The internet is an extremely powerful marketing tool which means that there is plenty of work which can be outsourced remotely. Most sales brochures, advertising brands, logos and web design can be designed in this way. Similarly, work is available researching potential commercial customers, obtaining contact information from the internet and sending targeted marketing e-mails.

One of the new growth areas is Search Engine Optimization or SEO. This technique is concerned with driving high quantities of relevant traffic towards a particular website. In order to do this, the website must contain substantial web copy dense with relevant keywords (the existence of these keywords will cause search engines to prioritize a particular web address in its search list). If your website is at the top of a search engine list it will get more hits and more potential customers. An additional stage is link building, the process of linking a website with other commercial businesses. If a sale is affected from a customer who visited the site from your link, you will be entitled to a commission. This method is typically used by small business entrepreneurs who are not able to offer the items for sale themselves.

Other, more traditional, marketing services can also be outsourced with reasonable ease, there are many websites setup just for these purposes e.g. ScriptLance, GetAFreelancer, RentACoder and Elance .

Telemarketing services have famously been outsourced by multi-national corporations with mixed results. These large scale operations involve (usually western) companies - such as large banks - setting up a call center in a poorer country. Telephone customers are directed to this center and the English speaking workers use a database of information in order to answer enquiries. Outsourcing benefits of this approach include the ability to drive down costs (which, in turn, can be transferred to better product offers for the customer) as well as creating jobs in emerging economies. However, one perceived disadvantage is the creation of a feeling of bad faith amongst some customers, who believe they should be entitled to discuss their consumer issues with similarly domiciled inhabitants.

A call center operation such as the one described in the paragraph above is clearly a major operation raising legal issues beyond the scope of this article. However, smaller operations can be created reasonably simply using platforms such as freelancer.com which allows businesses to assemble virtual teams of telemarketers and outsource services.

The team might live in many different countries but they are able to keep in contact by telephone and internet, through which they can be briefed about business policy and guidelines. The main requirement is availability during certain periods, corresponding with the hours of business of the company in question.

©2010 FreelancersElite. All Rights Reserved.

• Accounting – This involves dealing with the invoicing and financial systems of a business. Tasks delivered by outsourcers include, for example, using accounting programs such as Quick Books and Sage to keep records up to date and extract and analyze data to report on a business’s financial status.
• Bookkeeping – Bookkeeping is a similar role to accounting in that it is concerned with the financial systems of a business. The term bookkeeping is more often associated with the hands-on role of making payments and chasing lost payments, whereas accountancy is more to do with auditing the overall financial status of the business.
• Business financial planning – Another service required by businesses and sometimes entrusted to outsourcers is the financial planning, i.e. creating business plans, projections, forecasts and targets.
• Legal services – There is a small amount of legal work available to well-qualified web outsourcers. For example, new entrepreneurs might need assistance in incorporating a company, drafting terms and conditions of service, reviewing contracts or applying for trademarks.
• Business consultancy – This is a phrase which has a number of possible interpretations. At its highest level it is concerned with professional corporate advisory services and project planning. Most of the outsourcing opportunities advertised online under this category heading refer to more menial tasks such as customer service and telephone enquiries.
• Human resources work – There are a small number of outsourcing opportunities for qualified human resources candidates. The effectiveness of online tools such as GetAFreelancer allows businesses to build virtual teams - i.e. a group of individuals providing outsourcing services remotely, working together without (in all likelihood) ever meeting.
• Project management work – Similarly, there are limited opportunities for individuals skilled at managing discrete projects. In reality, there is quite a big overlap with network and information system outsourcing since many of the projects are concerned with overseeing the implementation of computer programs, one of the few projects under this heading for which face-to-face contact is not necessarily an absolute requirement.
• Recruitment agents – The most popular opportunities for recruitment outsourcing providers involve businesses which are trying to establish labor connections in different countries. One possible motivation for doing this is for richer countries to attract employees from poorer countries in order to carry out low paid tasks.

Most of the demand for outsourcing services provided under the umbrella of business services comes from smaller companies looking to reduce the high costs associated with engaging the services of lawyers, accountants, recruitment consultants and other professionals. Major corporations will almost invariably have strong relationships with their own professional services, arrangements which actually have much in common with outsourcing.

Because of the nature of delivering professional services including various sets of regulatory rules, this type of work does not generate significant outsourcing demand. Most businesses, if they have a genuine need for any material legal or accountancy services, would be well advised to go through professional services firms in spite of the higher costs. These are areas where bad advice could be potentially costly and the risk of an outsourcer disappearing is a factor.

©2010 FreelancersElite. All Rights Reserved.

The term web development encompasses various different sub-categories:

• Web design – Delivery of web design is one of the most popular outsourcing services. Businesses can use website developers to create a website from scratch or, alternatively, might require alterations to an existing model. Being able to design a website which is eye-catching and user friendly is extremely valuable to the right business.
• Web programming – The outsourcing demand for web programmers is even greater than that of web design. The 2 categories are quite closely linked. Web programming is particularly concerned with the website’s technical engineering. It covers most work concerned with web functionality, for example, linking the website with networking programs such as Facebook or Twitter, designing eye-catching graphics or promotional games.
• E-commerce – This category could also accurately be included under the umbrella of ‘Web development’. It is primarily concerned with the design and programming of electronic shopping carts and payment programs to enable businesses to process transactions online without the use of PayPal.
• User interface design – Put simply, UI design is specifically concerned with the website’s layout, to make it as user friendly as possible.
• Website project management – The distinction between this and web design and / or programming is often minimal. Website project management tends to be concerned with long-term projects such as updating a website with daily newsflashes and e-bulletins, rather than the discrete tasks which more often fall into one of the other categories.

Whereas many of the other common outsourcing services are more regularly used by smaller businesses, web development services are required by almost all firms. Few businesses, even major corporations, have the expertise at staff level to cope with the demands of advanced tasks like web programming. The demand from outsourcing businesses is therefore quite indiscriminate in terms of size and type of organization.

The internet revolution has created a shifting culture in which potential customers now search for products and services online, whereas previously they used telephone and business directories. It is a good time to be a web developer since the demand for their services is currently so great.

However, this is a reciprocal relationship, with many outsourcing benefits also available to businesses. Finding a properly qualified outsource provider is now as simple as it has ever been, meaning that businesses can draw on the services of specialist agents whenever they require them. Prices can be kept low due to the existence of cheaper foreign labor through web outsourcing. There are a number of websites available to facilitate introductions between outsourcers and potential applicants e.g. ScriptLance, GetAFreelancer, RentACoder and Elance and most of these also have ratings systems which encourage both sides to act reasonably to ensure professionalism and happy working relationships.

©2010 FreelancersElite. All Rights Reserved.

• Wait until your business has a need for a skilled software developer. One of the great benefits of outsourcing is the ability to cherry pick your services as and when you require them, making it much more cost effective than hiring full time staff.
• Begin project planning. Businesses use software successfully in a range of different ways. Common examples include the design and development of desktop applications, software plug-ins, mobile phone applications, software project management services and script & utilities services. You will be able to tap into the expertise of a worldwide list of suppliers and so you will be able to outsource virtually any type of software development work.
• Create an account with GetAFreelancer, which is an online marketplace used by programmers and suppliers to market and provide work. Once you are enlisted, you will be able to create a job description which you can advertise in a specific Software Development section. You will be able to enter your proposed budget and any other stipulations such as time limit, language criteria or any program experience required by the successful provider.
• Await bids from potential providers. In choosing the right provider for your outsourcing job you will be able to take into account a number of different factors. First of all you can consider the amount of their bid. Secondly, GetAFreelancer offers its service providers the opportunity of updating their profile with employment and experience so you will be able to read about the provider. GetAFreelancer also offers its providers the opportunity to take specially tailored tests. You will be able to see the results of these. You can even arrange interviews via instant messenger services or over the telephone.
• However, in practice, the best indicator you will have is from the ratings system. This allows the web outsourcer and the provider of past jobs to rate one another in a number of different areas and is therefore a good indicator of the type of relationship you can expect. As a new outsourcer you will not have any feedback which might make some providers more wary of working for you to begin with (although it is likely that plenty will still apply). However, after the first job this situation will improve.
• Ensure you deliver clear instructions to your chosen provider and either make prompt payment or explain if further work is required before the funds are released. Payments can be made through GetAFreelancer in a number of ways, including PayPal.
• As you continue to use GetAFreelancer, keep a note of your preferred providers. GetAFreelancer has a function which allows you to do this and so, when you have other jobs, you will be able to approach a trusted provider or outsource service directly to see whether they would be willing to work with you again.

©2010 FreelancersElite. All Rights Reserved.

The web outsource market for ghostwriting is growing every day. It is affected by the role of search engines which take the inputted search words and match them up with the most applicable websites. Search engines use computer technology and to judge the relevance of web copy by counting keywords. This means that domain names with substantial keyword focused web copy are more likely to be ranked higher in an internet search. This generates more internet traffic, increasing the potential to reach customers and generates advertising revenue streams. Quite a lot of project planning goes into ensuring the right balance.

By way of example, keywords and phrases which might be relevant to a law firm include ‘insolvency’, ‘real estate’, ‘wills’, ‘probate’ or ‘corporate finance’. A law firm uploading substantial web copy with these words would be said to be using a marketing technique called ‘Search Engine Optimization’ or SEO so that, when somebody typed in one of these words, it would be noticed in a prominent position, and there would be a good chance that the website would be visited by potential customers.

Because an increasing number of businesses are realizing the marketing potential of SEO, competition for places on the top of the search engine results is increasing. There is even greater competition for businesses which operate in a mainstream market. Many businesses therefore outsource work to freelance writers, providing keywords and other salient article details in order to increase their web copy. There are a number of well-established websites such as ScriptLance, GetAFreelancer, RentACoder and Elance , the purposes of which are to introduce freelance writers and business owners.

The type of work varies from individual users working on projects compiling a backlog of articles on virtually any subject through to specialist firms who want well written articles in their particular area of business. Freelance writers must demonstrate an aptitude to research subject matter thoroughly and create clear, intelligent and readable articles. Whilst the keywords often provide the article’s primary value their overall quality is a reflection of the business. Standards tend to be higher for bigger companies and this is reflected in remuneration.

One of the principle outsource benefits for freelance writers who are able to meet these requirements is the option of forging a career as their own boss. They can work from home, in order to spend more time with their families and, within reason, the opportunity of taking on as much or as little work as they desire. Other freelancers might use this skill as a secondary source of income, combining it with full time employment. Businesses benefit from access to a worldwide network of talented freelance ghostwriters and therefore can often command very competitive rates of pay. However, highly talented freelance writers can use the network to cultivate a good reputation, so that they are sought after by the bigger providers who offer the better rates of pay.

©2010 FreelancersElite. All Rights Reserved.

Businesses use audio, video and multimedia services most often as a marketing tool. Traditionally, this has been the domain of corporate giants, specializing in preparing television commercials. The rising popularity of digital television and commercial radio has made this form of marketing more viable for small and medium sized businesses, particularly those with a regional presence.

Nowadays, digital technology and internet sites such as YouTube.com mean that anybody can produce and exhibit decent quality material by utilizing some well known project planning techniques. Many businesses, particularly in America, upload commercials to their webpages. They can be particularly useful in providing practical demonstrations of products. ‘How to…’ instructional videos are also particularly popular since they can generate good quality internet traffic for targeted marketing campaigns. For example, a video entitled ‘How to Play the Guitar’ would attract potential guitarists and would therefore be a sensible place in which to advertise guitar tuition and guitar and accessory shops and thus a potential revenue stream.

The type of outsourcing services which are required and supplied in this genre range in scope. At their most substantial, outsourcers will be hired to conduct the entire project planning and implementation stages of a media service advertisement. However, many businesses like to maintain a high level of control over these types of projects and it is therefore more usual to see projects involved with one particular aspect of the overall plan – for example, an outsourcer might be required to prepare an original music score to accompany a film, or edit or cut the file. Providers like these can be found on job boards such as ScriptLance, GetAFreelancer, RentACoder and Elance .

Whilst the work can be quite technical, many projects can be outsourced remotely at very competitive rates. This is due in part to the number of suppliers who are able to embrace this work with home software packages and also because of the significant outsourcing benefits of being able to tender work in effect to the whole world, particularly to skilled workers in poorer countries. Having said that, at the top end this type of work offers a good hourly rate and there are plenty of bigger corporations with projects.

One of the outsourcing benefits which is particularly noticeable here is that very few businesses have full time employees dedicated to these types of roles. Clearly the workload is project driven and therefore full time staff is not usually required. The development of internet based outsourcing means that businesses can identify good quality providers who are able to work quickly and effectively on short term projects. Having identified reliable providers, many businesses are then able to form long lasting and successful relationships.

©2010 FreelancersElite. All Rights Reserved.

• Data entry – The ability of a business to successfully gather and collate information is often an important factor in its success. Data entry is a simple and fairly self-explanatory task, although work must be carried out accurately. Typical assignments would include entering data from business cards, client information forms or market research documents.
• Transcription – Conversion of information from one medium to another. The most common work in this type of administrative support involves carrying out dictation tasks or typing incorrigible PDF documents into more user friendly, amendable word documents.
• Internet research – Once again, this is a simple concept. Commonly, marketing companies seek internet researchers to visit websites of a certain genre in order to compile a list of key employees and their contact details. This list can then be used to approach these businesses, almost certainly with the objective of selling a product or service. Whilst this is the foundation of the work, it can actually be quite varied, with people requiring information on many different areas.
• E-mail response handling – These are usually customer service roles and can require greater personal contact between provider and outsourcer than some of the outsource services above.
• Personal assistant – Jobs can vary from advising on a discrete task which a small business does not have the expertise to deliver on its own all the way through to full PA / secretarial duties including, without limitation, many of those previously mentioned in this bullet pointed list. As with the last bullet point, these jobs will usually require a person who works in a similar time zone to their employer.

A business’s need for many of the web outsource services mentioned above can fluctuate quite significantly, when considering making allowances for these outsource services, make time for some sensible project planning. One major outsourcing benefit is the ability of a business to make quick adjustments to human resources in order to meet specific needs. Big corporations can find good quality staff quickly to meet short term needs whereas smaller companies are able to pay for administrative support services only when they actually need them. In many cases they can operate without staff on the permanent payroll.

Hiring at short notice can, of course, be a risk but the online platforms through which outsource services are bought and sold like ScriptLance, GetAFreelancer, RentACoder and Elance usually allow contractors to rate one another on the quality of past jobs. These sites even provide details of the most popular web outsource providers, information which is particularly used by bigger corporations looking to meet short term work / resource imbalances. Perhaps even more valuable is the fact that web outsourcers are able to simply record their favorite service providers, whom they can then seek out each time a new opportunity arises. In this way, the online networking arena works in an almost identical way to any conventional networking arrangement – people introduce and sell themselves and then work is provided and secured based on reputation and past performance.

©2010 FreelancersElite. All Rights Reserved.

One way of generating such advertising revenue is through link building. The principle is that a person reading an article on a specific subject will be a good target market for related products and services. So an article about improving your golf swing might contain links through to stores selling golfing equipment. The website’s owner receives either a small income based on the number of clicks through to a particular website or a commission if a product is sold to a customer ‘introduced’ via their website. Services such as web outsourcing and programs like Google Adsense have made this very easy to do, so that the idea is used by companies and bloggers alike.

On the face of it, SEO is a cheap form of marketing but needs considerable project planning to implement effectively. Most established businesses will have subject specific literature which can easily be uploaded to their website. However, as more and more businesses embrace this form of marketing the fight to the top of the search engine results has become much more intense. Because of this demand a market has developed for competent authors who are able to write thoughtfully and intelligently on a variety of subjects, scattering their articles liberally with targeted keywords and phrases.

These freelance writers provide their outsourcing services online. Providers advertise jobs through freelancing websites. Job descriptions usually contain details such as the length and number of articles required, keywords, budget and timescale. Using this information, writers quote and the job is delegated to the preferred candidate.

When businesses and freelance writers engage in this way, communication is often electronic only. One of the roles of freelancing websites like ScriptLance, GetAFreelancer, RentACoder and Elance is to provide a platform to assist providers and writers to forge successful relationships. Outsource service providers can therefore display details of their abilities, provide their education and experience and even sit specially formulated tests. However, there is rarely any proper substitute for actual performance and so most freelancing websites allow providers and writers to rate one another once a particular assignment has been completed.

The rating system is probably the most frequently used indicator in forming business relationships with outsource services and it operates in a similar way to the one used by eBay. Parties are able to rate each other through a variety of different factors such as strength of communication, clarity of instructions, ability to work to deadlines, quality of work and promptness of payment. Over time, providers and writers accrue a rating which is displayed against their jobs or bids. Since past behavior is considered to be such a good indicator of future performance, parties are able to enter agreements with a certain confidence and expectation when it comes to web outsourcing.

©2010 FreelancersElite. All Rights Reserved.

The responsibility for maintaining, developing and operating a business’s network and information system will fall upon an information technology specialist and quite a bit of project planning is required to ensure the data systems integrity is not compromised in any way. Not every business recognizes the need to pay a full time employee for this role, preferring instead, to outsource the work to outsourcing services when issues arise. Typical work required by a networking and information systems provider includes:

• Network administration – this includes work such as setting up public folders, configuring security groups, installing anti-virus and anti-spam software, creating back-up systems and configuring a uniform e-mail system (for example, creating standard e-mail signature strips and headers).
• Database administration – this includes backing up data systems and installing software updates.
• Server administration – setting up a server, creating user accounts, installing the user platform, advising on the need for other software and ensuring a smooth implementation.
• CRM (Customer Relationship Manager) implementation – various work associated with the implementation, administration and operation of Customer Relationship Manager databases, increasingly used and valued by businesses to provide more effective customer service and recognize other business opportunities.

Whilst the task of installing the server box (which is usually either kept in a secure place on a business’s premises or in a co-location center with the servers of other businesses) will require a physical presence, much of the remainder of the work can be carried out remotely and web outsourcing is often considered as one of the project planning stages. Some of the online job boards like being ScriptLance, GetAFreelancer, RentACoder and Elance are where most people turn to find competent service providers.

Even large corporations will outsource some of their networking and information systems work, although (because most businesses of a certain size will have their own information technology department) this is often limited to high-level projects delivered by specialist information technology firms, which are very successful in their own right.

The demand for networking and information system web outsourcing is dominated by starter and small to medium sized businesses. Some of the outsourcing benefits of the internet revolution are that the specialist is only a click of a button away and, whilst he might be working from the other side of the world, the possibilities of working remotely are becoming almost limitless.

However, the demand for networking and information systems specialists online is not as great as for some other business areas (notably graphic design, web development and marketing) – possibly because businesses like to have their information technology specialists on call during their own business hours. Despite this, a decent number of jobs continue to be marketed and delivered. In comparison with other employment opportunities available over the internet, these jobs yield good hourly rates which are a reflection of their specialist nature.

©2010 FreelancersElite. All Rights Reserved.

The advent of the internet has made the possibility of working remotely a realistic option for graphic designers and businesses looking for their services. One of the great strengths of the internet is the ability to link many different people together, providing strong competition for services and access to an abundance of talent. Secondly, businesses of all sizes now have an online presence and the visual importance of the graphics on these sites creates a further demand for graphic design outsourcing services.

There are several well established internet businesses, designed to facilitate the union between graphic designers and businesses, four of them being ScriptLance, GetAFreelancer, RentACoder and Elance . It is a simple and quick procedure to set up an account and either advertise or tender for work. Typically, the provider files a brief description of the work and qualified individuals then provide their quotes. Jobs range in value from a few dollars, to thousands of dollars, and examples of the type of work available include designing website layouts, advertising banners, logo designs, presenting photographs and even more advanced projects such as creating animated movies. The projects are almost invariably concerned with promoting a particular business or service or driving internet traffic to a certain site to generate advertising revenues.

Many of the businesses that are outsourcing their graphic design work are in their embryonic or, early stages of growth. These will often have a very small number of employees and so, whilst often carrying extensive experience in some areas of business, other skill sets might be less readily available. One great outsourcing benefit is the ability to engage other workers as and when necessary. The fact that a market is created from many people from all corners of the world means that even very small businesses are able to afford well qualified individuals; all that is required in managing them is the implementation of some sensible project planning methodologies.

The benefits extend to the provider as well. Web outsourcing is creating more opportunity for people to work from home, allowing them to spend more time with their families, and less time and expense commuting. Graphic designers can effectively become their own bosses, having the ability to take on as much or as little work as they like. Well qualified child carers and other housebound individuals can also take advantage of this source of income. Similarly, graphic designers from poorer countries have had great success since they are often able to undercut western prices considerably and still perform the work at a significant profit. The most professional, full time providers are able to exhibit extensive portfolios of work with they have completed in the past. These projects are by no means ‘get rich quick’ schemes; however, opportunities are posted on a daily basis and are available to competent, enterprising and hard-working individuals.

©2010 FreelancersElite. All Rights Reserved.