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The demand for digital marketers across countries is growing at such a rate that there are more jobs than people with the skills to fill them. This is making way for a new kind of entrepreneur, the freelance digital marketer.
Many possibilities are emerging in this field for those willing to dive in feet first. It’s a fast-paced career in a constantly changing environment giving advantage to those able to keep up, especially with the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in digital marketing to become more productive and efficient.
Companies are being forced to outsource as the demand for digital marketing services continues to rise and it becomes increasingly challenging for businesses to hire in-house marketers with the necessary skills. So if you can position yourself as an expert in even one area, that can be all you need to begin a rewarding freelance career.
So how do you become a freelance digital marketer? Read on to find out what a digital marketer does, key skills required to be in-demand and an idea of salary expectations.
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What Does a Freelance Digital Marketer Do?
The role of a freelance digital marketer is to use a variety of digital channels to promote, engage and convert. To adapt to a clinet’s demands, they require a wide range of skills and agility. A key objective is to use digital to communicate with prospects and existing customers.
That’s why the need for freelancers in companies is growing. According to Upwork research, nearly 50% of full-time workers rely on freelancers for key skills like web design, generative AI, and product management. While CEOs are following suit, with 48% planning to boost freelance hiring to leverage agile talent to close skill gaps and stay competitive.
Keep in mind that as a freelancer you need to offer value to a business as opposed to working in-house. This may require a shift in mindset. Ultimately you need to be more client-focused. Not what can you do, but how can you help?
So, what does a digital marketer do? There are many daily tasks involved which include:
Social media marketing
Email marketing
SEO and SEM
AI and automation
Content marketing
Data analysis
Paid search or PPC marketing
Brand marketing
The great thing about a job as a freelance digital marketer is that no two days are the same. You can be analyzing data to drive better ad performance one day and the next day review your content calendar and management systems.
As companies are forced to outsource due to limited supply, this provides a unique opportunity for freelancers to either concentrate on being an all-around digital marketer or specialist. Let’s delve into the different specialisms you can branch into and the skills required for each.
Tip: Check out the ‘8 Digital Skills that Will Increase Your Salary’ blog for some extra insights.
Key Areas of Focus for Freelance Digital Marketers
There are many specialisms in digital marketing, that’s what makes it such an exciting and interesting career. The key for you as a freelancer is to find out what area fits with your skills and interests to ensure you get the most out of your career.
Social Media Marketing
Are you a social media butterfly with a passion for all things social? Can you post relevant, exciting and value-driven content across multiple mediums several times a day? Then there’s a brand out there that needs you!
Managing multiple social media accounts requires you to be a quick thinker and creative writer. You must know different platforms so you understand what content formats and language works best on each one. For example short-form video content works well on TikTok on YouTube while images drive engagement on Pinterest and Threads.
There is no one-size-fits all when it comes to social media. Above all, you must stay connected throughout the day and respond promptly when your client’s prospects or customers have something to say. It’s also mportant to stay on top of social platforms (popular and alternative ones) to see where you can leverage opportunities.
Content Marketing
Content marketing involves writing relevant, value-driven content using keywords. As search engine optimization (SEO) becomes more important to get your content ranked and found, marketers with SEO writing experience are in high demand.
Companies rely on content to boost their visibility online but also to communicate with their target customer whether that’s about a product or service or the social issues they support. It’s important to get to know a brand so you can emulate their tone of voice and stay on message in any feeelance gig.
So if you have a way with words and can write knowledgeably on a range of topics, this is a lucrative career path that can earn you a great income. Several types of content can be used at different stages in the sales funnel such as blogs, ad copy, landing pages, eBooks, and whitepapers.
You can set rates based on your experience and skills and either charge per word, project, or per hour (see this article from Productive Blogging to see what bloggers are being paid).
Working for a content mill such as Contently or ClearVoice, is a great way to quickly gain experience in a multitude of areas. This can give you an idea of the clients you want to offer your services to as you build your freelancing business.
Check out our great tools and templates for writing successful blog posts if this is an area that rocks your boat!
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO, or search engine optimization, is not going anywhere anytime soon. Organic rankings in search engines are one of the most powerful tools in the digital marketing tool belt, and mastering search engine algorithms along with knowing how to conduct an SEO audit will make you an asset to any business with an online presence.
According to the Business Research Company, the freelance SEO services market is expected to grow to $36.79 billion in 2029, an annual growth rate of over 16%. This growth is down to voice search optimization, local SEO, mobile-first indexing, video and visual search optimization and AI and automation.
Check out exactly what an SEO Manager does to see if the role is a good fit for you and your experience.
Pay-Per-Click Marketing
Understanding exactly what a PPC specialist does can be a mystery to many! Fundamentally this role involves the strategy, design, implementation and analysis of pay-per-click campaigns across channels.
It’s a specialty that requires landing page design know-how, keyword research experience, bid management, A/B testing, campaign optimization, and trend watching.
If you have mastery of this art, you will have no trouble finding businesses in need of your services. Like SEO, anyone specializing in PPC is in high demand as it’s a great channel to drive conversions and revenue.
The benefit to PPC marketing is that since the client only pays when it works (i.e. when someone click on an ad), you will be able to show results and value quickly.
Email marketing
Email marketing may not be a new skill, but it’s a desirable one. Employers looking to connect with and engage with propsects and customers in a personalized way are seeking out freelancers with email experience.
But it’s not only about crafting the right message or content, it’s also about who you target. Email marketing relies on delivering the right message to the right person at the right time. This means an email campaign needs to be segmented so you can deliver a personalized message to people based on behavior, interests, location or even location.
You can also use automated or triggered email campaigns using AI to bring people through the sales funnel without feeling ‘sold to’ by offering them content they will value such as blogs, ebooks or original research.
Of course, there’s also the bonus that you can leverage email marketing to promote products and services to a captive audience or boost click-thorugh rates by providing them with exlusive offers or members discounts.
As a freelance marketer it’s worth boosting your experience with email by optimizing campaigns through:
Refining email structure and content (e.g subject lines, word count and format)
Developing test plans
Optimizing for mobile
Setting email metrics and knowing industry benchmarks
Using a full-funnel email strategy
Leveraging automation and AI
AI and automation
Artificial intelligence helps marketers automate activities and campaigns at scale. This enables marketing teams to be more productive and efficient with not only their time, but also their resources.
By automating tasks, companies can help reduce costs, increase efficiency and deliver an enhanced customer experience. The boom in generative AI modeling and data annotation is creating a high demand for specialized skills that are indispensable to the lifecycle of AI solutions.
Data extraction, foundational and upstream to ML and AI modeling is highly ranked by Upwork’s research in terms of growth and volume. While skills like data analytics and data visualization that help evaluate and apply such models are also highly sought after.
When using marketing automation, the main goals for marketers is to optimize their overall strategy, improve data quality and identify ideal customers and/or prospects. AI-driven automation using tools like Marketo or HubSpot can help improve cross-collaboration, allocate budget and monitor and target audiences.
And the need for AI-skilled staff is only going to grow as the technology advances and more tools and platforms come on stream.
To stand out as a freelancer it’s worth investing some time and energy into getting to grips with AI so you can add value. Think about enrolling in one of our courses, such as “AI for Business and Marketing” or “Advanced AI for Digital Marketing.”
Josep
