How to Earn Money as a Freelance Social Media Manager

Have you honed your social media management skills for years? Now, you have thought of earning money using these skills and helping other businesses build a social media presence. Developing a freelance social media business is a lucrative option if you want autonomy and flexibility.

From a reliable source, we have found that the demand for social media managers has increased by more than 116%. So, freelancers will find more social media manager jobs in the current years.

However, only natural love and passion for social media are not enough to become a freelancer Social Media Marketing expert. You should have a clear understanding of social media platforms. Your skills for writing compelling content and managing multiple accounts are also important.

Find a comprehensive guide to making money as a freelance social media management specialist.

Defining freelance social media manager

Before becoming a freelance social media professional, you should understand your role. Freelance contractors for the Social Media Marketing campaign need to create, edit, and publish social media content. Their goal is to help clients grow their target audience on different platforms like Facebook and Instagram.

These freelancers work remotely and are hired on a contract or project basis.

The best social media managers have good communication skills and time management abilities. Some social media managers deal with a particular niche (like sports and travel), whereas others are general. Many freelancers in this field specialize in certain platforms like Instagram and Pinterest.

Professional social media managers not only create posts but also proofread and curate content for better results. They can also design graphics and make short videos for social media marketing.

So, freelance Social Media Marketing specialists do everything, from scheduling social media posts to publishing content. Develop your skills and put the best effort into becoming a social media manager.

Let us now sum up the job description of a freelance social media manager-

• Schedule posts
• Moderate comments
• Respond to customer inquiries
• Created brand-related headlines for social media posting
• Craft a copy that persuades readers to get them converted into buyers on social platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
• Analyze social media metrics of the client’s business.
• Prepare monthly reports on a social media campaign.
• Provide recommendations for better social media tactics.
• Collaborate with other marketers to run paid campaigns on social platforms.

Remember that your clients may not continue paying you unless you are able to prove your worth.

How Do Social Media Managers Make Money?

Social media managers earn money by providing ongoing services to their clients. They not only create and schedule content but also nurture the target audience. Let us now see how freelance social media management professionals help businesses to make money.

Manage social media profiles

Managing social media pages and profiles involves both science and art. A particular social platform that is currently delivering the best result may not perform well in the coming years. That is why freelancer social media experts diversify their network strategy. They are aware of updated algorithms on every platform to maintain their client’s social presence. They also use social media tools to track engagement and monitor activities.

As a social media professional, you should learn about the tips for developing social media profiles. For instance, it is essential to choose the same photo for all social channels.

The image is an example of how Microsoft has used its logo as the profile picture. It has maintained the same look across different platforms.

Content development

Social media managers are responsible for content development. The infeed social content can be of different types, including live videos, videos, images, GIFs, audio, and user-generated content.

You need to research social content published by your client’s competitors and develop a strong connection with the target audience.

Social Content Planning & Scheduling

Social media experts need to create and plan social media posts in advance.This helps in developing a well designed content strategy and let's them reach the right target audience.

Besides, Social Media Marketing professionals constantly analyze the performance of their content using the right publishing and scheduling tool.

For example, Awesome Social's scheduling tool lets you plan and publish content well in advance.

You could also analyze the content performance with the help of it's analytics feature.

Reputation management

According to BrightLocal, only 3% of consumers consider choosing businesses with 2 to fewer stars. Most shoppers like to deal with a business that has gained 5 stars.

Your clients may hire you to manage their business reputation on social platforms. Although it is not your core responsibility, you

Community management

Social platforms are the best destinations where you can develop communities. For instance, Canva has created a Facebook group with over 350,000 members. Thus, group members can share advice and tips with others.

Audience Engagement

Contantly engaging and answering your audience's question and queries is a key part of managing social media. Remember the reason it's called "SOCIAL" is so brands could reach and engage with their target audience and build a two way communication system.

As a social media manager you can take advange of tools like social inbox offered by Awesome Social that helps you stay on track with Instagram DMs and Comments.

How Much Will You Earn As a Social Media Manager?

Before becoming a social media manager, you want to know your expected earnings. However, the amount you charge from your client varies with your experience level, geographical location, industry, and so on. We have compiled data on the approximate amount you will earn as a freelance social media manager.

Social media managers in the US- The average earnings of social media experts in the US is more than $70,000.

The latest data shows that the average earning of social media managers working remotely is $82,179. With additional compensation, the amount can go up to $85,804.

Let us now find the scenario in the UK. The yearly earnings of a standard social media professional can be £36,804. However, the average earnings may be different in other European countries.

Upwork and Glassdoor have presented the data on per-hour charge of freelance social media experts. According to Glassdoor.com, the hourly charge of these freelancers is $28.

Different profiles at Upwork show that the hourly charge of many social media experts is below $50. However, some professionals with high experience also charge around $100.

Social media project rates can vary significantly by the type of project and business. For instance, the cost of social media account management solutions for small businesses is about $400 to $2,000. But, in case of large businesses, it can be more than $2,500 for the same social media services.

Other factors that affect the rate of freelance social media managers

Experience in social media marketing

The biggest factor affecting the rate of social media marketers is experience. If you have gained experience, you may charge a higher rate compared to entry-level freelancers.

Generaly, the yearly earnings of a beginner-level social media marketer is $42,000. Those with 1 to 5 years of experience have the potential to earn $50,000. Again, if you have more than 15 years of experience, you will be able to earn $65,000 per year.

According to payscale here are different salaries for the various job roles in social media management. Source: Best Colleges

Type of social media project

Freelance social media professionals manage a variety of projects and tasks. If your clients have assigned a project that needs higher expertise levels, you can charge a higher rate. For instance, freelance social media consultants often set a higher charge for their deliverables. On the contrary, social media community managers set a smaller price tag.

Most commonly, the hourly charge for one-time projects (such as strategy development or social media campaign audits) is comparatively high. But, the charge is low for ongoing social media projects. However, you need to stay committed to your clients’ projects for a number of months.

Timing and volume

Some clients may ask you to meet certain engagement levels and timeframes. For instance, you will need to respond to followers’ comments or send DMs within a particular timeframe. So, in this case, you can charge a higher rate to meet your client’s strict time-based needs.

Organic and paid tactics

If your clients have hired you for paid advertisements, you need to charge a high management charge. Most freelancers charge a considerable rate for advertising strategies.

It takes extensive experience and deep knowledge to master every advertising platform. That is why you can charge a significant amount for your services.

Complexity of social media campaigns

If your client has targeted only one social channel, your campaign will be simple. You can charge a comparatively low rate for his services. However, if your client has asked you to deal with more than one channel at a time, you can expect a higher payment.

Many freelancers charge per social media platform, while others charge for ongoing services differently.

For instance, you can charge a higher rate for clients who will ask you to manage copywriting, content calendar development, community management, and post scheduling. On the other hand, the charge for scheduling posts only can be low.

The skills of social media management freelancers and full-time employees are almost the same. However, most employees need to deal with a large variety of projects and tasks. It means they do not provide targeted solutions. But, a contract with freelancers means they will help clients with particular services, ensuring efficiency and clarity in payment processes by creating professional pay stubs for your employees. They are ready to help clients with definite tasks or campaigns. So, as a freelance social media manager, you may often need to work with the in-house team of your client.

Steps for becoming a freelance social media management professional

Find a comprehensive guide to becoming a freelance Social Media Marketing expert.

Set up your social media marketing business

Before starting your freelance social media management business, you should meet legal requirements. Local and national laws are different in every region and country. Besides, you should consider your

• Business type
• Business name registration
• A trademarked brand
• Business license

Develop a portfolio

Creating an attractive portfolio is a vital step for getting a job as a freelance social media manager. For instance, you should create a website, set up your LinkedIn profile, or create PDF files. Some social media managers use Google Folders for storing your case studies. We have provided some tips for portfolio development as a social media manager.

• Your first step is to create a short introduction about yourself and paste it on your website.
• Maintain simplicity- Do not overload your website with several slides, multiple colors, and a lot of information.
• Keep your profile updated- If you have upgraded your skills, you should refresh your profile. It will help you get a better job in the future.
• Show data to gather attention- It means you have to prove how you have helped your clients with your social media skills. So, you can show different social media metrics, such as, conversions, follower growth, and engagement.
• Reveal your personality- Your portfolio should show your identity and let your clients know how you can manage social media campaigns.

Decide on your service charges 💸

It is the most challenging step for becoming a freelance social media expert. Determining the right price for your services involves research and proper calculation. You should understand the cost of running social media campaigns before setting the charge.

Most clients want to know the hourly rate before hiring a social media professional. For instance, you may charge around $30 per hour. If a client hires you to work for 10 hours every month, you will earn $300 from that client. Additionally, utilizing invoicing software can streamline the billing process, ensuring accurate and timely payments for your services.

Many freelancers set their charges per social media project. This pricing strategy is ideal if your job needs significant time to get done. Consider the complexity of your project and create the package for a client.

Let your clients know about your availability

We have provided some ideas to help you establish your presence as a social media specialist.

For instance, you can join networking events where you can meet with potential clients who need help with social media marketing. Some other industry professionals at the event may also recommend your service to their clients.

Besides, you should create your LinkedIn profile to reveal your skills and achievements. LinkedIn also helps you build a large network with different businesses.

It is also advisable to join various social media groups, such as Facebook groups, where you can find social media jobs. Another important trick is to run a content marketing campaign.

Gain more skills

Although you are a social media marketer, you should have some other skills. For instance, content repurposing, paid advertising, reputation management, influencer marketing, and videography. By showing these skills, you can make your resume more noticeable.

Know about your clients

You might have started serving clients from different industries. However, it is better to focus on clients from particular niches. For instance, you can focus on travel companies, interior designers, or medical service providers.

Learn the way to make your posting schedule

It is time-consuming to create a schedule for regular social media posting. That is why you can use software to make your schedules easily.

For instance, Awesome Social is a tool that makes your social scheduling easier. You can choose the free trial of this tool to learn about its features and then pay for the premium version.

Becoming a social media manager- Advantages and disadvantages

Potential social media managers should know about the merits and demerits of choosing a career.

👍 Advantages of becoming a freelance social media manager

It is fun to work on social media

Almost every internet user uses social platforms. But, being a social media manager, you have a chance of getting paid. You will be able to develop power communities, reach new people, and interact with others. Moreover, every platform has different algorithms. If you are passionate about social media, you will be addicted to your job. Most freelancers have found that social media management activities are highly interesting.

Get the opportunity to communicate with different people

When your articles, videos, or images are shared across different platforms, you will feel your success. Besides, as social media users will comment on your posts, you can join conversions. You will be able to learn about their reactions to your services and products. Moreover, you will get a chance to make friendships or build relationships with social media users.

Find the fastest interactions with the target audience

Social media sites are the best destinations where people learn about new things. They often check the latest news headlines on social platforms. So, as a social media expert, you can get the hottest news exposed to people.

Go viral and find positive feedback

If you have posted an amazing article or video, it can go viral. It will have a positive effect on your social media campaign. So, you can apply your creativity and make the posts unique. You may also share the post across multiple platforms and make it reachable to the target audience.

You will learn a lot

As a freelance Social Media Marketing specialist, you may need to experience with different campaign strategies and ideas. While some strategies work, others do not. But, this effort will enable you to learn several things to improve your career.

Flexibility and independence

Whether you are a freelancer content developer or a social media manager, you will enjoy flexibility. There are no set work hours, and it will help you enjoy your professional life.

But, there are some demerits of working as a freelancer social media manager.

👎 Demerits of becoming a freelance social media manger

Need to stay up-to-date

Being a freelance Social Media Marketing expert, you need to put effort into updating your knowledge. If you are not aware of the latest social media algorithms, you may not be able to maintain your performance. You always need to use innovative tools to track the performance of your campaign and adjust the campaign setup. So, only constant effort will enable you to avoid followers drop and infact help you in growing your followers.

Your mistakes may go viral

Some social media managers are concerned that a single mistake in social media posts can go viral. If you have created an insensitive or careless post, people will talk negatively about them. Thus, you should always be careful about typos in your posts.

Unpredictable earnings

Freelance social media managers have no fixed salary. So, there is a risk of fluctuations in their monthly income. In some months, you may have considerable workloads. But, at some other times, you will have too few projects.

Lack of incentives

If you work as a freelance Social Media Marketing expert, you can set your own charge. However, there is no way to get additional benefits. However, social media professionals who are employees of a particular company may get bonuses for their performance.

Stress

Some freelancers find it stressful to manage multiple social media accounts of clients. They need to be highly efficient in monitoring social media accounts constantly to respond to messages.

What Are the Roles of a Freelance Social Media Manager?

Before establishing your freelance business, you should be aware of your roles as a social media marketer. The main job of a social media manager is to plan, develop, implement, and manage social media campaign strategies for a business. His skills determine his efficiency in spreading brand identity or brand value in the online world.

Whether you are searching for clients on LinkedIn or Upwork, you have to check the job description before applying for the post.

We have listed the daily tasks of a social media manager-

Make a daily calendar for social media activities

Before starting your daily tasks, you should make your routine. For instance, you can deal with time-sensitive events, such as, Twitter chats, Facebook Lives, and a few other tasks. Find the best time for managing these tasks and determine whether you should host any event for your client’s business. Besides, it is essential to set up alarms or calendar notifications for these tasks.

For instance, you can use Todoist for event scheduling on a particular day. There is no risk of missing important things, such as live stream and client calls.

Check paid advertising campaigns on social platforms

After reviewing daily events and managing essential check-ins, you can access the dashboard of a social platform. Monitor the performance of paid campaigns running on social media. Besides, you should find out whether there is an increase or decrease in the number of conversions. Include the minor issues in your to-do list and address them later. For instance, you can adjust bids and monitor comments. Save the analytical data and the latest updates for future needs.

Respond to brand mentions and comments

Another important task of social media managers is to check the social inbox. They need to read the comments on social media posts and respond to them regularly. It is also essential to read direct messages and brand mentions. Comments and responses will help Social Media Marketing professionals to do future follow-ups.

The image shows how a social media tool helps freelancers monitor comments on different platforms. The best social media tools also let you save your replies, which are relevant to common questions. You will save time, as you can just paste those replies to respond to queries.

Monitor hashtags

You can use a social listening tool and access the dashboard to identify keywords and hashtags you have tracked. Review campaign-related or branded hashtags using the tool. Social media managers also check competitor hashtags to make decisions.

Create new strategies

Making a strategic plan is a vital task for a social media manager. Thus, as a social media management expert, you have to plan posting schedules, book video/photo shoots, and get feedback from shareholders. Sometimes, you need to edit the plan and control the upcoming events.

Learn about industry-related news

Although it does not fall under the job description of a social media manager, it is better to stay up-to-date. Every day, you should scan the latest headlines in the world of social media. From the latest introduced features to platform algorithm updates, everything should be in your knowledge base.

For instance, Social Media Today is a website that publishes the latest news on social platforms.

Let us sum up the responsibilities of a social media management expert.

· Run social media marketing and advertising campaigns for a company

· Create high-quality textual and visual content for every social media marketing program.

· Develop a strong social media presence with different tactics

· Monitor the client’s brand on social platforms.

· Create brand awareness by working with micro or mega influencers.

· Manage online communities on social platforms to boost engagement levels.

· Respond to comments posted by social media followers.

· Oversee customer service through social networking platforms.

· Analyze data to know whether your social media marketing campaigns are performing well.

· Educate the client’s in-house team on the best social media practices.

What Skills Should a Freelance Social Media Manager Have?

If you want to get established as a freelance social media marketer, you should nurture some essential skills. Your clients always like to check your skills and expertise before hiring you.

Content writing and curating skills

Social media marketers need to show their creativity while composing content and writing captions. They also need to write scripts for videos and live streams. Highly skilled writers have mastered how to create content for different platforms and target readers.

It is an example of good Twitter content written with relevant hashtags.

Besides creating content, social media marketers should know the way to curate it. The curated content will appeal to a large audience on the social platform.

Organization skills

It is critical for social media managers to stay organized. They should have a record of social media posts, log in details, campaign dates, and content publishing schedule. To simplify these tasks, they can use digital tools for the proper management of social media activities.

Adaptability

Social media has a dynamic environment. Even if you have created a well-thought-out plan, you may need to adjust it later. So, adjusting to the new trends should be the ability of a social media manager. You need to rethink your strategy and recover from negative outcomes.

Data analysis skills

Social media managers also work as analysts because they have to sift through a large amount of data to find significant facts. Actionable insights from various social platforms are useful for making decisions in the future. With fundamental Excel skills, you will be able to manage data analytics. Besides, you need to provide your client with monthly data on social media campaigns.

Strategy and marketing

You should have skills for creating a social media strategy, which aligns well with the client’s business goals. As you are running a social media campaign, your main goal should be to promote and grow your client’s business. Strategic posts will help you engage your target audience.

Community management

Managing the social media community involves some time-consuming activities. You need to deal with reviews, direct messages, and comments. At the same time, you should maintain relationships with clients as a social media manager. The best social media experts know how to prioritize incoming communications and start conversations about the brand. Moreover, you have to find the loyal customers and most engaged followers to convert them slowly into brand advocates.

Project management skills

Social media management professionals have a clear concept of the campaigns and implement the plan successfully. They must nurture their project management skills to achieve success in the social media business.

To increase your efficiency as a social media manager, you can use social media calendar. The digital calendar is highly useful for better campaign management and for allowing collaborators to stay organized. You can also track progress with various filters.

Audience research skills

Researching your audience is important for learning about brand experience. The insightful data obtained using social listening tools help social media marketers understand customer’s voice.

So, building a strong relationship with the target audience is vital to run a social media campaign. As an Social Media Marketing expert, you should be able to use AI-driven tools efficiently.

To increase your efficiency as a social media manager, you can use a social media calendar. The digital calendar is highly useful for better campaign management and for allowing collaborators to stay organized. You can also track progress with various filters.

Audience research skills

Researching your audience is important for learning about brand experience. The insightful data obtained using social listening tools help social media marketers understand customer’s voice.

So, building a strong relationship with the target audience is vital to run a social media campaign. As an Social Media Marketing expert, you should be able to use AI-driven tools efficiently.

Where to find social media management work?

LinkedIn

LinkedIn has several work-from-home social media jobs. You can find an idea from the image shown above. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can directly click the Apply button and send your application.

Guru

Established in 1998, Guru is a popular platform for several freelancers. It allows you to create an attractive profile and lets remote workers find jobs. You can create your profile and use the search bar to find the available jobs. But, one demerit of Guru is that you can place only 10 bids in a month. If you want to place more bids, you have to subscribe to the premium membership plan. Besides, you will not be able to have social media jobs disabled for your geographical region.

The image is an example of a social media job posted by the digital marketing firm, The Cydev. The client wants social media managers to have some skills like content creation, strategy development, and time allocation.

Hubstaff Talent

Many digital marketers and social media consultants use this online job board to find freelance projects. Clients can easily hire remote workers without paying additional service charges. Another big advantage is that Hubstaff lets you receive payments safely. You can choose to work as a full-time or part-time freelancer.

To create your account on this platform, you have to upload your resume and make our profile visible to your potential clients.

A USA-based company, Coalition Technologist, was looking for a social media specialist. It clearly provided the detailed qualifications and skills needed for the post.

Fiverr

Fiverr allows freelance social media managers to create gigs. So, you need to open your Fiverr account and make your profile as a seller. The unique platform lets you sell social media management services. Creating optimized gigs increases the chance of selling your services.

Top freelancers are Fiverr Pro sellers who earn a high amount from their clients. But, you have to start first as only a basic seller.

The image is an example of an Instagram management expert who briefly described the gigs and revealed the rates for service packages.

Upwork

Upwork is a vast marketplace for social media marketers and helps them communicate with their clients. Most Upwork jobs are remote, and so, you can find your freelance projects from any location. Your clients may hire you to create social media strategies and get advice.

The image is an example of a social media job posted on Upwork. The client was looking for social media experts who could provide TikTok content ideas to make viral videos.

Tips For Achieving Success as a Social Media Manager

Managing the social media campaigns is not a one-step process. However, you need to put a lot of effort into refining your skills for social media management. As there are several other social media managers, you have to distinguish yourself to achieve success. We have shared some tips for becoming an efficient social media manager.

Master every social media channel

It is the most important thing to every beginner-level social media marketer. If you want to become an expert, you should learn everything about the social channels. You have to set your goals while running a campaign in every channel. For instance, if Facebook drives a high volume of web traffic, you should identify the factors driving engagement.

Stay organized

You might have multiple clients who want your social media management services. But, if you do not stay organized, it can affect your productivity. So, it is better to rely on task management software, such as, Trello and Asana. Your team will also stay organized if they use these tools.

Nurture your creativity

Social media marketing campaigns involve creating and posting content. Whether it is graphic design or video production, you should show your creativity. Regardless of the industry, creativity is essential in the world of social media. Make sure you have skills for creating sharable and valuable content. You must also be familiar with the fundamentals of graphic design and photography. While working with a client, you have to check the brand guidelines.

It is a good example of a creative social media post from The Cheesecake Factory. The quality photo has a touch of humor that has gained the attention of social media users. This photo entertains the audience and has received more than 2.3K Likes.

Take advantage of innovative tools

Professional social media managers have a lot of daily tasks. Social media management is not just about creating, scheduling, and posting content multiple times a day. A good social media manager knows the importance of using tools for different activities.

Awesome Social helps you with the automated posting of social media content. You can avoid logging in to your social accounts during posting. So, plan your content ahead and get it published at the proper time.

Understand analytical data

Visual aesthetics of social media platforms are important. However, it is also essential to interpret data related to your social media campaign’s performance. By interpreting data, you can identify the best time for publishing social media content. Originally, social media apps were not designed to measure campaigns. But, today, many social platforms let you measure the result of your marketing program.

Thus, if you analyze the data, you can improve your initiatives and increase ROI. Find the best-performing content and repurpose it.

For instance, Your Social Team’s founder has reposted her tweets as a screenshot. She has used a colorful background to add fun.

Developing Your Social Media Management Freelancing Business

You can create your website and promote yourself as a social media manager. But, you should know the proper steps for setting up the business.

The first step for setting up your business is to reach the right potential clients.

You can work for individual clients who need help with social media campaign management. You have an opportunity to set your own charge for the client’s project. So, working with those clients will be profitable. However, some companies also outsource their social media management to freelancers. You may also look for small or medium-sized businesses that are searching for social media managers.

Common ways to make money

One of the most common ways to make money is with sponsored posts. Brand sponsorships are highly profitable. However, advertising for brands is challenging for beginners. Brands may not like to work with you if you have not shown a strong reason.

Your visibility is the most important thing for brands. Owning a social media account or a website is vital to earn money. Your main target is to let brands get their services and products in front of the target audience.

You will get paid for posting an ad. The advertisement is available as a sponsored social media post, an article, or a video. The main advantages are higher brand exposure, trust development, and more sales.

Another way to earn money is to join platform-oriented monetization programs. Many social platforms have introduced creator-friendly features.

For example, TikTok’s Creator Fund lets you receive payment for views. But, you need to meet its eligibility criteria.

Again, Pinterest has launched Idea Pins, a new rewards program, which provides application-based funds.

Best tricks for distinguishing yourself as a social media manager

You should implement the most effective practices to achieve success as a social media management expert and earn more money.

Create your content

Developing unique and original content is vital to beat your competitors. You may use photo editing tools to produce images, which represent your brand. Besides, you have to invest in a voice recorder to track high-quality voiceovers for your brand videos and audio.

Build your presence online

With a stronger presence on the online platform, you have a chance of attracting more clients. So, use social channels efficiently to make your presence more prominent. You can also design an online portfolio, as we have mentioned previously.

Create a large network

Whether you have a LinkedIn account or other social media accounts, you should build a network. Connect and interact with other freelancers in the marketing field. Your collaboration with those freelancers will help you find more clients.

Quality content is more important

Some novice social media managers think that they just have to publish more posts to get the result. However, the quality of every post should be the top priority.

Conclusion

Starting a freelance social media marketing business is a good idea. With the right steps, you will be able to find clients and earn more money. However, you should pay a reasonable charge for your services. Besides, it is essential to refine your skills and learn about social media trends. Choose the best tools to save time and manage social media accounts efficiently. Some reliable tools let you respond to comments and check analytics from a single dashboard. Using the analytical data, you can improve the campaign performance and satisfy your clients with the best result.