2024 Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Freelance Digital Marketing Professional

Everyone needs a freelance marketer who can attract more customers. Whether they are TV shows, websites, music, or any favourite pair of shoes, everyone needs this one thing in common. If one wants to experience new skills, one can pursue freelance digital marketing.

This guide will help all those who wish to pursue a career in freelance digital marketing. The guide is not only for beginners. But also for those who wish to switch careers and enter this freelancing field.

In this guide, we will discuss the following topics:

• What is freelance digital marketing?
• What does a freelance digital marketing professional do?
• How to become a freelance digital marketer?
• Some Important FAQs

So, without any further delay, let’s get started!

What is Freelance Digital Marketing?

A freelance digital marketing professional helps companies to promote their products and services online. These are marketing professionals who deliver freelance digital marketing services to their clients. Imagine the internet as a marketplace. Websites, social media, and search engines are like storefronts, and businesses are the vendors. Freelance digital marketing helps these vendors stand out in the digital crowd.

A. Aim Of Digital Marketers

The main aim of a freelance digital marketer is to reach out to the client’s audience. The aim of freelance digital marketing is to leverage online channels, platforms, and technologies to promote and connect with a target audience. In essence, the overarching aim of digital marketing is to strategically use digital channels to achieve business objectives, whether that be brand awareness, lead generation, sales, or customer engagement. It’s a dynamic and multifaceted approach that adapts to the ever-changing landscape of the online world.

B. They are in High Demand

One can use the skills and experience to start a new business if one wants to change jobs. One can also get senior freelance jobs, like a freelance digital marketing manager.

As the demand for freelance digital marketers is increasing, choosing this option is a good idea. Digital marketing professionals help companies to carry out various marketing tasks. They also increase the reach of companies and promote their brands and campaigns. This is why companies look for digital marketers, and thus they are in high demand.

Freelance Digital Marketing is a dynamic field, and staying relevant requires diverse skill sets. Some in-demand digital marketing skills are –

1. Search Engine Optimization – Crucial for increasing online visibility and driving organic traffic.
2. Content Marketing – Essential for engaging, entertaining, and educating audiences, driving conversions.
3. Social Media Marketing – Leveraging social media platforms to connect with audiences, build brand awareness, and drive engagement.
4. Email Marketing – Email remains a powerful tool for direct communication with audiences, executing email campaigns to nurture leads, retain customers, and drive conversions.

Related Read: Scope of Digital Marketing in India

What Does a Freelance Digital Marketing Professional Do?

The job of a freelance digital marketing professional is quite different from other freelancers. Freelance Digital marketing professionals are required to be good at technical tasks. Furthermore, they need to be well-versed in managing invoices, accounting, reporting, and project management. Freelance digital marketing covers a wide range of services. These services can be SEO, product, and website management, content curation and more.

Here’s what a day as a digital marketer looks like. These are some of the responsibilities of a digital marketer across various verticals – 

1. SEO:

     – Review and analyze website analytics to track performance.

     – Conduct keyword research to identify new opportunities.

     – Optimize on-page elements, including meta tags and content.

     – Monitor search engine rankings and identify areas for improvement.

     – Collaborate with content creators to ensure SEO-friendly content.

     – Conduct competitor analysis to stay informed about industry trends.

     – Prepare reports on key SEO metrics and present findings.

     – Stay updated on algorithm changes and industry news.

2. Content Marketer:

     – Review the content calendar and plan for the day’s tasks.

     – Brainstorm and research ideas for new content pieces.

     – Write and edit blog posts, articles, or other content.

     – Collaborate with SEO specialists to incorporate relevant keywords.

     – Engage with the audience on social media regarding content.

     – Analyze content performance using analytics tools.

     – Plan upcoming content based on insights and trends.

3. Social Media Marketer:

     – Schedule and post content on various social media platforms.

     – Respond to comments, messages, and engage with the audience.

     – Monitor social media trends and industry news.

     – Create visual content or collaborate with designers.

     – Plan and execute paid social media advertising campaigns.

     – Analyze social media metrics and adjust strategies accordingly.

4. Email Marketer:

     – Plan and schedule email campaigns using marketing automation tools.

     – A/B test subject lines and content for upcoming campaigns.

     – Monitor and analyze email campaign performance.

     – Segment email lists for targeted campaigns.

     – Collaborate with design teams for visually appealing emails.

     – Adjust email strategies based on performance data.

5. SEM:

     – Review and optimize paid advertising campaigns on platforms like Google Ads.

     – Analyze campaign data to adjust bidding strategies.

     – Conduct keyword research for upcoming campaigns.

     – Create and test ad copies and visuals for better performance.

     – Monitor and adjust budget allocations for different campaigns.

     – Collaborate with content creators for landing page optimization.

     – Prepare reports on campaign ROI and key performance indicators.

     – Stay informed about industry trends and updates.

Also, read: 7 Tips for Freelancers to Help You Succeed as a Freelance Professional

Tools or Technology an Aspiring Freelance Digital Marketer Need

1. SEO Tools
– Google Analytics: For tracking website traffic and user behavior.
– SEMrush or Ahrefs: For keyword research, competitor analysis, and backlink tracking.
– Yoast SEO: A plugin for optimizing content on WordPress sites.

2. Content Creation
– Canva: For designing graphics and social media posts.
– Grammarly: For proofreading and improving writing quality.
– BuzzSumo: For content research and discovering trending topics.

3. Social Media Management
– Hootsuite or Buffer: For scheduling and managing social media posts.
– Later: Specifically for Instagram scheduling.
– Sprout Social: For analytics and engagement tracking.

4. Email Marketing
– Mailchimp or ConvertKit: For creating and managing email campaigns.
– ActiveCampaign: For advanced email marketing automation.

5. PPC Advertising
– Google Ads: For running pay-per-click campaigns.
– Facebook Ads Manager: For managing ads on Facebook and Instagram.

6. Project Management
– Trello or Asana: For organizing tasks and projects.
– Slack: For communication with clients or team members.

7. Website Development
– WordPress: A popular CMS for building websites.
– Wix or Squarespace: For easy drag-and-drop website creation.

8. Analytics and Reporting
– Google Data Studio: For creating custom reports from various data sources.
– Hotjar: For understanding user behavior through heatmaps and session recordings.

9. CRM Tools
– HubSpot or Zoho CRM: For managing client relationships and sales pipelines.

10. Learning and Development
– Udemy or Coursera: For online courses on digital marketing topics.
– LinkedIn Learning: For professional development resources.

Additional Tips
– Stay Updated: Regularly check for new tools or updates to existing ones.
– Trial Versions: Many tools offer free trials; use them to assess their fit for your needs.

By utilizing these tools effectively, you’ll be better positioned to deliver high-quality services as a freelance digital marketer.

Key Aspects of a Freelancer Digital Marketer

Instead of being employed by a single company, through freelance digital marketing one can work independently and provide their expertise to clients on a project-by-project basis or through ongoing collaborations. This approach offers flexibility for both the freelancer and the client.

For clients, freelance marketers do many tasks daily as per their flexibility. Here are key aspects of freelance digital marketing:

1. Independence:

   Freelance digital marketers are self-employed professionals who operate independently. They have the freedom to choose their clients, projects, and work schedules.

2. Varied Services:

   Freelance digital marketing can offer a range of services, including SEO, content marketing, social media management, email marketing, paid advertising, and more. The specific services depend on the freelancer’s expertise and client needs.

3. Client Collaboration:

   In freelance digital marketing, freelancers typically collaborate with various clients across industries. They may work with small businesses, startups, or larger enterprises, tailoring their services to meet the unique goals and requirements of each client.

4. Project-Based Work:

   Freelance digital marketing often includes engaging in project-based work, taking on specific assignments or campaigns. This could include tasks like creating a content strategy, running a social media campaign, optimizing a website for search engines, or managing an email marketing initiative.

5. Flexibility:

   Freelance digital marketing allows for a flexible work schedule. Digital marketers can choose when and where they work, accommodating different time zones or personal preferences.

6. Remote Work:

   Many freelance digital marketers work remotely, leveraging digital tools and communication platforms to collaborate with clients and deliver services without being physically present in an office.

7. Building a Portfolio:

   Freelancers often build a portfolio showcasing their previous work and successes. This portfolio serves as a key tool for attracting new clients and demonstrating expertise in various aspects of digital marketing.

8. Continuous Learning:

   Given the dynamic nature of freelance digital marketing, freelancers need to stay updated on industry trends, algorithm changes, and emerging technologies to provide effective and relevant services to clients.

9. Entrepreneurial Spirit:

    Freelance digital marketing embodies an entrepreneurial spirit, as you are managing a businesses, marketing yourself, and seeking new opportunities for growth.

How to Become a Freelance Digital Marketer?

It is known that each coin has two faces. The best part about freelance digital marketing is it does not require rounds of interviews. The tricky part for marketing experts is to pitch workto other companies.

Here are some common steps that will help one work in Freelance Digital Marketing. Are you ready to get started as a digital marketing freelancer? The following steps will help do that.

1. Build the Required Skills for Freelance Digital Marketing

Determining the required digital marketing skills is crucial before beginning the work. Building some skills is important for a freelance marketer. Outsourcing work or delegating to others does not work as an individual entrepreneur. They must be the answer provider and solve the issues without external help.

There are times when a complex project is asked to be sorted. And at those times, one cannot run for someone’s help. Therefore, it is important to build your own skills. If one has all the required skills and knows when to implement them, the demand for them increases in the industry.

One can build their skills speedily by following these ways:

• Go through different courses. This will ensure a job as a junior digital marketing freelancer.
• Start learning new things about freelance digital marketing.
• Start working as an assistant/trainee under an experienced marketer.
• One must try practicing freelance digital marketing on their websites. If you are a beginner, the process may take time.

2. Build your Business Website

The website-building is the main step of the business. It is the place where a freelance marketer can portray their services and achievements. The website should be professional, SEO-optimised, and easy to use.

One should either build their own website or a business-oriented one. Before finalizing this decision, think about the future goals. Where do they see themselves in the next five years?

If the decision is personal, it can simplify promotion since the name itself becomes the brand identity. However, this might pose challenges if you later decide to transition from freelancing to establishing a digital marketing agency.

However, if a business-oriented website is built, it will be easier to convert in the future when the business grows. Having a personal one will cause difficulties if a business partnership is considered in the future. Therefore, one must take these decisions wisely.

3. Start a Freelance Digital Marketing Blog

Blogging is one such task that needs to be done from the very first day of beginning a career in freelance digital marketing. Starting a digital marketing blog will help potential clients know about the work and how they can derive benefits.

There are many benefits of blogging. With this, the need to use paid advertisements gets reduced. Much time is saved, as there is no need to “find” clients in job portals. And marketing experts are no longer expected to sell their services, as the client approaches themselves.

While preparing the blog, one should include topics that are related to the services offered.

The blogs derive additional benefits when the potential clients are satisfied with the service. The digital freelancer should understand the problems faced while running freelance digital marketing campaigns. And then derive solutions to it. This way trust and transparency are built in the clients.

Also, read: How to Make Money Blogging: Free Guide for 2023

4. Build your Personal Brand

One can easily build a personal brand in freelance digital marketing by publishing content on the internet. Furthermore, one can strengthen their personal brand by promoting content on different platforms.

Whether the website is personal or business-oriented, this must be done. Even when a personal brand is chosen, the potential clients and traffic will be driven by the personal brand of the digital marketer.

In order to build a brand, there are two main ways:

A. Publish Content on Popular Sites

This is known as guest posting in the digital marketing field. Publishing content on high-traffic websites has a lot of benefits. It enhances reputation and helps to gain more customers. It also brings traffic to the personal website. One needs to show their work through an active digital blog. It may be a little difficult to rank higher on search engines and get high traffic. But with good SEO and experience, one will be able to achieve these goals.

B. Use Social Media

Social media platforms can help a person build a brand in freelance digital marketing. Create accounts on platforms like Twitter and LinkedIn, and connect with other marketing experts. One needs to make their profile visible to others so that one can connect with them.

Related Article: 20 Best Freelancing Sites in India

5. Make Connections with other Freelancers

Along with focusing on building the website, one needs to connect with the peer. Connecting with other freelance digital marketing experts is healthy. Some of the reasons for this are given below:

• It helps in promoting the content.
• Helps in the exchange of ideas.
• Improves connections on social media platforms.
• Build and maintain clients.

How to Make Connections?

One can start following other Freelance Digital Marketing experts on social media by contacting them through email. Mail should not be sent in bulk, as it will turn out to be spam mail. So take enough time before contacting.

Try to start with the benefits, as both parties can achieve some profit from the connection. This can vary from helping with projects and promoting each other’s content on websites to exchanging ideas. These real connections help one to grow their business and learn new things.

6. Choose the Speciality

While working in the field of freelance digital marketing from home, time is limited. Also, there are many tasks that need to be performed. So, it is wiser to focus on specialized services.

Instead of wearing many hats at a time, one should be an expert in some specific areas. At first, one should focus on a niche and be an expert in that. Then only they can look for other niches where they can work. With time and experience, one learns what services are easy and profitable for them. Accordingly, the overall process can then be adjusted.

The different areas in which a Freelance Digital Marketing can specialize are:

• SEO expert
• Digital marketing (person of all trades)
• Content marketing
• Pay-per-click (PPC)
• Social media marketing
• Email marketing

To become an expert in the Freelance Digital Marketing field, start learning by reading reliable sources on the internet. One should opt for the reputed course. There are plenty of options available on the internet. Digital freelancers can also try the techniques on their own websites. Try building a checklist that can be implemented practically after the learning part.

7. Learn to Create a Services Proposal

One of the important tasks of a digital marketing freelancer is to draft and submit a proposal to the clients. Since this is a tiring process, it is good to prepare well in advance.

After going through the relevant job postings and portals, try creating some templates. These templates can be created in Google Docs that cover the common methods. Creating templates will help freelancers with their initial projects. And it will improve as one gains more experience. Under digital marketing, there are always some services that are common to all businesses. It includes services like portfolio, services description, and pricing.

If they wish to take a step ahead, they can also create a template for the client onboarding process. It is not possible to know everything right from the beginning. However freelance digital marketer needs to put effort into such activities. This will not only help them to prevent any negative impacts on their business. But also it will formalize their processes to achieve long-term growth.

8. Set the Prices

One of the important steps in becoming a freelance digital marketing professional is to set the prices for the services. Since the common question asked by every client is about the pricing of the services, it is better to be prepared for an answer.

The pricing model can be structured in the following ways:

• Hourly
• Monthly
• Based on the projects
• A combination of any of the above

As a freelancer, it is good to have different and flexible pricing models. These pricing models must be as per the client’s needs. A digital marketer needs to decide what will be their minimum hourly or monthly prices.

At times, it is also good to have lower prices than the market or to give extra discounts. This helps them get bulk requests and improve their portfolio. Freelancing should be seen in the same way as a real business.

9. Register your Business Entity

The most memorable moment of a digital marketing freelancer is their first successful project. It is the time to get paid for the services offered. Therefore, it is good to register the business entity and build its own brand.

To receive payment for the services, the following are required:

• A bank account
• An account with a payment provider such as PayPal, Strike, 2checkout, etc.
• An invoice processing system ( a Google Docs invoice will do the job, accounting software is not required)
• A business agreement with an account
• A registered business entity (for tax purposes)

Most freelancer works from home and do not require a legal entity to receive payments. But this is not the case. It is important to have the business registered, as it protects it from the risks of taxes.

10. Pick up your Tools

A digital marketer needs to be well-versed with the tools to perform their work efficiently. Without using such tools, it gets difficult to track, monitor, and analyze large amounts of data. Tools used for digital marketing have high costs. But sometimes a less expensive tool can be effective. So, it is always better to choose the tools carefully.

For freelance marketing professionals, the following tools are recommended:

• Optinmonster: It is one of the most valuable tools, which can be used on a daily basis. It helps digital marketers grow their email lists and increase conversions on their own clients’ websites. It also makes lead-generation tasks easy.
• Google G-Suite: It is the most user-friendly and cost-effective platform for freelancers. It can be used for spreadsheets, email, reporting, document management, meeting platforms, etc.
• SEMRUSH: This is the only platform required for all the technical and reporting tasks. It can be used to track rankings, do keyword research, keep an eye on competitors, optimize SEO or PPC projects, and monitor the performance of social media accounts, etc.
• Grammarly – Before sending proposals to clients, it is good to check spelling and grammar mistakes. Grammarly is a cheap tool that sets well with Google G-suite.

Along with the paid tools, digital marketing freelancers should also know how to use the following tools:

• Google Analytics
• Google Search Console
• Bing Webmaster tools

11. Get More Clients

On reaching this step, freelancers are ready to offer their services to their clients. They have built the necessary skills, did all the prerequisites, created their process, registered their business, and are well-versed in how to use different tools.

Now, the question arises, how do they get clients for the business? Well, there are three ways in which a digital freelancer can get their clients.

• Through their published blogs. As already discussed, blogging is a powerful tool that helps build clients. It may take some time to have a decent amount of traffic on the blogs. So, this will work slowly but will be fruitful.
• They can apply for the post of digital marketer on different freelance websites.
• They can start offering their services at minimum prices. Or can also offer unpaid services sometimes This will help build trust among their clients.

Doing freelance digital marketing from home can be difficult at times. But it can be a good profession for many people. The client expects a measurable result, so to maintain them one must give them a desirable outcome.

Also, read: How To Get Freelance Clients In 2023

12. Gather Customer Reviews and Build a Portfolio

It is important for freelancers to have a freelance website. There should be two separate pages, one for customer reviews and another for keeping a record of past projects or clients. One should ensure that in each review customer’s name and website are mentioned. It will show the transparency of their work and performances. This will create trust in the clients. And thus, they will prefer to work with such experts. Clients are more likely to review their experience with the services offered to them. No sooner did the website is filled with positive reviews, it will not only help in fetching new clients but also the retention of previous clients.

13. Organize the Time Wisely

A digital freelancer will find everything very compelling. But, after sometimes they can experience a shortage of time. As they get more clients the number of tasks to handle increases like replying to emails, invoice generation, etc.

Here are a few tips to organize time effectively:

• They should devote more time to revenue-generating tasks and less to non-billable tasks.
• The important tasks should be completed in the morning, as it is the most productive time. And the administrative tasks should be completed later in the day.
• A digital freelancer should introduce new ideas to clients. It will help retain the existing client.
• It is good to work on a single task in a day rather than working on different tasks on the same day.

14. Plan your Next Steps

As the number of clients grows, digital freelancing experts have to make many decisions such as:

• Whether they want to continue as a freelance digital marketer or not. If they continue to do so, they can fix the working hours and some ground rules for projects to work on.
• Make a small team. A digital freelancer has many projects to work on, so one can hire other people to assist. And then to ease the work, a small team can be built.
• Start a digital marketing agency. Freelancers can also make a shift from freelancers to the agency. In the agency, they will delegate the work and will ensure to meet the deadline of clients. One will be required to recruit the right people for the business at the right time.

Things to Retain

Becoming a freelance digital marketer is a great experience. It is one such field that never gets boring. To become a successful freelance marketer, one needs to acquire skills. build a portfolio, present themselves and, most importantly, build a client base. However, this may seem a tiring task, but one eventually learns over time with patience and perseverance. Learn about new tools and strategies to get clients and do work more effectively.

In digital marketing freelancing, one also needs to put their expertise in front of clients. Choose a niche and strengthen it with practice and experience. One needs to be an expert in a number of areas such as budget planning and negotiation to make the best out of this job.

However, there are more freelancing fields apart from freelance digital marketing where one can enter. One such job is Chegg Q&A expert. By becoming a Q&A expert at Chegg India, one can earn money by answering questions from students worldwide. One can choose to be a subject matter expert and answer questions from that field.

Freelance digital marketing is a very flexible job that can be done from anywhere in the world. The job also gives a person global academic exposure. One also gets to meet experts from diverse fields and build a strong peer network and a great career trajectory.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some related useful resources:

• What is Freelancing? Freelancing Meaning, Pros & Cons
• How to Become a Freelancer from Scratch?