Since the pandemic, the gig economy has taken off incredibly — with freelancers now making up 36% of the U.S. workforce.
In the next few years, this figure is expected to go as high as 50%, with more than two-thirds of candidates expected to be hired on social media platforms.
For business owners, these statistics highlight both an immense opportunity and a clear challenge. To ensure your listing cuts through the noise and attracts the right candidate, you must develop a general understanding of how social media works — and how to promote your freelance gig to remote workers. Here’s a step-by-step guide.
- Target the Right Platform
More than half the world uses at least one social media platform daily. But this won’t mean much if you don’t know how to target specific audiences.
Very often, businesses cast too wide a net, and end up barely scraping together a handful of likes on their job listings. The trick lies in narrowing your focus.
You already have a clear idea of the qualifications you’d like in a candidate. Now, apply this understanding to what you know about social media platforms.
If you’re looking for entry-level candidates, TikTok and Instagram boast of a very young audience; LinkedIn is a safe bet if you’re looking for more experienced candidates.
However, it’s not always that straightforward. Often, you’ll need to advertise your listing on a mix of platforms — from Facebook groups to Twitter/X threads. To discover which platform is worth your time and resources, you must keep up with the latest trends. Start by checking out the latest social media statistics for 2024 in Forbes.
- Establish Credibility
It is well-known that the best candidates gravitate towards companies and businesses with credible practices. Social media is the perfect platform for you to boost your reputation — and showcase why working with you is so beneficial.
Companies that use social media not only to promote themselves but also to contribute to greater industry-level discussions are seen as more reliable and aspirational — and thus more likely to attract wider pool of potential remote workers.
To protect your reputation, ensure all information shared on your page is accurate, that your practices are transparent, and that you maintain consistency across all platforms.
- Create Engaging Content
While social media is a handy marketing tool, that isn’t its only purpose. Users don’t want to see endless promotions on their feed; they’re more attracted to engaging content — especially coming from a potential employer.
To enhance the visibility of your job posting, make it a point to consistently craft other social media content that resonates with the target audience. This could come in the form of tips for working from home, insights and experiences regarding your particular line of work, or even stories of freelancers who’ve worked with you.
This comprehensive approach to streamlining your social media will help you gain more followers and, most crucially — attract the kind of employees you’d benefit from hiring.
The quality of your posts makes a big difference, too. With so much competition on social media, uploading a hiring poster with errors or poor design may bring in the wrong crowd and negatively impact your credibility.
Browse through this massive library of hiring poster templates to get a better idea of the standards you need to meet and access a tool that makes designing posts a breeze.
- Join Groups and Communities
While not impossible, it’s highly unlikely that your job listing will magically appear on the feed of the ideal candidate. To improve your chances, you must go to the candidate.
Think about it: an estimated 70% of all freelancers look for jobs on a social media platform. But where exactly are they going?
Each platform is home to tens of thousands of niche groups and communities — ranging from groups that share memes about TV shows to resources that help connect employers to a massive network of freelancers.
No matter what project you’re working on, what kind of employee you’re looking for, or how much you can afford to spend, you’ll find the ideal candidate in one of these groups.
To narrow your search, compile a list of relevant keywords — including the specific profession, the desired level of experience, the location, and other important factors — and search the platform in question for a relevant group. Alternatively, start by checking out this compilation of 30 popular freelance communities.
Once you’ve found the right place, don’t simply spam your job opening. Take time to understand the user base better — what are their levels of experience? What do their discussions center around? What skills can they bring in their role as a freelancer?
Based on this insight, craft an attractive hiring poster that clearly outlines the role, the duration, the pay, and the working hours, among other essential information.
For help with your design needs, consider using a resource like PosterMyWall with its library of over a million poster templates. The tool also allows users with little design experience, time, or money to create attractive multimedia content in minutes.
You can test the tool here.
Back on social media, remember the points outlined above. Be transparent, don’t waste time on the wrong platforms, and position your company as a place where people would want to work. Follow these steps, and you’ll see the applications roll in.
Hyperlinks:
- https://teamstage.io/gig-economy-statistics/
- https://www.postermywall.com/index.php/s/hiring-poster/all/all?safe_content=safe
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/social-media-statistics/
- https://medium.com/@TheNimbleNovice/30-freelancer-communities-to-join-to-gain-support-and-grow-your-network-e4135a2fe3fb
- https://www.postermywall.com/
References:
- https://www.withmoxie.com/blog/15-proven-ways-to-market-your-freelance-business
- https://www.business.com/articles/12-ways-to-find-freelancers/
- https://www.business.com/articles/10-top-sites-for-freelance-services/
- https://teamstage.io/gig-economy-statistics/
- https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/social-media-statistics/
- https://www.transcriptioncertificationinstitute.org/blog/remote-work-and-the-gig-economy
- https://vidcruiter.com/blog/harness-the-gig-economy/
