked me was, “Are you on LinkedIn?” I confidently answered yes, grateful that I had just updated my LinkedIn profile.

This goes to show freelancers can no longer ignore LinkedIn. As a freelancer, you’re a professional business service provider. Therefore, you belong in LinkedIn too.

Have you been using LinkedIn to find prospects and clients? Do you have questions about using LinkedIn? Post them below and I’ll do my best to find the answers.

It wasn’t long, however, before a new use became apparent. It was (and is) a useful marketing tool and way of promoting yourself or your business online. Some have been able to incorporate it into a full image seller that can make up an entire profit-earning project on its own. But to do it, you have to take what was once a personal profile and convert it into a place representing your business interests.

Whether it is for promotion alone or you are looking to make important connections through online networking, follow these five steps:

Step 1: Save Your Profile Information

When you set out to move toward a professional profile, you will still want to take your profile content along with you. While it might change to fit the needs of its new context, the basic principle will remain the same. So your first step is to download all content you currently have there. This option can be found under Account Settings. This will include photos, “likes,” written bios, wall posts and all prior Wall activity.

Not all of this will be necessary when you rebuild, of course. But if you have had your profile for a while, you might want to keep the posts from friends and family. It is like having a yearbook–you don’t need it, but it is a nice memory.

The rest of it will make it easier to repopulate your page. Since you will be branding your profile on behalf of your business, those little personal touches are going to be good to keep around.

Step 2: Change Your Attitude About Your Page

You have been using your profile to say anything you like, joke with personal contacts and share YouTube videos of cats doing funny things. That is just fine for a personal profile. It isn’t fine for a professional profile, though, and so what you will be posting will have to change. That is both in tone and content, which means the way you look at Facebook will have to change.

No longer will you be able to access profiles of friends because they will be converted to “fans.” You won’t be able to add people to your list, but instead invite them or encourage your other fans to share the page. This isn’t as impersonal as it sounds, but instead, it’s rather personal in a new and exciting way. You will be approaching people as a brand, one that has infinite potential to reach consumers all over the world.

You will have the chance to stretch your creativity in finding ways to promote yourself and get more likes. Facebook Ads is a great way to do this, as are the marketplace and deal sections. You can even send screen caps of humorous incidents on your wall to sites like Lamebook or Failbook, which will then help provide links to tens of thousands of people a day.

Step 3: Tell Current Friends the Change Is Coming

If you have been speaking to people on a one-on-one level since your profile was created, it is a good idea to let them know that you will be converting soon to a business page. Make sure they understand what that means and when it will happen, as well as how it will change their access to you via that page. You can also ask for their support in sharing the page and in keeping things active.

I would personally suggest writing the first announcement in a note and tagging them all if that is feasible. If you have too many people on your list to do that, then drop a status update that directs them to the note. From there, you can make occasional reminders through status messages about the coming conversion. Invite them to ask you any questions until that point, so there is no confusion.

Step 4: Start Migrating Your Page

There is an option (found at the bottom of your current page and labeled “create a page”) on Facebook where you can start the migration. Facebook makes it nice and simple, starting with the selection of a category and subcategory for your business. Try to be as specific as possible, and it will do the rest. It only takes a few minutes to make the change.

Step 5: Customize Your Content

Once your business page has been set up, you can start to configure the page itself, as well as the information you place on it. The first thing you want to do is create a custom username, which can be done by selecting Edit Page > Basic Information > Create a Username. Keep in mind that this name is permanent, so it should be easy to remember and relevant to your business.

From that point you can pull up your downloaded information and start using whatever you like to rebuild. You can also put all new content wherever you like. Creating a business page is even more simple than a personal profile.

What Do You Think?

It is a simple process to create a business page from a personal profile. With so many opportunities for branding, it is a must for anyone who wants to expand their visibility, whether for a company, an image seller or a cause. Try it today for yourself.

What do you think? Will you be creating a business page?

Top image by Furryscaly