Become a Social Media Manager – The Essentials
If you are like most people, you probably spend a lot of time on social media. If you have a strong social media presence why not use that to your advantage and start a freelance social media manager business? Starting your own business can be challenging, but it is also very rewarding. In this blog post, we will outline the steps you need to take to start your own digital marketing business. Let’s get started!
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Freelance social media managers: An overview
Social media management is a fast-growing field with many opportunities for those with the right skill set. As a freelance social media manager, you can offer your services to businesses of all sizes, from small businesses to large corporations. We’ll give you an overview of what freelance social media managers do and how to get started in this exciting field.
What Do Freelance Social Media Managers Do?
To be successful in this role, you need to have strong writing and communication skills, be highly organized and have a good understanding of the different social media platforms. You also need to be up-to-date on the latest trends in social media marketing.
How to Get Started as a Social Media Manager?
Are you a whiz with Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram? Do you have a knack for coming up with creative content that gets people talking? If so, then you might want to consider starting your own freelance business as a social media manager. As a social media manager, you would be responsible for creating and managing the social media accounts of your clients.
If you’re not sure where to start, don’t worry—we’ve got you covered. We’ll give you some tips on how to get started as a social media manager. Keep reading to learn more!
1. First, you’ll need to create a portfolio that showcases your best work.
This will be essential for landing clients, so make sure to put your best foot forward. Include examples of successful campaigns you’ve managed, any relevant coursework or training you’ve completed, and anything else that would make you stand out as a social media expert.
2. Next, you’ll need to create a website or blog to showcase your work.
This is where potential clients will go to learn more about you and what you can do for them, so make sure it’s professional and informative. Include your contact information, rates, and services offered on your website or blog. You should also include testimonials from satisfied clients, if possible.
3. Once you have a portfolio and website set up, it’s time to start marketing yourself.
Use social media (of course) to get the word out about your new business venture. Use small business marketing tactics and create informative blog posts about social media marketing tips and tricks, and be sure to share your work when appropriate. You can also use traditional marketing methods like print ads, flyers, and word-of-mouth to attract clients.
4. Finally, always be professional when communicating with clients—regardless of whether it’s in person or online.
Remember that first impression are everything in this business! Be prompt in responding to client inquiries, meet deadlines, and always go above and beyond to deliver exceptional results. If you do all of these things, then you’ll be well on your way to success as a social media manager.
Social Media Marketing: How Much Can You Make?
Social media marketing is a process of building relationships and creating brand awareness through the use of social media channels like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. When done correctly, social media marketing can be a great way to connect with potential and current customers, increase website traffic, and boost sales.
The cost of social media marketing can vary depending on your goals and objectives. If you’re just starting, you can likely get by by using free platforms like Hootsuite or Buffer to help you schedule and post content. However, if you’re looking to scale your operation and reach a larger audience, you may need to invest in paid advertising on social media channels like Facebook or Instagram. The good news is that even a small budget can go a long way on social media; businesses have been known to see a return on their investment (ROI) of as much as 10x what they put in. But how much money can you make from social media marketing? Let’s take a look.
What to Expect as a Freelance Social Media Marketer?
Social media marketing is one of the hottest skills in the freelance world right now. With the rise of platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat, businesses are looking for creative individuals who can help them reach a wider audience and build their brand. But how much can you make as a freelance social media marketer?
As a general rule of thumb, you can expect to earn $50-$100 per hour as a beginner freelancer. With more experience, you can charge upwards of $200 per hour. And if you’re working with big brands or handling complex projects, you can easily earn $500-$1,000+ per hour.
Of course, it’s also important to keep in mind that freelance rates are often negotiable. If you’re just starting, you may have to accept lower rates to build up your portfolio and get some experience under your belt. But as you gain more clients and complete more projects successfully, you’ll be in a much better position to negotiate higher rates.
Freelance social media marketing is a great way to use your creative skills to earn money online. Rates can vary widely depending on your experience and the scope of the project, but most freelancers earn $50-$100 per hour as a beginner. With more experience, you can easily earn $200+ per hour. So if you’re thinking about becoming a freelance social media marketer, there’s good news—you can make some serious money!
10 Services You Can Offer as a Freelance Social Media Manager
As a freelance social media manager, you can offer your services to businesses and individuals who need help managing their social media accounts. Not sure what services you can offer? Here are 10 ideas to get you started.
1. Create and manage social media accounts
The first step in any social media marketing campaign is to create and manage the social media accounts that will be used to interact with the target audience. This includes creating account profiles, filling out profile information, and adding profile photos and cover images. As a freelance social media manager, you can create and manage social accounts for your clients on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
2. Develop and implement social media strategies
Once the social accounts have been created, it’s time to develop and implement a social media strategy. This involves identifying the goals of the campaign, researching the target audience, crafting content that is relevant and engaging, scheduling posts in advance, and monitoring activity on the account to ensure that the campaign is on track. As a freelance social media manager, you can develop and implement social media strategies for your clients to help them achieve their desired results.
3. Monitor social media activity
Monitoring social media activity is an important part of any SMM campaign as it allows you to see what is working well and what needs to be improved. This includes tracking metrics such as likes, comments, shares, follows, and unfollows. It also involves listening to conversations taking place on social media so that you can identify any negative sentiment or feedback. As a freelance social media manager, you can monitor social media activity for your clients to help them adjust their campaigns as needed.
4. Engage with the target audience
Engaging with the target audience on social media posts is one of the most important aspects of SMM. This involves interacting with users on a social media platform such as responding to comments and questions, liking and sharing content, and following users who are relevant to the campaign. As a freelance social media manager, you can engage with the target audience on behalf of your clients to build relationships and create a positive impression of the brand or business.
5. Advertising:
If an account has a budget for advertising, then it’s the social media manager’s job to create and monitor ads. This includes creating ad copy and visuals, targeting the right audience, and tracking the results of the ad campaign.
6. Reporting:
After working on an account for a while, it’s important to provide the client with social media marketing reports. This can involve providing metrics such as the number of followers, engagement rate, and website traffic generated from social media.
7. Competitor Analysis:
Another service you can offer is competitor analysis. This involves taking a look at what other businesses in the same industry are doing on social media and identifying areas where they could improve.
8. Training:
Once you’ve been working as a freelance social media manager for a while, you may find that clients are interested in learning from you. This can involve teaching them how to use specific tools, best practices for engaging with followers, or how to create effective ad campaigns.
9. Consulting:
In addition to offering training, you can also offer consulting services. This means advising on everything from social media strategy to content creation.
10. Crisis Management:
Finally, one of the most important services you can offer as a freelance social media manager is crisis management. This involves having a plan in place for how to handle negative comments or reviews, trolls, and other unexpected situations.
Skills You Need To Start A Freelance Social Media Business
1. Communication Skills:
Effective communication is essential for any business, but it’s especially important in social media. You’ll need to be able to communicate clearly and concisely to get your message across to your audience.
2. Writing Skills:
Along with communication skills, strong writing skills are essential for social media success. You’ll need to be able to write compelling copy that engages your audience and drives results.
3. Graphic Design Skills:
Strong visual design is important in social media because people are drawn to visually appealing content. If you’re not a designer yourself, consider partnering with someone who is or investing in some quality design software.
4. Strategic Thinking Skills:
To be successful in social media, you’ll need to be able to think strategically about your social media marketing goals and how best to achieve them. This means having a clear understanding of your target audience and what type of content will resonate with them.
5. Organizational Skills:
Social media can be time-consuming, so it’s important to be organized and efficient in your work. This includes staying on top of deadlines and being able to juggle multiple projects at once.
6. Time Management Skills:
In addition to being organized, you’ll also need to be good at managing your time to succeed in social media. This means being able to set realistic deadlines and sticking to them.
7. Analytical Skills:
Finally, strong analytical skills are a must-have for any social media professional. You’ll need to be able to track your progress and measure your success over time to continue improving your results.
Tips to run a successful freelance social media manager business
Running a social media manager business can be a very successful venture, but it takes hard work and dedication to make it a success. Here are some tips to help you get started as a good social media manager:
1. Determine your business structure and liability
Social media management businesses are becoming increasingly popular as social media usage continues to grow. As a social media freelancer or small business owner offering social media services, it’s important to understand the basics of business formation and liability to run a successful operation – you must register your gig business.
When you’re a social media freelancer, there are a lot of things to consider in terms of business structure and liability. You need to determine what kind of entity you are (e.g., LLC, sole proprietorship, etc.), and you need to understand your liability for the services you provide. For example, if you manage social accounts for clients, you could be held responsible if one of those clients gets into a fight with another social media user.
Additionally, if you post something on behalf of a client that is false or misleading, you could be held liable for defamation. So it’s important to understand the risks involved in social media management and take steps to protect yourself accordingly. But if you do all that, then you can run a successful social media freelancing business.
2. Create a professional website and social media profiles
As a social media marketing expert, you should have a professional website and social media profiles to showcase your work. This will help you attract freelance clients who are looking for someone to manage their social channels. Your website should include a portfolio of your previous work, as well as testimonials from satisfied clients. Your social media profiles should also be updated regularly with compelling content so that potential clients can see the value you bring to the table.
By taking these steps, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a successful freelance social media manager.
3. Set rates and offer services
Social media has become an essential communication tool for businesses of all sizes. As a result, there is a growing demand for professionals who can help companies navigate the ever-changing landscape of social media. For those looking to enter this field, one of the most important steps is to set rates and offer services that meet client expectations.
In general, social media marketers can expect to charge anywhere from $50 to $250 per hour, depending on their experience and the scope of the project. However, some clients may be willing to pay a monthly retainer fee in exchange for a set number of hours each month. When setting rates, it’s important to consider not only what you’ll be doing for the client, but also the client’s budget and the going rate for similar services in the market.
By taking all of these factors into account, you’ll be able to set rates that are both competitive and fair.
4. Market your business to potential clients
As a freelance social media manager, one of the most important things you can do is market your business to potential new clients. There are several ways to go about this, but one of the most effective is to reach out to multiple clients at once. By targeting several clients at once, you increase your chances of landing new work. You can also use future clients as a way to market your business. By reaching out to companies that may need your services in the future, you can create a pipeline of potential new work.
In short, marketing your freelance social media manager business is essential to success. By taking the time to reach out to new and future clients, you can keep your business growing and thriving.
5. Grow your business over time
While it is possible to find freelance work as a social media manager without much upfront investment, it is generally more difficult to be successful in the long term without some level of commitment. Growing your business over time will not only give you a better chance of attracting clients, but it will also help you build a reputation as a reliable and trustworthy freelancer.
One way to do this is to start by offering your services for free or at a discount to build up a portfolio of satisfied clients. As your business grows, you can gradually increase your rates and add additional services. By taking the time to grow your business carefully, you’ll be in a much better position to run a successful freelance social media manager business.
How to Create a Standout Social Media Management Portfolio as a Newbie Freelancer
Here are a few tips to help you create a portfolio that will make you look like a pro, even if you’re just starting:
1. Start with your best work.
When putting together your portfolio, it’s important to showcase your very best work first. After all, you want to make a good impression on potential clients! So, take some time to scroll through your past social media posts and identify the ones that received the most engagement or had the biggest impact. These are the posts that you’ll want to feature prominently in your portfolio.
2. Use screenshots (and explain why they worked).
In addition to featuring examples of your best work, it’s also helpful to provide screenshots of your posts along with an explanation of why they were successful. For instance, if you increased engagement by 300% on a client’s Facebook page or multiple Facebook groups make sure to mention that in your portfolio! This will give potential clients an idea of what kind of results they can expect if they hire you.
3. Highlight any relevant coursework or experience.
If you have any relevant coursework or experience in social media marketing, be sure to highlight that in your portfolio. This will show potential clients that you have the skills and knowledge necessary to successfully manage their social accounts.
4. Keep it up-to-date.
Once you’ve created your initial portfolio, it’s important to keep it up-to-date with your latest work. That way, when potential clients visit your portfolio, they’ll see that you’re still active and relevant in the social media world. Plus, this will give you an excuse to take a stroll down memory lane and remember all of your past successes!
Creating a strong portfolio is essential for any social media manager who wants to succeed in the freelancing world. By following these tips, you can be sure that yours will make a great impression on potential clients and help you land the jobs you want.
The Essentials for Freelance Social Media Managers
As a freelance social media manager, you’ll need to be organized, self-motivated, and have a strong understanding of the latest trends in social media. You’ll also need to have a solid grasp of the various tools and resources available to help you succeed. Here’s an overview of some of the essential tools and resources you’ll need to be a successful freelance social media manager.
Organizational Tools
As a freelance social media manager, you’ll be managing multiple client accounts simultaneously. It’s important to have a system in place to help you keep track of deadlines, deliverables, and progress reports. There are several great project management tools available, such as Trello, Asana, and Basecamp. We recommend choosing one that offers a free trial so that you can test out a few different options before settling on one.
Social Media Management Tools
Another essential tool for freelance social media managers is a social media monitoring tool. This type of tool helps you track mentions of your client’s brands across various social media platforms. This is important for two reasons: first so that you can quickly respond to any negative sentiment; and second, so that you can identify any potential opportunities for your clients to get involved in trending conversations. Some popular social media monitoring tools include Hootsuite Insights, Brandwatch, and Sprout Social.
Content Creation Tools
As a freelance social media manager, you’ll also be responsible for creating content for your client’s social media accounts. To do this effectively, it’s important to have a solid understanding of the various content creation tools available. Canva is a great option for creating visuals (e.g., images and infographics), while Hootsuite Publisher can be used to schedule and publish content across multiple social platforms simultaneously. If you’re looking to create more comprehensive content pieces (e.g., blog posts), we recommend using WordPress or Medium.
7 Best Online Platforms for Freelance Social Media Manager Opportunities
Social media managers are in high demand. Companies are always looking for people who can help them navigate the ever-changing landscape of social media. If you’re a social media manager who’s looking for freelance work, here are five of the best online platforms to consider.
1. Fiverr
Fiverr is a freelancing platform that offers a wide variety of services, including social media manager. With Fiverr, you can create a profile and list your services. Once you’ve created your profile, you can start bidding on projects. Payment is made through the platform, so you don’t have to worry about invoicing or collecting payment from clients.
2. Upwork
Upwork is one of the most popular freelancing platforms. It connects businesses with freelancers for a variety of projects, including social media managers. To get started, you create a profile and list your skills. Upwork then uses this information to match you with relevant projects. You can also search for projects yourself and send proposals to clients. Once a project is complete, Upwork handles payment processing between you and the client.
3. Social Media Examiner
Social Media Examiner is a website that offers resources for social media professionals. They also have a job board where businesses can post social media-related positions. To find jobs, simply create a free account and browse the job board. When you find a position you’re interested in, click “Apply” and follow the instructions on how to apply.
4. PeoplePerHour:
PeoplePerHour is a UK-based freelance marketplace that connects businesses with over 2 million skilled professionals from all over the world. PeoplePerHour offers a wide range of services, including social media management.
5. Guru:
Guru is a US-based freelance marketplace that connects businesses with over 3 million skilled professionals from all over the world. Guru offers a wide range of services, including social media management.
6. LinkedIn
LinkedIn isn’t just a great platform for networking; it’s also a great place to find freelance opportunities. Many businesses post freelance positions on LinkedIn, so it’s worth checking the platform regularly for new postings. You can also use LinkedIn’s search function to find companies that might need social media help and reach out to them directly.
7. Indeed
Indeed is one of the most popular jobs search engines on the internet. In addition to full-time positions, Indeed also lists freelance opportunities. To find social media manager postings, simply type “social media manager” into the search bar and set your location (if you want to limit your search to certain areas). You can also filter results by date posted, salary range, and more.
Bottom Line
So, you want to start a freelance social media manager business? Congratulations! It’s a great way to make money and have control over your career. Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about starting and running a successful freelance social media management business. From setting rates to finding clients, we’ve got all the information you need to get started today. Ready to get started? Don’t forget to check out our other blogs for more information about freelance businesses. Thanks for reading!
