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Tips to Handle Difficult clients as a Freelancer

 Published on:  Mar 16, 2023

For a freelancer, it’s not unusual to face tough clients. However, effective communication strategies can work as a ticket to add success to your freelancing career. By implementing effective strategies, you can handle challenging client interactions and achieve positive outcomes that support your overall freelancing journey What gets you in trouble in the first place? Before we jump on to discussing the issues and tricks for managing difficult clients, we must know our side is safe to ensure we don’t commit such a mistake that causes us any trouble in the first place. Some behaviors might seem offensive to the client, so it is important to understand how to deal with all your clients. Here are the things, you must be keen and concerned about before getting into a new agreement. • Read the job post twice before placing your bid on it. Understand the project's goal and then evaluate your skills for the task you are going to bid on. Place your offer only if you feel you fulfill all the job requirements. • Once you get the response from a client, ask for clear directives and the project's purpose. This is the right time to discuss any relevant thing you have in your mind. • You must understand the client’s perspective on the project. It’s important to know the client’s point of view before you start putting your efforts into the project. • Align the budget, the deliverables, your understanding, and clients’ expectations. • Make sure you have the right tools and setup to deliver your project on time and with efficiency. Remember, your clients and a professional relationship with them should be your priority as a freelancer. It is far better to discuss the project in a one-time discussion than bother your client again and again, yet come up with a poor deliverable. Even if you are a professional freelancer with proper setup and understanding, there is still a chance that you come across tricky clients. For a freelancer, it’s not unusual to face tough clients but some effective communication tips can work as a ticket to add success to your overall freelancing journey Essential Tips to Handle Difficult Clients Here are some tips and tricks for handling difficult clients through effective communication. 1- Keep the Communication Tone Professional Unprofessional communication may be the most significant reason leading to such a situation where your client wants to end the contract even if you have good command over your skills. Some of the clients (especially those who are new to the freelance platforms) observe your communication style. If your communication is not professional enough, there is the highest chance that the client will be unhappy in response. So, keeping the communication tone professional is essential. Most beginner freelancers use unnecessary emojis and smileys during the chat while talking with freelance clients. It leaves a lousy impression on the freelance client. So, always have a professional tone when communicating with clients, especially during working hours or when communicating regarding the work. Here is an example that shows the comparison of unprofessional and professional communication: Unprofessional: Hi Dear, how are you? I would like to know about the feedback for the work I sent you. ?? Professional: Hi Mr. Jons! I hope you are doing well. As I sent you the work, I would like your original feedback and a review of the work I sent you. Please, let me know if you need any revisions or editions in work. Thank you! (Your Name here) Keep the Professional Communication Style and Convert Your New Freelance Clients into Long Term Clients 2- Preferring Calls Over Texting Texting or simply chatting with the client to clarify the facts and figures is sometimes insufficient. You must have observed that a text is not enough to clear the issue or show your potential to resolve the matter, even when talking with friends or family members. And same is the case with freelance clients. So, a video or an audio meeting via a direct Freelance platform (If you got a client through a freelance platform) or by using Zoom or Skype (if you are handling a direct or local client) is a good idea. In video or audio meetings, expressing your views and eliminating the issues is easy. It’s not only suitable for effective communication but also adds the trust of your client to you. 3- Setting the Boundaries in Communication Setting some communication boundaries is one of the practical ways to avoid getting into trouble with rude clients (who may report you because of the mistakes you made as a newbie). The matter becomes more critical for beginner freelancers as they feel low confidence when they face such clients at the start of their freelance journey. The first and most important thing is communicating with the clients only on the freelancer platform. The reason is, neither the freelance platforms allow communication with clients outside the platform nor do they provide support in case of any conflict. Any communication proof that happened outside the marketplace is useless so you must keep all your conversation within the marketplace. The essential tip is to listen to your client carefully and give him what he wants. Your disagreements are fine, but if you really offer him the work revision or carefully reply to his arguments in a professional way, he will know that you care about the work. The ultimate result would lead to completing or even ending the project well. Also, remember that ending a project is 100 times better than getting a bad review. 4- Work Before Initiating a Project One of the great ways to avoid such circumstances is to check out some of the critical points before initiating a contract with a client. Here are the essential points: ? Check if the client is giving good reviews to all other freelancers ? Check if the client is paying too little money ? Observe if he is asking for extra work, he will likely lead to the difficult circumstances You can check these points when communicating with a client before he hires you. 5- Don’t Waste Your Energy on an Impossible Client It's okay if the client asks for the revision because of your mistakes as learning from the mistakes is good to make your freelancing journey peaceful and successful. So, stay calm even if you are correct and the client is unhappy. Just listen to them carefully and understand what they mean. One or a few clients may have differing views on you and your work. And it’s also expected that a client asks for multiple revisions. What if a client does not satisfy with the final delivery no matter how much effort you are putting in? Worst case Scenario and the Possible Solution! If you think your client is not convincing or getting happy with your work (which you completed by putting in your maximum effort), let the client go. Yes! This is bold but we suggest you do this as a last resort. Refrain from assuming that you are not able enough to do that specific work. One of the clients from every 100 clients may disagree with you. So, we recommend letting them go instead of convincing them and wasting your time handling that difficulty. This way, you will get mental peace after a short time of client loss worry. Again, remember that letting go of such clients is better than having a bad review on your profile. Author: Shabana Khadim | Reviewed by: Zonaira Ali

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Becoming a Freelance Writer: How to Get Started

 Published on:  Feb 17, 2023

Is writing something you are passionate about? And want to pursue it as a career, then you are at the right place; we have got you covered. Making it as a freelance writer can be overwhelming, but with the right steps and dedication, you can surely succeed. If you're considering turning your writing hobby into a full-time career, you're in for a rewarding and potentially lucrative journey. However, it requires careful planning and hard work. Here are some steps to help you get started: Asking the Important Questions Now that you are ready to embark on this journey of becoming a writer. You need to self-evaluate first. Ask yourself the right questions; what are your strengths and Weaknesses as a writer, what is your experience, what is your area of expertise and niche, etc. Becoming a successful freelancer in the writing industry is no easy task. Staying motivated alone is not enough to make it in this highly competitive profession. You must ensure that you are highly qualified and have top-notch writing skills to stand out among others. Especially in the beginning, when you are not landing projects and getting freelancing jobs, you need to have the great discipline to keep yourself going. You are in for the long haul, so addressing important questions right in the beginning would help you stick with this freelance writing journey. Research is your Best Friend Research. Research. & Research! We cannot emphasize enough; how important it is to have good research skills to make it as a writer. Before you start your career as a freelance writer, try to find out everything about the industry. Since you have already identified the important questions, now you need to gather information and refer to other videos, articles, and books that can help you embark on this writing career. Also, go online and search freelance writing job platforms. This will give you an idea of which types of writers are more in demand and currently what employers are expecting from writers. It’s Time to Polish What you Already Know This one is a no-brainer. First and foremost, to become a writer, you will have to improve your writing skills. You can start your journey towards becoming a writer by first enrolling and completing the Creative Writing course offered by DigiSkills.pk. The prerequisite for enrolling in the course is, that you need to have intermediate to good command of the English language. We strongly recommend practicing writing in English, as it is an international language and most of the writing jobs offered on freelance platforms require proficiency in English. So, to improve your writing skills we urge you to read extensively. Do not limit yourself to one niche of your interest but read outside of it as well. And lastly, write because the more you practice, the more you are likely to improve. If you're considering turning your writing hobby into a full-time career, you're in for a rewarding and potentially lucrative journey. Selecting a Niche Initially, as a budding writer, we recommend that you decide on what you want to write about and focus on one area of interest. As, a freelance writer there are many areas that you can pursue like copywriting, technical writing, fictional & non-fictional writing, UX writing, and many more but it all comes down to what interests you, as the possibilities are endless. A lot of our trainees ask us if they choose a specific niche, do they have to stick to it only? And the answer to that is – Absolutely Not! Once, your writing career takes off, you can slowly but gradually write content that falls into other niches as well and make your writing versatile. Here once again ‘research’ comes into play. Research the niche you want to work in and see what type of content the readers would be interested in. Building a Great Portfolio For a freelance writer, having a portfolio is essential and it best works when it creatively demonstrates the writing skills, styles, and abilities. So, build a portfolio that showcases your expertise with professionalism and dedication. It will help your clients to see your writing style and experience in a particular niche. A great portfolio builds trust between a freelancer and the client and gives you an edge in a crowded marketplace by highlighting your strengths and capabilities as a writer. This trust may lead to increased success and higher paying job opportunities. Networking is the Way to Go Forward The idea of freelancing sounds very laid back as you get to work from home, but in reality, you must hustle a bit to make it big in the freelancing world. We recommend you join associations working for Freelancers in Pakistan. Join writing forums for new writers. Attend writing workshops and seminars. And connect with the writers around you, who are also trying to make it and succeed as freelance writers. Making connections can give you a lot of inspiration and push your career in the right trajectory. You can start your journey towards becoming a writer by first enrolling and completing the Creative Writing course offered by DigiSkills.pk. Eye on the Prize So, now you have done the hard part. Put in the effort, completed the course, and made some connections. Kudos to you for doing all the heavy lifting. And now you must be wondering. What’s next? Staying organized and continuously improving your skill is the way forward. Remember how we talked about being disciplined right in the beginning, well that is something you have to inculcate, as it will help you power through the days when you don’t feel like working at all. Now that you are running a business as a freelancer, it is crucial to develop a strong work ethic. You must keep track of your finances, deadlines, and client communication to stay organized and professional. Also, focus on learning and improving your writing craft to stay competitive in the market. So, Actually, What Does it take to become a Writer? What we want you to take away from reading this blog is to become a successful freelance writer. It is important to continuously work on improving your writing skills, including your research skill, grammar, and writing style. Also, you must be aware of the importance of managing your finances and meeting project deadlines. These were some of the tips to get you started as a freelance writer, but you need to be willing to put in the hard work and continuous improvement to make it. Try to go through all these steps and follow the tips and advice and you will surely succeed as a freelance writer. Author: Munazza Khan | Reviewed by: Zonaira Ali

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Communication & Soft Skills help you become a better freelancer

 Published on:  Jan 26, 2023

What are Communication and Soft Skills? Communication Skills refer to sharing and receiving information, knowledge, thoughts, insights, and ideas whereas soft skills are the abilities that relate to your behavior when you work in a collaborative environment. Effective communication skill itself is a soft skill that is often more emphasized as it is the most significant life skill that we all need in our routine as well as our professional life. By having the ability to communicate and deal effectively with others, we can reach the epitome of legacy in our professionalism and freelancing careers. Just communicating with others is not sufficient, but to apply communication skills effectively is a real deal to be achieved. What DigiSkills.pk Offers in Communication and Soft Skills Course? DigiSkills.pk offers an excellent course to make you learn about Communication and Soft skills. The primary purpose of introducing this course is to develop skills that enable you to become a pro in communication as a freelancer. "Now, you don’t need to feel shy or confused; just take the Communication And Soft Skills course and come up with supreme confidence." This course is versatile as it consists of 3 modules. The first module contains 'Learning English Language & Grammar,' in which you will be taught about the grammar rules from basic to advanced levels. It will help to refine your grammar concepts. The second module will familiarize you with the 'Communication Skills for Freelancers' that enhances your communication standards to equip you with the knowledge of netiquettes, ethics, professional decorum, formal and informal communication, etc. The third module goes around the 'Soft skills for Freelancers' that will train you about providing flexibility and adaptability in communication so that you may win big projects at online platforms. Furthermore, the important aspect of setting MAR (minimum acceptable rate) with the local and non-local clients will also be discussed. Integration Of Communication and Soft Skills with Freelancing Usually, freelancers initiate their freelancing with a belief that their skill-specific expertise is enough to win the projects from freelance markets, but they get failed. Do you know why? Because they lack proper Communication & Soft skills. They only know how to do the task but don't know how to take on a project, how to deal with their clients, and how to keep up their freelancing business. Remember, no one can beat you to reaching your destiny in a freelancing career if you choose the right medium to acquire the skills and then implement them in your practical freelancing. You can make your place in the market if you possess strong interpersonal skills followed by effective communication skills. Let's drive through an example of freelancing in which a freelancer has a great skillset in graphic designing. He/she knows very well how meticulously an attractive promotional image can be designed. But what happens if he/she is unable to communicate with the client, fails to converse the terms and conditions of the task with the client, and flops negotiating the timeline, budget, and deliverables with the client? The freelancer would definitely fail to achieve long-term productivity in the outcomes. It just seems like he/she has the right weapons but still can't fight! Improve your Confidence in Frequent Conversations Usually, people don’t indulge in frequent conversation at a formal level. They only deal with daily errands from person to person. But as a freelancer, you must regularly communicate with the clients in a detailed but professional manner. You would be reluctant in your dealings if you lack self-confidence while communicating with clients. The course will help you get a grip on knowledge of English grammar, effective communication, and soft skills. And practicing those learned skills will be a valuable addition to your confidence in having frequent conversations. Refine the Dealing Cords As your level of communication and soft skills improves, your level of interaction and open-mindedness increases. This inclination will refine your dealing traits and enhance your style of communication. It can also make a communication connection between the freelancer and the client for Flawless and Flow-full conversation. You will be able to make a difference in passive, aggressive, and assertive communication by the end of this course. Make You Familiarized with Foreign Dealings Usually, there are two types of clients in freelance markets: local and international clients. Here comes a difference in communication concerning clients' geography. You may easily communicate with local clients due to the same socio-cultural mindset, but with international clients, you need to meet the standards of effective communication. Taking this course will help you familiarize yourself with the values of professional dealings with foreign clients. Enhance the Ability to Set MAR (Minimum Acceptable Rate) Setting MAR (minimum acceptable rate) with the clients for a project or task is the most crucial part of the dealing. Here is the point where your actual soft skills can be judged by how vigilant you are or at which level you stand out while dealing with clients. Your level of skill defines the ability to influence your client for what you have in mind. If you are good at explaining things, you can make your client agree to your rate by explaining the way you work. Your work strategy, the tools you use, and the way you come up with deliverables are the things that can be presented to a potential to crack a great deal. A good client always offers higher rates to experienced and skillful sellers. Strengthen the Conflict Resolution Ability When you are sitting at a professional place, either onsite or online, you must face issues and conflicts regarding work and discipline. At physical platforms, you usually have your companions and colleagues whose support and consensus can help resolve the issues efficiently. A bit of difficulty jumps up when you are alone (as a freelancer) and have to resolve conflicts with foreign clients on your own, especially. You need to enlighten your mind and train yourself in conflict resolution so you can maintain your rhythm of communication in the worst situation without getting the situation off the hand. Polish your Communication Insights To fill up your mind with the variety of grammar rules and vocabulary is not the sheer purpose of this course. To indulge your mind with a deep understanding of communication and soft skills are the main concerns. You will be able to know How, Where, and at which point the discussion needs to be made with the selection of the right words with the right intensity. So, what are you waiting for? Get yourself Registered and be vigilant about Enrollments to secure your spot in Communication and Soft Skills course. Author: Zahra Adeel | Reviewed by: Zonaira Ali

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Common Mistakes freelancers make; How to avoid them

 Published on:  Dec 24, 2021

Becoming a freelancer seems fascinating but when you become one, it’s not something unique that you make mistakes and ruin your work or your relationships with clients at the very beginning. But don’t worry, you are not the only one; almost every freelancer does the same mistakes! A good freelancer learns from others' mistakes and it is absolutely fine. A professional freelancer always plans well to rise above possible errors. And if you want to avoid such mistakes that can mess up your work and damage your reputation as a freelance seller then this article is worth reading. Client expect a quick turnaround but if you are not good enough to deliver in time then you may lose your chance for future work. 1-Time Management: Time management is one of the basic attributes that a freelancer must have. Whether you are a student or a desk job holder you should manage your time accordingly. Deadlines for work are always for reason. Your client would expect a quick turnaround but if you are not good enough to deliver in time then you may lose your chance for future work. Freelancers who always fulfill their commitments are most reliable and loved by clients. If you get disciplined and follow the deadlines to deliver your work you’ll have a greater chance of getting hired again by the same clients. 2-Poor Communication: Good Communication can set your project up for success. On the contrary, poor communication causes a lack of clarification thus failure in delivering the best. Remember, remote work mostly depends on your communication. When you land on a project, don’t assume anything but wait for clear directives from your client. Read the instructions and be sure of what your client needs. In case of any confusion, do a check and ask questions right away. Having clear communication even if it takes time is far better than coming up with an unsure deliverable. Poor communication may cost time and effort resulting in revisions and from experience we can tell you that revisiting your previous work can be annoying. 3- Choosing a Client: Sometimes, as new freelancers, we may choose clients which are wrong for us at an initial stage. You might be thinking ‘who can be wrong as a client, well, on freelance marketplaces, the employers with no previous hiring history, or those who haven’t verified their payment method yet, or the ones who have negative feedback on their profiles can be wrong clients. So, you must figure out the right clients before you agree on a contract with any of them. Ask for the right details of the job and if a client fails to provide you with clear directives then it’s better not to work with him. Picking the wrong clients can cause you less money, and long working hours. 4- Over commitment of work: Over-commitment is another common mistake that usually freelancers do at the beginning of their freelancing career. Over-commitment means you have more work than you can efficiently handle in a reasonable amount of time. You might think, taking more and more work is a good idea but it is not true unless you know how much you are capable of. You should never commit to any work that you can’t do. If you think you can fake it until you make it then you are probably wrong because clients will notice the lack of quality in your work in the first place. And of course, you won’t be able to deliver quality work if you are dealing with more than your potential. When you compromise on quality of your work, you’ll fail to make a good impression on the client. Ultimately, the client won’t consider you for his next project. Keep in mind, honest and professional behavior can get you far in your freelancing. 5- Underpricing your skills: Newbies usually underprice their services until they get to know the worth of their skills or services. So, in beginning, there is chance that you might charge less due to lack of trending market price. To avoid facing this scenario, always perform the market research before selling your service. It should not be too high neither too low initially. As you grow and get the experience you can try new rates on new clients. You shouldn’t be overconfident for charging high but never be too down to charge what you don’t deserve. Hopefully, the article helps you in avoiding mistakes while you build your freelancing career. In case, you are still wondering about the given tips in this article, you should definitely go for the Freelancing course offered by DigiSkills Training Program. It is a great course that covers all the helpful pointers for a newbie to become a pro. Don’t miss your chance and Register yourself now. Happy Freelancing! Author: Zonaira Ali

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Why SEO is a Great Career Choice

 Published on:  Nov 15, 2021

Many beginners and young people who want to get into digital marketing wonder whether an SEO career is a great choice or not? SEO is an excellent career choice if you love digital marketing. It's a career that offers opportunities to learn and grow while offering great financial rewards. It also appeals to those with a competitive spirit. Although the industry itself is still relatively young - about 18 years old- Forbes estimated that by the end of 2020 it had surpassed an estimated net worth of $80 billion. Many business owners need a professional SEO expert to rank their sites higher on search results. As SEO is in high demand, more and more professionals are mastering this skill. Here are a few reasons why you should consider a career in SEO. The Top Reasons to Pursue a Career In SEO An SEO expert and professional can easily make handsome money working from home or online without having to look for an office job. Search engine optimization skills are in more need than before; especially, abilities like Technical SEO, SEO Auditing, and link building to improve online business presence. SEO does not need any previous degree or qualification to accomplish an expert status. You have fundamental computer abilities and have a good understanding of the Internet and excellent knowledge of Search engine working. SEO skills are more demanding in the 21st century since old and new companies frequently require SEO to cultivate their customers and revenues. SEO is a great thing to learn because it allows you to learn different online marketing strategies, content writing, and content curation that you keep ahead of other domains. At the start, you need a lot of dedication and commitment to learn all the ins and outs of SEO. Once you have excellent experience and credibility, you can work as an independent SEO service provider on different Freelancing platforms. Tutorials, blogs, make it easy to update your search engine optimization skills and learn new things. Still not convinced that SEO is a great career option? We can share the opinion of great SEO legends. Ross Hudgens, the founder of Siege Media, states SEO by far is a great career choice; it allows you to get employment in any country. In addition, SEO professionals have considerable skills, e.g., content writing, good communication, and marketing skills. Forbes estimated that by the end of 2020 it had surpassed an estimated net worth of $80 billion Julie Joyce, the founder of Link Fish Media, an American company specialized in link building and digital marketing, believes that SEO is never boring. There is always something new to learn and explore. Julie recommends if you keep up with the latest knowledge and trends, SEO is not difficult to understand and master. If you are a college or university student intrigued by technology looking to make a name in the digital marketing domain. The good news is that you can learn SEO skills for free. DigiSkills, under the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication umbrella, is offering ten in-demand courses, including SEO. The course will help you learn SEO from basic to advanced levels; after completing the course, you can sell SEO-related services in international marketplaces. Take part in DigiSkills training today and transform your life. Blog by Shahzaib Ahsan

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A Guide to Write the Perfect Freelance Proposal

 Published on:  Mar 31, 2021

To enter the realm of freelancing, one needs to be good at pitching the expertise they can offer. And to achieve that, you need to be skilled at writing the perfect freelance proposal to get the best job. However, the freelance market has become highly competitive, as many professionals have switched from traditional jobs to freelancing. Therefore, you need to bring your A-game to writing the wittiest proposal to grab your client’s attention and ultimately getting the gig. Customizing every proposal according to every order is crucial here. But once you have that perfect proposal down, you can use it as a template, but you must put in the work to achieve it. After some research, we have listed some fool-proof tips to writing the perfect proposal to get your freelancing career started. The client would merely spend a few seconds on your proposal. And, if you want them to choose your proposal from the rest then you need to make it stand out. Be courteous - it goes a long way Your good customer service and polite manners can take you far. When talking to a potential client always be courteous but approach professionally. Greet clients properly and make your proposal more adept by ending the proposal with closing notes e.g., “Best Wishes” etc. Carefully Read the Description Make sure you read the project description carefully before you decide to send your proposal. Because if the employer feels you don’t understand the project, you obviously won’t end up getting the order. Therefore, try and take your sweet time to meticulously go through the description before you start writing the proposal. A handy tip is to use the same vocabulary in your proposal as the project description as this will resonate well with clients. Add Samples What the client is really interested to see in your proposal is your work sample. Make sure the samples that you are attaching are of quality and would add more value to the proposal. Address the Important Questions First The client wants to know why they should choose you instead of the other freelancers in the market. So, focus on addressing that question first. Don’t just state the obvious reason but instead focus on listing your qualities and how the collaboration would be advantageous for both parties involved. Don’t brag, just be honest and let your sample work speak for you. Another thing that you can address on your proposal is your experience in the field. If possible, also mention the positive feedback from other clients. Talk about your prior completed projects and also mention your educational background and how it is relevant to the job. Write about everything that makes you look capable for the job, but make sure you can back it up with samples or your profile. Grab your Client’s Attention The client would merely spend a few seconds on your proposal. And, if you want them to choose your proposal from the rest then you need to make it stand out. So, try making the first few lines of the proposal engaging, gripping, and interesting. Also, focus on making the application more personal, as it shows that you are interested in getting the job and collaborating with them. Proofreading is your Ally Always, always proofread your bid before you submit it. Nothing sends the client running then a badly written proposal! A subpar proposal makes you come across as unprofessional. So, always try to check your proposal for any errors before bidding for a project. A Big No Avoid using generic proposals e.g., using the same proposal repeatedly on several projects. Your best chance to land a gig is to tailor each proposal according to the client’s needs and requirements. Try out different formats until you come across the one that works the best for you. Starting as a freelancer and making your place in the market initially can be tough. But be consistent in your efforts and eventually, you will persevere. Plus, we at DigiSkills.pk are here to guide you. DigiSkills.pk is a platform offering ten online courses including freelancing. This course will train and educate you on the techniques that are generally applicable for you to become a pro freelancer. Also, freelancing is a complete course taught by the subject expert Hashim Sarwar covering topics like how to write a proposal, etc. So, come and join us at DigiSkills.pk and unlock your potential as a freelancer. Blog by Munazza Khan.

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Effects of Covid-19 on Freelancing

 Published on:  Oct 22, 2020

The outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the world has impacted different economic activities. The freelancing gig industry that was flourishing in Pakistan over the past few years has also been affected by the pandemic. Within a short period, Covid-19 caused massive disruption and eventually forced the population of the world to stay at home. Due to the new normal of staying & working from home, businesses were in need of survival in this uncertain situation. To overcome this challenging situation, the workplaces transformed from physical to virtual ones, and product offerings were redefined. Gradually, nations started to recover from the breakout with subtle changes to pre-COVID life. However, demand for freelance services dwindled in the short run although many freelancers believe that the long-term future for freelancers is bright. Mobile delivery platforms thrived in the COVID-era with more people in demand to work remotely. As a result, the digital economy has provided a significant room for freelancers to fillup the demand gap. Payoneer, a widely used payment gateway for freelancers, surveyed over 1000 freelancers from 100+ countries to inspect the state of freelancers in the Covid-19 period. They asked the freelancers to share how this pandemic has impacted the demand for their services, hourly rates, and what opportunities and risks they expect out of the crisis. They stated the insights of the survey as: “Overall, our survey shows that while demand for freelancers appears to have slowed in the short-term, many are optimistic about the future and believe that it’s just a matter of time until businesses get back on their feet and return to outsourcing. As more businesses around the world adapt to working online, it’s clear that remote work may be here to stay.” Freelancers, as a global labor pool, are offering their digital services regardless of geographical boundaries. They have more control over their workflow, opportunities, and working hours. The survey result shows that the freelance workforce is hopeful about the future of freelancing and they expect the retrieval of a booming gig economy. Even though the gig economy has suffered an adverse effect of the pandemic, still according to IBISWorld’s recent report, digital advertising agencies and software developers have an easy way to outsource freelancers. Different marketing companies are now interested in reconstructing and shifting toward more online freelancers for various jobs such as digital marketing, logo design, video, and animation among others. Moreover, Fiverr; an online marketplace for freelance services; has experienced an increase in demand for these freelancing gigs during the coronavirus. While all the other markets and industries struggled to sustain during the pandemic, however, the freelance market comparatively was the only one to benefit from the chaos created by Covid-19. Freelancing is growing as companies seek low-risk staffing options to avoid further contingency. Therefore, an emerging gig economy is observed and prone to flourish as an outcome of the pandemic. It may also overcome the hugely raised issue of unemployment around the world. Freelancers, as a global labor pool, are offering their digital services regardless of geographical boundaries. They have more control over their workflow, opportunities, and working hours. They are serving customers globally within the comfort and safety of their places. Although this pandemic unleashed great chaos nonetheless the outbreak has still allowed digital platforms to show the effectiveness and need of remote workforces.

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WordPress Course in Pakistan - Is It Easy to Learn?

 Published on:  Dec 11, 2019

One of the most common questions you’ll come across is ‘Is WordPress easy to learn?’ Well, I’d say, it sure is! Nothing is really as hard as you make it. As for WordPress, the only obstacle that’s keeping you or making it seem hard is things you don’t know about WordPress. Here’s how you can learn WordPress easily. Master these few important concepts, and then you are good to go! Let's get rolling! If you are just getting started with WordPress, you might seem confused or frustrated with it. In this article, we shall talk about WordPress in detail, highlighting its fundamentals, and then leave it up to you to decide whether it’s easy to learn or not By using its point-and-click interface to run your website and adding new content, you can eventually become a professional, overtime. WordPress Plugins WordPress is basically a content management system (CMS). It is based on open source language of PHP and database foundation of MySQL. This platform is popular for blogging but you can play around and do much more with it. It provides more functionality with plugins. Another simple term for plugins is extensions or enhancements. Plugins can be free or paid tools that can be integrated into your WordPress platform. These function to protect your website from spam, add a contact form to your website or import the comments and posts from your social media sites. Plugins can also be custom written for your website by a WordPress developer. WordPress Themes Theme is yet another aspect of WordPress that you ought to know. Themes control all of the design elements of your website. So basically, everything from fonts, colours, styling, and page layout are controlled by the theme of your WordPress platform. If you are all for learning design, then you need to learn about the WordPress themes and how these function! These themes are just like templates -- you may install a new theme and activate it and the entire visual and feel of your website changes instantly. Owing to the popularity of WordPress,you’ll find that a lot many themes have been developed and released for use. Like plugins, most are free while others are paid. The best ones allow you the flexibility to customize them and make them your own. For example, Hestia is a powerful, flexible theme that'll let you make it your own. Other themes behave more like frameworks or web builders. For instance, StudioPress Genesis is a good example of it. Easy or not! WordPress ain’t that hard to learn. In fact, you can learn the fundamentals pretty quickly. This is one of the reasons why WordPress is so popular, not only in Pakistan, but globally too. WordPress has largely eliminated the traditional technical barriers. Anyone with any skill level -- even just the basic computer skills -- can use WordPress to build and run their website smoothly. Also, because WordPress is a CMS, there is no need to start from scratch. You can start with a fully designed website that's all set for customizations. So, creating your very own website seems like a breeze, now doesn’t it? What best about it is that as a beginner in web design, you can keep things simple and stick with the basics of WordPress. By using its point-and-click interface to run your website and adding new content, you can eventually become a professional, overtime. WordPress also serves as a gateway into the larger world of web design, while preparing you for running online projects. And as you continue to dig into WordPress and web design, you’ll master it, in no time. If there is an area of WordPress that's hard to learn for beginners, that would be WordPress themes and plugins. These can be difficult to learn as these are unregulated. But, as previously mentioned, once you get a hang of these, learning & excelling at WordPress is a piece of cake! So, start with something as simple and straight forward as a here can be some trial and error process. A few mistakes will help you learn where you’re getting it wrong, and then fix these. You only fall nine times to get up on the tenth attempt. See what I mean?

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