Comments on: Query-Free Freelancing Means Creating Your Own Demand http://allfreelancewriting.com/2009/05/26/specialties/commercial-writing/query-free-freelancing-means-creating-your-own-demand/ Your Freelance Writing Resource Thu, 24 May 2012 04:16:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Yolanda http://allfreelancewriting.com/2009/05/26/specialties/commercial-writing/query-free-freelancing-means-creating-your-own-demand/comment-page-1/#comment-14201 Yolanda Tue, 26 May 2009 19:25:48 +0000 http://queryfreefreelancer.com/?p=123#comment-14201 Thank you for such a detailed response Jennifer. In regards to my blog, what was actually going on was the fact that I had an attractive "Launching Soon" page up which also acted as way for individuals to subscribe to my feed once I launched. However, on the back end of things, I was busy posting away. Now with the insight you've provided, I also see and understand how important it is to build that momentum in the beginning. Thank you for taking the time to respond. =) Thank you for such a detailed response Jennifer.

In regards to my blog, what was actually going on was the fact that I had an attractive “Launching Soon” page up which also acted as way for individuals to subscribe to my feed once I launched. However, on the back end of things, I was busy posting away.

Now with the insight you’ve provided, I also see and understand how important it is to build that momentum in the beginning.

Thank you for taking the time to respond. =)

]]> By: Yolanda http://allfreelancewriting.com/2009/05/26/specialties/commercial-writing/query-free-freelancing-means-creating-your-own-demand/comment-page-1/#comment-14199 Yolanda Tue, 26 May 2009 16:02:30 +0000 http://queryfreefreelancer.com/?p=123#comment-14199 Thank you Jennifer for such an insightful post! It's funny that I happened to read this today as I've targeted a niche that I feel is relatively untouched and one in which I can offer advice and services. However, it will take some getting used to the "query-free" way. Also, in the upcoming days I'll be positioning my blog as a way to further validate my authority on the subject. Right now it's under wraps as I add more valuable content before launching. May I ask if keeping it under wraps is hurting or hindering my success? You see, I notice that is your first post (or at least the first post I've read so far). Should I just launch and build, or keep with my plan of launching with at least 20 substantive posts and update from there. Thanks in Advance, Yolanda Thank you Jennifer for such an insightful post!

It’s funny that I happened to read this today as I’ve targeted a niche that I feel is relatively untouched and one in which I can offer advice and services.

However, it will take some getting used to the “query-free” way.

Also, in the upcoming days I’ll be positioning my blog as a way to further validate my authority on the subject. Right now it’s under wraps as I add more valuable content before launching.

May I ask if keeping it under wraps is hurting or hindering my success? You see, I notice that is your first post (or at least the first post I’ve read so far). Should I just launch and build, or keep with my plan of launching with at least 20 substantive posts and update from there.

Thanks in Advance,

Yolanda

]]> By: Jennifer Mattern http://allfreelancewriting.com/2009/05/26/specialties/commercial-writing/query-free-freelancing-means-creating-your-own-demand/comment-page-/#comment-14200 Jennifer Mattern Tue, 26 May 2009 15:58:57 +0000 http://queryfreefreelancer.com/?p=123#comment-14200 First of all, keep in mind that as soon as you've published something publicly, your blog is launched, even if unofficially. I always take this soft-launch approach--I might announce the new site (like this one) on others I manage targeting a similar audience and I'll get some posts up so people don' find an empty site, but the real "launch" doesn't come right away. I still haven't done the hard launch end of things here. When I do, the new release will go out, I'll be kicking that off with a roundtable discussion series with some successful and well-known freelance writers, I'll submit a few of the highest quality members-only freebies I can muster up, and I'll be doing aggressive link-building and pushing for word of mouth promotion. I even have a second phase planned several weeks to up to two months down the road tied to the book-in-progress this blog is related to. In other words, think of that "launch" as not only a start, but an early evolution and spread of your blog. It really isn't necessary to have 20 posts up before you launch things aggressively. A solid intro post is usually fine (not a "welcome to my new blog" post, but one jumping right into an issue likely to spark interest or discussion). If you really want several, I'd say no more than five before you at least start to announce the site on a softer basis. The main reason I say that is this: if you don't let people know about your site early enough, and when you finally do there's a whole lot of content to read, most of that early content simply won't be read. At least it won't be read until it starts attracting search traffic. That leaves posts with empty comments, and issues that are left unexplored by your readers. As long as you give people either something they can use or something that makes them really think about a topic, you don't need to give them enough to gorge at the launch. In those early phases, the quality is what is really going to make the site stand out. First of all, keep in mind that as soon as you’ve published something publicly, your blog is launched, even if unofficially. I always take this soft-launch approach–I might announce the new site (like this one) on others I manage targeting a similar audience and I’ll get some posts up so people don’ find an empty site, but the real “launch” doesn’t come right away. I still haven’t done the hard launch end of things here. When I do, the new release will go out, I’ll be kicking that off with a roundtable discussion series with some successful and well-known freelance writers, I’ll submit a few of the highest quality members-only freebies I can muster up, and I’ll be doing aggressive link-building and pushing for word of mouth promotion. I even have a second phase planned several weeks to up to two months down the road tied to the book-in-progress this blog is related to. In other words, think of that “launch” as not only a start, but an early evolution and spread of your blog.

It really isn’t necessary to have 20 posts up before you launch things aggressively. A solid intro post is usually fine (not a “welcome to my new blog” post, but one jumping right into an issue likely to spark interest or discussion). If you really want several, I’d say no more than five before you at least start to announce the site on a softer basis. The main reason I say that is this: if you don’t let people know about your site early enough, and when you finally do there’s a whole lot of content to read, most of that early content simply won’t be read. At least it won’t be read until it starts attracting search traffic. That leaves posts with empty comments, and issues that are left unexplored by your readers. As long as you give people either something they can use or something that makes them really think about a topic, you don’t need to give them enough to gorge at the launch. In those early phases, the quality is what is really going to make the site stand out.

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