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Almost half of the global population is using social media.
This statistic alone tells us one thing: Social media platforms are a goldmine for marketing.
In fact, over 90% of marketers are using social media to attract new business.
But here’s the thing: Less than 15% of them are confident in their execution.
So, if you’ve ever thought about becoming a freelance social media manager, now it’s the best time to do so.
There are plenty of small business owners who already have their hands full. They’ll be more than happy to leave the task of setting up and managing their social media accounts to you.
And best of it all, most of them don’t even require a degree.
So, if you’re thinking about jumping on the opportunity and becoming a freelance social media manager, this article might be of help.
Let’s get started.
1. Learn Social Media Marketing
Although most businesses won’t require a degree in marketing, it doesn’t mean that anyone’s up for the job.
There are still plenty of things to learn about, a lot of which you’ll only get a grasp of from your own experience.
For starters, since we’re talking about social media, having excellent communication skills is crucial.
You’ll have to know how to communicate with the audience to have a meaningful interaction with it and treat customers right as well.
You’ll also need to use the tone and voice of the brand you’re working with. Otherwise, you may cause their branding to be inconsistent, losing them potential customers as a result.
What’s more, you’ll need to know how to raise the right topics. There’s no point in doing social media marketing if your posts don’t get users engaged.
Data analysis skills are another must-have for a social media manager. You’ll need to gather data and A/B test your posts to maximize their efficiency.
Lastly, any digital marketing company will tell you that being creative is most important.
Creating unique posts will not only get the business you’re working for in the spotlight, but it’s also useful for making yourself stand out from the competition.
Luckily, there are plenty of online courses to study from, like Social Media Marketing Mastery, or Learn Social Media in 2 Minutes per Day, for example.
These two are great for beginners. So make sure to give them a look.
2. Be Your Own First Client
Now that you’ve learned a thing or two about social media marketing, it’s time to build a following by yourself.
Just like we’ve mentioned, you’ll mostly learn from experience. Before finding clients to work with, it’s best to do a little experimentation by yourself.
Consider this as your proving ground. Besides, no business will take you seriously if you can’t show what work you’ve done in the past.
That said, consider experimenting on multiple social media platforms and see what you like the most. They all differ from one another.
Pinterest and Instagram are great for showcasing products and services via images. Whereas on Twitter, many news websites or politicians look for social media managers for hire. And on Facebook, you’ll have to post regularly, create viral content, and do ads, which makes it one of the trickier platforms.
Secondly, social media management covers many services, like paid advertising, content creation, profile creation, or customer service. You can even train business owners to manage their accounts by themselves.
You don’t have to be an ace in everything, but you should dabble in all of what social media management has to offer. This will allow you to see what you’re best at.
3. Set Up Your Website
After you’ve got a bit of experience under your belt, it’s time to get your freelancing business started.
To do this, you’ll first need to set up a website. It doesn’t have to be anything complicated. It’s mostly a place where potential customers can learn more about you and see what you’ve got on offer.
That said, creating a simple WordPress site or using website builders like Wix should be enough.
After that, you’ll need to find your place in the market.
For starters, pick the platform you’d like to work on the most. You can expand to others later on in your freelancing career, but it’s best to focus on a single one at the beginning.
Then, you’ll have to list your services. Again, you don’t have to do everything that social media management offers. Judging by the experience you’ve got, list the services that you’re the best at.
Also Read: How to do b2b website design?
Regarding prices, consider researching what other social media marketing companies charge for their services.
You can either choose to be paid by the hour or create a set of packages that include specific tasks.
In terms of hourly payments, beginners typically charge around $15/hour. Whereas a monthly plan including six daily Facebook posts may earn you $250/month.
Overall, make sure to adjust your pricing based on the platforms you’re using, the services you offer, and the amount of experience you have.
4. Find Your First Clients
Now that you’re all set up and ready to go, it’s time to find yourself the first clients.
Keep in mind that this might take a while. Don’t get discouraged if you’re having a hard time. If you’re persistent, you’ll eventually find someone to work with. After you’ve accumulated some experience, more clients will come to you.
You can start by browsing through freelance websites. There are many people looking to hire on platforms like Fiverr, PeoplePerHour, or Upwork, for example.
Another method of finding potential clients is by doing outreach. Here, you’ll contact small businesses, magazines, blogs, etc., via email.
But, your emails need to be done right. Try to make each email personal, rather than sending out the same message to everyone.
Using tools like HubSpot Sales is also a good idea. This allows you to track the open rate of your emails, allowing you to see what’s working and what’s not.
To maximize your chances of getting a reply, try to contact businesses that will likely need your services, like SEO or digital marketing agencies. You can also team up with fellow social media managers.
And finally, consider writing guest posts for B2B sites regarding a topic within your niche. By showing off your knowledge, you might attract readers who are interested in your services to your website.
- Final Words
After you’ve got the ball rolling and started to grow your clientele, keep in mind that there will always be room for improvement.
What’s more, social media is an ever-changing field. Platforms are constantly being updated.
To stay on top of the game, you’ll have to keep an eye out for what’s changing and adapt to it.
Author’s bio
Ellie is a long-time marketer, currently working as a freelancer in Miami, Florida. She is also a passionate writer and loves to explore new, innovative and digital news. In spare time she is an eco activist.
Editor at Digital Strategy One
