So you have decided to go freelance, and compete with a huge pool of talent from all around the world. The chances of success are limited, and it is important that you focus on creating your own brand and unique selling proposition to stand out through your brand. It is not easy to break into the world of freelancing, especially if you offer services that are available cheaper from overseas contractors. If you would like to make it in the competitive world of web design, content writing, and graphic editing, you might want to check out the below tips to help your personal website and offers stand out.
Design
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You might be able to design your own website if this is your profession, but you need to make sure that it is unique and you are not using a cookie-cutter option such as a drag-and-drop web development tool. It is important that you create a unique image for your brand and the content is flawless. If you are a copywriter and your own site is full of spelling mistakes, you will not be able to attract quality clients. At the same time, if you offer web design and you have broken links or pages, your visitors will not trust you with their own project.
Portfolio
As a freelancer, you will need to build your own portfolio. While there are some external sites that will host your designs and your creations, you will also have to add a portfolio page to your site, so your visitors can see what you can do, and check out your previous projects. This will give you credibility and extra visibility on social media and other platforms. You might create it as a gallery or a slideshow video, to make it more attractive.
Search Engine Optimisation
Whether or not you are an online marketing expert, you don’t want your website to float in empty space. It needs to be found by people looking for the services you have to offer. No matter if you offer local or international packages, you will need to find out where your potential customers are, and what they are searching for. There are plenty of advantages of search engine optimization over paid advertising. First of all, to cover your paid advertising campaign in the beginning, you might need to apply for a £5,000 loan that you will have to pay back after a certain time. You will get free traffic and better engagement if you know exactly what you are doing.
External Links
Your website will also need external links to get noticed by search engines. You can build backlinks through various methods. First, you can simply link back to your own site from your social media profiles and posts. Second, you can comment on related posts or engage in guest blogging. Add your services to as many directories as possible, so you can improve your website’s visibility over time.
Social Media Marketing
No business can live without social media marketing, so it is crucial that you build your online presence with social media in mind. Your Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other social network profiles need to be separate from your personal pages and look professional. There are several great templates you can use and implement to suit the needs of your personal brand. Just because you are a freelancer and are working from home, you don’t have to belittle yourself.
Blogging
The more often your site is updated, the more chance you will have to connect with your audience. At the same time, regular updates, interactions with your site and social media pages will help you achieve better results when it comes to online marketing. While creating content regularly is hard work, you will see the benefits when it comes to customer engagement and page ranking. You don’t want to rely on freelancing sites alone; build your own client base through engaging content.
Reputation Management
Of course, you will also have to make sure that your reviews are published and visible. If you have a bad customer or your competition is trying to damage your reputation, you can do something about it. You might be able to report the review and get it removed, provided that you can prove that it is malicious. Take your time to monitor your reviews and feedback on your site, so you can manage your reputation and build your professional profile to impress your future clients.
Making Ordering Easy
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It is also important that you make ordering easy and improve your clients’ online experience. If you’d rather not pay websites commission, you will need to make ordering directly from your site just as simple as using one of the freelancing companies. You can implement a simple solution such as a shopping cart or PayPal buttons, so you can keep your clients’ experience fast and secure. The ease of ordering will make a difference when it comes to conversions.
Testimonials
You need to actively seek testimonials, not only on the freelancing websites you work on, but also your own social media pages and website. You will need to build social proof, making your potential clients’ decision simple. It is hard to trust anyone in the world of online services, so the more testimonials you get and publish on your website and social media pages the better you will fare against your competition.
Engagement and Comments
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When search engines assess the quality of your website, you will be measured based on the freshness of your pages, your customer engagement, follower base, social media shares, and engagement on site. It is crucial that you try and answer every comment and Facebook message as soon as possible, so you can improve your reputation and increase your online visibility.
As a freelancer, you are just a small fish in a big pond, and you are likely to need to compete with thousands of other people offering similar services. Make your professional website stand out and create your own brand on portals, social media, and review pages.
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