Read on to find out ten services you can outsource via micro-jobbing!
It is becoming more and more common for small businesses and companies to outsource to micro-jobbing websites like fivesquid and Fiverr, potentially saving them thousands of pounds per year.
For as little as £5 people are offering their skills and expertise to help businesses expand and grow. This new phenomenon could revolutionise the business industry, offering cheap services and fast turn-around.
So if you’re a business owner and you’re looking to save money, here are ten examples of services that you could purchase:
#1 Social media advertising
Facebook has 1 billion registered users and Twitter has 271 million active users. The increasing popularity of social media websites means that it is becoming easier to advertise products and attract more customers, however it can be tricky to know where to begin. On micro-jobbing websites people are offering their services to help promote businesses by improving their online presence. Whether this be increasing their number of Twitter followers, raising Facebook page likes or leaving positive reviews of products. Some services also claim to help develop social media marketing strategies. This is an efficient, cheaper way for companies to reach a wider demographic for very little money.
#2 SEO
Everyone wants to be on the first page of Google. It usually means more traffic to the website and a greater probability of business. Micro-jobbing sites offer services which promises to increase the amount of traffic to a website by using SEO, or search engine optimization. This involves manipulating key words which makes the web page more likely to be in top search results, thus creating the potential for more customers. Many services offered by individuals with experience in SEO promise to both review and edit websites, give advice on how to improve content on the website and some even write SEO enriched articles or blogs.
#3 Graphic design
Using micro-jobbing websites for graphic design can save businesses a lot of money. It is much cheaper than hiring a firm or specialised company, and the quality of the results are just as good. Many people are using their artistic flair by offering services to create anything from professional logos to business cards, from designing stationary for companies to designing mobile apps. These sorts of services are perfect for start-up companies who can’t afford to hire a professional but can neither design graphics themselves.
#4 PR submission
This is another good service which will help with the advertisement of a product, business or company. People are prepared to submit press releases on the behalf of businesses to a variety of media outlets; directories, magazines, radio shows, and newspapers. As well as submitting them to the appropriate platforms, there are some services which go the extra mile and offer to write press releases too. This is effective for spreading the word about a business and any related news.
#5 Email campaign copy writing
Email campaigns are another marketing strategy which, when successful, can be highly beneficial to a business. But it can be difficult to make sure that the email stands out and encourages customers to click through any links provided. It needs to be eye-catching and persuasive to attract potential customers. Services on micro-jobbing websites can offer advice and tips on how to improve the content of the emails, as well as personalised tutorials showing business owners how to do it themselves. There are some services which are also prepared to sell businesses mailing lists so a larger number of people will see the emails.
#6 Website design
Nowadays, all businesses should not only have a website but it should be eye-catching, professional and stand out from the competition. The aesthetics of the website design are extremely important. However, there are many that don’t know how to set up a website effectively and it can be time-consuming and difficult. By purchasing services from a micro-jobbing website, business owners can get an attractive website specially made. There are some who offer to only create web page templates or some who fully build the website for you.
#7 Data entry
There isn’t a great supply of data entry clerks or typists anymore. It is a hard position to fill, most likely due to the monotony of the work. It is too time consuming for businesses to do it themselves so hiring someone from micro-jobbing sites is both efficient and cheap, since you don’t have to pay them a regular salary. Services offering any sort of data entry such as copy and pasting information, typing up information into text documents or entering data into a computer system database. Some services charge by the hour or place a limit on word count so all businesses can find someone to suit their needs.
#8 Market research
Conducting market research aims to gather information about target markets and customers. This is always important when building and expanding a business. Services can potentially identify and analyse the market so that the company can improve their marketing and business plan. It is much cheaper than purchasing a market research report which can cost hundreds of pounds.
#9 Financial consulting
Instead of seeking help from a professional accountant, which could cost a great deal of money, there are chartered accountants offering their services on micro-jobbing sites for a fraction of the price. This is especially good for start-up businesses. Online accountants give advice and tips to improve finances and increase profit, help business owners to understand their finances documents and also help them to build a strong financial strategy.
#10 Content writing and editing
One of the most common services offered on micro-jobbing websites is the creation of content, either for online or print distribution. Freelance writers offer to fully research and write articles, blogs for websites or magazines. In most cases, businesses can get a 1000 word article for just £5. Similarly, some services will proofread content, checking for basic grammar and spelling, to make a website look consistent and professional. This can save businesses the trouble of employing a writer and paying a salary.
Image sources: Main image – photo of the FiveSquid website by DumbFunded; image 2: Photo by Sean MacEntee @ Flickr; image 3: Self portrait by Thais sr @ Flickr; image 4: Rob Franksdad @ Flickr; image 5: photo by Michael Shaheen @ Flickr.
