How to create a #steemgigs post - Some tips from the Steem Freelancer's Guild

steemfreelancers (47)in #steemgigs • 6 years ago

There's no magic formula to creating a #steemgigs post,

but there are some things to keep in mind to maximize the visibility and success of your gig.

This post will explain some general tips and tricks to creating a #steemgigs service offer. Hopefully, this will help new freelancers, and/or new Steemit users smoothly transition into the SteemGigs community.

As a reference, We'll be using a recent SteemGig offer by @thatsweeneyguy (me).

Your Post Title

This is one of the first things a potential client is going to see, and will need to summarize your post in as little text as possible. Let's break down the title of our reference post, as it appears in the Steemit feed...

A) Putting something like [STEEMGIG] at the beginning of your title lets the user know in one word that this is either going to be an offer or request for a service or product. It catches the eye of someone quickly scrolling through the feed, and conveys information as efficiently as possible.
B) Get straight to the point. Don't waste any precious words here. What are you offering or requesting? Informational efficiency is essential here, too. Explain what you do or need the best you can with as few words as you can. You don't want to bore your reader before they ever understand what the post is.
C) Include your price in the title. Let people know right up front how much this is going to cost, or how much they'll get for the work they put in.

All of these elements combined create a clear and concise title that could attract potential customers or clients, before they ever click on your post! Your post's thumbnail image (the first image you use in your post) is also very important for grabbing the attention of people scrolling through their feed, and has the potential to give much more information much faster than a post title ever could.

Remember, to be a freelancer, you have to be an inventor, AND a salesman...

In the reference post, I open by proposing a "problem" to the reader. They've spent a lot of time and effort writing their post, but they don't have an image that works well with the post. GASP I then provide a solution... my services.

I go on to explain how I can solve that problem...

"Using stocks or any image you provide as a background, I will create a promotional image for you at an affordable price. These images don't just have to be post thumbnails either. I can create any size image for any occasion or event. (Please note that this price may have to be altered for anything incredibly large or intricate.)"

Short, sweet, and descriptive. The reader now knows exactly what I can offer them, and they already know why I'm offering it. Now it's time to drive it home...

Give the reader a reason to buy your product/service

You want to throw a wide net when looking for work. What reasons would someone have to buy your service? How can they benefit from it? In the reference post, I list a few more reasons why someone would need custom images, possibly sparking ideas in potential customers' minds, and kick-starting a motivation to purchase.

So the reader has decided to buy, what's the next step?

How can your new customer/client get in touch with you to secure your services? Give your readers a clear way to contact you, even if it's simply by commenting on your post. This will let them know what to do in order to pay you for your work, and you want to make that a smooth process. In the reference post, I explain that users can either comment directly on the post, or get in touch with me on Discord. You can use any communication channel you would like, so long as your customers can contact you.

One last promo...

I end that post by explaining that I am offering a discount to all fellow SFG members...

Things like this certainly aren't required, but it can be a good way for you to convince someone to purchase at the last moment, or offer something special for whatever reason. I offer the discount I do both in an effort to drum up a little extra side work while building the guild's roster, and to support those who have made the decision to join the guild and advance their careers and portfolios. This little snippet also gave the SFG a little extra attention where it may not have gotten any.

I hope this post has been informative, and I can't wait to see some of the #steemgigs you guys create! Thanks for reading!