Social Media Usage for Freelancers-The Future is here
If you are a freelancer, you know that landing a project or a job can be difficult. Blame it on the competition, blame it on dearth of work; the fact remains that freelancing is a difficult proposition. Or at least it was, till social media came along
Several years ago, when social media was in its infancy and finding work on the internet was something that was just catching on, freelancers had to use their networking skills as a way to land good jobs in the real world. They had to find new contacts, keep in touch with old ones and keep hoping that they would find a steady stream of work. But social media changed all that, and today has made life more convenient for a freelancer.
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Networking Made Easy
Before social media became such a rage, freelancers had to use real world contacts as a way to build a network which is so essential to any freelancer. But now social media allows any freelancer to access to millions of people worldwide. Building a bunch of contacts has never been easier, and keeping in touch with them through instant messaging services and updates on social media websites is trouble-free.
Finding Work through Brand Value
The first step that any freelancer needs to take is developing an image on social media websites. The way he/she portrays himself/herself and the business is the deciding factor that will assure or deny work. And establishing a good image, according to experts, requires a knack for communication. Even if freelancers have established a presence on the most popular social media websites like Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Dribble, they still need to be able to reach out to the right kind of people and attracting people and getting them to provide work is only possible if they are successful in building a relationship through communication.
If a freelancer is successful in building business credibility and trust with a single client, the word spreads like wildfire on social media websites, and then long work comes pouring in. It doesn’t hurt if the client praises the freelancer’s professionalism and work ethics either. The best part is that the network is made aware of this fact too. But remember, the sword can cut both ways and social media can make or break a career.
One of the greatest advantages of social media is that it allows freelancers to promote their business and skills for free! Potentially, social media can save a freelancer thousands of dollars that he/she would have otherwise spent on advertising. A page that showcases a freelancer’s skills as well as other important details is all that is really necessary for any freelancer today.
Source of Inspiration
Social media has always been about socializing. For a freelancer, regular updates regarding his work and other work related stuff, if shared with the network, can bring in a host of ideas. Suggestions from friends and words of advice, corrections from other freelancers and other such helpful gestures from the network can really push a freelancer to the top.