Effective project management can make or break a venture.
If you’re just starting out as a project manager, you probably have a lot more questions than answers.
What do I need to do for the project? What tools should I use? How does project management for freelancers work?
Keep reading to find four tips that will help you get a running start into the world of freelance project management.
1. Use Effective Freelance Project Management Tools
Project management for freelancers is very reliant on effective communications and a clear flow of information. High-quality freelance project management software is essential for this.
You want something that allows you to communicate, collaborate, assign tasks, monitor completion, and supports editing. If it has a method of invoice management and freelancer payment built in, that’s even better.
Don’t forget to check out other SEO tools. These let you better understand your market and can help you shape the kind of work your freelancers are doing.
2. Process, Process, Process
You have to have a set process for assigning, monitoring, and editing your workflow. It’s absolutely vital that things flow smoothly and stay organized at all times.
For SEO work the absolute minimum information you need available on a project tab is:
- Task Identifier
- Assigned Writer/Editor
- Optimization Status
- Due Date
- Workflow
- Current Status
There are plenty of other factors you may need on a case by case basis. Every task you create will need at least this basic setup.
3. Communicate
Communication seems obvious but you’d be surprised how often it becomes an issue. As SEO project manager you’re the one in charge of keeping everyone on the same page.
It’s your job to make sure requirements are understood and changes are communicated quickly and completely. You don’t want to discover that one of your contractors wasn’t working to the style guide or owners vision weeks into their work.
Make sure you also recognize when people are providing excellent work. A big part of a project managers job is keeping interpersonal forces working in the project’s favor.
4. Remember the Big Picture
As the project manager, it’s your job to make sure all the puzzle pieces you’re assigning eventually form a complete picture. Make sure you’re adequately managing your own attention to ensure this happens.
Set up a schedule of reviews and all hands meetings and keep to it religiously. Don’t make it intrusive to everyone’s workload, just be sure they all know that what they’re working on is part of a greater whole.
We get it, it’s easy to get bogged down in the minutiae of everyday operations. Just make sure you always keep the big picture in mind and delegate tasks when necessary.
Always Be Improving
One of the most important things to do in freelance project management is to review your management style and tools regularly. Find out what’s working and what isn’t. Change things up and constantly improve your skills. In today’s economy stagnating is a great way to find yourself irrelevant to future projects.
Learn more about SEO, content marketing, and other useful freelance topics by checking out some of our other articles.