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Have you recently started your freelancing career as a marketing manager? In that case, you’ll have to build design strategies, conduct industry research, create a marketing funnel, and communicate with clients yourself. You’re probably planning on charging USD 75.28 per hour for your digital marketing services.
Now the question is: Why should anyone choose you when there are 577,899 other consultants? Similarly, your experience won’t matter if your target audience cannot find you online.
That’s why you need a solid digital identity as a lead generation tactic. According to Forbes, it’s important to create an online presence by following the latest trends to attract customers. This has now become a mode of convenience, sales, and communication between freelancers and clients.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss how independent marketing managers can enhance their online presence or digital identity.
1. Building a Strong Personal Brand
One issue freelancers in various industries (especially marketing) can face is the inability to generate positive leads. The only solution is to create strong branding.
As a marketing manager, you probably know the importance of personal branding for business leaders. About 77% of customers would prefer to buy from a brand they already know. Even as a freelancer, you’ll need to build a personal brand to gain a competitive edge.
To do that, you must communicate your value proposition with your audience. For instance, you must present your services in a way that attracts the type of clients you want to work with. You’ll also need to build a personal brand on social media platforms like LinkedIn to help enhance your digital identity. Here’s how you can do it:
- Identify your strengths and niche services.
- Create a visual identity that defines your message.
- Engage with the industry community and build relationships.
Industry leaders also mention that developing an insightful audience persona and leveraging thought leadership can help. All these will increase the brand visibility of your freelance marketing services. If you want your digital identity to be robust, remember to be consistent and authentic with your personal brand.
2. Optimizing Your Website
A website can become your portfolio, where potential customers can check previous projects and testimonials. In case it isn’t optimized, many clients might think you’re unprofessional and not serious about offering assistance for their business growth.
Hence, an independent marketing manager will need an optimized website to enhance your digital identity and reach a broader market segment. The AMA recommends the following strategies:
- Search engine optimization with relevant keywords
- Content marketing
- Enhancing user experience
- Using web analytics
- Conversion rate optimization
- Geotargeting for better personalization
According to Digitizer, independent marketing managers can get more customers if they create an impressive digital identity. That’s why you must also collaborate with web development professionals.
With their help, you can earn more through organic exposure and sponsored promotion. As a result, you can transform your website into a digital business.
Let’s say your web pages were built on Elementor or WordPress. In that case, experts can help you get the most out of these tools, and you don’t have to worry about maintenance or other technicalities.
Do you know the best part? As a marketing professional, you can also provide insights into digital marketing strategies and local SEO tactics to improve search engine rankings.
3. Networking With Industry Experts
One of the key challenges of being a freelancer is the competition. But what if you can benefit from that by leveraging networking with business leaders in your industry? At its core, networking means building meaningful and consistent relationships with experienced individuals.
Statistics suggest that 42% of professionals were hired because they used some form of networking. As a freelancer, you can also benefit from this. To create a strong online presence, an independent marketing manager will need to facilitate communication with industry experts.
If you want to expand your professional reach and enhance your digital identity, then follow these networking tips:
- Attend industry events
- Host or apply for webinars
- Participate in conferences
- Engage in online forums
- Join social media discussions
To get the best out of your networking initiatives, you’ll need to be strategic and prepared. Moreover, you must add value to each and every interaction and maintain the relationships.
Remember to reach out to experts with thoughtful messages to showcase your genuine interest in a collaboration. This way, you can position yourself in high regard while benefiting from the unique opportunities of mentorships.
Undoubtedly, most viewers of the Olympics wouldn’t know every participant since they aren’t famous. However, everyone knew Ilona Maher way before she won the bronze medal for America this year. Why? Well, she had over two million Instagram followers. (Now she has three million.)
Just like that, your audience will have no idea who you are if you don’t establish a robust digital identity and work on your online presence. But how can an independent marketing manager fortify their online presence?
It’s simple: you’ll have to optimize your website, build a personal brand, and network with industry experts. Are you ready to leverage these tips to fortify a robust digital identity for your freelance career?
