The world has undoubtedly become digital, and social media has played a significant role in this shift. It has transformed the way we interact, conduct business, shop, and even consume news. As a result, social media has become an essential part of our daily lives.
For freelancers, social media can be a valuable tool to advance their career. However, transitioning from casual tweeting to pitching services can be daunting. The first step is to establish a robust social media presence to increase online visibility and build meaningful relationships.
Let’s get started with some effective social media usage advice for freelance career:
Concentrate Initially On A Few Platforms
Start by selecting the appropriate social media platforms that can connect you with your target audience, such as LinkedIn and Twitter. Optimize your profile by adding a high-quality photo and a clear bio that highlights your personality and profession. Consistency is crucial when it comes to posting updates. Ensure that you keep your profiles updated by posting regularly, so people can easily find and engage with you.
Set Targets That Provide Significant Results
To provide value to your audience, avoid posting irrelevant content that can make your profiles disappear in the vast ocean of online content. Instead, post updates that solve specific problems, such as news updates, interviews, and articles. As a freelancer, social media profiles are your resumes, and promoting your work is an indirect way of pitching your services to potential clients. However, avoid over-promoting your work and mix it up with other content.
Learn About the Platform And Your Audience
Engagement is critical in building relationships on social media. Respond to comments and questions from your audience, ask questions, and offer support. Networking on social media is another effective way of growing your freelance business. Join relevant groups, participate in conversations, and connect with professionals in your field. Staying up-to-date with the latest trends, features, and changes on social media is essential to remain relevant. Follow social media influencers, read industry news, and attend webinars and conferences.
Get Familiar With Metrics
Metrics are quantitative measures that help you track your performance and progress towards your goals. In the context of social media, metrics help you understand how your content is performing, who is engaging with it, and how it’s contributing to your overall business objectives.
Few Vibrant Social Media Metrics That May Help You Out
Here are some additional social media metrics that can be helpful:
- Impressions: This metric tracks how many times your content was displayed on social media platforms. It’s a useful measure of visibility, but keep in mind that it doesn’t indicate how many people actually engaged with your content.
- Follower Growth: This metric shows you how quickly you’re gaining or losing followers over time. It’s important to monitor this metric to understand how your content is resonating with your target audience.
- Engagement by Post Type: Not all types of social media content perform equally well. Tracking engagement by post type can help you understand which formats (e.g., videos, images, and polls) are resonating best with your audience.
- Social Share of Voice: This metric compares your brand’s social media mentions to those of your competitors. It can help you understand how much buzz your brand is generating and how you stack up against the competition.
- Return on Investment (ROI): Ultimately, social media should be contributing to your bottom line. Measuring ROI can help you understand how much revenue or profit you’re generating from your social media efforts.
Remember, metrics are only valuable if you use them to inform your decisions and improve your performance. Don’t get bogged down in vanity metrics that don’t actually help you achieve your business goals. Instead, focus on the metrics that are most relevant to your objectives and use them to guide your social media strategy.
Steps You Should Consider Initially To Use Social Media For Freelance Career:
- Building a meaningful network is the key to securing freelance work. However, avoid sending cold invitations, as people are wary of this distant approach. Instead, add people after meeting them at a networking event or being introduced by a mutual connection. This increases the likelihood of a positive response. Sometimes a direct approach is necessary.
- Identify the people and companies you want to connect with and do your research. Reach out to them with a warm email that leverages some common ground or articulates your value proposition. This can result in collaborations and networking opportunities. Networking is a two-sided relationship that requires effort from both parties.
- Start by interacting with them online, reposting what they share and providing constructive criticism. Connect with them on other platforms and invite them to meet in real life. Support each other, regardless of experience levels.
- Treat your online presence seriously by setting time frames for your social media goals. Take the initiative to engage with your preferred digital publications and pitch stories.
- Actively work on building relationships, and prioritize strengthening your digital presence. Hard work and dedication will create opportunities for freelance work.
Final Thought:
In summary, social media is a powerful tool for freelancers to grow their businesses. By creating a strong social media presence, posting valuable content, promoting your work, engaging with your audience, networking, and staying up-to-date, you can establish yourself as a thought leader in your field and attract new clients. However, remember that social media is only part of your marketing strategy and should be used appropriately. Acquiring new clients on social media requires a proactive attitude and a strategic plan of action.
