News From The Freelance World
You’ll find here the most recent news related to online freelancing - for example the new features that have been added on freelance sites, informations about updates, promotions, announcements, etc.
News archive from the past years:
2008.07.01 - EUFreelance
Post a Featured Project for €1 on EUFreelance.com!
Would you like to get 20 bids on your project? Maybe 50? 100?
Post your project as featured this week on EUFreelance.com for only €1!
The normal price for a featured project is €25.Click below to get started:
This promotion is valid this week only.
2008.06.27 - EUFreelance
EUFreelance has been launched!
EUFreelance is GetAFreelancer’s sister site (targeted for European market) with similar features. Best of luck!
Buy and sell services on EUFreelance.com using euro. Sign up today to build your reputation early on this growing site. Here you will find buyers from europe and sellers from the whole world.
2008.06.21 - Guru
Stop paying additional fees!
Every time you receive a SafePay payment from an Employer by Credit Card or PayPal, you lose money.
Right now you’re paying:
- Up to a 4% fee when paid by Credit Card
- A 2.5% fee when paid by PayPal
Do yourself a favor (and your Employer, too):
- Accept your SafePay payments by Check, E-check or Wire Transfer and you’ll avoid paying additional fees.
- Remind Employers that they can save too. For every dollar they pay you by these methods, they’ll receive up to 2% free money back in the form of Loyalty Dollars.
2008.06.20 - ScriptLance
New eCheck fee and more
ScriptLance is now offering PayPal eCheck deposits with no fee and automatic approval. We want to encourage payments via eCheck bank transfer because they are more secure, and so we decided to absorb the cost associated with them. This improvement will benefit everyone. Consider eCheck for your next deposit and save money, especially on large transfers!
We have also added an external payment logging system for Programmers. If your Buyer paid you outside of ScriptLance, whether it’s the total bid or just a bonus amount, you can report it in your account. This will allow programmers to earn points/rank on these external payments too.
Note that staff will review all external payments for any abuse of the system. Amounts above $1000 per month will have to be reported by contacting support.
Also, as of June 28th, the cost to post a Featured project will be reduced to $19, and the programmer fee on Featured projects changed to half the regular project fee. Note that, by mistake, the Featured page on ScriptLance has been incorrectly showing the Featured fee has being half, since the last fee change. Now it will be correct.
We believe this change will encourage more Feature project postings on ScriptLance, which will benefit everyone due to its lower fees.
2008.06.13 - RentACoder
New design for Rent a Coder Payoneer Prepaid Mastercard and waived signup fee!
Rent a Coder Payoneer Prepaid Mastercard
Rent A Coder is proud to introduce a new way for our coders all over the world to receive payments: the Rent A Coder Payoneer Prepaid MasterCard®! It’s faster, more secure and often cheaper than other payment methods. When you choose this payment option, you are paid directly to a prepaid MasterCard®, which can be used online, in stores, or to withdraw cash in your local currency at an ATM! Watch the Payoneer demo and see how simple it is.
To get started, or get more information, go to ‘My pay options’ under ’software coders’ and choose “Payoneer”. Sign up before 9/11/2008 12:00:00 AM and Payoneer will waive the $9.95/$19.95 activation fee!
Once you use the card as your payment method, you enjoy the following benefits:
- No bank account is needed.
- Use it like a credit card or debit card, everywhere MasterCard is accepted. MasterCard is accepted by more merchants around the globe than any other card.
- Withdraw cash from any ATM, at any time and in your local currency. MasterCard is accepted by ATMs worldwide.
- Your funds are secure. As long as the PIN stays uncompromised, your funds are MasterCard protected even if your card is lost or stolen. A replacement card will be mailed to you and the balance transferred.
- Enjoy online access to view your account, payments, balance and transaction history 24/7
2008.06.10 - GetAFreelancer
FREE E-Gold Withdrawals and Increased Withdrawal Limit!
We have great news for all of you who love E-Gold!
For a limited time we’re able to offer FREE E-Gold withdrawals! That’s right, no fees taken when you withdraw money to E-Gold. The withdrawal limit has been increased to $500 per week.
Take advantage of this offer now as it will only be available for a limited time!
2008.06.10 - Elance
New Enhancements Improve Project Collaboration
New Enhancements Improve Project Collaboration
We are excited to announce the latest product release to the Elance community, which includes improvements that make it easier for buyers to award, collaborate on, and manage their projects. We’ve also made it easier for providers to get repeat business.
Key Enhancements:
- MyElance Redesign for Buyers
- Repeat Projects
- Business to Business Job Posting
- Bid Minimums
- Buyer Award Process
- E-checks
- Referral Program
MyElance Redesign for Buyers
We’ve redesigned the MyElance interface for buyers to make it easier to collaborate online and make it more effective to manage projects. The redesigned interface simplifies the day-to-day management of jobs by giving buyers one convenient dashboard to manage all their Elance activity and projects.
In one at-a-glance screen, buyers can monitor all of their jobs and:
- Easily view and sort messages and email by date or jobs
- View time-sensitive “To Do” lists and deadlines with one-click access for more detailed information
- Receive important reminders and alerts so nothing slips through the cracks
- Get a snapshot of vital statistics like award rate, feedback, and job spend – of all jobs or just one
We’ve also added a new project workroom for each project to help buyers manage each project more effectively. Each workroom gives a detailed view of each project and enables buyers to:
- Manage day-to-day tasks at the job-level
- Easily access all information related to any specific project – such as private messages, files, payments, business terms and proposals – basically all information that helps buyers manage their jobs
- Access at-a-glance highlights of key milestones and dates
- View status updates from service providers to understand progress towards key milestones
- Communicate with providers via one-click access to private message boards, chat and call functions
Repeat Projects
We’ve also made it easier for buyers and providers to continue working together on Elance. Both buyers and providers can now create repeat projects without having to complete new project requests. Other highlights include:
- Buyers can rehire providers in a single step
- Buyers and providers can create milestones and continue to choose hourly or fixed price contracts
- Buyers or providers engaging in repeat projects can now use Escrow as the payment type
Business to Business (B2B) Job Posting
Buyers with complex request for proposals (RFP’s) who wish to work only with Large Business providers can publish their RFP as a Business to Business (B2B) posting. With a Business to Business posting, buyers limit the proposals they receive and ensure their proposals are only from businesses with Large Business memberships on Elance.
Bid Minimums
Bid minimums are now tied to project budget.
The new bid minimum ranges are:
- Project value less than $500 – minimum bid is $50
- Project value between $500 and $1000 – minimum bid is $350
- Project value greater than $1000 – minimum bid is $700
Buyer Award Process
Buyers can now jumpstart their projects and ensure project success with the ability to send draft business terms as part of the award process. Buyers can propose business terms without having to wait for the provider to send terms upon project acceptance.
Now pay with E-checks
With E-checks, US-based buyers now have another convenient option to pay providers. E-checks allows US buyers to pay providers directly from the buyers’ bank account.
Referral Program
We’ve now made it easier for you to earn money when you help grow the Elance community. Tell your friends and colleagues about your profile or post on Elance, and we’ll pay you $50 for every qualified referral*. You now have three easy ways to refer:
- Send emails directly to your network
- Forward any Elance profile or project, including your own, to a friend
- Place an Elance badge directly on your website, blog, networking profile, email signature – any way you reach friends online
* A new Elance member you sent to Elance that spends or earns at least $1,000 within 12 months of your referral.
2008.05.30 - ScriptLance
Linked Accounts
We added a feature that lets you link your multiple ScriptLance accounts together, and we have relaxed our policy regarding owning multiple accounts. If you request the opening of another account from staff, explain the purpose (e.g. 1 for personal and 1 for your company), and refrain from using it to avoid bad reviews, fees or other account limitations, ScriptLance will allow you to own multiple accounts.
Link Accounts have the benefit of:
- Transfering funds between your accounts free of charge (each account must be approved for transfers in advance by staff).
- Optionally publicly displaying your account links to share reviews and more between your accounts (coming soon).
- Faster deposits, withdrawals and other transactions by avoiding delays caused by the SL system flagging your account (due to matching IPs or other account details). Staff will be able to review your account faster.
Buyers and Programmers can manage their linked accounts from the account edit page.
More features will soon be added for linked accounts.
2008.05.26 - GetAFreelancer
More than 250,000 project have been posted on GetAFreelancer!
Another milestone in the site’s growth - more than 250,000 projects have been posted on GAF.
2008.05.19 - GetAFreelancer
GetAFreelancer users have earned over $20,000,000!
The total amount of money paid through GAF has exceeded $20,000,000!
2008.05.01 - ScriptLance
Bonus Payments Calculated
Extra payments received by programmers will now be calculated to determine points and rank. Also, the reviews page now displays bid and payment information.
Privacy and useful information have been balanced. Bids are only displayed for public projects, and detailed payment information is not displayed. We simply show one of the following:
Paid: Programmer was paid on SL.
Paid + Bonus: Programmer was paid more than bid amount.
Unknown: No payment made on SL (payment may have been made outside SL, so that is why we don’t assume it’s unpaid).
N/A: Displayed for private projects.
2008.05.01 - Oylinki
Oylinki updates.
Oylinki is under new ownership.
With a fresh new approach we will be launching a brand new look with added value and services in coming weeks.
We will also be launching a partner website specializing in graphics design which will provide a space for skilled graphics designers to showcase their portfolios, and for employers looking for professionals to browse through the portfolios.
Choose the best artist or graphics designer for the job!Visit Oylinki Freelance for upcoming exciting news and special offers!
And remember, posting projects on Oylinki is always FREE.
Skilled web developers and designers can sign up an account for FREE and bid for projects, work independently today!Log in and post a projects today, and Save Money by working with our highly skilled professionals.
2008.04.29 - Guru
How do you appear in the new search?
Check out the new way employers are now searching for you!
Right now employers are searching for you in a whole new way. How do you appear in the new search results?
Simply perform a keyword search on your screen name to see where and how you appear.To optimize how you show up in the new search, make sure you have completed the following pieces of your profile:
Uploaded:
- Screen name
- Screen icon
- Tagline
- Highlights
- Work samples
Added:
- Targeted keywords to your Highlights and Work Sample descriptions. This will help employers find you when they perform keyword searches. For example, if your specialty is ASP.NET, make sure you mention this coding language within the first few sentences of your Profile Highlights.
2008.04.22 - Guru
Upgraded Search Feature.
New Search helps Employers find the brightest profile stars. Complete your profile to shine your brightest in the new Employer Search!
Employers are searching for your profile in an entirely new way. On Guru.com there is a galaxy of talent for Employers to view. Below are some tips to make sure you can be found by making your profile sparkle.
With the new Search, Employers can find you in three ways:
By Your Profile
- How it works: Your profile is displayed in order of its rank and accompanied by a brief summary.
- How you can update your profile: Upload your screen icon, screen name, highlights and tagline to make your profile stand out. These items prominently appear in the new Profiles Search.
By Your Work Samples
- How it works: Uploaded Work Samples are displayed for Employers to search by keyword or category. For instance, if you have uploaded a business card design, an Employer could easily locate it by typing in the keyword “business card” or by searching that specific category.
- How you can update your profile: Upload examples of your best work and make sure your descriptions are keyword-rich. For example, if you upload a logo as a Work Sample, make sure the keyword “logo” appears in your Work Sample title and description.
By Your Completed Projects
- How it works: Projects you’ve completed through Guru.com are featured in this new Search. For a project to appear, you must have received at least one paid SafePay Invoice for the project within the last 12 months.
- How you can update your profile: Keep billing Employers for projects through SafePay Escrow or Invoicing, and make sure to ask Employers to leave feedback on you once payment is complete.
Get ready and get found!
2008.04.22 - Webdesigners123
Notification Service
We are improving the WebDesigners123 website and upgrading our website email system. As of 4/22/2008 you need to subscribe to our notification service to get a notice about each new project that is posted on our website
It’s a FREE service.
2008.04.14 - ScriptLance
SMS Notifications
Programmers can now get notified on their mobile phone when they win a bid. ScriptLance has added this feature to help projects get completed faster. We will expand SMS and other mobile technologies based on the success and demand for this feature.
At this time we simply send the notification to an alternate email address, which would be your mobile phone’s email address. If your carrier doesn’t provide that service, you can check a list of sites that offer the service for a small fee per message.
Also note you can request that the bid won SMS only be sent when you are not online. And Buyers can no longer accidentally pick you twice. So you won’t receive unnecessary SMS messages.
2008.04.07 - GetAFreelancer
GetAFreelancer.com celebrates 500,000 users!
There are over 500,000 users registered on GAF!
2008.03.26 - ScriptLance
Google Checkout Deposits
ScriptLance now uses Google Checkout to accept credit card payments. Its lower processing fees and additional features are a welcome addition that will result in money saved and faster payments for everyone.
2008.03.25 - Guru
Minimum Project Budget.
Choosing a Minimum Project Budget lets you define your bottom line.
Displaying your Minimum Project Budget on your profile will help filter out projects you are not interested in. Employers with project values less than what you want to accept will be discouraged from contacting you with further questions and requests.
In the future, we will add the ability for you to filter the Project Notification emails/alerts you receive by project budget entered to make sure you’re only alerted to projects that most interest you.
To enter the Minimum Project Budget you’re willing to accept now:
- On the My Admin page, click the “My Profiles” link.
- Next to each of your profiles, click the “Overview” link.
- On the Summary tab, click the “Edit” button.
Checks will still only be issued on Fridays.
2008.03.21 - Elance
Preview New Invoicing System
Preview New Invoicing System
We are excited to give you a sneak preview of our upcoming product release, which will go live at the end of March. The most significant enhancement of the March release is a powerful, new invoicing system. Additional enhancements include search for providers by major geographic region, integrated invoicing for Escrow and non-Escrow projects, and Watchlist now sorted by bidding end date.
You are invited to an exclusive webinar preview of the new features on Monday, March 24 at 8:00 am PDT. We hope to see you there!
If you cannot attend the webinar, but would still like to preview the new features, the webinar will be archived and available for viewing from MyElance.
2008.03.18 - ScriptLance
More Account Management Design Updates
The account management layout has been further improved to make it easier to view important information. You will now see your escrow and rating info to the right of your balance. Based on the amount of escrow and rating data you have to the right, the number of site announcements displayed on the left will increase to fill the space.
Programmers will notice that the bids table and bookmarks have been moved to the projects page (new link in account header). You can view recent bids and bookmarks on one page, bids you have won on another, and bids you have lost on yet another page.
But don’t worry about missing won project info. Your main account page will now clearly display a message to let you know how many projects you’ve recently won which require your attention.
The project page will also display your total new message count, as well as keep you logged in automatically.
2008.03.18 - RentACoder
New coder/seller payment option: Payoneer!
New coder/seller payment option: Payoneer!
You’ve asked for it, and now you’ve got it! Rent A Coder now offers the Payoneer Prepaid MasterCard as a method of payment. We credit you the money electronically and you just spend it like a credit card or withdraw it from an ATM machine. It’s extremely fast and convenient. For more information, click on ‘my pay options’ on the left hand side menu.
2008.03.12 - ScriptLance
Payoneer Debit Card Withdrawals
Due to popular demand for debit card withdrawals ScriptLance has partnered with Payoneer to bring you this service. Now you can get paid directly to a Mastercard prepaid debit card, which can be used online or in stores, or wirthdraw cash in local currencies at ATMs worldwide!
Payoneer has stringent regulations for customer privacy and uses top of the line security technology. If you ever have any questions about your card, Payoneer offers customer support by phone, email and live chat.
ScriptLance will not charge you any fees to process a debit card withdrawal. If you already have a Payoneer card you can load funds onto the same card. For more information about Payoneer and to signup, login to your account, go to the withdrawals page, and request a debit card withdrawal.
2008.03.07 - ScriptLance
New Contact Options
Both Buyers and Programmers can now submit more contact details in their account. The info will only be shared with the user you participate with in a project, like your email address currently does. The new details you can submit include: MSN, AIM, Gtalk, Yahoo Messenger, ICQ, Skype, plus a home/office phone number and a mobile phone number. Your profile will also display which of those contact details you have provided.
This feature should make it easier to start communicating as soon as a project begins, as well as let you know in advance which contact methods you will be able to use to communicate with a user.
2008.02.12 - Elance
Important Updates - Premier Program
Important Updates - Premier Program
Previously, we communicated that effective March 2nd, 2008, we would be charging providers a monthly maintenance fee of $20 to stay enrolled in the Premier Program. Based on the feedback we have received from our community and our own analysis of the program dynamics, at this time we have decided to extend the grace period of no additional membership fee. We will continue to monitor and evaluate the program and will communicate any changes as necessary.
For those Premier members who were grandfathered into the program, please keep in mind that as of March 4th, we will enforce the requirement of at least 2 verified credentials to maintain Premier membership. If you do not meet this requirement, your Premier membership will be discontinued. If you meet the eligibility requirements in the future, you will be automatically invited to join the program.
2008.02.08 - ScriptLance
Account Management Design Upgrade
As you most likely have noticed, the look of the account management area on ScriptLance has changed. The biggest improvement has been to your transactions page, which now displays more information. You can now also export a CSV file of your entire transaction history for your financial record keeping (the link is at the bottom of your transactions page).
We hope this makes it easier for everyone to manage their accounts.
2008.01.23 - GetAFreelancer
New Project Budgets.
Based on feedback from users and statistics on our site we have changed our project budgets to the following:
- Very Small Project: $30 - $250
- Small Project: $250 - $750
- Medium Project: $750 - $1,500
- Large Project: $1,500 - $3,000
- Very Large Project: >$3,000
If you for some reason want to create your own budget it is still possible to do this by making your project featured.
We know that this will still not satisfy all but we think that it will be a good change for most users.
2008.01.31 - Elance
New Changes to MyElance, Business Terms and New Refer a Friend Program
New Changes to MyElance, Business Terms and New Refer a Friend Program
Earlier today, we introduced new navigation changes to the MyElance homepage to make it easier to use.
We also introduced a streamlined Business Terms process to make it more intuitive for buyers and providers. For a quick review of these changes, please view the reference guide.Providers can now pay their membership fees using a PayPal Account and can market their LinkedIn and FaceBook profiles on their Elance provider profile. In addition to process improvements, we released features that enhance buyer quality.
Starting today, members can now view all of the unawarded projects that a buyer has posted, and if a buyer has more than five unawarded projects and has an award ratio below 20%, we prevent the buyer from posting new project.
And we are excited to introduce our newly revamped member referral program . This a great way for our members to earn extra cash by referring friends to Elance. Each qualifying member you refer will result in a $50 referral payment to you.
2008.01.10 - GetAFreelancer
GetAFreelancer.com is growing like never before!
More and more people turn to us since they discovered that we offer a very affordable service. Because of the way our site is setup buyers get more bids and providers spend less time looking at bad projects. This together with our low fees makes GetAFreelancer.com a winning concept!
Today we’ve added 4 new categories:
- Joomla
- OsCommerce
- Excel
- Photoshop
As a buyer you may now post projects in these categories.
As a provider you should edit your profile if you have skills matching these categories.
2008 will be a very interesting year for GAF users. We’re working on a new design and many new features.
2008.01.03 - GetAFreelancer
New project categories.
We added 4 new categories to GetAFreelancer.com. As a buyer you may now post projects in the following categories:
- Accounting/Bookkeeping
- Ruby/Ruby on Rails
- Video Services
- AJAX
As a provider you should login and edit your profile if you’re able to complete projects in these categories.