Starting a freelance digital marketing business is a great way to make money from home.
You can set your own hours, work as much or as little as you want, and choose the clients you want to work with.
But it’s not easy to get started. There are a lot of things to think about, such as knowing the best platforms for freelancers to find clients, how to position your services, and much more.
In this post, I’ll be sharing some tips to help you get started in your freelance digital marketing career.
What is Freelance Digital Marketing?
Freelance digital marketing is the process of helping companies promote their products and services online.
This can be done through a variety of means, including search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, social media marketing, and email marketing.
As a freelance digital marketing consultant, you will work with clients to determine which channels will be most effective for them and then develop and implement a marketing plan.
Because the field of digital marketing is always changing, it is important to stay up-to-date on new trends and developments.
In addition, as a freelance digital marketing consultant, you will need to be able to effectively manage your time and resources to meet deadlines and stay within budget.
So with the right skills and strategies, you can essentially help businesses increase their revenue and grow their business.
What Are Some Essential Skills For Freelance Digital marketing?
If this is all new to you and you’re interested in learning how to start a freelance digital marketing business, you can start by figuring out what type of service you want to provide.
This may include you taking the time to learn more skills such as taking a freelance digital marketing course.
Before you get started, though, it’s important to understand the skills that are essential for success in this field.
Some of the most important skills for freelance digital marketing include:
- Search engine optimization (SEO)
- Social media marketing (SMM)
- Content marketing
- Paid advertising (e.g., Google AdWords, Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, TikTok, etc)
- Email marketing
- Web analytics
These are just a few of the skills that are essential for success in your freelance digital marketing career.
Of course, many other skills can be helpful, such as copywriting, web design, and project management.
The important thing is to focus on the skills that are most relevant to the services you want to provide.
What Type of Services Does a Freelance Digital Marketer Offer?
There are different types of digital marketing that you can offer for clients.
Here are some of the more popular services:
Search engine optimization (SEO).
Search engine optimization is vital for businesses that want to be found online.
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It is the process of optimizing a website for Google search to earn higher web traffic levels and improve the visibility of the site.
As a freelance digital marketing consultant, you can help clients improve their website’s SEO.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is a type of marketing that involves creating and sharing online material (such as videos, blog posts, and social media posts) to promote a product or service.
While the exact approach may vary from business to business, there are three main aspects of content marketing: strategy, writing, and distribution.
Strategy refers to the overall plan for creating and delivering content. This includes understanding the target audience, identifying key messages, and deciding which channels will be used to reach the audience.
Writing is important because the quality of your content will determine how effective it is at promoting your product or service.
Distribution is how the content is distributed to the target audience. This can be done through social media, email marketing, search engine optimization, or paid advertising.
Each of these aspects is important in its own right, but they must all work together to create an effective content marketing campaign for your clients.
Social Media Marketing
Social media marketing is the process of using online platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to build relationships and interact with potential and current customers.
By sharing relevant content, engaging in conversations, and running targeted ads, businesses can increase brand awareness, generate leads, and drive sales.
While social media marketing can be extremely effective, it’s important to understand the platform you’re using for your clients, their audience, and their goals before getting started.
For example, Facebook is great for building relationships with customers, while LinkedIn is better suited for B2B networking.
Get started by creating a social media marketing plan that outlines your client’s objectives and strategies.
Then put your plan into action from there. Remember to keep an eye on your metrics so you can track your progress and adjust your plan as needed.
With a little effort, you can use social media to turn strangers into customers and turn customers into brand advocates.
SEM – Search Engine Marketing
SEM, not to get it confused with SEO, is the practice of increasing visibility on search engines through paid methods such as PPC (Pay-Per-Click) ads.
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SEM allows companies to target potential customers who are actively searching for their product or service.
Paid search ads are displayed at the top of the search results page, giving them prime real estate and making them more likely to be clicked on.
SEM is a powerful tool that can help to drive traffic and conversions. However, it is important to note that SEM should be just one part of a holistic marketing strategy.
In order to be successful, SEM campaigns must be well-designed and carefully monitored.
Additionally, businesses should focus on creating quality content that will organically attract users to their site.
By using a combination of techniques, businesses can ensure that they are getting the most out of their marketing efforts.
Pros and Cons of Freelance Digital Marketing
As a freelance digital marketing consultant, there are fantastic upsides, but there are also downsides that come with the territory.
Pros:
- You can make your own schedule
- You can work from anywhere in the world
- You have the potential to earn a high income
- You get to be your own boss
- You get to choose your clients
- You get to work on interesting projects
Freelancing can be a beautiful thing. You have the potential to earn a great living while also having the freedom to set your own schedule and work from anywhere in the world.
But as with anything, there are downsides to freelance digital marketing.
Cons:
- You need to be disciplined to make it work
- You can have periods of feast or famine
- You may have to work long hours
- May have to work on weekends
- You may have to work holidays
- You may have to deal with difficult clients
The biggest downside to freelancing is that your income is not fixed. You may have months where you make a lot of money and other months where you don’t make as much.
This can be difficult to manage, especially if you have financial obligations such as a mortgage or car payment.
Another downside is that you will be responsible for your own taxes. This means setting aside money each month to make sure you have enough to pay your taxes when they are due.
Overall, this just comes with the territory of running a freelance digital marketing business. But these are some of the biggest factors to consider before making the jump into freelancing.
Now that we’ve gone over some of the pros and cons, let’s take a look at seven tips to help you get started in freelance digital marketing.
Freelance Digital Marketing Success Tips
1. Get clear on your niche
The first step to successful freelancing is to get clear on your niche. What services do you want to offer?
Do you want to consult with businesses on their social media strategy? Do you want to help businesses with their SEM campaigns?
Or maybe you want to offer a more comprehensive digital marketing package that includes all of the above.
The important thing is to get clear on your niche so that you can start to build a name for yourself as an expert in that area.
2. Get your website set up
The next step is to get your website set up. This is important for two reasons.
First, it will serve as a portfolio of your work that you can show to potential clients.
Second, it will help you to rank higher in search engines, which will make it more likely that people will find you when they are searching for digital marketing services.
There are many different ways to set up a website, so you’ll need to do some research to find the best platform for your needs.
3. Create quality content
As a freelance digital marketer, one of your main goals should be to create quality content.
This can include blog posts, infographics, videos, or even just helpful tips and tricks that you can share on social media.
The important thing is to create content that will be useful and informative for your target audience.
4. Build an online presence
Another important part of being a successful freelancer is to build an online presence.
This means being active on social media, participating in forums and discussion groups, and even guest blogging on other websites.
The more places you are present online, the more likely people are to find you and learn about your services.
5. Stay up to date with industry news
One of the best ways to succeed as a freelance digital marketing specialist is to stay up to date with industry news.
This way, you’ll always be aware of the latest trends and changes, and you’ll be able to offer your clients the most up-to-date services.
There are many different ways to stay informed, such as subscribing to newsletters, following blogs, and attending conferences and webinars.
6. Charge what you’re worth
Yep, that’s right! You’re not trying to attract any and everybody. You want to attract clients that are willing to pay you what you’re worth.
Don’t be afraid to charge what you’re worth. If you’re providing quality services, then your clients will be happy to pay you what you deserve.
One of the best ways to determine your rates is to look at what other highly successful freelancers are charging.
Although this isn’t a big factor in what you charge, it would at least give you some sort of benchmark or starting point.
7. Get organized
The final tip is to get organized. As a freelancer, you’ll be responsible for managing your own time and projects.
This can be tricky, but there are a few things you can do to make it easier on yourself.
First, create a schedule and stick to it as much as possible.
Second, use project management tools to help you keep track of your projects and deadlines.
And third, don’t be afraid to outsource some of your work to other freelancers or virtual assistants.
Bonus Tip: Promote your own services
Finally, once you have everything set up and you’re ready to start taking on clients, you’ll need to promote your services.
There are many different ways to do this, such as creating a portfolio, writing blog posts, and using social media.
The important thing is to be creative and to put yourself out there so that potential clients can find you.
These are just a few tips to help you get started in freelance digital marketing. If you follow these steps, you’ll be well on your way to success.
Where to find freelance digital marketing jobs?
There are many different ways to find freelance digital marketing jobs.
One of the best ways is to search for job postings online. Many websites list freelance job opportunities, such as Upwork and Freelancer.
Besides Upwork, one of my most favorite platforms that I used as a freelancer was Freeup.
Although the platform has grown a lot since I was on it, it is still a great place to find digital marketing freelance work.
Another way to find work is to contact companies directly and inquire about any freelance openings they may have.
You can also network and partner with other freelancers and ask for referrals.
For example, you can reach out to freelance software developers and see about potential partnerships.
Developers are already building out the site or app for clients, so they may need marketing services once their project is complete.
You can also try searching for specific terms on social media, such as “freelance digital marketing” or “remote digital marketing.”
As I said, there are many ways to find clients, so get creative and don’t be afraid to try new things.
Promote your services, network, and always be on the lookout for new opportunities.
Final Thoughts
The online marketing industry is constantly evolving, which means there is always a need for qualified digital marketers.
If you’re thinking about becoming a freelance marketer, then I hope this article has given you some useful tips to get started.
Be bold, creative and put yourself out there so that potential clients can find you.
Remember, the most important thing is to provide quality services and to charge what you’re worth.
Good luck!
Helping people and eating tacos are my jam! This blog exists to help provide tips and resources that can help you achieve your goals and live a better life. Whether you’re looking for tips on personal growth, fitness, advice on starting a side hustle, or resources for working remotely, I’ve got you covered.
