How to Hire a Freelance Digital Marketer for Your Startup?

Hiring a freelance digital marketer has become common now. With the increase in the number of active internet users, the larger share of people are shifting online and hence companies or startups are moving towards digital marketing.

Digital Marketing is the marketing of products and services with the help of electronic devices and the internet. Digital marketing has been introduced to reach more and more people around the globe creatively. Marketing, unlike the olden times, has reached the peak of advancement by incorporating digital marketing.

The work of a digital marketer is to identify the new digital technologies and use web analytics tools to measure the traffic in a site to optimize marketing campaigns, social media marketing, email marketing, and search advertising.

Thus, startups are keen on hiring freelance digital marketers as they are less expensive and less risky rather than hiring full-time employees who require long-term commitments, bigger paychecks, contracts and benefits. A freelancer can be contracted on an hourly basis to deliver high-quality work in a short span of time.

And in order to find them, you need to search on various online freelancing marketplaces like Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer, etc. or other platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, etc. which lets businesses find and hire a potential freelancer.

Now the question comes How to Hire Them?

For that, you need to post a job description on various sites mentioning the work that you want to hire for, skills required, stipend and perks.

The job description must include that he/she must oversee the online marketing strategy of the organization. They must plan and execute digital marketing campaigns and be able to design, maintain and fill in the content for the organization’s website. The job description may include the following day-to-day activities:

1. Develop and manage digital marketing campaigns.
2. To exercise a social media strategy.
3. Manage and maintain the organization’s website.
4. To track and analyze traffic on a website.
5. To fix errors on the website or in the content.
6. Posting videos and audio content on the websites.
7. Create online advertisements and oversee Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads management.
8. To identify new emerging digital technologies to enhance the business.
9. Attend product launches and networking events.
10. Work on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) of the website.

What to look for in a Freelance Digital Marketer

Hire a team, not an individual

Every person has boundaries and they can be produced up to a certain perimeter only. The job of marketing demands a candidate with a wide skill set composed of:

• Analytics and Statistics.
• Conversion Optimization.
• Return on Investment.
• Pay-Per-Click.
• App Store Optimization.
• Originality and Innovation.

It is unlikely to find a person who excels in all the above skills. The solution to this problem is to hire a group of freelancers who are proficient in various skills. A diverse team can surpass individual limitations and the combined efforts promise better results for the company.

Self Education

It is important for the hirer as well to self-educate with the basics of digital marketing. Like, learn how to use Inbound Marketing tools like Google Adwords, Google Analytics, Buffer, etc. A basic understanding of digital marketing would help you to communicate better with the applicant. This will also help you to know if the implemented marketing steps are legit or not.

How to Talk to Potential Clients As a Freelancer | StartupTalky

Learn how to talk to your clients as a freelancer. Read about the tips and tricks which you can use to make the first impression to get your first project.

StartupTalkyNiku Mandal

Search Online

There’s nothing you can’t find online. Freelancers look for opportunities on websites like Internshala as well. You must design an attractive advertisement stating the skillset you are looking for and the perks of working with your startup. The advantage of searching online is that you can read the reviews and ratings of the applicants given by the companies they have worked in the past and their popularity in the marketing field. This helps you select suitable candidates. You can work with a marketing agency or hire a consultant to help you find desired freelance digital marketer. Share the availability of the job on LinkedIn and other social networking sites. This is the most effective method to find freelancers.

Hire a Person with a Plan

No amount of hard work can make up for bad marketing. A digital marketer should be capable of designing a game plan to improve the statistics of the business. By asking questions about their objective towards your company, you can filter out competent applicants from the rest.

Google Your Applicant

The online presence of the person you are about to hire plays a tricky role in understanding the applicant’s capability. If his blog or content shows up in one of the first few searches then the marketer is a good investment. Otherwise, you might end up with an inexperienced freelancer.

Referral Marketing

Who understands the toils of the job better than your present employers? Ask them to recommend candidates who they find as the best fit. Reward the employer whose reference is selected for the job. This simple action gives you free advertising without spending a fortune on Google and Facebook ads.

Search Everywhere

The young are high with enthusiasm and ideas. They are not afraid to experiment and are always looking for exposure. You should attend various conferences and meet professionals working in the same field. Get to know them and build your network. This provides future employers and increases the prospects of your company.

Pricing of Freelancers

A freelance digital marketer has flexible working hours so he/she is paid depending on the amount of time they are put in the job or the type of project they are working on. Usually, a startup hires a freelancer to work on single or multiple projects for a short span of time so it's better to discuss the price with the freelancer.

Conclusion

If you also own a startup, then digital marketing would be a great option for you rather than going for traditional marketing. As it helps the business to reach the targeted audience in a cost-effective and measurable way. You can hire a freelance digital marketer as and when required based on your budget to improve the scalability of your business.

FAQs

How do I hire a digital marketing freelancer?

You can find and hire digital marketing freelancers from various online platforms like:

1. Upwork
2. Freelancer.com
3. Fiverr
4. Freelancermap.com
5. LinkedIn
6. Internshala
7. PeoplePerHour
8. Guru
9. Flexjobs
10. Toptal
11. OnSite
12. Indeed
13. Craigslist
14. VA Networking

How much does a freelance digital marketer cost?

Freelancers' hourly rates range between $50 and $100. The average hourly rate for a freelancer is more than $100. But you can negotiate with the freelancer as per your budget.

Is digital marketing expensive?

It is not that expensive as traditional marketing. It cuts down your cost and provides a number of advantages that traditional marketing does not. It helps you to reach a larger audience in a cost-effective manner.