Your Freelancer profile is your personal landing page on Guru.com. Make sure Employers can get there and see you as the most compatible fit for their immediate project needs. Just as successful business owners take the time to optimize their websites for Google, Yahoo and other search engines; successful Freelancers on Guru.com will optimize their profiles for the Guru Search.
Keywords: Lead Them to You
The Keyword Search enables Employers to locate you by typing in words that are most relevant to their projects. Even if you are ranked number one in your category, you will not appear in an Employer's keyword search results if you do not have that keyword in your profile. The optimal placement of your important keywords is in the first 150 characters of the Highlights section of your profile. Placing your keywords here helps Employers quickly recognize how your profile relates to their project needs and keyword-based search criteria.
Do not, however, just pack your profile with keywords. Instead, carefully choose words that are significant to your business and include them as a natural part of your profile content. Merely filling your profile with the variations of the words "website design" may get potential Employers to your page, but it won't hold them there. Keywords should be used as directional signs - a way of saying, "I have what you're looking for!" - but your profile needs to deliver on that promise to turn leads into income.
 Attract Attention in the Search Results
You can use every element of your profile to draw Employers to your page and convince them that you can deliver a successful product. How your summary appears in the search results will be the first impression you make on a potential Employer, so make it a great one!
Completing the following aspects of your profile will make you stand out from the crowd:
Screen Icon - A screen icon should be a visual representation of your products and services. Think of how helpful it is that when driving down the highway, you can quickly glance at a sign on the side of the road and know almost instantaneously that if you take the next exit you will be able to eat dinner, put gas in your car and get a good night's rest. A great icon should let a potential client know in an instant that you can design a website, create a logo, write a technical manual or build a prototype.
Screen Name - A screen name acts like a well-lit street sign proclaiming your presence and making it easy for Employers to find you. Creating a screen name that is clever, simple or relative to your profession will help Employers pick you out from the masses. It will also help them recall who you are and locate you more easily by using it in a keyword search.
Tagline - What aspect of your business do you want Employers to notice and remember? Similar to a screen name, a tagline works both as an attention getter and a way for Employers to locate you in the keyword search. A successful tagline will help Employers recall who you are and what services you provide. Vague references such as "Excellence Delivered" might grab some attention, but they lack the specificity needed to inspire a click. "Excellence in Transcription" begins to hone in on an Employer's needs but still doesn't drive them to you. However, "Excellent Transcription Done by Tracy" marks the spot letting potential clients know who you are and what you do.
 Show What You Can Do
Your Work Samples are powerful references. The marketing plan you wrote, the t-shirt illustration you created, or the dress you designed all give an Employer a clear idea of your skills. When choosing files to upload to your profile, keep these three guidelines in mind:
Best: Do not just select the first 100 samples you come across. Carefully select those pieces you are most proud of producing. Before you begin uploading, ask yourself a few questions and create a list based on your answers. For what work have you won awards? For what work have you received nominations? Do you have examples that received exceptional feedback from former Employers or from your peers? Which ones became a foundation of repeat business?
Variety: Show the depth and breadth of your abilities. Giving a potential Employer a comprehensive look at the range of work you have accomplished can expand your project opportunities. Even slight variations in work, the difference between a retail shoe website designed for men and one designed for women, can sway an Employer to choose you.
Latest: One's craft changes and evolves over time. Make sure what you display represents the quality of work you produce now. A senior technical writer with thirty years of experience will not create as great an impact on Employers with a college essay as she would with an excerpt from the software manual she produced last month. As you continue to produce new and amazing work samples, remember to upload them to keep your profile looking fresh and current.
Keywords should be placed in both the title of your sample and its description. Associate the word "logo" with your logo designs, and an Employer looking for logos will find you.
 Target a Niche Using your Profile Details
Some details provided in your profiles act as major landmarks for Employers trying to make their way down the path to the perfect match. With strategic thought and some simple editing, you can rely on niche elements to improve your overall visibility throughout the Guru Search. Employers will see you as a more compatible fit as they refine their searches to meet the specifics of their project needs.
Skill Categories:The skill category of your profile is chosen as part of your membership plan, but you can add up to five skill subcategories to your profile on the Skills Overview. Highlight the five specialties that best represent your expertise and ability and you will have a better chance of rising to the top across more skill-based searches.
Location:Your location is set as part of your account details. And while you won't want to change your address, you can choose your closest city selectively. The closest city will be used to determine whether or not you are a match in any State, Province, City or ZIP Code based refinements. Is your closest city in another state? Now you can use it to advantage.
Industry:You can add up to five industries to your profile as part of your Skills Overview. Note the industries you have worked in and you will alert Employers to the types of businesses where you have strong foundational knowledge. Some Employers actively seek Freelancers who are already nimble and adept with the latest context, requirements or pressures facing their sectors.
Budget:If you have a specific minimum budget requirement, let Employers know about it by updating your profile summary. By being up front about your budget requirements, you can save yourself and Employers time in search and selection. A minimum budget can send messages about the quality of work you seek, the pace you'll set on projects or the service level you offer to clients. A minimum budget can help better target the types of projects you really want to focus on.
Remember, as an Employer refines a search, he or she may narrow the talent pool based on different refinement criteria. Your combined profile details work together to help determine whether or not you make the cut or become a top match! Take a few minutes to test where you are (or aren't) coming up in the Guru Search and then make adjustments where you can. Remember to check combinations of these details to optimize across several potential niches.
Don't Let Employers Pass You By
Leaving your profile blank is similar to pulling in the welcome mat at the front door. Without filling out profile details, adding well-placed and thoughtful keywords, or uploading work samples you are essentially hiding your profile from possible Employers. Instead, you can focus their attention away from the competition right from the start. Make sure your profile gets noticed in the search results by completing all profile fields and by adding a meaningful and memorable screen icon, screen name and tagline to your profile. Implementing these few simple elements will not only give Employers a direct road map to your door, but will invite them in to learn more once they're there.
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