Boy oh, boy! Freelance writing on Facebook is one of my favorite topics to write and talk about. That’s because Facebook is exactly where I started earning my first few bucks as a freelance writer.
That’s right! Facebook isn’t just a place to share memes and spy on your ex. In fact, it contains a whole world of freelancers that are constantly interacting with others in their industry and also finding freelance writing jobs on Facebook.
(If you’re already a part of such Facebook groups and want to know how to use them better, then skip to “Getting Started: What to do Once You’re In?”)
Right so now to the all-important question:
How do you find clients on Facebook?
Well, there are dozens of Facebook groups for freelance writers out there. These Freelance writing Facebook groups primarily serve 2 functions:
Both of these functions are extremely useful and important.
You might believe, though, that you don’t need to socialize with others in freelancing. After all, you’re an independent service provider.
That couldn’t be farther from the truth. Especially if you’re just starting out, you’ll find lots of guidance through these Facebook groups because experienced freelance writers over there are often willing to help newbies.
Also, it’s great to see others that are going through the same stuff that you are. Honestly, that sense of belongingness is extremely helpful.
Okay so let’s walk you through some simple steps as to how you can find these Facebook groups for freelance writers.
Pro tip: Join all of the groups that you can find. It’s okay to leave some of them later on if they’re not useful for you. But initially, you want to have a huge pool of freelance writing jobs available to you daily.
Alright, so once you’ve been accepted into these groups, you’ll have a pool of jobs to apply to every day.
Mostly, clients would mention all of the requirements in their job post. A lot of these groups have rules for clients to state the type of job and rates they are offering. So, you’ll have a pretty clear picture of what the client needs.
Now, where do you go from here? How do you apply to these jobs?
Well, the proper way to do it is to write a nice cover letter for your client. What’s a cover letter, you ask? Well, it’s a job application in which you explain to the client why you are the best person for the job.
Writing cover letters for clients is a complete art in itself that probably requires a whole blog post. However, I go into complete detail on this topic in my free eBook (along with my secrets for making your first $1000 as a freelance writer).
I’ll give you an overview of what to include in your cover letter, though.
Go into detail about your past experience and try to sell your services. Also, if you’ve taken any courses, worked with a company, have published work you’re proud of, this is where it goes.
But what to do if you’re a beginner and have nothing to show?
Well, how about you turn your biggest weakness into your greatest power? Mention to the client that since you’re a newbie, you’re willing to initially work at a lower rate so you can learn. This way, you’ll save the client money (thereby giving him a reason to choose you over experienced professionals) and would land yourself a freelance writing job. Once you get the ball rolling, things will eventually get better.
Pro tip: Consider your cover letter as a short sales message where you’re trying to close a deal with the client. Why should he hire you over others? Think of it from his perspective.
No matter where you’re applying for a freelance writing job, you’ll always need to send sample content that you’ve written in the past.
Why? Because these samples help clients gauge your writing abilities. No one is going to hire you on blind faith.
Sending your samples would allow the client to judge exactly what sort of output he would be getting. Also, without samples, you have close to no chances of getting hired.
Another important point to consider here is that your samples should ideally be PUBLISHED online with your name. Sending an MS Word document or PDF document makes you look like an amateur which would certainly affect your rates.
In order to be paid like a professional, you need to present yourself like one.
A nice way to do that is to send the link to some of your published articles as samples.
This is a question that I get asked a lot. And the answer is:
It depends.
It depends on where you live, how good you are, and what sort of writing you do.
However, one thing’s for sure that Facebook groups aren’t the highest paying platform for freelance writers. At best, they are a nice place to start and get your feet wet in the freelance writing world.
Otherwise, throughout your time on Facebook, you should be building towards transitioning onto a more professional platform like Upwork, Fiverr, and PeoplePerHour.
These are the places where you’ll make big money. Don’t make the mistake of holding onto Facebook groups for too long. Get experience through them and then upgrade yourself.
Facebook groups for Freelance writers are great places to kickstart your career. They also provide you with a platform where you can connect with others in your industry and grow together. Just make sure that you don’t get stuck at Freelance writing on Facebook. Start from there and then move on to better and professional platforms.