The Beginner’s Guide to Freelance Digital Marketing: Everything You Need to Know

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The Beginner’s Guide to Freelance Digital Marketing: Everything You Need to Know

Learn how to become a freelance digital marketer and make millions working online anywhere you want

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"You might want to bookmark this article or add it to your favorites because there are a lot of tips here that you will want to revisit later on."

Freelance digital marketing is a very lucrative activity that has made hundreds of people millionaires. So if you're a digital marketer looking for a way to make some money on the side, or quit your job and live the life you've always wanted, or you're a beginner and you want to learn how you can get started in this field, then this article is for you.

In this article, I'm going to answer all the questions you might have about freelance digital marketing and give you actionable steps to help you get started right away.

What is Freelance Digital Marketing?

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Before discussing what Freelance Digital Marketing is, let's first discuss Marketing in General. Marketing is the use of advertising channels like social media, newspapers, etc. to reach your target audience and promote your products.

In the case of digital marketing, you are leveraging the Internet and digital technologies to reach out to potential customers. As a freelance digital marketer, you will carry out these same activities for multiple clients but not as a company. Rather as an independent entity.

What do Freelance Digital Marketers Do?

image by Melanie DezielUnsplash

When most people think of digital marketing, picture workers looking at charts all day long. Though there might be some truth to that, you might be asked to do so much more. Some of the tasks you will be required to carry out are;

  • Conducting Research: You will have to do this every time you get a new client to really understand their target audience and be able to guide you when creating your SEO strategy.

  • Planning, Creating, and Managing content strategy: Based on the study of your client's audience, you will now need to create a marketing strategy tailored to them.

  • Writing and Publishing Content: Now that you know what type of content will interest your audience and attract them to your business, you need to actually publish the content. If you need help with writing, you can email me ()

  • Tracking: Keeping track of key performance indicators like; website visit per marketing channel, customer lifetime value, conversion rates, etc... is more than necessary in freelance digital marketing to help you modify your strategy if needed to achieve greater success.

How to Get Started in Freelance Digital Marketing?

The best way to get started in freelance digital marketing is by taking a course on how to promote products and businesses like this one: digital marketing course for beginners

But if you're already a digital marketer and you want to explore the freelance route(which is a very good choice), I want to follow these steps. These are actionable steps that will let you set up your business in no time( that's why I asked you to bookmark the article above,hihi). If you don't follow these steps, you will enter tutorial hell and you'll keep reading hundreds of articles without ever feeling ready. So after reading one section, make sure you don't go and read another article and take action right now.

1. Establish Your Niche and Master It.

There are several forms/subdisciplines of digital marketing like social media marketing, email campaigns, content marketing, etc... To avoid feeling like a newbie each time you're given a new project, make sure to niche down and choose 2 or 3 of those disciplines that you really enjoy.

2. Build Your Portfolio

As a freelance digital marketer or any kind of freelancer, you need a portfolio. It is what will really set you apart from the pack. A portfolio will help you prove to recruiters and potential clients that you have the skills necessary to do the job.

This portfolio can be a Google Docs document where you will document your experiences working with previous clients, and little messages from your previous clients to appreciate your work. If you're just starting, you can begin by writing some articles about digital marketing providing some in-depth analysis on the topic.

This said the best option will always be a website. A website will be more convenient because it will show recruiters you have a big online presence so you know what's going on there. It will also show them you're tech savvy but most important of all, it will make you look more professional. Also, remember those articles about digital marketing you were supposed to write? You can host them in a more presentable way if you have a website.

Now I know most of you don't have programming skills, so a good option for you will probably be hiring freelancers. You can find some for really low prices here: hire freelance web developers. But If you want to make really your own, you can use one of these powerful drag-and-drop website builders.

3. Build A Network

This step is pretty essential if you want to find jobs more easily. Whenever you complete work for a client, make sure you ask them if they know someone who might be interested in your services. They might not have clients for you at that particular moment, but rest assured if an opportunity pops up, they'll let you know about it.

Or better still, you can go on LinkedIn. For those of you who don't know, LinkedIn is a professional social media platform that lets you easily connect and interact with professionals in the same/different industry as yours. Make sure you connect with other digital marketers whether freelance or not. Ask them for some tips and tricks and also let them know if they have too much work and they need some help, you're that.

4. Master a CRM Platform

CRM(Customer Relations Management) is the key feature that will help you get more high-paying clients. We talked about the different functions of a digital marketer above, and as you can see they're quite a lot. You definitely need a platform that helps you carry out all these tasks in an efficient manner, manage your activities, and track your success. And that's the role of a CRM. you can find CRM platforms all over the internet but I've compiled a small list of the best. Remember this list is subjective.

What Do You Need To Get Started In Freelance Digital Marketing?

In all honesty, a CRM platform and good knowledge of digital marketing are all you'll need to get started in freelance digital marketing and succeed in it. A CRM platform already comes with all the software integrations and plugins you'll need to do your job.

Most of these platforms will require you to pay a small fee. This might scare you but think of it in terms of Return on investment. The money you'll make from your freelancing business will completely cover it. Plus, you can get your clients to pay for them.

1. HubSpot

HubSpot is surely the most popular CRM platform out there. It has all the software integrations you'll need to bring all your marketing activities into one place. The HubSpot feature you'll use the most is their Marketing Hub which can help you generate more leads, Automate certain tasks, and provide you with detailed analytics so you can track the success of your campaign. It also has a Sales and Customer Service Hub. You can learn how to use these so you can help established businesses to close more deals and manage customer relations.

HubSpot also appears on Forbes' Ranking of the best CRM platforms. So you can trust it will be up to the task. HubSpot has a free plan which is nice if you are just getting started and don't have any money, but it is very limited. So choosing one of their paid plans will be better. And remember you can always get your clients to pay for these.

Click here to check it out: hubspot.sjv.io/m5ZEaX

2. Moosend

If you've ever typed the word SEO on YouTube, then you've surely watched an Adam Enfroy video. He has one of the largest blogging audiences out there and this is the platform his company uses to keep growing and managing it.

Moosend will be more helpful if you're into email marketing. And if you're really low on money, you can sign up for their 30-day free trial, and work really hard and after getting your first client, you can upgrade to their paid plan or you can even upgrade to a more capable option like HubSpot. You can also start with one of their email newsletter templates that you can just copy and start using in projects immediately.

Click here to check it out: https://trymoo.moosend.com/MoosendTemplates

3. Monday

It is truly an amazing platform. One of the most highly recommended by Forbes Ranking and has all the features you'll need in order to get the job well done.

Click here to check it out: monday.com | A new way of working

Can Get Into Freelance Digital Marketing With No Experience?

Yes and No. Sure you can get started in digital marketing with no experience but you; 'll have to take a course first. There are many courses out there that will get you up and running in less than a week. But even after taking those courses, you will still have to keep reading articles and books to get better so you can get more high-paying jobs.

Remember, to avoid falling into tutorial hell, make sure you start looking for clients immediately after completing a course. You might not feel ready, but trust me, YOU ARE. Plus you'll learn a lot on the job. That's why I also recommend starting with smaller clients first.

How Much Can You Make As A Freelance Digital Marketer?

You can make as much as you want. It really depends on your levels of skills and expertise, your knowledge of CRM platforms, and your ability to expand your network and find new clients. However, the typical rate is between $50 and $200 per hour. But remember this will keep increasing exponentially the more you grow in your career.

Where can I get a Job as a Freelance Digital Marketer?

You can sign up for Fiverr which is the largest freelance platform in the world. Thousands of people go on Fiverr every day looking for freelance digital marketers.

However, you'll get most of jour jobs from referrals. Another reason you need to be really good at what you do. If you do amazing work, your clients will be more than happy to hire you again for other jobs and even recommend you to some of their connections.

We've come to the end of this article. I really hope you've enjoyed it and found it useful. Remember the right time to start acting is now. So click on those links and start setting up your business right now. I wish you the best in your career. Thanks for reading.