Student Spotlight: Building a Web Design Business from Scratch with Lisa Doiron
The Freelance Podclass
How do you transition from being a stay-at-home parent to a freelance business owner? Today our guest is Lisa Doiron, a stay-at-home mom who built a web design business from scratch after years of taking time off to raise her family. As a long-time student at Freelance University, she has valuable insights to share about developing skills and leaning on a community for support. Join us as we talk about valuable lessons learned during the freelance journey and effective strategies for finding clients! Podcast Outline: [0:00] Introduction to Lisa Doiron - Lisa shares how she got...
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Student Spotlight: School Teacher to Asana Specialist with Paula Holsberry
The Freelance Podclass
With all the innovation we’re seeing these days, how do you stay on top of technology and even offer freelance services in that area? Today our guest is Paula Holsberry, who has journeyed from being a school teacher to a freelance Asana specialist with her business, Tessera Virtual Business Solutions. Join us as we discuss some important principles and strategies about niching down and turning a software into an income stream. We’ll also share Paula’s best strategies for developing your expert status and finding clients! Podcast Outline: [0:00] Introduction to Paula Holsberry and...
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The Financial Management Class with Ashley Cline
The Freelance Podclass
Managing your finances is crucial to running and managing a successful freelance business, whether it’s full time or a side hustle. But many of us struggle if bookkeeping is not our strength. Today our guest is Ashley Cline, a digital marketing consultant and freelancing expert with more than 15 years experience in the digital marketing space. Join us as she shares effective tips, tools, and strategies that will help you manage and sustain your business finances long term, even if you experience cycles of feast and famine! Podcast Outline: [0:00] Introduction to Ashley Cline and the...
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The Work from Home Productivity Class with Hilary Sutton
The Freelance Podclass
How do you manage the tension between your personal and professional life when you work from home? Today our guest is Hilary Sutton, a fractional CMO, writer, speaker, and host of the Hustle & Grace Podcast, where she serves as the chief explorer in helping people cultivate a flourishing career in life. Join us as we discuss both the challenges and freedoms of working from home. We’ll share important tips, strategies, and tools that will help you optimize your productivity and find your own unique rhythm! Podcast Outline: [0:00] Introduction to Hilary Sutton and the topic of...
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Student Spotlight: Military Spouse to Freelance Affiliate Manager with Emma Marriott-Predmore
The Freelance Podclass
Today we’re thrilled to present a student spotlight with Emma Marriott-Predmore, a military spouse who’s been a virtual assistant since 1999 and now works as a freelance affiliate manager. She’s built a thriving VA agency and referral networks that benefit military spouses and dependents who work remotely and relocate often. Join us as she shares her story and provides many valuable takeaways that will have a profound impact on your business! Podcast Outline: [0:00] Introduction to Emma Marriott-Predmore and the topic of working as a virtual assistant - Emma shares her journey and...
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The Website Set Up Class with Brian Hall
The Freelance Podclass
How do you design a great website for your freelance business? Today our guest is Brian Hall, a conversion optimization consultant. He’s helped big brands like Udemy, L’Oreal, and Ghirardelli increase their website revenue and now helps small business owners and freelancers improve their website strategy. Join us as we discuss the single most important element of a successful freelance website and recommended platforms to choose from. We’ll also share some effective alternatives to help you keep it simple and still reach your target audience! Podcast Outline: [0:00] Introduction...
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The Transferable Skills Class with Janine Kelbach
The Freelance Podclass
How do you bring your previous skills and experience into the exciting new world of freelancing? Today our guest is Janine Kelbach, the CEO of Write RN and host of the Savvy Scribe Podcast. She is a long-time nurse, educator, author, and freelance health content writer who knows a lot about transitioning to freelancing after having a long-term career. Join us as we discuss the top soft skills that can be transferred to freelancing and the top niches that are in demand in 2023. We guarantee this class will have a positive impact on many of you and encourage you to get started with your...
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The VA to CEO Class with Kristy Yoder
The Freelance Podclass
Are you interested in building an agency or multi-VA firm? Today our guest is Kristy Yoder, the founder and CEO of Smart VAs and host of the Master Delegator Podcast. She leads a team of more than 70 VAs and knows a lot about transitioning from a solopreneur virtual assistant to a CEO. Join us as we discuss the strategies and mindset you’ll need to have so you can overcome challenges and make a successful transition to CEO! Podcast Outline: [0:00] Introduction to Kristy Yoder and the topic of transforming a solopreneur business into an agency or a multi-VA firm - Kristy describes her...
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The Canva Design Class with Rhiannon Rosas
The Freelance Podclass
Canva is arguably one of the most popular design tools in the world right now. But how do you use it to offer a value-added service to your clients? Today our guest is Rhiannon Rosas, a graphic designer and social media manager who helps service providers stand out online with attractive content that’s cohesive to their brand. Join us as we discuss key graphic design opportunities and important steps for freelancers who want to get started in the Canva niche. Podcast Outline: [0:00] Introduction to Rhiannon Rosas and the topic of using Canva to offer a value-added service to your...
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The Top 100 Freelance Jobs Class
The Freelance Podclass
To kick off a new year and celebrate the 100th episode of the Freelance Podclass, we’ve created a brand new guide called “The Top 100 Freelance Jobs for 2023.” In this episode, we’ll share important aspects of the top 100 jobs and go through many of the categories that will be in demand this year. This guide is the result of intensive research and surveys that uncovered the most in-demand opportunities heading into 2023. It’s our hope that this 100th episode will inspire you to take action by moving in a new direction, tapping into a new niche, and pursuing new opportunities! ...
info_outlineSearch Engine Optimization (SEO) services are vital for any business that’s looking to level up their game in Google and get more visibility. But how do you begin offering those services as a freelancer or virtual assistant? Today our guest is Danielle Gagnon, an SEO specialist and lover of all things content creation. Join us as she describes the types of services you can offer, along with key steps you need to follow to launch those services. This is the first time we've ever talked about SEO in the FreeU Podclass, and it’s a discussion you won’t want to miss!
Podcast Outline:
[0:00] Introduction to Danielle Gagnon and the topic of search engine optimization (SEO) as a service - Danielle explains how she became a freelancer with a passion for SEO and shares what she’s doing today.
[3:56] An example that shows the power Google can have in your business, but only when you’re targeting the right audience and content in your blog posts
[5:05] How the average business owner today still struggles with SEO - Danielle shares examples of ways clients need help as they realize the importance of an online presence.
[6:51] Craig shares an example that illustrates how profitable SEO can become - the advantage of getting ahead of your audience using SEO versus other methods that interrupt their content consumption.
[9:21] How SEO has changed throughout the years - new trends Danielle has seen happening and examples of content that works well and needs to be provided as a service.
[12:59] The importance of writing great content to the audience instead of just writing for the search engines - how the algorithm is more about good quality long-form content and people’s search intent.
Types of Services Recommended for New Freelancers or Virtual Assistants
[15:16] #1 Blog writing - Danielle describes valuable opportunities for freelancers who would rather not offer the more technical SEO services.
[15:55] #2 Updating existing blog posts - optimizing and fixing them up for SEO when they’re no longer performing well.
[16:17] #3 Repurposing content - turning podcasts and YouTube videos into keyword-rich or SEO-rich content
[16:27] #4 YouTube SEO - Danielle reassures us that there are many different things you can specialize in that don’t involve a lot of technical knowledge.
[16:44] #5 Keyword research - researching new keywords and long-tail keywords people can optimize for.
[17:00] Tools for researching keywords - Danielle shares her top three recommendations and describes the benefits of her favorite one.
Steps for Freelancers Planning to Launch an SEO Service
[18:44] #1 Think about who you want to serve with SEO - Danielle shares examples illustrating how SEO strategies are applied differently to different businesses.
[19:48] #2 Start and be okay with learning, testing, and tweaking - encouragement that anyone can learn SEO and suggestions for ways to practice with your own content first.
[20:42] Quick tips on how to find SEO clients - Danielle and Craig share suggestions for how to network online in Facebook Groups and partner up with related businesses to connect and build authority.
[23:37] How to connect with Danielle
[24:57] How to learn more about Freelance University
Resources and Tools Discussed in this Episode:
Learn more about Danielle Gagnon:
Free Guide “Rank Secrets: 10 Simple Steps to Go from Buried to #1 on Google”
Connect with Danielle:
Instagram: @daniellegagnon_seo
Danielle’s Podcast: Content Cash Machine
Resources and Tools: