Freelancing only continues to grow in popularity. Many workers do freelance work as a side hustle and others are switching to full-time freelancing to become their own boss. In fact, a third of the US workforce has done some type of freelance work in their careers.
But one of the pain points of freelancing is looking for new clients and more gigs. Fortunately, freelancers have many tools at their disposal to enhance their freelancing business or side gigs. One of the most unconventional tools is the blogging platform Medium.
Here’s how to find clients on Medium.
This is one of the most famous ways for freelancers to find clients. Network, network, network. Connections are everything. And this extends to Medium. Medium is more than just a blogging platform, you can connect with other writers via commenting or private notes.
Private notes are different than direct messages. They’re used as feedback but only the blog’s author can view them. You can always use this feature to reach out to other writers and network.
Keep in mind, many authors may not have this feature available. If you want to develop more personal connections with your Medium followers, you can also see if they’re on LinkedIn. LinkedIn offers more networking features than Medium, so you may have more opportunities to get to know and collaborate with your Medium contacts.
With the popularity of Medium, it’s no surprise to find business owners as members who post blogs about their industry, their business, data, and more. Some businesses host their blogs on Medium, as well.
Reaching out to various business owners to see if they could use a freelancer is a great way to find new work. But don’t ask them outright. Be sure to read their blogs, comment on their posts, and even buy their products. When you support them, they will support you.
When you reach out to business owners on Medium, you should also prove your expertise. Link some of your own Medium posts as well as your portfolio, resume, and references. Keep in mind, you may have to contact them via their website or LinkedIn if they don’t allow private notes on Medium.
Like many social media platforms, Medium hosts various groups in different industries. Joining these groups is definitely worth it. You’ll meet others in your industry who can refer you to their network and even their clients. Surprising as it may seem, some freelancers pass work off to other freelancers in their network when they have busy spells where they can’t finish all of their assignments.
What kind of groups are there on Medium? Writer groups are some of the most common. If you’re not a writer, you can likely find other helpful groups, such as those centered on businesses in your niche, college alumni, and more.
If you have no luck finding clients on Medium groups, you can always reach out to Medium members in your industry. From business to technology and even more, you can find Medium members and blogs that span a variety of different categories.
The goal of connecting with other businesses and freelancers in your niche is to increase your visibility. If you reach out to more people, they will start paying attention to you.
How do you reach out to other members? Start by commenting on their blogs or sending them a private note. If this doesn’t work, find them on social media.
How can freelancers find clients in different industries? Through Medium! As stated previously, you would be surprised how many different niches you can find on Medium. And you’ll also be surprised how many of them could use freelancers.
One of the essential tips for being a freelancer is to reach out directly to businesses in different industries. Maybe they need freelance work but aren’t sure who to reach out to or how to find a good freelancer. If you reach out, the business doesn’t have to look much farther than your services.
What if the business isn’t interested? This isn’t exactly a rejection. You’re still getting your name out there and promoting your freelance work. If the business doesn’t need your services now, they may in the future. Or, they can refer your services to their network.
Again, Medium doesn’t offer many opportunities to reach out directly to clients. If the businesses don’t allow private notes on their blogs, find them on LinkedIn or send them an email.
Medium is a popular blogging platform. Therefore, it’s easy to gain visibility by writing your own blogs. Blogging on Medium is also a powerful marketing and SEO tool. Over 2.5 billion blogs are published every year and users constantly use search engines to find content.
Medium blogs are also great tools for social media. Let’s say a reader really liked your blog. They may share it on their social media channels, enhancing your visibility even more.
Even if you’re not a writer, it’s worth it to write blogs. This shows potential clients that you’re an expert in your niche. If you are a writer, your Medium blog can also double as your writing portfolio.
The biggest mistake that people make when blogging is differentiating between personal and professional blogs. Try to not keep your Medium blog as a personal diary. Instead, stick to topics in your profession.
Something else you should do is mention you’re looking for clients on your Medium profile. If a reader really likes your blogs and is looking for a freelancer, they may reach out.
Are you a freelancer and struggling to find gigs? You may be able to find clients on Medium. You can connect with these businesses through the site or you can publish your own blogs to increase your visibility.
Have you tried using Medium for your freelance business and are still suffering from client dry spells? If so, you may need better resources for your business. This is where we come in. We offer various solutions to develop your freelance business and manage clients.
Click here to learn more about Moxie.