The freelance social media market may seem like an easy place to get a foothold. It’s certainly better than doing unskilled labor, or worse slaving away at an office job.
But there’s a problem. Too many freelancers want to work in the freelance social media industry. The result? You’ve got to compete with people who will accept mere crumbs compared to what you rightfully deserve.
You need a plan that will help you stand out from your competitors and command higher rates as a freelancer. Here are some tips to increase your freelance social media rates:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Focus on niche expertise to command higher rates. |
| 2. Showcase your past successful campaigns in your portfolio. |
| 3. Implement data-driven strategies for better client results. |
| 4. Leverage storytelling to create compelling content. |
| 5. Stay updated with the latest social media trends. |
| 6. Offer customized packages tailored to client needs. |
| 7. Build strong client relationships for repeat business. |
| 8. Showcase your value through case studies. |
| 9. Optimize your time management for efficiency. |
| 10. Communicate clearly and effectively with clients. |
1. Highlight Your Specific Skillset
First, make sure you have the right skill set for the job before you apply for it. If you don’t have the background or knowledge necessary to perform the job adequately, then don’t waste your time applying for it, because no matter how hard you try, you’re going to be out of your depth and will inevitably lose money and time on it.
Enhancing your freelance social media rates requires strategic tactics. Explore our article on how to make a full-time income freelancing as an email marketer to gain insights into optimizing your earnings potential through freelancing.
2. Use The Right Tools
There are a lot of great planning tools out there, and they can help you schedule content in advance and even suggest posts based on current events and trends. Try using a tool like [tool name] to plan your content for the month in advance.
You’ll save time by not having to generate ideas on the fly, and since most of these tools have analytics built into them, you’ll have an easy time tracking how effective your efforts are at increasing engagement with your client’s audience.
3. Find Clients Who Value Your Work
A lot of times, people are willing to pay more for great work—but they don’t know how much it’s actually worth. You can use this to your advantage by talking with your potential clients about why they need a social media expert and convincing them of your value by explaining what you can do for them.
For example, if they have a new product launching, you can explain how having an expert handle their social media will increase their sales through increased word-of-mouth buzz
4. Know Your Stuff
Whether you’re a master of Facebook or Twitter, or you’re an Instagram pro, understanding how these platforms work is essential for helping you build your career and make more money. You’ll need to know the best practices for posting on each platform, the most effective ways to get your content seen by those who can hire you, and how each platform’s algorithm works.
Knowing these things inside-out will not only help you build your own personal brand, but it will also help prepare you to be able to talk with clients about what they need from their social media presence.
Negotiating payments for your freelance social media services is an essential skill. Discover effective techniques in our guide: How to Get Clients to Pay You for Freelance Email Marketing that can help you secure fair compensation for your work
5. Figure Out How Long It Takes You To Do Each Piece Of Work And Price
You should be charging per project and not per hour, but it’s still important to know how long each project takes you so that you can price accordingly. This will help you avoid taking on too many projects at once and burning yourself out—which means better quality of life for you!
6. Don’t Be Afraid To Say No To A Client’s Offer
If a client approaches you with an offer that just isn’t going to work for you, don’t be afraid to say no. It’s better to have the client move on than to feel resentful about the job down the line. If you really want them as a client, though, consider offering a counter-proposal that might work better for both of you.
7. Research The Going Rate For The Job You’re Proposing
Before setting your rates, take some time to research what other people in the industry are charging for similar work. This will help give you an idea of how competitively priced your services are likely to be (and how quickly they’ll get snapped up).
8. Consider Setting Up An Online Presence
If you’re starting out as a freelancer, then chances are you may not have had the time to build up much of an online presence for yourself yet. That’s fine! There’s no need to rush that part of the process until you feel ready.
However, if you’re looking for ways to start charging more for your services, having an online presence could be the first step. Clients want to know who they’re working with—so by creating social profiles and a website that demonstrate your expertise and professionalism, you’ll send a clear signal that you’re worth every penny.
And if you already have an online presence? Then consider beefing it up so that it’s easy for clients to see exactly what they get when they work with you.
9. Learn How To Create High-Quality Content
As a freelance social media marketer, it’s important that you understand how to create high-quality content. That means taking the time to research what’s working well on other platforms like Facebook and YouTube before applying those ideas to your own posts.
Elevate your freelance social media game with insights from email marketing strategies. Discover the best tips and tools for email marketing that can inspire your approach to enhancing engagement and boosting online presence.
10. Offer Custom Packages
Too often, freelancers try to offer one-size-fits-all solutions. But you might be missing out on big opportunities by not offering custom packages that cater to different client needs.
For example, if you typically charge $600 per month for a typical social media package, you could offer three tiers that cater to different types of clients: $400/month for small businesses on a budget; $800/month for larger companies looking for a custom package; and $1000/month for companies that want an upgraded package with additional services.
This allows you to appeal to a wider range of clients without giving away all of your services for free or pricing yourself out of the market altogether.
11. Understand Your Niche
Your market as a freelancer is going to be smaller than a full-service agency, but that’s ok! Your niche is going to be the key to your success. For example, if you’re good with food photography and captions, maybe you focus on restaurants and small food-based businesses. If you’re good at writing about travel and adventure, then maybe that’s the focus of your page and portfolio.
If you have no idea where to start, then pick something that you love and are passionate about. Or just pick something that makes sense for where you live or what you know.
12. Have Rates Clearly Listed On Your Website
Your website should have a page with all of your rates listed clearly on it. It should be easy for someone who visits your website to see exactly how much money they’ll need to spend in order to receive the services they’re looking for from you. If the rate is different based on the size of the client or their needs, then list each rate out individually so people can tell right away what they need to spend.
Learning from others’ experiences can lead to valuable insights. Dive into our article on 15 Lessons I Learned from a Freelance Social Media Marketing Job to glean wisdom from real-world scenarios and refine your freelance social media strategies.
13. Know What Makes You Special
It’s easy to think that everyone is a social media expert these days. But the truth is, everyone brings something different to the table—and it’s up to you to figure out what that “something” is. Do you have a background in marketing? Are you an amazing copywriter? Do you have an eye for photography? Knowing what sets you apart can help you find clients who need exactly that skill set and are willing to pay more for it.
14. Set A Goal
How much money do you want to make this month? In six months? Next year? Write these goals down and hang them somewhere you can see them every day. Then compare them to the market research you did above and figure out how many hours of work you need to put in to hit that number.
15. Be Confident In Your Work
You’re a pro at what you do, and you should act like it! That doesn’t mean being arrogant—it means knowing that your skills are valuable and communicating that value in your rates. Don’t know what the going rate is for freelance social media managers? We’ve got a handy guide for figuring out how much to charge for freelance work!
16. Determine Your Experience Level
take an honest look at your experience level. Many freelancers struggle with this because they’re so proud of their work, but if you don’t have much experience in the field, it’s going to be hard to charge more than the average entry-level rate.
We recommend taking a look at some job postings for social media manager positions and see what kind of experience level is being asked for and what the pay range is. Then, compare those figures to your own experience level and see if there’s a discrepancy. If so, consider getting some more experience before you start asking for more money.
Once you’ve determined your experience level, increase your client base. The best way to earn more money as a freelancer is by working with more clients—even if those clients are only paying you the regular average rate for the industry. By taking on several clients all at once, even if they’re only paying [average pay rate], you’ll be able to charge more than that rate since you’ll be making it from several different sources.
17. Practice Makes Perfect
It sounds simple, but the more you understand social media and how it works, the more you’ll be able to charge. If you’re new to the game, read books, take classes, find mentors—do whatever it takes to get up to speed. The more you know about what goes into managing a client’s social media presence, the more money you can make helping them do it.
Remember that when you’re in an interview and a client asks what sets your apart from other candidates, it’s important to be able to prove that you’re worth the extra cost it will take them to hire you.
18. Be Willing To Take On New Challenges
If your client wants to do something new with their social media strategy (e.g., start using TikTok), don’t say any right away. Say something like “I’m not familiar with TikTok yet, but I would love to learn how to use it,” or “I’ve never used TikTok before, but I can look into it.” This shows them that you’re willing to go the extra mile, and they’ll be more likely to pay you what you’re worth when they know how hard you’ll work for them.
19. Be Realistic About How Much Time It Takes
Client work has a way of expanding and growing until it becomes a full-time job, which means that if you’re not pricing yourself appropriately for the amount of time it takes, then you’ll end up losing out on money. Make sure that every hour spent on your clients’ projects is accounted for in your rate.
20. Customer Service
The truth is, most people are willing to pay a little more for great customer service. The key here is communication and follow-through. When you first make contact with a client, make sure they know what is expected of them and when they can expect things from you. All of this should be written down so there’s no room for confusion. Similarly, make sure each deadline is met or exceeded in terms of quality and quantity.
21. Offer Discounts
Discounts are a win-win for everyone—they’re great for your clients because they’ll be able to save money, and they’re great for you because your clients will be buying more of your services. For example, let’s say you charge \$20 for one Instagram post.
If you offered a 15% discount for buying 10 posts, now each post will only cost \$17—that means your client will automatically save \$30, plus they’ll have more content than they would’ve bought otherwise. And as an added bonus, you’ll also make \$70 upfront instead of having to wait for all those individual payments to come through.
Expand your freelance social media skills by exploring synergies with lead generation. Delve into the world of freelance lead generation to uncover innovative approaches that can help you drive results and elevate your earning potential.
Final Thoughts
We hope you’ve enjoyed this guide to boosting your social media rates. If you have any questions, be sure to ask in the comments! Also, if you’re a freelancer or agency looking for social media marketing services, contact us today. We can help you boost your social media presence and drive more traffic to your website.
Further Reading
Explore these additional resources to deepen your understanding of freelance social media management and related topics:
Social Media Marketing Tips for Writers: Discover effective strategies for writers to leverage social media platforms for greater visibility and engagement.
Boosting Click-Through Rates on Social Media: Learn actionable techniques to enhance your click-through rates on social media, optimizing your content for better audience interaction.
The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Freelance Social Media Manager: Dive into a comprehensive guide that offers insights into the steps, skills, and strategies needed to succeed as a freelance social media manager.
People Also Ask
How Do I Get Started?
The first step is to get a good idea of what you’re worth. What skills do you have? Do you have experience in social media management or marketing? You can use the resources on this page to find out what other people are charging for similar work and create a rate based on that.
What if I don’t have any experience in social media management?
No problem! This doesn’t mean that you’re not qualified to manage social media accounts for companies, it just means you might need to do some research before starting your first job. Ask people who already work in social media management what they look for when hiring someone to represent their business.
How Much Should I Charge Per Hour?
That’s up to you! If the company is looking for someone with a lot of experience, they’ll probably be willing to pay more than if they were looking for a new freelancer with no experience. It’s also important to consider how many hours per week you’re willing and able to work—if it’s only five hours, then your rate should reflect that; if it’s 40 hours, then your rate should be higher.
What Do You Mean When You Say “Boost”?
“Boost” means to increase, in this case specifically your rate, but also the quality of your work and the number of client leads.
How Do I Begin Getting The Rates I Deserve?
First, get to know your fellow freelancers and what they’re charging. This will help you figure out what kind of price you should be charging.
What If My Client Refuses To Increase Their Rates?
If you’re not able to negotiate a higher rate with your current clients, don’t fret: there are plenty of other opportunities out there! You might also consider reaching out to a mentor through an organization like American Women in Business or Freelancers Union.
What If My Client Asks Me To “Show Them The Money?”
If your client asks for proof that you’re worth the higher rate you’re asking for, we recommend showing them a portfolio of your work that demonstrates how valuable it is
How Often Should I Be Posting On Social Media?
This depends on the social media platform. Twitter is the fastest moving of all the platforms, so you should be tweeting around 5-10 times per day. For Facebook, you can get away with posting once a day (or even every other day), but it’s best practice to post 2-3 times per day. For LinkedIn, once or twice a week will do!
How Long Does It Take To Boost My Freelance Social Media Rates?
It depends on a lot of things—but probably between 1-2 months. Generally, once you get a clear idea of what you want your business to look like and are able to identify the types of clients you want to work with, you can start the process of getting higher rates. The most important part is taking the time at the beginning to figure out what you’re worth and make sure that’s reflected in your rates.
Do I Have To Charge Clients Per Project Or Task, Or Can I Still Charge By Hour?
Charging by hour/per project/per task—it doesn’t matter what model you choose. It’s about setting an hourly rate that reflects the value you provide and makes you feel like you’re getting paid fairly for your work. If you’re charging by project or task, be careful not to undervalue yourself and the time it takes to complete those projects or tasks.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.