5 Tips on Using Social Media as a Freelancer
As a freelance proofreader, a strong social media presence can help you promote your services and find new clients. In this post, we have a few tips on using social media as a freelancer:
- Choose social media platforms based on your target audience.
- Create an informative and professional-looking profile.
- Post regularly and use social media tools to boost your visibility.
- Find content that promotes your expertise and gives people a reason to engage.
- Build a network of other proofreaders and potential future clients.
For more detail on all the tips above, check out the rest of our post below.
1. Choose Platforms According to Your Audience
First, don’t worry about being on every social media platform – there are currently 65 of them – as this will take too much of your time. Consistency is crucial, so you’re better off focusing your efforts on one or two social media platforms than sparingly updating a few.
In terms of promoting your services, the platforms you focus on will depend on the types of clients you want to target. Some platforms, like Facebook, are big enough that you can’t easily ignore them. But others are more specialized. For example, if you’re looking for student clients, you may want to branch out onto platforms with younger users (e.g., Snapchat or TikTok).
Whoever you’re targeting, though, it pays to do some research into online demographics.
2. Set Up Professional Profiles
Even if you already have personal accounts on various social media platforms, having separate professional accounts is a good idea as it lets you keep your personal and professional lives separate. Here’s what you should include on a professional social media profile:
- A headshot where you look professional (ideally, not a selfie).
- A clear bio/description that identifies you as a proofreader and/or editor.
- Where possible, brief details of your services and/or key specialisms.
- Relevant links for clients to see more of your work or reach out (e.g., your website).
This will ensure you make the best possible first impression on potential clients.
3. Keep Your Profile Active and Post Regularly
Just having an account on various social media platforms won’t count for much in itself. You also need to post things! But how often should you post on social media?
The answer here will vary depending on the platforms you’re using. Most experts suggest a minimum of three posts per week, but try and post once a day if you can. In addition, you can:
- Use analytics tools to check the best days and times to post according to your audience.
- Sign up for a scheduling app so you can plan and prepare posts ahead of time when you’ll be busy, letting you focus on work while maintaining an online presence.
- Repost interesting content that is relevant to proofreading and editing.
In addition, when your schedule allows, set aside time each day to engage with other users. It is especially important to respond to people who engage with your own posts, but it can also help to like and respond to anyone whose content you find interesting. Don’t go too hard on the sales stuff at first, though! It’s better to establish a relationship with potential clients first.
4. Think About What You’re Posting
As tempting as it might be to tweet or post constantly, your professional social media accounts are not the place for every little thought that enters your head! Save thoughts on the weather, frustration with recent sports events, and photos of your lunch for your personal account. Instead, for your professional social media accounts, focus on posts that do the following:
- Demonstrate your skills – Offering daily writing tips, such as grammar and spelling advice, will show potential clients that you are an expert in your field.
- Give other users a reason to engage – Look for entertaining, shareable content that is relevant to your business (e.g., quotes or memes related to writing and editing). If you can start a conversation, your posts will stick in people’s minds for longer.
- Promote your work – As above, try to avoid being too salesy, but look for opportunities to promote your services. Did you get a nice piece of feedback from a satisfied client? Ask them if you can share it online. Has a book you proofread just been published? Then let people know how much you enjoyed working on it!
Whatever you post, though, make sure it is relevant to your work as a freelance proofreader.
5. Network with Other Proofreaders and Editors
While we’ve focused on connecting with potential clients so far, social media is also great for connecting with other proofreaders and editors, especially LinkedIn. Where possible, then, look for opportunities to reach out to and interact with other freelancers in your field.
There are several advantages to networking with other freelancers on social media:
- You can crowd-source advice on tricky proofreading and editing problems.
- It can offer leads on new jobs and training opportunities.
- It helps combat loneliness and isolation, especially if you work from home.
- You can instantly connect with experienced professionals from all over the world.
As such, look on whichever platforms you use for interesting accounts, groups, hashtags, etc., related to proofreading and editing. You can then use these to build a professional network.
Becoming A Proofreader
We hope you’ve found these tips on using social media as a freelancer helpful! But if you’re still just considering work as a freelance proofreader, why not sign up for a free trial of our course today? Find out how it works and start your journey to a new freelancer career.
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