Santiago Sanchez
7/23/2024A freelance social media manager, also known as a community manager, manages and optimizes the social platforms of companies or brands. However, like any other field, starting a career in this isn't easy given the number of experts out there.
For this reason, in this article, we bring 10 tips for those beginner freelance community managers. But first, let’s delve into what a community manager does and who can become one.
They handle everything related to the online communities of a person, brand, or company. They use analytical tools to understand how users perceive that brand or company.
Here are some of the tasks a community manager does:
They prepare and publish texts, images, or videos for different platforms, like LinkedIn or Twitter, aiming to capture the public's attention and keep them interested.
They respond to comments, messages, and mentions from users to build a loyal and engaged follower community.
They develop plans and strategies about what and when to post to ensure maximum impact of the publications.
They review and analyze the metrics and statistics of these posts to understand what works and what doesn’t.
They can create and manage social media campaigns to promote products, services, or events, reaching a broader audience.
In summary, a freelance community manager is responsible for maintaining and enhancing a brand’s presence on any social network.
The idea that a community manager must be a graduate in Communication or Marketing is outdated. It’s not limited to a single degree; anyone with the right skills can excel.
The key skills are:
Responsibility.
Knowledge of all social networks.
Experience in identifying and targeting different audiences.
Empathy, authenticity, and good interpersonal understanding.
Ability to build and maintain productive and professional relationships.
Creativity and adaptability to constant changes in the digital environment.
Comprehensive understanding of business models.
Anyone mastering these skills will be the best brand ambassador in the digital world.
We don’t want you to navigate this path alone, hence these 10 tips for freelance community managers:
Before venturing out on your own, consider seeking employment in agencies to gain experience. This will give you a clear view of what a community manager does, including how large and small projects are managed. Something invaluable when you decide to work on your own.
While you can skip this step, seeking opportunities on online job platforms like Indeed will benefit you if you’re new to this.
Offering additional services like graphic design or video editing can dilute your value as a freelance social media manager.
It’s better to excel in what you do best and not spread yourself too thin. After all, you may only get paid for one skill, which will take time away from finding clients who value and pay better for your exclusive work as a community manager.
One of the advantages of being a freelance community manager is the ability to choose who you work with. Therefore, you must know when to retain or let go of a client.
If you see that your relationship with the client starts affecting your well-being or performance on other projects, it’s best to end it. Besides, if you work on sites like Workana, another client will come along, and life will go on without problems.
You’re a freelance social media manager, so there are no bosses, strict schedules, or fixed workplaces. Make sure to keep your working conditions clear and don’t let yourself be misled with complex explanations.
Freelancer, contractor, independent worker, or service provider are different terms that mean the same thing.
Maintain your independence, set your limits from the start, and don’t let anyone make you feel undervalued.
The best clients will find you if you make yourself visible, especially on sites like Fiverr. But this will only happen if you create your own content showing what you can offer.
Many freelancers ignore this, which works in your favor because even if others might be better, few clients know they exist. So, when someone looks for professionals with your skills, you’ll appear in their results if you’ve made yourself known correctly.
Your personal brand is who you are and how you differentiate yourself from other freelance social media managers. This point complements the previous one, as if they don’t know you, they won’t look for you.
The key is to stand out in your own way, with a unique style.
It’s a way of doing freelance advertising to attract clients. By differentiating yourself from the rest, you ensure that you are noticed and remembered.
While formal contracts can provide security, many freelancers operate without them and have no problems. The important thing is that the terms are clear between you and the client.
Verbal agreements, backed by emails and using reliable platforms, are a valid practice. Upwork is an example of this, as they have protection and payment guarantee systems.
Moreover, if someone doesn’t want to pay you, a signed contract won’t necessarily prevent it.
Having government clients can be good for your career and they often pay well, even better than agencies. So, if you have the opportunity to work with a government entity, don’t pass it up.
These clients don’t focus solely on selling but also on educating and promoting topics that benefit the community. It’s an approach that can be very rewarding and add significant value to your work.
The world of social media keeps advancing, whether with newer platforms or tools. What you know today might be obsolete tomorrow. And you, as a freelance community manager, have to stay updated and willing to learn new things.
Adapting quickly to changes will allow you to offer more optimized service to your clients and stay competitive in the market.
As a freelance social media manager, you might go through periods where you’re overwhelmed with clients and others when you have very few. These ups and downs are very common in this path, and to face them, you need to be prepared. This way, the worry won’t overwhelm you.
You might consider diversifying your income to have greater financial stability. For example, offering consulting or courses on what you do best: community management.
You can also save your money and better manage your finances using apps like DolarApp.
Why? It offers favorable exchange rates and has no hidden fees, it’s that simple. Plus, it serves as a payment method to charge clients in dollars.
These 10 tips for freelance community managers can be useful for being better prepared when taking advantage of opportunities in this field. From effective client management to personal brand creation.
All are smart and adaptable strategies to help you build a successful and sustainable career.
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