For quite some time, the corporate sector has been gradually leaning towards adopting digitalisation. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 has made us look for new solutions to standard business practices, which is maybe the only positive outcome out of this pandemic. Marketers throughout different industries have begun to modify their methods and digital marketing tactics are now more than ever assisting businesses in reaching out to customers irrespective of their location.
With the increasing demand of this industry, earning a handsome amount requires much lesser time and effort than opting for conventional career choices. Even if you are not willing to work under a company you can easily earn from the comfort of your home via working with clients worldwide through freelancing.
Read along as we will uncover 5 actionable steps beginners can take to leverage in this industry through freelancing.
What does it mean to be a freelancer in digital marketing?
The term “freelance digital marketing” refers to marketing experts who work for clients worldwide on a contract basis. Freelancers typically work remotely and assist businesses with a variety of digital marketing strategies and campaigns. With digital marketing positions are in high demand for the past few years, freelancing in digital marketing makes it a viable choice of career. Through freelancing you can get the freedom of choosing your own clients, working hours and other boundaries to maintain a proper work-life balance.
As digital marketing encompasses a variety of methods and activities, you’ll need a diverse skill set to provide a variety of services to clients. Here are some of the crucial factors you need to consider before starting your career as a freelancer.
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Learn a skill and master it
Having the necessary expertise is indeed one of the requirements for working as a freelancer. In freelancing, you’ll need to prioritise your training to enhance the essential skills through various digital marketing programs and courses, practice with the tools and strategies regularly. Take considerable time taking classes and earning a certificate. This will assist you with getting employed as a digital marketing specialist. Working for a company will give you the necessary experience and confidence before starting your journey in the freelance world. However, you can always skip this part and jump into freelancing after mastering the skill of digital marketing.
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Build a website & start a blog
You must set up a website for your freelancing business while you’re developing your digital marketing skills. This is an essential stage that many freelancers tend to overlook. It is where you may highlight your past accomplishments and testimonials, advertise your services, and allow clients to reach out to you. Apart from this, having a website will increase your authority in the market as a freelancer as well.
As much as a website can be a showcase of your works and a medium for clients to reach out to, it will also be required for starting a blog. A blog related to your niche and how you can assist your prospects with your skills may turn out to be an effective way to close clients nonetheless.
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Focus on building a personal brand
You need to focus on developing your personal brand in the industry in addition to posting content on your website. Your personal brand as a freelancer will eventually help you to bring clients and visitors to your door without constantly pitching to them. As a freelancer, you have two options for developing your brand. You can either opt for guest posting on various websites or leverage the social media platforms and create networks with other marketing experts.
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Connect with other freelancers
Starting by connecting with other professionals on social media, and approaching them with a personalised email, is the best method to go. Make sure not to follow this method rigorously and send emails in bulk but rather spend some time to know about an individual before approaching them. Try to clarify why you’re communicating directly and that a prospective collaboration will benefit both sides from the start. This might include sharing thoughts, endorsing each other’s content, or collaborating on an initiative.
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Try to specialise rather than generalising
There are a lot of aspects in digital marketing that you could get overwhelmed with if you try to provide a complete variety of services at first. It is thus preferable to specialise in a few domains rather than struggling with multiple skills simultaneously. You can always broaden your services as you get more expertise and clientele. You’ll also discover which services are more lucrative and manageable, and you’ll be capable of adapting your techniques gradually.
Conclusion:
It’s an amazing opportunity to work as a freelancer in the digital marketing sector. But as a freelancer, you must be self-motivated and keep on upskilling yourself. Consider it one step at a time while gradually expanding your portfolio, and keep improving and experimenting to get better results.