The Advantages of Going After Local Businesses

If you're one of those viral freelancers that keeps a time zone chart on your device or on hard copy, you may be overlooking opportunities not found overseas...but right in your backyard.  Chances are strong that if payment is slow or never happens, it's easier to track down a local or someone that lives more than 5000+ miles away.  While it's good to have clients in other places that speak the native language, you never know what kind of opportunities you're passing up around the corner.

Although you can approach some of the new and smaller companies in your area about using your services, adding a local SEO content strategy is an alternative that takes less time.  Besides people who may want to work from a remote location (like their home office), there are those with other reasons.  Some individuals affected by the pandemic may want to reduce live contact as much as possible.  

This local approach is a win for both parties for different reasons.  

• Other than the payment factor, live recommendations often go further than those that are viral.  This isn't to take away from the high ratings you may have received on an onboard/freelance site.  However, dealing with a local entity saves many hassles for the client and freelancer. It can also lead to more opportunities via referral.
• Familiarity with local happenings and places.  It's not hard to tell when location-based content has been written by someone not familiar with the area.  Sometimes, content companies recommend their contributors do a little research but this can be dated or has been impacted by the pandemic.  This can also affect turnaround times or communication.
• Speaking the native language.  While an area or country may mostly speak one type of language, local speech brings a familiarity to a particular group.  For example, using Jamaican or Creole patois (outside of a publication that specifically serves an audience) in a place like Los Angeles may not gain traffic like it would in New York or parts of the southern states.
• Often when new businesses launch, many don't know where to look for their next coder, technical writer, or virtual assistant.  Many go through the popular sites and create their own filters knowing they may have to start the process again in a matter of weeks  By making it known that you live in/near the area and have resided there for a while, this factor may bring some mutual peace of mind about distance issues.