Wednesday News 12/02/2020

What do you do when your Fiverr business slows down to a crawl, or even stops completely?

Sure, I could tell myself that my main gig became the one for writing book blurbs, and this isn’t the time of the year when most writers need blurbs. I could come up with a number of reasons, but the question remains: what am I going to do about it?

I’ve already posted some ideas a while ago, and here’s what I’m doing now:

1. Learning!

I’ve finally watched Fiverr’s course for freelancers, and I’ve implemented some of it. We’ll see how it goes.

2. Learning Some More!

I’ve also watched Frank’s video, and it gave me some more ideas. The thing is, some of it is different from the course. So, what to do?

3. Playing with My Gigs!

Editing gigs can remove them from Fiverr search for a while, but if there are no sales anyway, that’s not much of a problem. So, after changing my book blurb gig slightly (wording, FAQ, I’ve added a thorough questionnaire for various types of blurbs) and completely revamping one of my old gigs (I’m probably going to activate it sometime next week), I’ve changed my video scripts gig, too. I’ve changed it according to the course, and I’ll be giving it about a month or so; if there are no significant sales, I’ll revamp it based on what I’ve seen from Frank, and slightly increase the price, too. So, if you’re thinking whether to get a video script now or later, better hurry up!

4. Marketing!

I’m now using Hootsuite, too, not just dlvr.it. Even the free version of Hootsuite lets me schedule a bunch of posts, and keep my Twitter account more active. And it works, at least in the terms of activity and followers; I’ve already seen more likes and retweets, and at the time I’m writing this, I’ve got 1,223 followers. Not a huge number, I know, but not that bad, either. I’ve also made a new avatar for my social media accounts, with the Dollify app; it gives me some purrsonality, and that might help. Isn't it cute?

Something else? Well, I’m using the time to read and binge watch series (I’m a writer and a screenwriter, so it also counts as learning; yeah, I know, what a horrible fate), I’m blogging (here and elsewhere), I’m thinking about enrolling into more courses (on Fiverr and elsewhere)… In short, I’m keeping myself busy, and trying to improve my service. I expect the results to come, sooner or later, on Fiverr or elsewhere (preferably both).

Halloween Is Coming!

It's almost Halloween, so I've created a new gig to help those who have a special offer for their customers that's related to this holiday: a Halloween video script. A sale? Halloween-themed products or services? A gift with every purchase? Whatever the offer, a video would be a great way to spread the word, and an awesome (or spooktastic, if you prefer) video can't be made without a good script.

But, but, today is October 25th, have I created it 6 days before Halloween? No, of course not; I've created it at an earlier time, but after that, I was busy with the Belgrade Book Fair, so I couldn't find the time to write a post about it. But the gig itself was there, available to all who might need it, and with a nice picture, too. There are cats on the picture, of course, because of branding.

If you need a last-minute video script, check the gig out, or, if you don't need it now, you can bookmark it and save it for future use.

Oh, and don't forget to have a wonderful Halloween!

Branding & Cats

Recently I’ve read some good advice, mostly to do with branding, and decided to follow it. It’s still work in progress, it always is, but the first steps are made.

So, what’s it about?

Fiverr gig pictures, plus gig description rewriting. Mostly pictures, because humans are very visual, and because gig pictures that are in some way consistent (for example, having the same theme) can definitely help seller’s branding, and hopefully, make the seller more successful. This, by the way, goes for pretty much everything, not just Fiverr and freelancing: consistent branding helps people remember you, makes them like you better (assuming they like you at all), and makes them feel like they know you and like they can trust you.

In my case, that means cats. I’m Catwriter, after all. And let me tell you, even though internet is full of cat pictures, finding the ones that are suitable for my needs AND free to use for commercial purposes wasn’t easy. I’ve managed to find some, and you can see the results, including the one that required some creativity when deciding what to write on it.

Enjoy in the kitties!

P.S. Yes, this post is also an excuse to post cat pictures, because cats. Once again, enjoy!

Endings and Experiments

I find it difficult to believe that Game of Thrones has ended.

Nothing to do with Fiverr, I know, but still. I was basically just waiting for it to be over, but still.

It's a strange feeling. It's been around for years, I've watched it, a lot of people I personally know watched it, and now it's over.

No, I don't hate the ending. I know that some people do, but I don't. I don't exactly like how they got to that ending, but hey, it is what it is.

And the watch has ended.

***

Anyway, back to Fiverr stuff. I've activated some of the old gigs, just like I said:

Video Scripts

Music Video Scripts

About Us Pages

I've had trouble with some of them in the past, enough to pause them even before the full-time job; hopefully I've learned a few things since then, and hopefully I'll be able to handle the problems if they arise again. We'll see. It's an experiment of sorts, to see what works.

Anything else?

Yes, tests!

I've been playing with tests on Fiverr. English and web content writing tests brought me high scores, as expected; the main problem with copywriting and freelance writing tests were the questions about Microsoft Word 10 features, because I don't use MS Word, I use LibreOffice Writer, plus I don't use the features mentioned in the test. Oh, and there's the fact that I'm not a copywriter, too (still, I managed to pass the test, and rank among the top 20%). I also did the SEO skill assessment test; I only know some SEO basics, and I've managed to pass. Not bad. I might do some more tests, both for fun and because displaying test results could be useful in some cases.

Definitely for fun. Having fun with your work is important!

Two New Gigs!

Where did I disappear this time?

Other than being constantly tired, I had computer problems, too, and ended up having to reinstall the OS. And that meant creating a backup first, which took me a few days, because my computer was that slow (which is why I had to reinstall the OS in the first place).

It wasn't fun, I can tell you that.

Still, it's done, it's working great with a new, freshly installed OS, and I've got not one new gig, as I've planned, but two!

The gig I've planned is for writing video scripts related to pet shelters, animal sanctuaries, wildlife rescues, and similar organizations, as well as some small businesses that support them financially. You can see it here (and, of course, I don't mind you ordering!). I love all animals, and I'd really love to help organizations that take care of them.

And the other one? Well, after creating the new gig, I've been told about a problem that pet shelters face -- writing pet blurbs -- so I've created a pet blurb for pet shelter websites gig, too!

Now, I don't expect huge demand for either one of them, but I did have requests for video scripts related to pets before, and it's not hard to understand that creating a unique blurb for each and every pet can be a bit difficult with all the other work necessary for pet shelters to survive, so, hopefully, I'll be able to do things I love, while helping organizations I appreciate.

Any other news? Yes: another freelancing account! Still, this is a blog about my Fiverr experience, so, if you want to check out what I'm doing elsewhere (the platform is British, but open to everyone), just click on that link.

And my old gigs? I plan to reactivate some of them soon (as in, in the next few days), and then we'll see how it goes.

That's it for today, see you next time!

Find me at https://www.fiverr.com/catwriter!

Playing with Videos!

OfflineHelpers started it!

Well, sort of, by giving me this wonderful video. Remember that one?



It took me forever to actually start playing with videos (and even toying with my Catwriter YouTube channel, but I still have a lot to do there), and there were some technical issues, too, but it looks like it's fine now.

So, what did I do?

I got a video for my book title writing gig:



I also got one for the book blurb writing service:



And finally, I got the exact video I wanted (there's a cat in it, watch it, watch it!) for my main gig, video script writing:




Are these videos actually going to help?

Well, you know the answer to that one, don't you? There's only one way to find out, and that's to wait (while spreading the word) and see!

What Does the Fox... Err, What Do the Customers Say?

I could brag about my skills and experience and abilities, but then again, so could everyone else. The question is: what do the clients say? Do they like my video scripts, book blurbs, and book titles?

Without further ado, here are some of the 1,000+ reviews I've got during my time on Fiverr.

While I love writing book blurbs, that's not my main service. My clients like my video scripts, too, and they keep coming back when they need a new one.

And book titles?

Of course, since I offer creative writing, I can't make everyone happy; my style and my ideas are not, and can't be, a good match for everyone. However, since 99% of my clients believe that they have received a great service for their hard-earned cash, I guess I must be doing something right. And with over 1,000 positive reviews, I must have done it many times.

Wonderful People Are Wonderful, or, OfflineHelpers Made Me a Video

A few days ago, as I've already excitedly mentioned on Twitter and Facebook, I got a video made by wonderful OfflineHelpers. It's short, simple, and to the point, exactly the way I love them. Don't take my word for it, though: see it for yourself!

Can you get an intro video like that? Sure you can! Click on Awesome SEARCH Logo Intro Video, and get one, or get as many as you like!

A Nice Client Sent Me a Video

I write video scripts, but I rarely get to see how the video turns out. I deliver the script, modify it if needed, and that's it; clients move on with the work, and rarely send me the link to the finished video.

Recently, though, one client did, and he allowed me to share it as a sample. Yay! Their product seems rather useful for a very big group of people (basically, supermarket owners, supermarket staff, PLUS pretty much every shopper), and I like writing scripts about useful and helpful stuff; I like it even better when I see the video itself, because it helps me learn what works, what doesn't, and how to improve my writing.

Without further ado, here it is. Enjoy!

Back to Work!

Holidays are over, including the Orthodox Christmas (it's two weeks later than the Western one), so I'm back to work now. It's as scary as always, not to mention that Fiverr has been more buggy than usual after the maintenance and the server migration, but there's no use complaining or worrying; it's better to do something productive, like play with the gigs. And that's what I did as soon as I got back: I have added two images to my main gig (screenshots, actually, with an explanation and an example). Take a look!

The lower picture, the example, is an actual script I've written for a client (and obtained the permission to use it as a sample); the one above explains what a video script looks like. Maybe it will help some buyers who have no experience with video scripts and don't know what to expect, and if someone asks for a sample, hey, there it is.

I'll see what happens, and I'll keep playing.

Work in Progress

Freelancing is, just like everything else (life included), a work in progress. There's always room for improvement: improving skills you apply to do the task, improving your marketing skills, improving the presentation of your offer, to name just a few.

It all applies to Fiverr, too, and that's what I've been doing since I got back from vacation. Obviously, I'm not done yet, nor will I ever be completely done; so far, I've taken a few steps, plan on taking a few more, and keep learning from the more experienced sellers. While I have yet to see the results, it doesn't discourage me, because I'm aware that seeing results of anything takes time.

So, what have I done so far?

I've changed my profile a bit, and added a few skills, as well as my education info (though I'm not sure whether The Faculty of Dramatic Arts from Belgrade, Serbia, is going to mean anything to anyone).

I have created another gig, for whiteboard animation video scripts. I've already written a bunch, and it was covered by my main gig (video scripts in general), but a separate gig might make some things simpler. Or not. I'll see what happens. It might also increase the overall exposure of my gigs (or, again, maybe it won't).

I have switched almost all of my gigs to packages (the only exception is the one for totally custom orders), and I've added an extensive FAQ to the main gig. I was afraid of switching my main gig to the packages system, but, hey, right now I'm getting only a few sales anyway, and I'll have to do it sooner or later. It's best to get it over with. Adding the FAQ has also enabled me to shorten the description of the gig, change it a bit, and add a call to action.

I have altered some gig pictures, and added text to them, mentioning the services offered in the gig.

And the plans?

I have ideas for two more gigs (one for scripts for kinetic typography videos (DONE 3 days after posting this!), and one for inspirational articles), and hopefully I'll create them soon. (If this gave you an idea to offer something similar, go ahead!)

I intend to write a somewhat lengthy questionnaire for those who need a video script, but are not sure what they want. I hope it will help them communicate what they need.

I'm trying to be a bit more active on Twitter, and I'm trying to be a bit more active here on the blog, too.

That's it, for now – but, as the title of an awesome book says, my work is not yet done.

Gig Time: A Script for an Animated Explainer Video

With my usual video script writing service, sometimes there are issues: some people don't realize that they need to tell me not just what they want the video to talk about, but what they want it to look like, too. Or, they're not quite sure what they want their video to say, they just want me to 'do my magic', even though they haven't provided me with enough specific information for it. So, I'm slowly creating more specific services. I've got one for music video scripts, one for Christmas promotional video scripts, and now one for scripts for animated explainer videos.

When it comes to the last one, I don't have to ask about the visuals or the audio part, because I know that it's going to be an animated video with a voice over. I don't have to send a bit vague question asking for all the key points and all the information to be covered, either; explainer videos usually have a specific structure, so I can ask very specific questions.

The questions are:

1. The desired length of the video (the best length is about 90 seconds; it can be as short as 60 seconds, and it shouldn't be longer than 2 minutes, because only a few people would watch it to the end)
2. The target audience, and their problem/pain point
3. What does this business/company offer them, exactly
4. How does that offer solve their problem
5. What other benefits will they get if they use the product or service
6. How should they feel after watching the video
7. What should the call to action be
8. Anything else the client would like to add

With the answers to these questions, I can write the script, and the client can proceed to get the video done.

Scripts for animated explainer videos are fun to write, and it's wonderful to know that they help businesses a great deal. Not everyone wants to read pages and pages of website content to figure out if that company has something of value to offer, and an animated explainer video solves this problem rather nicely: in less than 2 minutes, it outlines what people will get, and the benefits coming with it. These videos are often cute and fun, they can be watched on the go, and they explain the basics in the terms that a six-year-old (or a very distracted adult) would understand.

And have I mentioned that they're fun to write, and that it shows in the final product, making people enjoy it and share it?

Gig Time: Video Scripts

A sample of an AV script

My second most popular gig on Fiverr is the one for writing video scripts. I've studied script writing at the University (The Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade) and I've written for the national television, so offering script writing was the most natural thing to do.

Just like with the gig for writing About Us pages, I had some surprises with the clients. I have assumed that the clients who wanted video script had at least some idea what the AV script looked like, and that they would know, since every video has both the audio and the visual part, that they needed to tell me what they wanted for the both parts. What kind of video did they want? What did they want it to look like? What did they want it to say? It turned out that many have never even seen an AV script, or that they only thought of the audio part, or that they haven't thought about the matter at all.

Fortunately, once they received the script, everything was pretty much self-explanatory.

Another thing that surprised me was that some clients expected the script writer to make the video. While I have no doubt that some script writers also know how to make a good video, it's far from common. I've changed the gig description to add that I only write the scripts, I don't make the actual videos.

Just like with the About Us pages, I had to change the gig description several times in order to cover the most frequent issues. Live and learn.

A Fiverr buyer gave me the first opportunity to write a script for a whiteboard animation video. It was fun. It was interesting. I've learned something new, which is, in part, why I enjoy Fiverr so much. Opportunity to learn and to apply what I've learned.

These days, I write scripts for various types of videos. Whiteboard animations, animated cartoons, green screen videos, explainer videos, commercial videos, promotional videos, voice over scripts for the already shot videos... You name it (with enough information), and I'll write it. And I'll have fun doing it, which shows in the script and makes the final product look good.