For a lot of freelance writers, discovering purchasers will be the trickiest a part of the job. Certain, there are job boards like ProBlogger and AFW, however just about each freelance author on the planet who isn’t booked out can also be searching for a job there.
To not point out, it may be fairly the hunt to seek out alternatives that truly pay a good quantity to your laborious work.
However one platform known as nDash seeks to supply critical writers an answer to that downside.
As a freelancer myself, I used to be curious concerning the platform, and final yr I signed as much as strive it out.
After my expertise, I wished to share this nDash overview that will help you decide for your self if it’s value becoming a member of the platform as a contract author.
What precisely is nDash?
nDash is a content material platform the place each manufacturers and writers signal as much as join on writing initiatives. The platform strives to separate itself from different comparable freelancing websites by totally vetting its writers and facilitating transparency between the consumer and the author.
In different phrases, nDash emphasizes acquiring high quality writers and growing sturdy client-writer relationships.
Not like content material mills, you gained’t be competing in opposition to numerous different writers solely to earn pennies to your useful time. The platform is structured to draw manufacturers which are keen to pay for high quality content material.
The Signup and Verification Course of
nDash needs sturdy writers, so there’s a little bit of hoop-jumping concerned to get full entry to the whole lot the platform gives.
Step one is signing up by filling out a easy kind on their homepage.
Earlier than signing up, it’s value noting that nDash writers will need to have an account with Stripe, as that is the one technique of cost they provide.
After you join, it is advisable fill out your author profile with as a lot element as potential to get verified.
Your profile is what the nDash staff makes use of to vet writers earlier than validating them. The first function behind that is to ensure you’re an actual individual with actual credentials.
When you don’t want to satisfy each requirement, you considerably improve your possibilities of getting verified if in case you have the next:
- Writing samples that reveal proficiency in your chosen area of interest
- An in depth, well-written profile
- Hyperlinks to your LinkedIn profile (or different social community profiles)
- Your actual title (they aren’t massive followers of pen names)
- Schooling and work expertise in your area of interest
- Suggestions from earlier purchasers
Admittedly, which means in case you are brand-spanking new to the world of freelance writing, you’ll have bother turning into a verified author. Nonetheless, it’s free to enroll, so that you lose nothing by making an attempt.
When you end filling in your profile, you click on the “request verification” button and look forward to them to approve you.
In case you don’t get accredited, you may replace your profile after you have a bit of extra expertise and reapply after 90 days.
Discovering Work
When you’re verified, you get entry to all of the model profiles and job alternatives.
nDash claims that about 60% of the paid assignments begin as a author pitch. Realistically, I wouldn’t be shocked if the determine was even greater than that.
So to take advantage of the platform, you’ll positively must get your pitch on!
There’s a “browse assignments” button the place corporations request concept pitches or particular assignments.
Nonetheless, I’ve discovered that there aren’t normally many manufacturers actively posting these open assignments, which implies it’s possible you’ll must rely extra on the platform’s different options for securing work.
For instance, one other method to land a gig is to jot down an “trade pitch,” which is a content material concept pitch that’s seen to any model on nDash. If a model likes the concept, they will buy it. (However you may solely promote every concept to at least one model.)
You may as well pitch particular manufacturers individually. In case you go to a model’s profile web page, be taught what sort of content material they’re fascinated about and craft your pitch based mostly on that.
An alternative choice is to jot down and add complete articles or weblog posts for buy. It is a nice possibility if you have already got written content material however no dwelling for it. When you add the content material, the nDash staff can promote it to potential purchasers.
The final approach that writers get work on nDash is when manufacturers search out writers first. This does occur, and I’ve myself been contacted first for assignments earlier than!
Establishing Charges
This may be the a part of the nDash overview you’re most fascinated about – how a lot cash you may make!
The excellent news is you get to set your individual charges, and types are sometimes keen to pay properly for high quality content material. You positively gained’t be quoting “race-to-the-bottom” charges to win writing jobs.
Not solely are you able to set your charges in your profile, however it’s also possible to set charges for a particular undertaking.
nDash’s web site states that the typical project ranges from $150-$450, and I’ve discovered this to be correct in my expertise.
One other nice characteristic is you could counter-offer charges if the speed the model provided you is decrease than you’re keen to take.
Working with Purchasers
All of the communication and work is accomplished inside the nDash platform.
After getting accepted an project, you may entry it out of your dashboard, the place you’ll discover a textual content editor. On the left-hand facet of the textual content editor, you will discover a abstract of what the consumer is searching for, the due date, and the agreed-upon price.
Under the textual content editor is the remark thread the place you and the consumer can talk backwards and forwards and ship information.
I discovered this setup simple to make use of, making it a cinch to work with purchasers.
I did run into an issue as soon as utilizing the editor, the place it will not save my work correctly. The nDash staff was fast to resolve this once I reached out, however simply in case, I now at all times write my content material in a Phrase or Google Doc first, after which copy and paste into the editor as soon as it’s completed.
As soon as completed, you merely hit the submit button, and the consumer will overview and approve the work.
nDash Help
When you’ve got any questions or points, you may attain out to the platform’s assist staff by way of the contact kind on their assist web page.
I did have to achieve out to them a few occasions concerning questions or issues I had (just like the textual content editor challenge), they usually had been useful and fast to reply.
Getting Paid
As talked about earlier, all writers on nDash are paid by way of Stripe. As soon as the consumer approves the project, you’ll mechanically obtain a cost inside 2-5 enterprise days.
The cost you obtain would be the precise quantity you agreed upon with the consumer. nDash takes its service charges from the model, not the author.
Though I’ve at all times most well-liked PayPal prior to now, I had no points creating and connecting a Stripe account, and in all of my nDash assignments, I used to be paid promptly with no points.
nDash Overview Abstract
nDash gives a legit approach for critical freelancers to seek out high-paying writing gigs. Whether or not you favor pitching corporations immediately or submitting pre-written work on the market, there are a selection of how to earn cash on nDash!
Granted, it is probably not appropriate for rookies, however those that are a bit of extra seasoned could discover some success in increasing their consumer roster.
Ultimately, it prices nothing to use, so it’s positively definitely worth the effort to arrange a profile and see the place it takes you!
Execs
- When you discover a model you match properly with, it could usually grow to be a supply of ongoing work.
- Writing jobs secured by way of this platform are inclined to pay properly.
- Nice assist workers.
- Free to enroll.
Cons
- Writers will need to have a Stripe account to receives a commission. If you’re in a rustic that may’t use Stripe, you gained’t have the ability to use nDash.
- If you’re a more moderen author and also you don’t have any writing samples or expertise, it might be more durable to get verified.
- Not many manufacturers are actively looking for content material, which implies you’ll must perform a little extra of the legwork when discovering and pitching manufacturers on the platform.
