When you’re starting out as a freelance writer, finding clients is your main focus. Mainly because you need to pay the bills, but also because you need to build your client base so that you can ensure you have a long and healthy freelance business for years to come. But finding clients is always easier said than done.

One of the more under-utilized ways of finding clients is via your social media accounts.

Sure, most people know that they need to have some sort of social media presence, but how many people do you know who have actively incorporated finding clients into their overall social media strategy?

Below are some tips on how you can use your social media channels to find clients. I’d also recommend incorporating these into your overall social media strategy so that they are ongoing – because it’s all about consistency when it comes to having social media success.

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Tips for Using Social Media to Land Freelance Clients

How to use social media to find freelance clients

#1: Network using social media

This is about connecting your social media networks with your actual work. Connect with others that are in your field and chat with them on a regular basis. The same ‘old school' networking rules apply here – provide value, answer questions and don’t spam.

Twitter is by far the best channel to do this on. A lot of freelancers find work via this social media channel simply through engaging with the people they follow, answering questions and joining in on industry chats. Make sure your Twitter profile tells people what it is you do and start interacting now.

#2: Let people know what you’re working on

Social media is all about sharing, so why not share a current project you’re working on? As a freelance writer, this works well in your favour.

You can ‘tweet’ about a topic you’re writing about and if you’re connected to some editors or previous clients, you’ll be surprised at how often you’ll get a comment or direct message about how they are looking for something similar or would like you to pitch a story around that same topic.

Use social media the way it was designed – share what you’re doing on a daily basis and watch the connections and work start to flow in.

#3: Increase credibility through content curation

When it comes to your public social media profiles, the focus shouldn’t just be all about your own projects and links. You should also be sharing information from others that are in your industry.

Talk about your industry in an intelligent way and people will remember that you know what you’re talking about. The key to doing this well is to be consistent with the topics you cover. This will only help to build your credibility and expert ‘voice'.

#4: Start. Blogging. Now.

I’m sure you’ve heard this many times, but it’s worth repeating. Your blog can be one of the best ways to not only showcase your talent, but also showcase your expertise in your industry.

Clients will Google you and how great would it be if they landed on your blog/website and saw a whole bunch of articles written about your industry/niche that they could read and comment on.

Blogs are often forgotten about when it comes to crafting a social media strategy. Don’t make this mistake, start your blog now.

If you’ve already got a blog, make sure you're posting in it regularly, at least once per week. There is no point sending someone to your site if you don’t have regular, fresh content, particularly as a freelance writer.

#5: Brush up your LinkedIn profile

Like Twitter, LinkedIn has a much more business focus than many of the other social media platforms available. It’s not a place where you’d put up an update about what you got up to on the weekend.  Make sure you remember that when you’re sharing via this platform.

Many businesses use LinkedIn as their go-to resource for locating people to work with, so make sure your profile is stuffed with keywords that are relevant to your niche.

A quick tip for mastering LinkedIn networking is to keep an eye on the ‘who’s viewed my profile’ widget on the right hand side of your profile or news feed.

Reach out to them via LinkedIn’s internal email system and drop them a quick note, something along the lines of:

Subject line: Were you looking for a freelance writer?
Hi [name] I see you recently viewed my profile. If you’re in need of a writer, I have experience in [your industry/niche]. I’d be happy to send you samples or chat more about what you need.Let me know if I can help!
[your signature]

This is a much better way than cold prospecting.

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Bring leads into your business effortlessly

If you want to learn how to grow an email list full of potential customers, then the Leads on Autopilot Mini-Course is for you.

It's a deep dive list building strategy and is one of the mini-courses I created for entrepreneurs like you to get some quick wins in your business without spending a lot.

Monetize your email list

 

Be smart about how you are using your social media channels. Get in touch with your friends and family and let them know that you’re in business and provide them with your details so that they can recommend you to anyone that might need your services – and remind them often. People forget, so keep your name in the forefront of their minds by keeping them in the loop on a monthly or bi-monthly basis.

Do you have any tips you'd like to add to this? Share them in the comments below.

How to use social media to land your next freelance clientUse social media to find freelance clients

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Lise Cartwright
Lise Cartwright

Founder of Hustle & Groove and your creative business strategist. If you want to get notified of new posts just like the ones you see here, then make sure you join the awesome H & G community — Join Now!

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