Methods to Make Cash as a Freelance Social Media Supervisor [2023]

A contract social media supervisor is a social media skilled employed by shoppers who wish to outsource their social technique and execution.

Typically, freelance social media managers work with a number of corporations and shoppers at a time.

Companies generally supplied by freelancer social media managers can embody:

• Social media technique
• Creating and managing content material calendars
• Content material creation (pictures, design)
• Content material writing
• Scheduling and publishing posts
• Group administration (participating with followers, answering DMs and feedback)
• Analytics and reporting

If you wish to comply with the freelance path, you’ll must domesticate entrepreneurial expertise on high of your social media administration experience.

You might be nice at getting outcomes in your shoppers, however you may find yourself struggling if your corporation processes aren’t strong.

Listed below are 9 expertise it’s best to hone if you wish to change into a profitable social media supervisor.

Social media has grown extra visible in recent times, however a great caption goes a good distance in creating an engaged neighborhood.

A contract social media supervisor wears many hats, and content material creation is not any exception. In lots of instances, you could be anticipated to create graphics, TikTok movies, or pictures.

There are lots of people interacting with a model’s social media pages. From DMs, feedback, and evaluations, a social media supervisor could also be anticipated to answer to every message.

It’s time-consuming, and plenty of manufacturers outsource this side of social media administration. Good neighborhood administration requires being organized and meticulous (making certain no customer support points are missed), following the model’s tone of voice tips, and having real interactions with the neighborhood.

This can be a large one. Social networks provide quite a lot of knowledge, and your shoppers will count on you to have the ability to gather and analyze it. You want to have the ability to kind by means of the numbers to search out actionable insights.

As a part of your freelance enterprise, you’ll want to have the abilities to pitch and promote your providers to potential shoppers. That is most likely a ability you didn’t want in your company life as a social media supervisor, however it’s very important as a freelancer.

One of many hardest issues about freelancing? Consumer initiatives can finish, and you could not have new shoppers lined as much as take their spots. Getting good at freelancing means studying how you can preserve your eyes open for brand new alternatives.

Pitching and promoting your social media providers will change into extra snug the extra you observe.

Enhancing your relationships along with your shoppers can develop your corporation. In any case, in case your consumer likes working with you, then likelihood is they’ll proceed to ship work your method. They could even refer you to others of their community or provide a testimonial in your web site.

Constructing and sustaining consumer relationships is essential to being a profitable social media supervisor. Whereas your present shoppers are necessary, you don’t wish to neglect different relationships. You’ll wish to preserve tabs in your potential shoppers and previous shoppers and allow them to know you probably have availability.

Social media managers must have their fingers on the heartbeat of the most recent tendencies. This could imply every part from memes to present occasions. With out this angle, social media campaigns can look outdated or not related.

For instance, Wendy’s used the timing of the FIFA World Cup 2022 to advertise a particular prize for the winners of the USA vs. England sport. The profitable nation scored free fries within the Wendy’s app.

Group is one other essential ability for freelance social media managers. Not solely do you’ll want to handle content material calendars, however you additionally must preserve observe of your individual enterprise. Whereas you’ll have labored with undertaking managers in previous roles, going freelance means taking up this job your self.

You’ll want a social media administration workflow to make sure property are delivered on time and authorized by your shoppers. You’ll additionally want a course of to make sure your invoices are getting delivered and paid.

Understanding advertising and marketing methods and the way they’ll influence your social media campaigns are non-negotiable expertise. You might be accountable for making a social media advertising and marketing technique that aligns with the consumer’s enterprise targets — and even when you aren’t creating the technique, you’ll probably be following another person’s.

Each social media publish wants cautious reflection on the way it helps develop the consumer’s enterprise. Strategic considering turns a social media publish into participating content material.

Earlier than you may work as a contract social media supervisor, it’s best to take into account what you’ll want to do legally to arrange a enterprise.

This may range relying on nationwide and native legal guidelines, however might embody:

• Deciding which sort of enterprise it’s best to register (equivalent to a sole proprietorship or a restricted legal responsibility firm).
• Registering your enterprise title (which must be distinctive); verify trademark databases if you need the choice to trademark your model sooner or later.
• Registering for a tax quantity (not all freelancers want one, so make sure to analysis the standards in your state of affairs).
• Getting your enterprise license (which normally must be renewed yearly).
• Making a enterprise checking account (elective, verify with an accountant).

Alongside the best way, you would possibly wish to seek the advice of with a tax skilled to find out how a lot of your earnings it’s best to put aside for taxes. They could additionally be capable to present recommendation on which enterprise sort would greatest fit your wants.

You might also wish to create a enterprise e mail and social media accounts (or a minimum of reserve the handles for your corporation title, in case you determine to construct them up afterward). This will likely be helpful while you begin advertising and marketing your corporation extra publicly and wish to ascertain a model.

When you’ve taken care of the authorized side of freelancing, it’s best to take into account making a portfolio to reveal your experience.

There are a number of other ways to showcase your skilled portfolio. Some concepts embody:

• Constructing a web site
• Utilizing your LinkedIn profile
• Creating PDF recordsdata
• Utilizing a Google Folder to retailer your case research

In the event you’ve solely labored full-time company roles, you should utilize initiatives and examples from these roles to construct up your portfolio. Simply be sure to concentrate on the social media advertising and marketing methods you’ve contributed to and the outcomes for which you had been accountable.

Pricing your providers might be one of the crucial agonizing elements of a freelancer, particularly in case you are new and uncertain of what’s a good price. There are various elements to contemplate, together with your required wage, enterprise bills, taxes, and extra.

We focus on some benchmark charges under, however it’s best to take into account networking with fellow freelance social media managers to search out out what they’re charging for his or her providers. Doing your individual major analysis may help you develop a aggressive price in your personal social media providers.

Now comes the enjoyable half: touchdown your first shoppers. Regardless of how proficient you might be as a social media supervisor, you’ll want to put your self on the market for shoppers to know you’re accessible as a freelancer.

Listed below are a number of concepts that can assist you get began:

• Networking occasions. Networking occasions are an effective way to place your self on the market and meet new individuals. When you’ve got a selected area of interest, you could wish to attend occasions the place you may meet individuals from that trade. And don’t neglect your fellow freelancers. They will present priceless insights into working as a freelancer and should even suggest you to their shoppers.
• LinkedIn. An optimized LinkedIn profile may help shoppers discover you and inquire about your providers. You’ll be able to add portfolio items to your profile and community with friends on the platform.
• Social media teams. Many Slack and Fb teams typically have channels the place members can share freelance social media jobs. It’s additionally an incredible place to maintain observe of tendencies and community with different freelancers.
• Phrase of mouth. Previous and present shoppers can change into an incredible supply of referrals. When you’ve labored with a contented consumer, allow them to know that you simply’re open to suggestions as they typically know different associates/contacts like themselves.
• Content material advertising and marketing. If you wish to construct a longer-term secure supply of consumer referrals, take into account beginning a e-newsletter, weblog, or YouTube channel. Your content material ought to cowl subjects potential shoppers could be keen on (equivalent to “social media suggestions for [your target industry]”) and embody a CTA mentioning your freelance social media providers.

Constructing associated expertise could make your resume stand out and should make shoppers rent you.

Listed below are some expertise to contemplate engaged on:

• Influencer advertising and marketing
• Paid social promoting
• Videography
• On-line fame administration
• Content material repurposing

Pricing your freelance social media work may be troublesome as a result of there are numerous variables to contemplate. Your social media administration price ought to be based mostly in your expertise, worth, enterprise bills, and your consumer’s funds and scope of labor required.

It additionally depends upon what the consumer wants for social media. For instance, a consumer might want an Instagram technique, however they might additionally ask for content material creation, publish scheduling, month-to-month analytic studies, and neighborhood administration.

Earlier than you give a possible consumer a quote, it helps to know what they want.

Scheduling a discovery name can mean you can ask questions in regards to the consumer’s enterprise mannequin, goal clients, advertising and marketing budgets, KPIs, and any historical past of working with freelance social media managers to uncover potential pink flags. It additionally helps the consumer get to know you and make sure you’re a great match for the job.

The easiest way to develop a sustainable enterprise is to safe ongoing initiatives or retainers. Since social media is an ongoing necessity, your consumer most likely needs you to handle it month-to-month. However this will solely occur in the event that they belief you. A part of that belief is communication.

As a contract social media supervisor, sturdy communication is your accountability. In case of any delays, be immediate and clear. Creating an distinctive consumer expertise is one of the best ways to retain present shoppers (and possibly even earn a referral or two!).

At all times make sure that to signal written contracts with new shoppers, which ought to include your most well-liked cost phrases and penalties for late funds. A standard cost time period is 30 days.

You might wish to get invoicing software program to ship skilled invoices with due dates and computerized reminders for cost. Some accounting software program additionally consists of invoicing together with monitoring bills.

Don’t neglect to put aside a share of your cash for taxes. The amount of cash it’s best to save will rely in your native legal guidelines, so it’s greatest to seek the advice of an accountant to find out the tax price.

Investing in instruments may help you save time whereas engaged on social media administration.

A social media administration device like Hootsuite permits you to schedule posts, create analytics studies, and reply to feedback and DMs, all from one dashboard. And, bonus, you may ditch the spreadsheets because you received’t want them to identify tendencies or extract insights.

Be taught extra about how Hootsuite may help you simply deal with a number of shoppers’ social media accounts:

Save time managing your social media presence with Hootsuite. Publish and schedule posts, discover related conversions, interact your viewers, measure outcomes, and extra — all from one dashboard. Attempt it free as we speak.