12 Strategies to Grow Your Freelance Business on Social Media
You’re a freelancer, and you want to find more clients. But where do you start?
It can be tough to get your freelance business off the ground. Not only do you have to worry about finding clients, but you also have to worry about doing all the work yourself.
Growing Your Freelance Business
What is the best way to grow a freelance business?
Is it through email marketing, or by going out and talking with people face-to-face? The answer is both. Social media allows you to connect with potential clients efficiently without having to leave your house.
Social media has become a huge part of our lives. The average person spends 142 minutes on social media each day. If you are running a freelance business, it is important to promote your work on these platforms to grow your audience and make connections with potential clients.
In this article, we will discuss 12 strategies that will help you promote your freelance business on social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
Top Strategies To Grow Your Freelance Business
Are you looking to grow your freelance business? If so, you’re definitely not alone. Every day, thousands of freelancers are looking for ways to take their businesses to the next level.
So how can you make sure that your freelance business grows successfully? By using social media platforms wisely. Below are twelve strategies that will help you do just that.
Understanding how social media works is key to using it successfully.
Some basics such as character limit for each platform will help you when drafting your content. Different social platforms allow for different content types. While Instagram is great for visual content, you cannot post text-only posts on the platform.
Knowing how the platforms work will help you narrow down on which one to go with.
Not all platforms are used for business promotion. Some, such as Snapchat, are more personal and should be used sparingly for promoting your freelance business.
Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook are ideal for promoting your business as they allow you to post text, images, and videos.
Choose the platform that best suits your business and the content you want to share.
Once you understand the basics, it’s time to move on to strategy number two.
2. Create a catchy, memorable profile
Your social media profile is the first thing people will see when they land on your page.
It’s important to make a good first impression by having a catchy and memorable profile.
Include a professional headshot, list your skills and specialties, and write a brief bio about yourself.
Make sure that your content is updated regularly, and keep your profile neat.
If you can make people feel like they know you, they will be more likely to reach out to you for business opportunities.
A well-structured profile is the key to standing out from the competition.
Next up is strategy number three:
3. Get clear on who your target audience is.
What is your customer avatar?
You can create a visual representation of your ideal client to ensure that you are using the correct social media platform. To find success as a freelancer, you need to know who you are targeting. Clutching on straws and posting to every social media platform is a waste of time and energy.
Instead, pinpoint your potential clients and the platforms that may be more suited for them.
For example, LinkedIn would work best for professional individuals or companies who are looking for business-related services from freelancers such as graphic design or copywriting services.
When you know who your target audience is, it becomes much easier to create content that resonates with them and to pitch your services in the right way.
Ready for strategy number four?
Hashtags are a great way to find new connections and grow your network on social media. They allow you to see posts that are related to the topic or keyword you’re interested in.
When using hashtags, make sure that you research which ones work best for your niche. For example, if you are a graphic designer, the hashtag #graphicdesign might give you some great leads. If you haven’t experimented with hashtags before, this guide from Hootsuite offers some insight into Instagram hashtags.
Don’t be afraid to use a variety of hashtags to reach a wider audience.
The more people who see your content, the greater the chances are that they will become clients.
Ready for strategy number five?
Sharing content that resonates with your target audience is a sure-fire way to grow your network. One of the best ways to find relevant content for social media is finding blogs in your niche and sharing their posts on Twitter or Facebook.
Not only will you be helping others by giving them exposure, but you’ll also be teaching your followers about the latest news and trends in your industry.
When you share content that is relevant to your business or industry, you are establishing yourself as an expert in your field.
This will help you attract potential clients who are looking for someone with knowledge and experience in their desired area of work.
Ready for strategy number six?
6. Engage with others in your community, by liking posts, commenting, and following people you’re interested in
No (wo)man is an island. You need others to thrive at whatever you are doing. While posting new content regularly is great, you need to put in some extra effort to see results.
Engaging with others in your industry is a great way to build relationships and attract potential clients.
Take the extra time to like posts, leave comments, follow people you’re interested in, and generally get involved with those around you. Not only will this allow you to learn new things about your niche or industry, but it will also give you a chance to interact with potential clients who are looking for someone just like you.
Ready for another strategy?
7. Promote yourself through contests, giveaways, and events – this will help build relationships with potential clients
Running a contest or giveaway on social media is a great way to promote yourself and attract new leads. It’s also a fun way to get your followers engaged with your brand.
Events are another great way to connect with potential clients and create relationships that could lead to future work. Hosting an event can be as simple as gathering your followers in a physical space or online to talk about your industry, or it could be as complex as organizing an entire conference.
Ready for strategy number eight?
8. Use Facebook to create a business page for your freelance services
If you’re a business owner or freelancer, it’s very important to have an online presence on Facebook.
Facebook allows you to tell your story and engage with potential clients in ways that Twitter and Instagram don’t allow.
Creating a Professional Facebook Page will help brand yourself as an expert in your field and allow you to connect with more people in your industry.
When creating your page, make sure to add a profile picture, cover photo, and description that represents you and your business.
You can also use Facebook to share blog posts, images, and other types of content that will help engage your audience.
LinkedIn is such an underrated social media platform that offers immense value to professionals.
It’s all about professional networking on LinkedIn.
Before you dive into building your network, it’s important to join groups that are related to your field of work or interest. This will help you connect with potential clients and get involved in the industry before promoting yourself too heavily. Once you’ve got some group memberships under your belt, it’s time to start getting involved. Participate in discussions, share content you think others might find interesting, and generally get engaged with other users on the platform.
When promoting yourself on LinkedIn (and social media), try not to come across as spammy or desperate for attention.
10. Follow people in your industry on Twitter and retweet their content when appropriate
Twitter is very much a numbers game. If you aren’t following enough people on Twitter, it will be difficult for your tweets to reach an audience that cares about what you have to say. Follow potential clients and industry leaders this increases your chances of being followed by them and those in their network. Retweet their content when appropriate to get exposure to your own followers.
Ready for another strategy?
11. Use Instagram as a way to connect with potential clients
Unlike other social media sites, Instagram is more visual. From reels and photos of your work to snapshots of your day-to-day, Instagram can be a great way to connect with potential clients.
Many people use Instagram as a way to get inspired by creative professionals. If you can find ways to stand out and show the human side of your business, you’ll be able to attract more attention from potential clients.
One way to make sure you’re consistently sharing great content on social media is to use a tool like Hootsuite. This will allow you to schedule posts ahead of time, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting to share something important.
It’s also a great way to keep an eye on your social media analytics so you can see what content is resonating with your audience.
13. Make sure you have a website, blog, and email list set up
Even if you’re only sharing your work on social media, it’s important to have a website, blog, and email list set up. This is where people can go to learn more about you and what you do.
Your website should be professional and easy to navigate, while your blog should be full of interesting content that your audience will want to read.
Emails are also important for building a relationship with your audience, so make sure you have the basics down before diving into social media promotion!
It’s Time To Grow
Now that you know a few social media strategies to help grow your freelance business, it’s time to get started. Each of these tips can be easily implemented, and most of them won’t take up too much of your time. Just make sure you’re consistent with your efforts and you’ll see results in no time. Which strategy are you going to try first?
