“If you build it, they will come.”

If I've learned anything over the past few years, it's that this old axiom doesn’t always apply, especially in this day and age. Simply putting together a website with the latest technology platforms on top of a semi-clever URL won’t do the trick. There are, however, five simple things that you can implement to move the traffic needle up and improve your metrics.

Search Engine Optimization: Search engine optimization, otherwise known as SEO for short, is one of the hottest topics in website development today. Not in the know? Here's a quick rundown. According to Wikipedia, it’s “the process of improving the volume or quality of traffic to a web site from search engines via “natural” or un-paid search results as opposed to Search Engine Marketing (SEM).” It's like tidying up your website and filling out all of the appropriate forms so that search engine crawlers will get the most context from your site and reward you with a higher page rank.

The SEO game is constantly evolving and is a bit tricky, but there are a few basics methods you can utilize to get yourself started. Alex McArthur lined up “5 Easy Ways To Improve Your Search Rankings” right here. Looking for more? Search our blog with “Search Engine Optimization” and you’ll have plenty to go on from there.

As pioneers of The New Way To Work, people on Elance are well aware of the benefits associated with our emerging work model. However, independent professionals in the United States face new government legislation. We have asked Regan Parker, responsible for government affairs at LiveOps, to share her perspective on regulatory issues that freelance and contract professionals in the U.S. should be aware of.

As a provider of services on Elance, you’re part of a much broader global movement that is changing the way the world works. At every level, the national media is recognizing the new world of work – a world where work doesn’t mean a long commute through traffic, a time clock, or a desk and cube in a big office building. Businesses like Elance and LiveOps are powering a new economy where workers are taking control of their schedules and their lives, trading in traditional “employment” and becoming independent freelancers and micro-business owners.

We’d all like to see government support this movement and encourage the sort of freedom and opportunity that this new freelance economy is bringing to modern workers. Unfortunately, government is often slow to react to change, and at times is even resistant to it. As the head of government affairs for LiveOps, I’ve been invited by the Elance team to share with you information about proposed legislation in Washington that would ultimately discourage companies from contracting with independent workers such as yourself and to let you know how you can get involved. This legislation is part of a growing trend in Washington to set us back decades in the name of worker protection reform and threatens your ability to provide freelance services and earn a living on your own terms.

Instead of providing the certainty that the classification test desperately needs, this legislation seeks to change the tax code to make it more difficult for companies to engage independent contractors. The bill, HR 3408, proposes to take away one of the safe harbors from the existing code, introduces classification status reviews, and automatic appeals for workers found to be contractors. In addition to these burdensome and costly processes, the bill also increases the fines for misclassification. Companies who engage contractors on a large scale and who have begun crowdsourcing work will face significantly higher risk if this legislation passes, resulting in a chilling effect on companies willing to engage a freelance workforce.

We can all understand the good intentions that motivate this legislation. There have been widespread abuses of contract labor and many people have been taken advantage of and denied a fair wage. Legitimate companies have been undercut by unscrupulous businesses who put forth a lower bid for a job by denying workers benefits and wages. Independent contracting cannot and should not be a way for companies to get a competitive advantage or to deny the basic rights that workers deserve.

But what some people in Washington don’t seem to understand is that for some, this independence is, in fact, a choice. For a growing minority, freedom, flexibility and the ability to work on one’s own terms outweigh any relative benefits that being an employee may bring. Unfortunately, in an effort to right the wrongs of worker abuse, Congress has failed to look at all of the positives taking place in the realm of workforce innovation. The world of work has changed. The securities that we once depended on are gone, and a new way of working has taken hold in this economy. Traditional employment is no longer the only viable option.

It’s October, and that means we’re about a third of the way in to our “The New Way To Work” contest. Our Facebook Fan Page and the #new_way_to_work hash tag are heating up, and we’ve already seen a number of great submissions come through (expect a lot more highlights coming soon.)

Today, we’re spotlighting an entry from “America’s Business Coach” Victor Cheng. His written blog entry dissects what The New Way To Work means to him personally, how it affects the “Traditional Success Paradigm”, how you can define your own new way to work, and how you and make the transition. Here’s an excerpt (from www.victorcheng.com):

A New Way to Work – Shatters the Traditional Success Paradigm

If money doesn't buy happiness and money doesn't even buy more free time, then what's the point of focusing exclusively on making more money? And if it's pointless to focus only on making more money, then what else should one focus on instead?

After reflecting on this one for a while that I came up with the concept of the Lifestyle Business — which is really an entirely new way to work.

In a traditional business, the entrepreneur works like a dog and whatever time and energy she has left over is devoted to her personal life. And surprise, surprise, the entrepreneur has the rude awakening one day that she has no life!

This past Tuesday, the Elance team took the 50-minute trip up highway 101 to go from sunny Mountain View to the bustling city of San Francisco for two very special events.

The sixth floor of the Small Business Administration building in downtown San Francisco was where we held our first event of the day, otherwise known as Elance 101 – How To Find, Hire, Manage, and Pay Online Experts To Get Work Done. The event was a two-and-a-half hour working session showing potential users the benefits of using Elance to get the work they need done as well as a real-live demo.

Jackie Pettus, founder of productivity / e-commerce site Habitudes.info, volunteered her business to be under the microscope and be the case study for our workshop. After searching high and low for answers, Jackie was in dire need of a revamped Search Engine Optimization strategy. Together, we performed a real-time play-by-play of how to post a job on Elance, what happens immediately thereafter, and how you use the features of the Workroom to manage and pay experts to get the job done.

Immediately after, we packed our things and headed down to the SOMA district for our first-ever Elance “Meet and Tweet”. Providers, employers, and fresh faces all joined us at Varnish Fine Art to unwind, have a glass of wine, and talk about “The New Way To Work”. Check out the festivities over at Flickr. (Huge thanks to Michael O ‘Donnell for the fabulous photography.)

Miss out? The Elance Team is planning on hitting BizTechDay later this month. For more information, visit the BizTechDay homepage – you won’t want to miss it.

Many of you in our community are already aware of the several natural disasters in Southeast Asia affecting millions, namely the recent earthquake in Indonesia and the series of typhoons hitting the Philippines and other countries in the area.

As the Elance community truly is a global one, events like the recent natural disasters are felt all over the world, online as well as offline.

To all of our Elance providers currently in the region: Our thoughts are with you in this unfortunate time. We hope that you and your family are safe and unaffected by the natural disasters.

We have notified your clients that there may be a disruption in communication this week due to the disasters. If you have access to the Internet, please log in to Elance and let your customers know of your status.

To all of our Elance employers currently engaged with providers in the region: Due to the recent natural disasters, there may be a disruption in communication with your provider.

We have sent a message to providers who have potentially been affected requesting that they contact their clients. However, on the behalf of affected providers, we request your patience during this time. If you are experiencing significant delays in your project, please contact us directly and we will do whatever we can to assist.

Our hearts and thoughts go out to all of those affected in Southeast Asia.

Sincerely,
Fabio Rosati
CEO, Elance