Last Updated on by Michael Brockbank
Textbroker is a great way for new writers to get their feet wet in freelance ghostwriting. It’s a simple system to use that can be very lucrative if you put in the effort. The first thing you need to do is develop a Textbroker profile that can attract clients.
After all, it’s direct orders and teams that will make you the most money. So, how do you go about making a winning public profile?
Creating a Stellar Textbroker Profile
The more information available regarding your abilities, the more attractive you become to clients and team managers. If you’ve just started and are waiting for the editors to rate your initial writing, this is the perfect time to build up the profile.
The profile on Textbroker is divided up among several tabs. Filling out each of these sections to the best of your abilities is key to attracting clients.
For instance, what if you had a background in computer technology but didn’t show that in your profile?
Because you don’t have the skill on display, the potential client will simply move on to the next writer.
Click on the “Account” tab along the top of Textbroker.
General Info of the Textbroker Profile
The General Info tab is the nuts and bolts of your account. It’s essentially a smaller version of a resume which is useful to highlight your background. How do you make the most out of this area? Here are a few examples:
- Profile Access
Always make sure this is set to “Show my profile to clients.” This one is pretty obvious as your profile will not be available in a search if it’s hidden. - Resume
Like other resumes you create, this is where you want to highlight your previous experience. However, you cannot add contact information in this section. This would violate your agreement with Textbroker. - Nickname
Nicknames are how clients view you. If you want to attract a higher quality of client, make sure you use something that is professional. Something like “SirWritesAlot69” does not fall into that category. - Price in Cents
You can set the price you charge direct clients per word in your Textbroker profile. You want to be competitive, but you don’t want to charge too little. Figure out a fair price for your time and for the client. Perhaps charge a few decimal points higher than the level you are in the system. For instance, a level 3 writer would increase this amount to 1.3 cents per word. - Order capacity per week
This is how many orders you would be able to complete inside of seven days. Be realistic with this number. However, you also want to realize that the size of the order makes a big difference. For instance, it takes less time to write 300 words as opposed to 3000. Adjust this periodically by recording a personal average. - Away Message
This is the message clients see when you are away. Personally, I’ve never changed this from the default only because I am never “away.”
The most important part of this section is perhaps the resume. Don’t fake it, but make sure you accentuate any jobs you’ve done in the past. Even a client looking for customer service blog pieces will look at someone who spent time working the register at McDonald’s.
Abilities
In the Abilities tab, you want to explain your skills more fully. While the resume section from earlier helps the Textbroker profile, your skills will add to the effect.
Just remember to update this portion if you use Textbroker for any length of time. It will enhance a prospective client will view you.
Education and Degrees
My education is currently set to “High school or GED.” This is because Textbroker doesn’t have an option for “Some College Courses.” Obviously the more education you have, the more likely clients will use you to write their material.
Occupation/Major
If you had a major in college, here is where it would go. Since I never graduated, thanks to a lack of money, I use my primary occupation before I started writing full-time.
In this instance, it was Computer Sciences – because I owned my own computer company for several years.
Industry Experience
The skills in your industry will definitely inspire clients to contact you. Textbroker only allows up to 10 primary skills, so select the ones you have the greatest strength.
After writing this post, I am thinking about changing a few of mine because a lot has changed in seven years.
Type of Writing
Writing content isn’t merely about blogging. In fact, there are multitudes of different types. Textbroker only lets you pick five of these, so choose the ones you have the greatest interest in writing.
For instance, blogs and fiction are in my list of writing types for obvious reasons. However, you can also select social media posts and other formats.
Writing Samples
Here is where your Textbroker profile will shine. Letting clients see your skills can pique their interest. But it’s the actual style of your writing that will make the greatest impact.
You can have up to three writing samples of your work, and they can be of varying types.
For instance, I have a sample for product descriptions and two in-depth articles. That’s only because I prefer writing longer pieces as opposed to shorter ones.
These articles can be about almost any topic, as long as it doesn’t have adult-rated material or other controversial content. Personally, I wrote about a paint additive, Joomla, and Yoast SEO for WordPress.
Choose topics that interest you and put your best content forward. Remember, this is meant to impress and engage a client.
One of the best things you can do is write new samples once every six months. Over time, your skills are going to develop. As a result, you’ll be able to demonstrate far better content to clients.
Plus, it helps keep your profile fresh and up-to-date.
If you need help writing these, I do have some writing sample tips you can use to your advantage.
Languages
Those who are multi-lingual are sometimes a hot commodity. In this section of the Textbroker profile, you can flex your linguistic muscles and show clients your command of other languages.
This is done by including a short sample of your writing.
Because of the nature of content on the Internet, there are all kinds of clients looking for specific languages. If you have even basic skills, it’s worth putting into this area.
Who knows, you may even develop a stronger understanding by using it more often for clients.
Unfortunately, the only language I am fluent in is English. But, this did give me the chance to write another short sample of how well I can create content on my Textbroker profile.
Interests
Interests can be enlightening for some clients. It shows what will focus your attention more. After all, some studies demonstrate how keeping interested in a project produces a better quality of work.
This means the more interested you are in a topic, the better the work will become.
As this is seen by clients as well, details in the Interests area can help connect with greater possibilities. Perhaps a client is looking for someone who has a specific interest in a certain topic.
This section gives the client a way to find you if the interests match the needs.
The description of the interests is also a place where clients can see your writing skills regarding each topic. Much like writing samples, these offer insight into your command of a first-person view.
I’m not completely sure how many interests you can list in Textbroker. I only have three at the moment. I simply didn’t have time to go into deeper detail and often forget to go back and add more.
However, this is an extension of your abilities and you should add as much as you can.
Travel
Some clients want writers who have experience in specific locations. If you traveled anywhere in the past, you want to list the destination.
Personally, I don’t experience a great deal of these kinds of orders simply because I am a hermit.
Still, it’s an additional piece of the profile that has the potential to influence a client to choose you over another author.
Keeping the Textbroker Profile Updated
Your Textbroker profile is vastly important if you want to attract clients to use you rather than someone else. Filling it out is just part of the process. Like I said before, it’s a good idea to keep various parts updated.
Between your changing interests and the development of your abilities, you could land more lucrative orders and teams.
You’re not going to get rich quick while using Textbroker. It’s difficult to be a full-time writer. However, it can be a very profitable experience if you put in the effort to evolve your abilities.
As of this post, I have completed more than 5,500 orders for clients ranging from animals to travel. It’s all in how you view yourself as a professional and how hard you work at making yourself a freelancer clients want to hire.
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