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11 Online Advertising Tricks To Get More Clients For Your Freelance Work

Online advertising has a unique place in the business world. Advertising, regardless of the type of company, is critical to its growth.

There are several ways to promote your business, and in today’s world, as the internet is becoming a more dominant medium. Online advertising is an efficient way to promote your business and attract more customers.

It wouldn’t be incorrect to suggest that advertising is the most important way to get clients, particularly for freelancers.

If you work as a freelancer, it is your responsibility to find enough clients to make a living. When it comes to freelancing, this is the most difficult task. One of the most effective ways to broaden your customer base is through online ads.

You can market your freelance company online using a variety of methods. All you have to do is pursue them to see a rise in your client base.

11 online advertising tricks to get more clients

1) Networking events

Getting acquainted with others in your business or niche is often a good idea. It’s a cost-effective method of online advertising.

When you’re a freelancer, networking with other people will help you find more clients. Various networking activities take place on a regular basis.

When you go to a networking function, don’t go with the intention of finding clients. Always keep in mind that you’re going there as a freelancer to meet other people in your field.

People may or may not be your clients, but don’t dismiss anybody. This is because you never know who may be a connector who can help you meet potential clients.

It is your duty to search online for networking activities and attend them. This is one of the easiest ways for a freelancer to advertise online.

So, you can simply search for networking activities on different event boards. You will look for the same on the following websites:

Eventbrite.com- You can learn about various types of events that are taking place in your region. This site also has a filter in its search feature that allows you to scan for events that are specifically relevant to your niche.

Meetup.com- This is a well-known site for searching about networking activities and fun gatherings. So, you can do online advertising through this platform.

Facebook– Who these days doesn’t have a Facebook account? Almost everybody has a Facebook account. And, there isn’t a single industry that doesn’t have a Facebook community.

Whatever industry you work in, you can always find a community of people who work in the same field. You can also learn about upcoming networking events through these groups.

2) Referrals

When you work as a freelancer, you must always be on the lookout for new clients while never abandoning your current ones. It’s always a good idea to keep your current customers, regardless of industry.

This is because they’re the ones that will introduce you to new ones. This is another great way of online advertising.

Having referrals from current clients is a smart way to get more clients. It is your duty as a freelancer to please your clients with your work so that they can recommend you to others.

You’ll get more work and be more competitive this way. You may also ask for referrals from your existing customers.

Your clients can also exchange information about you online with others. This allows them to learn more about you and your work, resulting in new clients. Since referrals work so well, this is a very powerful method of online advertising.

A rise in price– Many freelancers maintain the same rate or price for their work. This is one of the major roadblocks to their success. As current clients refer you to others, they are, in a sense, adding value to your work.

Always remember to reflect this by maintaining higher rates for new clients.

Increases income– When you gain new clients and charge a higher price, your profits will almost certainly increase.

Encourages you to do good work– It motivates you to do good work and keep your clients satisfied. Eventually, you understand the benefits of referrals from current clients.

Only when you treat your customers well would they recommend you to others. This is an intriguing method of online advertising. That’s because keeping the customers satisfied leads to referrals both online and offline.

3) Sending cold emails

This is a method of online advertising that some freelancers may find intimidating or challenging. You may be afraid to send cold emails as a new freelancer, but it can be a smart idea to send cold emails to your future customers.

When sending cold emails, keep in mind that you do not have to send them to everybody. Just send cold emails to people who are in your business or niche and maybe future clients.

To get more clients, you just need to use the right tactics when sending cold emails for online ads. Once you succeed, you will find out that this is a good method for online advertising.

If you’re sending out cold emails, make sure they’re appealing to the people who will be receiving them. The following characteristics should be present in a strong cold email:

It must seem like you know the recipient– Make them believe you know a lot about them and their company if you send a cold email for online ads. There’s nothing wrong with complimenting others, so go ahead and do it.

Who doesn’t like being praised? When you compliment the individual who will receive the email, it helps you. When you express your interest in working with them, they will almost certainly give you a chance.

Make them give it a thought– Always remember to provide details that are important to the recipient. Only then can that person, or your potential client, read your email and consider it.

If you have some kind of relationship with that guy, make sure to mention it. This is because it will improve your chances of having clients.

Attract the potential clients’ attention– It depends upon you to make your email attractive. This way it makes the people say yes and become your client. When you select this method for online advertising, do it the right way.

4) Industry-specific Job Boards

It’s a smart idea to do online ads at places where you can find potential clients while you’re searching for more clients as a freelancer. Clients are best found on industry-specific work boards because they know exactly what they want.

These job boards are a great platform for online advertising if you are a freelancer.

There are work boards dedicated to specific sectors. As a result, you must locate the appropriate job boards for your industry or niche. You will be able to get a lot of clients if you do a lot of research and advertise on different work boards online.

We’ve compiled a list of some of the best industry-specific websites and work boards for online advertising:

For Developers or engineers– Toptal.com, iCrunchData.com, Engineering.com, SmashingMagazine.com

Illustrators/designers– 99designs.com, Designs.net

Media/publishing– MediaBistro.com, JournalismJobs.com

Healthcare/pharmaceuticals– allpharmacyjobs.com, healthcarejobsite.com

Non-profit– Encore.com, Idealist.com

5) Testimonials

This is one of the best ways of doing online advertising. People trust public feedback as much as personal decisions and advice in today’s world. When you work as a freelancer, testimonials are a great way to promote yourself online.

That’s because prospective customers often look for what your former clients and audience have to say.

Client testimonials must be shown on your website and social media accounts if you want to attract more customers. It’s a smart way to draw new customers through online advertising, but you’ll need good feedback to do so.

Always aim to make the most of your testimonials in order to create a solid client base.

If you want to attract more customers by showing testimonials, you must ensure that the feedback is from actual people. Analyzing your testimonials is a good practice to get into if you want to better your job.

All you have to do now is copy and paste the testimonials widget code onto your website and social media accounts.

To show testimonials, you must first obtain feedback from your current customers. It is your duty as a freelancer to request testimonials from your clients.

If you have a sufficient number of positive reviews, you can simply show them on your website to attract new customers. This is one of the most straightforward ways to increase your client base through online advertisements.

6) Social media platform

Social media has developed into a dominant medium in today’s world. Nowadays, almost everyone uses social media, and there are a plethora of social media sites to choose from. This is a great method of online advertising.

As a freelancer, you can do online advertising using social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Make sure you have accounts on all of the different sites so that people can find you. Also, on all channels, try to keep your personal details, bio, and profile picture consistent so that your future clients can remember you.

LinkedIn is a perfect place to find customers for a freelancer when it comes to business and online advertising. There are a number of trustworthy groups where you can engage in discussions and network with others, including:

Advertising freelance- Consultants who work in the field of communication should join this community. Media, digital, production, strategy, creative,

etc. are the fields for which this group is good.

Freelance professionals– This group is for IT, animators, 3D Modellers, editors, and art directors, etc.

7) Freelance Marketplace

Joining the Freelance platform for online advertising as a freelancer is a brilliant idea. When you enter the Freelance marketplace, you have a great chance of finding new clients.

Getting in contact with people in your industry or niche is often beneficial and successful. Treat everybody well when you meet people on the Freelance marketplace. You never know who might introduce you to potential clients or who might become your new client.

We’ve compiled a list of a few freelancing marketplaces where you can advertise online and gain more clients:

Freelancer– It provides freelancers with a wide range of assignments. It also allows them to compete with others and demonstrate their abilities. This is a perfect place to highlight your talents and draw new customers if you are confident in your skills and experience.

Upwork– It has millions of clients and offers both short-term as well as long-term projects.

Toptal– This is particularly for freelance designers and developers. Once you pass Toptal’s screening process, you will be able to get projects with good clients.

8) Optimize your website

Your website is one thing that says a lot about your work and helps you draw more clients. If you’re a company owner or a freelancer, it’s one of the most important factors that affect your business. When it comes to online ads, the website is also important.

Your website still takes precedence over your social media pages and other products. So, its design and content must be professional enough to catch the attention of potential customers. Hence, this is one of the most important ways to do online advertising.

Always remember to keep your website updated as a freelancer by reflecting on your work and the results you produce for clients.

You can also keep updating your website with pictures and videos related to your work and accomplishments. This helps prospective customers learn more about your expertise.

Not only that but make sure to configure your website so that it loads faster. Make it easy for people to use your website. That’s because it is an effective tool for online ads and attracting new customers.

9) Guest posts

What is a decent way to do online advertising? Well, whether it’s online or offline, having a strong sample of our work to demonstrate often helps to draw more clients.

Writing papers for reputable companies will help you reach a larger audience and gain more clients.

You can give editors emails directly informing them of the articles you’d like to contribute and asking if they welcome contributions.

Always try to get the editor ready to publish your article before you start writing to avoid wasting your time. Before you begin writing, read a few of the company’s previous articles.

It’s always good to try to learn and copy its style and tone to make it more appealing. People reading your articles will serve as good online ads for you and can help you gain new clients.

10) Starting YouTube channel and blogging

Nowadays, every business owner has a YouTube channel. When you’re a freelancer, a YouTube channel can be a great way of online advertising. To start a YouTube channel, you don’t need anything.

When potential clients watch it, they will learn more about you and your website. And, if they like it, they will contact you.

Not only that, but blogging is also a good way of online advertising. You can write blogs about your niche and post them on your website and social media accounts, among other places.

You would be able to draw the interest of potential clients and become a profitable freelancer in this manner.

11) Join groups

If you’re a freelancer, you can join a variety of groups focused on your industry. On different social networking sites, there are a plethora of online communities. There, you can interact with people in your niche and find new clients.

Joining a community dedicated to a particular industry provides you with opportunities for online advertisement. Not just this, it also allows you to learn about local networking activities.

Additionally, you will be able to obtain projects and be introduced to potential clients.

Well, are you a freelancer? Are you looking forward to getting more clients through online advertising? This guide has genuine tricks that can help you get more work and clients.

You just have to follow the given techniques and you will be able to attract more people to your work.

Ultimate guide: How to be a Successful Freelance Designer

Want to become a successful freelance designer? Here’s everything you need to know!

In today’s world, a lot of people are taking to be a freelancer. Be it any field, and freelancing is available everywhere. It is quite good to work as a freelancer in the industry or niche of your choice. Being a freelancer is not an easy job, but it can be exciting and fruitful if you are passionate about what you are doing.

What is freelancing?

When you work as a freelancer, it has its own perks over a full-time job in some company. Though having a full-time job gives you a kind of security and means a fixed income source, working as a freelancer also has its advantages. One of the best things about freelancing is that you are your own boss.

As a freelancer, you can select projects according to your choices and preferences. You can work as per your own will. Not just this, you also have the freedom to decide your work schedule.

What does a freelance designer do?

freelance graphic designer — Image by Alltechbuzz/ Pixabay

One of the most popular fields to be a freelancer in is graphic designing. A lot of people take to graphic designing nowadays. Especially there’s a big craze for graphic designing among youngsters in the present time.

A graphic designer or freelance designer is one who assembles images or motion graphics to create a piece of design. It can be said that they are visual communicators who create visual concepts by hands or computer software.

There are a lot of people nowadays who choose to become freelance designers. If you are a freelance designer, you can create graphics for printed, published, or electronic media such as brochures and advertisements. Being a freelance designer gives you a lot of freedom.

If you are also an aspiring freelance designer, you need to take the right measures to be a successful freelance designer. If you haven’t gone to school or college to learn graphic design, you can enroll in graphic design courses. There are many institutes offering courses in graphic designing for those interested in the field.

How to be successful as a freelance designer?

1. Make yourself a brand

No matter whether it’s a full-time business or freelancing, all of them need a name. When you plan to be a freelance designer, one of the most significant steps you must take is thinking about how you will be deciding a brand name for yourself.

As a freelance designer, you have to decide everything for yourself as no one else is there to help in your work. Making yourself a brand or deciding a brand name is supposed to be done at the beginning of your career as a freelance designer.

In every business, especially in freelancing, word of mouth is one of the important factors that determine your success as it is one of the primary ways you get clients and projects. But, there should be a brand name for you as a freelancer to make people or clients suggest you or refer more clients towards you.

An important question that all freelancers have to consider is whether to use their own name as their brand name or decide on a separate name for their brand or company. Well, it all depends upon what you are planning for the future.

If you plan to be a freelance designer and have a one-person business, then it’s a good idea to use your own name as the brand name. But, if you are planning to grow your freelance business into a business of many people, then decide on a separate brand name.

2. Look for clients

If you really want to be successful as a freelance designer, you need projects and clients. It is only when you have clients and work to do that you will stay in the industry. When you are just starting your career as a freelance designer, the most important thing that you need to do is to find your first clients.

Are you thinking about why it is necessary to find clients? Well, you can’t call it a business until you have clients. And, not having clients means you are not a freelance designer. Just giving your freelance business a name and building a portfolio won’t make you a freelance designer. You need clients to be a successful freelance designer.

When you get your first clients as a freelance designer, it boosts your confidence. It gives you momentum and encouragement to do your work as a freelance designer with all your heart.

There are various ways for a freelancer designer to find clients:

A) Freelance job sites

There are a lot of websites online from where you can find clients for your freelance business. You have to look for clients in your niche. Some of the websites where you can find clients are Upwork, FreeUp, and TopTal.

B) Through personal network:

Whether you are already working as a freelance designer or you are just a student, you must have a personal network related to your niche. You can look for clients among the people in your personal network. Those people can even introduce you to your potential clients.

3. Build a portfolio

Whether it’s a full-time job or freelancing, the portfolio is an important factor that affects the possibilities of you getting the job or clients. A portfolio is like a mirror of your personality, as it tells about all your experiences and skills.

Many freelance designers in the market are yet to find clients and work just because they haven’t finished their portfolios. If you don’t want to suffer like them, build a portfolio that highlights all your best works to prompt the clients to hire you.

Whenever you plan to buy something, the first thing you consider is the qualities of that product. If the product is of good quality, only then it prompts you to buy it. The same is the case with clients. They will hire you only when they find you appropriate and able to handle the project.

4. Treat your clients well

When working as a freelance designer, your work doesn’t get over after you get clients. In fact, that’s where your actual work begins, as those clients will stay loyal to you only when you will treat and serve them well.

Whether you have found your clients through websites or personal networks, you must complete the projects assigned to you efficiently. If you serve your clients well, only then will they be happy with you, and the client’s happiness is the key to become a successful freelance designer.

Treating and serving your clients well has many pros:

Getting more work– When you work well on your projects, there’ a great chance that the client will hire you again for other projects. More project means more work and more money, and hence your success as a freelance designer.

Referrals– When a client gets impressed by your work, he would not only give you more projects himself, he would also refer you to other clients. When other people in their circle need a freelance designer, they’d suggest your name to them, which is a great way to find new clients and success.

5. Market Yourself

When you start working as a freelance designer, one of the most important steps to find work and be successful is to market yourself. To find work and clients, you first need to reach them, and advertising and marketing is the primary way to do that.

There are a lot many ways to market yourself as a freelance designer:

Creating a website– In this internet-friendly world, having an online presence is significant, as it helps a lot. All the businesses and freelancers have their websites where the clients and customers can better know their work.

Blogging– If you want to attract more clients as a freelance designer, start blogging. It’s a good way to market your brand as you can describe it in your own words. When your clients will read your blogs about your brand or work and find it fascinating, they’ll surely hire you.

Social media marketing– Social media is a powerful medium in the present world. Almost everyone has a profile on various social media platforms nowadays.

Not just for entertainment, social media can prove to be quite useful when it comes to working. If you have a presence on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, you will reach more people and find more clients.

Asking for referrals- Don’t just wait for your existing clients to refer more clients to you. When you are a freelance designer, don’t feel shy and ask for referrals yourself. This way, you will increase the chances of you getting more work.

A few tips to get you started

1. Learn to manage invoices. paperwork, and proposals

When you become a freelance designer, your work is not just to complete the clients’ projects assigned to you. When you are a freelancer, it means you don’t have anyone else in your team, and you have to manage all your business on your own.

In a business where the company has various employees, the work is divided among people. But, when you are a freelancer, you have to do everything yourself. It would be best to learn how to write invoices, send proposals, and manage contracts.

It’s completely okay if you are not a pro at making invoices as there are many software available online that can help you with that. Some of the best software to create invoices are Freshbooks, QuickBooks, and Honeybook.

2. Don’t be too choosy in the beginning

If you are starting as a freelance designer, your primary goal must be to find as many clients as possible to get more work. While looking for clients, you should keep in mind that it is not too choosy in the beginning.

When you become too choosy about the kind of clients you want to work for, it decreases your chances of getting more work. When you become picky, you sometimes let good opportunities go and then regret eventually.

Remember that to be a successful freelance designer, and you need clients to boost your confidence and earn money. Your first clients are like your stepping stones, and if you keep turning them down because they don’t pay enough or for some other reason, your career will see a dip even before it starts.

When you are a newbie, you don’t have much experience to show to your clients, and no one will pay a first-year student as much as an experienced freelance designer. So, it’s obvious that people would pay you less at the beginning of your career as a freelance designer. When you don’t have testimonials to show, it’d be difficult for clients to hire you as it can prove to be risky for them.

3. Build a network

When you go to school or college, you make friends or network with your classmates. Similarly, when you start as a freelance designer, it’s necessary to get in touch with others in your industry or niche. Building a network with people is important for various reasons, and some of them are:

Meeting potential clients– As we discussed earlier, your personal network is a good place to look for clients. You never know who can be your potential client in your network or even introduce you to new clients.

Information about conferences– Attending conferences and workshops related to your niche is an excellent way to improve your industry knowledge. When you are in touch with people from the same niche, you get information regarding such conferences near you.

4. Collect payments on time

When working as a freelancer, you don’t have a finance team or accountant working for you who would inform you and keep records of your income. It’s all upon you to handle. As we already discussed, you are the one who’s going to manage the invoices and proposals, and payments.

One thing to keep in mind when working as a freelance designer is that business is business, and asking for your payment is only a part of the profession. Never feel shy or awkward when asking for payment as you have earned it through hard work.

Softwares like Freshbooks doesn’t just help you to create invoices. It also collects payments and reminds people when their payments are due. It’s a part of your work to collect payments on time, and as a freelancer, you must do it.

So, are you working as a freelance designer? Are you a student aspiring to be a freelance designer, not knowing how to succeed in that field? Well, this guide will help you do all the things right. Make sure to follow all the above-mentioned steps to be a successful freelance designer.