In the decade or so that cloud computing has been with us, we have seen businesses – big and small – adopt it more and more. They have, in turn, reaped the profits that this computer architecture had always guaranteed  and continue to do so today.

Just like those businesses, your freelance business too can benefit from making the switch to the cloud. Whether you are a one-man operation that writes articles and blogs for clients, fly around the world living it up in hotels and resorts for a travel site or design sites and write code on an SMB level – the cloud can make your life easier and much more profitable.

Below, we will see the ways the cloud can help your freelancer business:

Next-to-Zero Data Storage Costs

Anyone that has run a business that needs physical data storage space – that is bigger than the ones found on personal computers or laptops – knows that acquiring it can be a costly affair. Owning servers and administering them is very expensive.

The only alternative is to look towards the cloud. A simple search online will make you aware that there are data storage companies that allow you to store a decent amount of data online for free.

Good examples are Google’s Drive and DropBox – all you need to access the services they have to offer is to sign up and sign in. The first few gigabytes are free and you can synchronize all your devices to make sure you have the latest version of documents at all times.

If you still think you need some more space, you can add some by paying minimal fees that will always be worth it.

Total Mobility

The beauty of the freelancer lifestyle is the relative independence it offers. It is the ability to work from any place, anywhere and at any time that makes it attractive to freedom lovers.

The cloud enhances freelancers’ capabilities by allowing them to access their data on the go and on any device. They aren’t limited by the failure of a device – as long as there is another one that can connect to the internet, the freelancer can access and work with any data or document.

Wider Choice of Software

Remember the days when, if you wanted to use a software package on a corporate level you had to actually buy it (at an inflated price because you happened to have a number of users) and then install it on a local server?

Well, those days are long gone and today if you want to use an application – for almost any purpose –you can find it in the cloud. Software as a Service (SaaS) and Application Service Provision (ASP) allow anyone to go online to use applications that can do everything from the creation, editing and sharing of documents and spreadsheets to more complicated tasks like collaboration and data administration on a corporate and even international level.

You can now own and run accounting, HR and payroll systems on the cloud and if you are still a small business you can do so for free. Your staff doesn’t have to wait for the accounting department in the home office to see their pay slips or to fill in their personal details – they can do it from anywhere.

Test Servers Galore

Website designers or code developers always had one problem when it came to showing their clients what they had created for them or when a demonstration was required: a solid testing environment.

An application or website that was developed on a laptop would need to be tested on that same machine until it goes live (even if it was in a testing phase).

Now, there are web hosting providers who offer absolutely free packages that include all types of operating systems and environments (Windows, Linux, etc.) and/or databases (MSSQL, MySQL, etc.).

All you have to do is sign up, push your files and folders online and send the link to your clients.

Enhanced Security

Unless you are the paranoid type that can’t accept the thought of anything but having your data on your own machines, you will admit that the big companies do a much better job of securing data and servers than you could possibly do on your meager budget and flimsy network.

Although you might argue that data out of your control is not secure, you should realize that companies like Google and Apple have a reputation to uphold. They do not want to be seen as cloud data storage sites that anyone can simply hack, walk in and retrieve data illegally from.

They make sure to keep their security standards up to par – they can afford to have the latest technology in place as well as keep it under the watchful eyes of experts.

Not many – if any – freelance business can say that.

With the cloud helping your freelancing business you will be able to provide a much more professional service with the least expense – the perfect recipe for a successful and profitable business.