How to Be a Freelance Social Media Manager in 2023

Social media manager is a highly in-demand job that a lot of freelance professionals tread into. This is because of how lucrative yet flexible this job is. Not to mention, how each business is heavily relying on different social media platforms to boost their sales and raise brand awareness. For this reason, there is continuous and rapid growth among professionals who would like to be part of this industry and if you’re one of those, read through this guide to get a head start.

The Basics of Social Media Management

A social media manager basically handles an institution or business’s social media presence. They work remotely and charge a rate corresponding to their skill level. A social media manager’s task can be broken down into 5 which are:

1. Copywriting – post creative and witty messages and hashtags on social media posts.
2. Publishing content/ Content creation – design creativity to capture attention. Can be in video or photo. Also involve the use of Canva, Photoshop, and video editing.
3. Customer Engagement – reply to community DMs and Facebook groups.
4. Analytics – Analyzing data from trends to studying target audience.
5. Social Media Strategy – make a thoroughly detailed plan on how to achieve desired social media presence.

In modern businesses, big or small, social media presence is a must, as this drastically increases visibility. Many businesses in recent years, saw great wonders in the power of social media to their business. During the pandemic, while unemployment rates were high, a lot of people adopted the work-from-home setup and discovered social media management as a good career to pursue. Right now, a lot of freelance social media managers offer their services on platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, Guru, to name a few. With the growing competition and number of people getting into this career, the question is: how do you stand out? how do you become a freelance social media manager in 2022? What do you need for Businesses to hire you as their social media manager?

Skills You Need as a Social Media Manager

If you engage hours daily on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or TikTok, then most likely, being a social media manager will be a job fit for you. Instead of managing your own social media, you may simply think of it as handling someone else’s account but with a bit of a technical taste to it. That’s why you need the following skills to increase your chances of being a social media manager.

1. Efficiency in Canva or Photoshop – This can come in very handy and is a very essential skill in social media management. Creative and captivating photos are proven to capture attention and can lead to engagement.
2. Video Editing – Videos are proven to be more engaging and effective in memory retention. Creative video editing is a great tool to effectively get your message across and since a fundamental element in marketing.
3. Communication Skills – Being a freelancer, you must be an effective communicator. This is really important to ensure you and your client are aligned especially in terms of the execution of ideas.

Tips to Get Your First Gig

So great, you have these skills, how do you land your first gig as a social media manager? There are 3 essential things to achieve this, especially in the long term:

1. Build a Great Portfolio – Showcase your skills, and experience by building a great portfolio. This way, employers can have a glimpse of your knowledge and expertise of your work. Now how do you build a great portfolio if you don’t have any clients yet? One option for many starting managers is offering voluntary work for startup businesses. This way, you don’t only show your skills, but also have a first-hand experience of how it is like to be officially working as a freelance social media manager. You may think of it as your on-the-job training.
2. Get High Reviews – When you successfully achieve a great portfolio, you now have a higher chance of getting hired. The next crucial step to a freelance career is getting high reviews. You can see these on freelance platforms like Upwork, one relevant piece of information an employer considers before hiring you is through your reviews. If you have more positive reviews, the higher your chances of getting hired.
3. Continuous learning – As you get more clients and get comfortable in delivering tasks, it is important to always feed yourself with new knowledge, especially if it supplements your work as a social media manager. You can read books, have online training, and get additional certifications to seal your career amidst the high competition in the industry.

If you think you are up to the challenge, and you have what it takes to be a great social media manager, one thing is for sure, it is a pretty rewarding job. There are a lot of benefits including a good work-life balance, as you can enjoy the remote work setup with pretty awesome pay as you attract more clients!