How to become a successful freelance video editor

The freelance revolution is not just upon us -- it is here to stay for the foreseeable future. 

No matter what talent you possess, our Web 2.0 way of life makes it possible for you to turn it into a career. Best of all, you get to be your own boss. 

If freelance video is what you love, your skills are in high demand. Right now, people around the world are consuming an amazing half a billion hours of YouTube content each and every day.

Video content is the best way to market right now, which means a huge potential customer base needs professional editors. But how can you make this work in your favor?

Read on to learn how you can become a successful freelance video editor. 

Find your editing software of choice and learn it like the back of your hand

If freelance video editing is a battlefield, consider your editing platform your sword. There are plenty of platforms you can choose, so take time to familiarize yourself with the one you prefer. 

Some of the best video editing software platforms you can try out include Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premier, and Pinnacle Studio. Each software platform has its own bells and whistles, and there's always more to learn. 

Take some courses, complete modules, and most of all -- learn by doing. 

Start a YouTube channel and portfolio

When you start a YouTube channel, you can show off your wares and get plenty of practice and publicity.

Don't wait for clients to feed you projects. Instead, grab a camera or even your iPhone, and start shooting your own video content. Edit it in a way that shows off what you do best, so that your skill shines through in the final cut. 

This channel will serve as an ever-important marketing tool and a sandbox for you to get better each day. 

Figure out how much you need to earn and work backward to set your rates

Don't lose sight of the business aspect of your freelance career. Calculate up all of your bills and expenses each month, and figure out how much you need to rake in to earn a decent living. 

From there, work backward to create your hourly rate. If you're just getting started, it's OK to ask for less so that you can grow your clientele. However, you will only succeed in freelance when you aren't afraid to ask for what you're worth. 

Since you're freelancing, open a business bank account and take out 25 to 30 percent of everything you get paid for taxes. For best results, hire the help of a certified public accountant (CPA) that can help you keep track of it all. 

Determine what makes you unique and aggressively pursue clients

Half of your job will now involve finding new clients so that you can keep getting fresh work. In addition to your YouTube channel, create marketing campaigns that always generate leads. 

You can use a mixture of social media marketing, search engine optimization (SEO) and social media advertising. Put yourself out there aggressively and with a hunter's mentality, since your business and livelihood depend on it. 

Live your freelance video editor dreams

The tips above will work like a charm if you're trying to become a successful freelance video editor. This is a career that you can appreciate to the fullest if video editing is your art. 

We would be happy to help you when you want more information on the freelance life. 

Check out our dashboard, productivity tools, and other products for freelancers, so you can build your career from the ground up.