In the last few years, LinkedIn has become one of the most pivotal networking sites for freelancers. Many freelancers are trying to explore it for how to find clients on LinkedIn, using it to research freelancing leads, or build a reputation as a professional freelance writer. If those are your goals, LinkedIn is the place to be for freelancers.
Gone are the days when LinkedIn is just a job-searching networking platform. Today, LinkedIn is one of the most reputable social media platforms for business professionals, entrepreneurs, consultants, and creatives to exist in one place.
Being active on LinkedIn as a freelancer will not only help build your online reputation. It can also help your network refer you to opportunities in their circles or promote your services. Keep reading to learn how LinkedIn is an important tool for freelancers and how it can help and your first freelance writing job or your fiftieth. You’ll learn LinkedIn tips for freelancers that cover how to build your LinkedIn profile, grow your audience, and tips on what to post on your feed.
Here’s How to Find Clients on LinkedIn
Follow these steps to get more freelance clients on LinkedIn by using the popular social media platform more effectively.
Build Your LinkedIn Profile
Your LinkedIn profile is like your own billboard, you want people to stop and connect with you. How? The key to a successful LinkedIn profile is confidence.
- Make your profile copy sing.
Your profile should boast about your key strengths, accomplishments, and answer the question of why someone should hire you. The goal of your profile is to stand out enough to inspire your ideal freelance client to message you.
You have to navigate the lines of boasting about your achievements while also letting potential high-paying freelance clients know how you can help them. (BTW, here’s what to say to a potential client when you send a connection request on LinkedIn.)
- Write a scroll-stopping LinkedIn headline.
Looking to find freelance clients on LinkedIn? Optimize your headline add a little punch like, “Firecracker of Content Marketing” or “Branding Genie.”. It catches the viewer’s attention while answering who and what you do. Your confidence should jump off the page and attract ideal clients. (Mine says “Atlanta-Badass Ghostwriter.” My potential freelance clients know what they’re going to get. Great copy with a side of sass.)
A good detail to add to your headline is your location, contact info, and a hashtag. You want to ensure that your headline comes up on the first page of LinkedIn search results—and at the search engine results. If you’re a copywriter, SEO expert, or write for a specific freelance niche, include that.
- Show your best self.
Many freelancers neglect the importance of a good quality headshot. You don’t have to spend a lot of money on headshots when you’re trying to stand out as a freelancer on LinkedIn. You can use your camera phone. Ask a friend to help. Your headshot should be warm and inviting. You want people to be curious about you and have a desire to learn more about you.
Try selecting a headshot with a little personality and one that highlights your best features. (Save the car selfie or bathroom selfie for another social media platform.)
Grow Your Audience
Building connections is one of the most critical aspects of your LinkedIn profile. Many people prefer to connect with former colleagues or classmates but you shouldn’t stop there. As a freelancer, you’ll want to make new connections with lots of new people online—particularly ones who work at companies you might want to work for as a freelance consultant.
Your friends, colleagues, or former classmates may come in handy for endorsements of your skills or a referral. But, think bigger. A good tip is to grow your audience within your freelance niche market. For example, if you’re a real estate freelancer, you’ll want to connect with home designers, developers, contractors, and commercial real estate agencies.
Expanding your connections with those in your niche market is one key to success and finding freelance clients on LinkedIn. You’ll also find success by attending industry events, social groups, or leaving a comment on a post for a potential client. Remember, every connection is a potential new client in the future.
Engaging with your connections on LinkedIn is also pivotal to succeeding on the platform. People want to feel special and important. After you receive a connection request, send a voice note or a personalized video. This not only helps build a friendship, but it also helps boost your visibility online.
Liking, sharing, or commenting on a post with those in your network increases your chances of attracting a new freelance client on LinkedIn.
Try an experiment by leaving five comments or likes on posts per day for one week. You’ll see a significant boost in your connection request and DMs.
When Thinking about How to Find Clients on LinkedIn…
Know that every freelancer struggles with what to post on LinkedIn occasionally. I prefer to do a combination of storytelling, business content, or freelance tips as a post. This helps my connections to learn more about me on a personal note.
At the same time, I am attracting ideal clients to want to work with me. It’s helpful to view your impressions and analytics to see which types of posts are resonating with your network.
Don’t be afraid to try new content strategies to see what works best. A good way to find your next post idea is to share your latest challenge as a freelancer or news of the latest project you just booked. It’s always great to post milestone birthdays, vacation photos, pets, or a random selfie of you in your workspace. (The LinkedIn algorithms love photos with posts these days!)
Posting consistently is a great way to boost your profile as a freelancer. Whether you post early morning, midday, or late in the evening, you’re feeding the algorithm. LinkedIn likes that a lot. That being said, there is such a thing as posting too little or too much.
I prefer to post at least twice a day during the weekdays. I take an occasional break on weekends or I focus on engagement as I explore getting freelance work on LinkedIn. (Another Best Freelance Tips freelancer Diana Kelly Levey says she finds higher-than-expected engagement on LinkedIn on Sunday nights. Who knew?)
You want to remain active on LinkedIn to attract clients and stay up to date on trends. An inactive account is the equivalent of a beautiful house with no tenants. Find a balance that works for you and show up as yourself online.
Write Articles on LinkedIn to Draw in Freelance Clients
One of the best aspects of LinkedIn is the writing articles feature. As a freelancer, clients will frequently request to see your portfolio. By writing articles within your niche, you can help clients see samples of your writing for free. That’s just one way writing articles can work to your advantage.
You can also create a specialized newsletter within your niche or a standalone article once you’ve toggled to Creator Mode on the platform. Either is a good way to promote your skills and knowledge as a freelance writer. The more you can get your writing samples in front of your ideal freelance client on LinkedIn, the better your chances of securing high-paying work.
When it comes to choosing what to write about on LinkedIn there are some great strategies you can implement.
- You can run a poll on a controversial topic in your niche.
- You can search the latest headlines or trends.
- You can subscribe to a few newsletters in your market to stay abreast of current topics.
Finding what to write is all about staying engaged and locked into the market. You can also connect with industry leaders and take keynotes from a discussion to convert it into a LinkedIn article. When in doubt on how to choose a topic, ask your network.
Engage with the LinkedIn Community
Do you enjoy leaving comments on other freelancers’ posts? If not, you’re missing out on an opportunity to grow your network and presence. It’s one of the best strategies for how to find clients on LinkedIn.
By leaving a comment on a post you are inviting other potential viewers to learn more about you and your services. Stop scrolling and start leaving an in-depth comment on a fellow LinkedIn user post.
One of the most effective strategies for leaving a comment is to first thank the host. You want to highlight and acknowledge them. Next, when leaving a comment you want to share a tidbit on your background and why you are supporting the post. Lastly, you want to add any relevant hashtags to the post. The hashtags can increase your visibility across LinkedIn and invite others to connect with you to chat more.
Leaving a comment on a post is a great way to meet potential clients and it gives you a conversation starter in their inbox. It’s one of the best tips to find clients on LinkedIn that many freelancers don’t think about.
There are many industry leaders on LinkedIn. It can feel a little intimidating to attract their attention. Before you pitch your services in the inbox or like every post, try this. Start by engaging with the industry leader online by leaving a comment, subscribing to the newsletter, and connecting with those who are within their network.
Sometimes you have to go through the middleman to get to the big fish. Ask for an introduction or book a consultation. It never hurts to take a risk and gain a big reward.
Search for Freelance Opportunities
LinkedIn wants you to land a client or job on the platform. Thus, the LinkedIn job search feature will become your best friend. Whether you’re searching for a “content writing” opportunity in the United States or “remote writing” opportunities, you can find them on LinkedIn.
A good rule of thumb is to learn more about the company that is hiring and follow them or their employees on LinkedIn. If you land the gig great, if not, you can learn more about the next opportunity with them.
Turn on your notifications to learn more about new company products or services. Some companies or organizations enjoy partnering with freelancers for projects. You can pitch someone within the marketing department about your freelance services, it’s a win-win for all.
Keep at It to Find Clients on LinkedIn
Lastly, LinkedIn is unlike most social media platforms on the market. You want to remain professional and relatable when connecting with potential clients. It’s important to not only promote your services. You want to combine a mix of education and entertainment. (Pet pics always seem to perform well.)
Consider your inbox as an invite-only opportunity to work with you or refer to your services. I always say that the more people in my network, the more referrals I’ll receive later. As a freelancer, always keep your eyes peeled for your next opportunity.
Make LinkedIn your playground as you explore how to find clients on LinkedIn. The more fun you have on the LinkedIn platform as a freelancer, the better chances you’ll have with landing clients.
FAQs
- How often should I update my LinkedIn profile?
Sharing your latest achievements with your network will help increase your visibility and trustworthiness. Whether it’s an award, new freelance client, or starting a new position, be consistent with sharing an update at least once a week.
- What kind of content works best for engaging potential freelance clients?
The best content that works best for engaging with potential clients would be a good mixture between infographics, lead magnets, and videos. Potential clients want to know that you are a subject matter expert and can effectively communicate ideas in a way that is pleasing to the market.
- How can I convert LinkedIn connections into actual clients?
One of the best ways to convert LinkedIn connections to actual clients is by having a lead magnet. By offering a free eBook or a paid subscription newsletter helps keep your business or services planted in your clients’ minds. Whether it’s email marketing tips, virtual assisting services, or content marketing ideas entice your ideal client to sign up to learn more on how to achieve their desired goal with you.
