If a freelancer builds a personal brand and no one can see it, did they even build it all? Or: How to be seen and noticed online

Lightpost

USA TODAY Network

You go, freelancer! You get that attention! After all, it's crucial for your burgeoning business.

You've built your brand. You've checked it twice. But how are people going to see you?! In the last checklist, you learned why your resume isn't just your resume, but the core of a personal brand you're building. Here, we dig in on why and how you get seen. Happy optimizing!

This article is part 4 (of 10) of Lightpost, a new USA TODAY Network series sourced by experts and focused on helping you achieve your goals. You can read this article as a standalone, or check out more of our career-focused checklists and keep developing your badass skills.

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✔️ Repeat after me: Step away from the political meme

"Social media is a fantastic platform for showcasing your skills as a freelancer and building relationships with potential clients." - Sagan Morrow, small business coach and blogger

Social media is the easiest and most open way to network. You already have an audience of friends, family, and long-lost acquaintances, after all. Before you do anything else, make sure the social media channels you've already established are ready for clients to see them. Another way to frame this: Does your social presence reflect the values of your personal brand? (A rule of thumb in this 2016 world: it's OK to have personality -- but let's leave the political memes off your wall.) For your own due diligence, download Lightpost's social media standards checklist and run through it. Make adjustments where you need to.

✔️ Master the biggies: LinkedIn, Facebook and Google+ (yes, seriously, Google+)

“It’s important to be visible on social media because it creates a competitive advantage most people shy away from. It’s also important for the purpose of developing a personal brand.” - Josh Hoffman, founder of Epic Freelancing

LinkedIn basics: Bottom line -- you need to at least have your resume uploaded on LinkedIn, a couple hundred connections, and a professional photo of yourself to be taken seriously by colleagues and clients. Join some professional groups. Get on that.

LinkedIn like a pro: The platform is a good place to blog about career-related struggles, learnings and triumphs, as well as read and comment on posts from influencers. This is a great way to engage in a professional dialogue with those experienced in your field.

Facebook basics: Make sure your privacy settings allow potential colleagues and clients to find you -- and to like what they see. (To see what a client is seeing, click on the "..." in the top right of your page when on desktop and click "view as.") You may also choose to set up a professional page or group separate from your personal account if you'd like some separation. Share articles, quotes, and anything that showcases your skills and personality.

Facebook like a pro: Freelancers use Facebook in two super effective ways - networking in private Facebook groups, and purchasing advertising to a very specific audience. This article from the Muse explains why private Facebook groups rule, and check out this Forbes story on how freelancers can best advertise on the social platform.

“The value of private Facebook groups as a networking tool is the scale they provide. If you’re at a big event, it’s impossible to talk with everyone in a meaningful way, but when you upload content into a Facebook group, you can reach and leave a lasting impression on a lot of people with the click of a button.” - Josh Hoffman, founder of Epic Freelancing

Google+ basics: Register a Google+ account. Post on it semi-frequently. This will help your Google search results.

✔️ Pick and choose your semi-biggies: Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter...

The first rule of social? Work smarter, not harder. You don't need to promote yourself on every social media platform; instead, choose the ones that fit the freelance business you're trying to build.

Instagram: Is what you do visual or shareable via images and videos? Search for influencers in your field, follow them and check out the hashtags they use to promote their work, and use the same hashtags to reach their audience. What should you post? Things that relate to your personal brand, of course: lifestyle, work habits, tutorials and more. Speaking of tutorials...

YouTube: Record your process! Post it. Vlogs and tutorials are a great way to reach a new audience.

Pinterest: Designers, lifestyle coaches, and other visually-oriented professionals thrive on Pinterest where they can post shareable, searchable images with hashtags and links back to their work. Score.

Twitter: Quick quips your thing? Enjoy joining a conversation? Twitter may be the place for you.

Other social sites to explore: Github, Reddit and Quora.

✔️ Interact with your community authentically

“Perhaps one of the most important pieces of online marketing is to do what resonates with you. Whenever you post something online, ask yourself, "how would I feel if someone else posted this?" If it feels uncomfortable or overtly salesy to you, then perhaps go in a different direction that feels more organic and natural to you. Even better, you'll feel more comfortable and enjoy the marketing side of things more as a result!” - Sagan Morrow, small business coach and blogger

Don't try to force things on social. A good rule of thumb? Contribute to the community three times for every time you ask for something from them or promote yourself. Here are some do's and don'ts from Josh Hoffman, founder of Epic Freelancing:

Do’s: Look for opportunities to help others when relevant and possible, and focus on posting content that creates shared interests, passions and beliefs with the people in your online community. The more ways people have to connect to you, the more likely they are to think of you when certain opportunities arise.

Don’ts: Don’t try to create the perception of perfection. Be human, and show the less-than-sexy sides of your life. It will make you more relatable.

✔️ Check out Upwork and other freelance marketplaces

There's lots of debate within the freelance world about freelance listing sites like Upwork. On one hand, many believe it's hard to make a living with one-off assignments from a website that hosts listings from freelancers around the world. However, others have found great success landing first gigs. There's no harm in checking out the site to see if it's for you.

✔️ Scope out your competitor’s sites

“Something I teach my students is that other freelancers aren't the enemy! There is room for EVERYONE. We can collaborate with other people in our industries and work together to increase awareness about the importance of getting paid what we're worth, for example. In addition, there's a great opportunity in figuring out what our unique niches and ideal clients are by looking at what other freelancers are doing, and seeing what sets them apart from the rest compared to what sets you apart from the rest.” - Sagan Morrow, small business coach and blogger

Sagan Morrow says it all. Check out the websites of people who are doing what you're doing. (Your Upwork exploration is a great place to start.) Keep a list of the elements that everyone has, and unique, effective elements that you'd like to emulate.

✔️ Build your website

“Having your own website lends legitimacy and credibility to your business, and it provides you with a professional platform to outline your services and expertise.” - Sagan Morrow, small business coach and blogger

A website is a place to house your portfolio as well as a place to get noticed. Basically, it's your home base on the Internet, where people will go to learn more about you and to be able to contact you. A great way to get started with minimal lift is to use a company like Squarespace, which will take you through the process of hosting, designing, and structuring a beautiful website.

Or, DIY (it's not hard, just a bit more time consuming):

Find an open domain and file it. We recommend using domains.google.com.
Buy a hosting service. We recommend bluehost.com.
Register on wordpress.org (different from wordpress.com).
Find a design you like from the free ones on Wordpress to paid designs you can customize.

✔️ Fill your website

Here are the elements you need to include in your website, according to Sagan Morrow:

Why your ideal client needs your freelance service
Why your ideal client should hire YOU specifically
The services you offer
The services you DON’T offer
Your rates
Client testimonials
Work samples/portfolio
Who you are (your background as it pertains to your freelance work)
Your process for working with clients
Your contact information

✔️ Consider blogging

"A website is an important part of a personal brand, but it’s imperative to understand that it’s not the only part. If you have a website, you need to drive people to it. Otherwise, it will get lost in the galaxy of the Internet, and no one will know it even exists. That’s why it’s important to also have a blog (or a vlog if you prefer video) which you can host on your website. Then, you can share new content from your blog on social media, and perhaps via email as well, ultimately driving people to your website." - Josh Hoffman, founder of Epic Freelancing

For a lot of freelancers, blogging is the link between social media and gaining clients through a personal website. Just as you'd post relevant industry and work-related content on your social platforms, consider writing some of your own, and then distributing them in your network the same way.

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