5 Top Tips on how to promote your work on social media
With the majority of industries going digital, it is time to look into the possibilities of finding your freelancing audience out there. Going online gives you a great opportunity to connect, share, and gain customers from all over the world with a click of a button. But even though it might seem like an obvious and simple choice, it is not an easy task. Since ‘sales cures all’ when it comes to a business model of any kind, you do have to get through to your clients, and the only way to do it is to market your work well. Let’s look at a few strategies, which will enhance your presence and visibility on the many social media platforms you can take advantage of…
Tip #1 – Understand your audience.
Whatever your product, service, or skill is, there won’t be much success to experience, if you don’t find people who would find it useful. Whether you create art, offer specialized advice, or provide high-quality service you must understand and address your target audience. And the more you know who needs your product or help, the more likely you are to make the sale. So, make sure that you consider these few questions, as you inquire into the potential customer base before you start your marketing. Who is your ideal client? Is it you from the past or maybe someone you’ve met recently? Are they interested in your work out of passion or necessity? What kind of things would they want to see on your posts? Where do they spend their free time? How do they find themselves within the online space?
All the questions above are just the tip of the iceberg, as there is no certain limit to the potential inquiry of your customer base. Make sure to spend time and understand your clients well. It will bear fruit as soon as your marketing campaign goes out and it will save you time and money in the long run.
Tip #2 – Keep it brief.
Social media is all about attention. There is nothing less discouraging than posting great quality content only to see no response and lack of interest. Sadly, it is also very common. With the overwhelming variety and immense overflow of content screaming at each of the social media participants, the attention span of your client is constantly strained. Statistics show that the available time for your post to convey the message is drastically decreasing with people’s attention span dwindling with each year. With more content than time to spare, the competition for customer’s focus is rather extreme. So next time you’re about to post a little essay think again. If you’re not able to convey your message in a sentence, then you might as well have no message at all.
Tip #3 – How about a video?
Since the attention is what you’re fighting for and reading words on-screen can be rather daunting for an average ‘scroller’, taking advantage of the motion picture is just what you might need. There is no better way to gain people’s interest than a little video, which would convey your message in a manner more appealing to your ideal client. It is said that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ and it is not without a reason. You are much more likely to interest the customer with a striking image and a few words, than a post essay, which needs to be clicked to ‘see more’. Don’t make the client do all the work, do it yourself!
Tip #4 – Create a community.
With Facebook’s algorithm rules changing rapidly, there is no better way to keep your audience engaged but by creating a space, in which your ideal clients can express their needs and discuss your work. Nowadays almost every platform provides you with an option of creating a community page, a fan page, or a blog, which can all be a great source of audience feedback, a sales platform, and a discussion space. It is one thing to get people to enter your store, it’s another to get them to leave with a receipt. To make it happen, ensure that their experience is as good as it could be, leaving them with a wide smile on their face and a feeling they would want to come back. And what better way to do so, but to create a space in which they can stay active and for longer…?
Tip #5 – Stay consistent.
Nothing is more powerful than persistence. A drop of water can drill a hole in the hardest stone and it does it dripping onto one spot, one drop at a time. Similarly, whatever you decide to do, make sure you learn about it, immerse in it, and master it. Woody Allen underlined this matter when he said that ‘eighty percent of success is just showing up’. Whether you’re trying to gain an audience, expand your reach, sell a product, or advertise a service, make sure you continue to deliver – consistently. Success is created one step at a time, so brace yourself, don’t lose enthusiasm, and show up, until it shows up for you…
All in all…
Creating content might feel like a big challenge, especially if you do not feel confident with marketing, but if you want to take your business to the next level, or just put yourself out there, there is no better way. Remembering that you bring value to the marketplace and knowing your work matters, you should not hesitate to advertise and promote yourself. The above tips are just a few, but ‘small changes can make a big difference’ so get out there and put them to work. Try and see what works and what doesn’t. Explore, learn, improvise, and progress. Finishing with the words from Albert Einstein – ‘the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results’. So, make sure you try something new.
If you liked the content…
Please head to Wojtek’s other articles on freelancing and making money as a student in the UK, or read a ‘Spotlight on’ interview with him.
> Sign up to Revolancer
Freelance marketplace: Revolancer