Freelance copyeditors are always in demand because the millions of websites require ever more original articles and information. Even the best freelance authors need a competent copyeditor to polish their work.

More freelance editor jobs are appearing because the need for volumes of original text still rarely justifies full-time employees to perform editorial functions. The recent recession did nothing to improve the full-time employment picture.

However, Artisan online jobs for copyeditors are expanding. This expansion is also attracting more competition, as you might expect. Therefore it is in your best interest to become the best copyeditor you can be and to market yourself properly.

Unlike with the print publishing industry, editing online copy creates some additional challenges. Becoming a better copyeditor involves paying attention to the classic basics and concentrating on the extra skills needed for electronic copy. Here are some tips to become a superior copyeditor.
 

• Look for text formatting issues. As all web design tips recommend, always preview sites in different browsers, as formatting can become skewed—or even disappear—when uploaded to certain browsers. Verify, or create, consistency in text formatting to keep the words and thoughts clear and readable.
• Examine color shifts that confuse or clutter the document or site. Like text formatting, color can sometimes suffer “browser modification” for no apparent reason. These color shifts can create more confusion than text variations, as they can be quite distracting. Compare consistency in link colors, too. Because of HTML “typos” or browser quirks, you may find most links in classic blue, while others may appear in purple, red or another color.
• Ensure that embedded links are active and deliver the reader to the correct web address. Along with confusing color variations, links can be another source of copyediting attention. Verify that the links you encounter are active and lead visitors to the promised destination. Broken links, more common than anyone wants to admit, can be madly frustrating. Physically click these links to verify that readers will be taken to the location the writer intended.
• Determine that all text is readable, devoid of non-standard fonts, words and symbols. Creative freelance web designers and authors, striving for wide recognition can sometimes cause them to stretch and expand their efforts to differentiate their work. They may use text, fonts, elusive words or confusing symbols that only clutter a site and confuse readers. Work your copyediting magic to ensure text is clear, fonts are familiar, words exist in most dictionaries and symbols are common and recognizable.
• Verify copyrights, webmaster information, and all other required or “identifying information” is present and correct. Websites and electronic documents contain information that may not be present in classic printed matter. Freelance copyeditors must examine sites and documents to verify that this additional information is present and correct.
• Be sure that the text fulfills SEO standards to optimize search engine ranks. Search Engine Optimization is a critical component of electronic copy. Even this helpful copy you now read contains a number of popular keywords to achieve higher search engine rankings, delivering these words to more people.

Those offering freelance editor jobs expect creative freelance professionals to understand and perform the functions noted, along with other classic copyediting requirements. The overriding principal remains: Good copyeditors have the duty to identify every form of mistake or error in each document they peruse. All other requirements and skills relate to this primary responsibility.

The important task of detailed proofreading remains: Editing website text and other online documents simply expands the copyeditor responsibilities to some areas that seldom exist with classic printed text. The best copyeditors hone their skills on these areas.