So, you’ve decided to jump into the freelancing world as a social media manager.
CONGRATS!! WELCOME!! YOU’RE DOIN’ THE DANG THING!! GO YOU!!
But…uh…about that. Where do you start? GREAT QUESTION!
I’m so glad you asked because I asked myself the same exact question just a few years ago.
I’ve been wanting to put this post together for a long time because I know when I first started out, I had no idea where to go to find my first marketing clients. I feel like I spent hours upon hours googling things but couldn’t find anything that didn’t feel icky, fake, and downright weird. I know you know those sites. I just wanted a legitimate company with real clients looking for a fresh faced social media manager and fell absolutely flat day in and day out. After all, it’s not like I could just fill out an application on a site like jobfinder or indeed and get hired without tons of previous experience!
So, I hope today’s post helps you if you’re a newbie freelancer like I was looking to dip your toe in the social media/content creation world. It’s a BIG place with lots of fish in the sea so I promise you’ll find your match on at least ONE of these sites. ***Oh and I’m sharing these resources with you because I myself have found success with them. I wouldn’t share them otherwise. Got it? Great. It’s what best friends are for and since you’re here on my blog, I consider you a bestie already! 😉
Let’s dive in.
Upwork. Upwork connects businesses of all sizes to freelancers, independent professionals, and agencies for all their hiring needs. Whether you’re looking to be a social media manager to a remote transcriptionist in the medical field, you can land jobs of all kinds on this freelancing platform. Create a profile, upload your resume and examples of previous work, and you’re able to start applying! There is a teeny tiny (talking a few dollars here) fee to apply for certain jobs so do keep that in mind with Upwork. But, it’s nothing that’ll break the bank. Plus, fingers crossed you land a client and you won’t even remember how much you paid to apply once that first paycheck hits the old bank account. 😉
Fiverr. Fiverr is most commonly known as the ‘world’s largest marketplace for digital services’. It’s similar to Upwork where businesses or companies look to their platform to hire creatives of all kinds. As a “gig worker” on Fiverr, you set your price points and put together a “gig package” to allow for businesses browsing in your creative niche to see what your offerings are. From voiceovers to blog articles to web development and more, you’re sure to find a variety of clients and job openings in the creative world on this platform.
Scripted. Scripted is a digital marketing partner for companies looking for tried and true creative writers. As a writer for Scripted, you’re required to pass a grammar exam before you can be accepted to the platform and apply for jobs. Once you’ve passed with flying colors, (Congrats!!) they process your application and reach out once they have an opening on their dashboard. This can range from weeks to months, depending on how slammed they are on their end. Once you’re all settled in and approved, you have access to any and all writing jobs on Scripted. You will be rated by your clients upon submission which helps you land jobs in the future if you get great feedback, so be sure to turn in only your best work here.
Freelancer.com. Freelancer.com is an online job marketplace that provides a means for employers and freelancers around the globe to collaborate on creative work. Individual freelancers submit bids for the completion of the work for both long and short-term jobs. Signing up is free on this platform, but they do have paid memberships giving you better opportunities to land quality clients.
Writer’s Access. Writer’s Access is another digital platform looking to hire anyone and everyone in the creative industry. Freelance writers, editors, content strategists, designers, illustrators, animators, you name it–there’s a need for it on Writer’s Access. There’s no cost to join the platform but you’ll need residency in United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, or South Africa.
Marketerhire.com is a newer platform but has GREAT return. It is based on an approval process, but if you can get to the interview, I’d assume they’d most likely hire you on. They’re more like a matchmaker (cute, right?) site for freelancers and once you’re hired, they send you jobs that they think you’d be the best freelancer for. The reason why it’s so successful is that they vet the company’s first as well as the freelancers they’re matching. So, it takes a ton of the guesswork out of the application process for everyone involved.
Okay, what are you waiting for? START APPLYING!
Be sure to stop back by here and comment when you land your first gig so we can celebrate your success!! Oh and keep an eye on my blog too for more freelancing tips, tricks, and advice along the way!
From one social media manager to another (soon-to-be) — Happy job hunting! BEST OF LUCK!!