Are you an employee looking to earn more income, or do you want to have more control over your professional life?
If the answer to the above question is yes, then you should consider freelancing. There are lots of freelance websites out there for you to explore.
Freelancing is a great and easy way to start earning income from home. You won’t need to go through the stress of going to the office early in the morning and coming back late at night. Aside from that, being a freelancer will give you ample time to attend to other personal businesses.
The freelance community is gaining in popularity and at a fast pace. Statista, a business data analytic platform predicts that the freelance community will increase to over 86 million by 2028. So if you are thinking of freelance, the right time to get started is now!
In this article, we will give you a guide to the best freelance websites for beginners.
What is Freelancing?
Freelancing means to work individually rather than being employed by someone else. These individuals can offer their services through platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and lots more. Additionally, they can also offer their services directly to the client. Almost all services needed by a business can be offered by a freelancer. Some of the common freelance services include marketing, graphics design, content writing, social media management, and many more.
A freelancer income depends on the skills offered, the experience, and niche. Basically, freelancers earn between $10 and $75 per hour. However, skills that require more experience like programming or accounting pay more.
Pros of Freelancing
Freelancing is a great way to start working as your own boss. Unlike a company employee that wakes up early in the morning, rushing to get to work on time - you can work from the comfort of your home. Aside from that, you can set your own working hours, whether part-time or full time, at a convenient time.
Also, freelancing is not location dependent. So you can work from anywhere around the world. You will also be able to set your own price for your services, and in most cases, it’s always higher than you’d make as an employee working under someone.
Another advantage of freelancing is that it’s easy and affordable to start. Once you have the skills and experience, you’re good to go. Working as a freelancer increases your work and life balance. When you choose what to do and when to do it, you have more time to explore other aspects of life. This creates balance and happiness in your life.
The Cons of Freelancing
Everything good comes with a downside, freelancing is not exempted.
First, your clients also have their schedules. So even if you set your working hours and a client can only see you on Wednesday evening, you will need to make yourself available at all cost. Aside from that, you will also have to work with deadlines also. Otherwise, you will find yourself out of the freelance gig.
Also, freelance work is not always consistent. For instance, if you build a product for a particular client, once you turn the product in, that’s all. You’ll need to start looking for another client to work for. Additionally, you will be in charge of all aspects of your freelancing career. From marketing to bookkeeping, and lots more. So you will require more skills than just the ability to work. Alternatively, you can hire people to do other tasks for you. However, this might be very expensive.
Getting Started as a Freelancer
Getting started as a freelancer is as easy as eating pie. There are several freelance sites that you can use to get started. If you don’t know how to go about it, you can simply search Google. For instance, if you are a graphics designer, you can search for a “freelance website designer”. This will give you several freelance sites for graphics designers.
Aside from using freelance websites, here are some other factors you need to consider.
- Decide what service you want to offer
This is the first thing you need to determine before searching for freelance websites. Carry out an assessment of yourself and determine what service you want to offer. Ensure your services are in line with your skills - something you can do well. Additionally, you should also decide whether you want to be a specialist or a generalist in your niche. For instance, you can be a full-stack programmer or you can specialise in either building backend or frontend.
- Determine your target market
Another factor is to consider your target market. Conduct in-depth research to know if there is a demand for the kind of service you want to provide. This is also the time to determine your brand and your unique selling market proposition. Also, you should decide whether you want to work for small businesses or large corporations.
- Decide Your Rate
Setting the right rate will create a good impression on your client. This will send a message that you know what you are doing. If you charge less, clients might think your work is not standard enough, which might push potential clients away. And on the other hand, setting a high rate will also push clients away. So ensure your charge is moderate. The best way to set your rate is by looking at what other freelancers are charging.
- Create a Portfolio Website
Creating a portfolio is very important. You can use a portfolio to promote your services. Additionally, you might need to invest in a business promoting tool, such as a website to gain better flexibility and customization. You don’t need to know how to code before you can build attractive portfolio websites.
If you are looking for the best website building platform, Strikingly has got you covered. This is a drag and drop website builder that you can use to create your own personal online portfolio website from scratch without stress. You can check out how to make a portfolio to learn more. To create your own portfolio, follow these steps, and you will be up and running in a few minutes.
Visit Strikingly website to get started.
On the homepage, if you don’t have an account yet, fill the form with the required details(name, email address, and password and click the “Get Started” button to create your free account. You can also sign up with your Facebook account.
Image short from Strikingly login page.
If you already have an account, you can enter your details to log in to the Strikingly main page.
Upon signing in, you will be taken to this page. This is where you can select templates for your design. For a personal portfolio site, click on the “PERSONAL” button to access a series of impressive personal website templates. Check here for some awesome portfolio website examples that you can use to create impressive pages out of Strikingly website templates.
Image from Strikingly personal blog page
- Once you have selected your preferred website template, you can start editing it to fit your taste. You can upgrade to PRO if you want to have access to more amazing templates from Strikingly.
5. Market Your Services
Once you have created your personal portfolio website, you should start marketing your services. There are several ways to promote your freelance services to attract potential clients. Some popular options include social media, email marketing and many more. If you don’t know how to promote your website, follow these simple 8 easy steps on how to promote your freelance website.
Best Freelance Websites for Beginners
Finding the best freelance websites can be a daunting task to do. As mentioned, there are tons of freelance websites out there dedicated to helping you get potential clients. In this article, we will discuss some of the best freelance websites you can start with.
- Fiverr
Fiverr is one of the top freelance websites that you can join as a freelancer. The freelance platform allows you to showcase finished products to the public so that potential clients can check out products and pick the one that catches their interest. Even if you are new to freelancing, Fiverr has all it takes to get you started. The platform offers free courses to hone your skills and also teach you how to pitch to clients.
- Upwork
Another top freelance website is Upwork. The platform provides you with the necessary tools to kick-start your freelance journey. Besides that, you will also have access to a collaborative working community, transparent recruitment process, and in-built invoice maker. On this platform, you can get to work with big companies like Dropbox, Microsoft, and so on. So if you’re looking for flexibility, Upwork is a good option.
- TopTal
Toptal is an incredible freelance platform that most clients trust. So if you work very hard to improve your skills, you can be lucky to be among the top 3% global freelancers that companies can hire.
- Simply Hired
Simply Hired is also one of the top freelance websites that you will find on the internet. This freelancing site will let you search for the best freelance jobs available in your nearby location. Besides that, the site features a series of salaries and a tool to estimate your service charges. Additionally, you can also add your resume to the site so that potential clients can view it. If you don’t know how to create a resume, check out Strikingly for tips on how to create a good resume.
- PeoplePerHour
PeoplePerHour is a freelance website with over 1.5 million freelancers around the globe. Every freelancer on the site will have a rating. This platform is free but can be very challenging. You should strive to improve your skills and set a reasonable fee for your service.
- Aquent
This is also among the reliable freelance websites that will help you on your journey to becoming a freelancer. Though the site indicates that they are mainly accepting freelancers with a minimum of 2 years of working experience, you can explore their available jobs as a beginner. Also, the site provides a guide you can use to set up your price.
