The Importance of Social Media for Freelance Ghostwriters

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In today's digital age, social media has become an essential tool for freelancers to market and promote their services. As a freelance ghostwriter, having a strong social media presence can help you gain exposure, showcase your writing skills and connect with potential clients from all over the world. 

Social media allows you to build a professional network of fellow writers, publishers and industry leaders who can offer you valuable insights into the latest trends in publishing and help you find new opportunities to grow your business. By showcasing your writing skills on these platforms, you can establish yourself as an expert in your field and attract more clients. 

That's why I wanted to put together this step-by-step guide on how to set up your social media profiles as a new freelance ghostwriter. We'll discuss the most popular social media platforms for writers, provide tips on creating a professional profile that showcases your unique skills and share strategies for networking with potential clients. 

Whether you're just starting out or looking to expand your reach as an established writer, this article will show you how to leverage the power of social media to build relationships with publishers and clients around the world. By following our step-by-step guide, you'll be able to create attractive profiles that grab attention, engage with readers and ultimately drive more traffic to your website. 

So let's get started! In the next section, we'll take a closer look at some of the most popular social media platforms for freelance ghostwriters. 

Choose Your Platforms

As a new freelance ghostwriter, it can be overwhelming to decide which social media platforms to use. There are dozens of options out there, each with their own unique benefits and drawbacks. To help you make an informed decision, we’ve compiled a list of the most popular social media platforms for freelance ghostwriters: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 

LinkedIn

With over 700 million users in 200 countries worldwide, LinkedIn is the go-to platform for professional networking. It’s especially useful for freelance ghostwriters who specialize in business or technical writing. LinkedIn allows you to showcase your expertise through your profile and connect with potential clients or collaborators in your field.

Pros:

• Platform purpose: The platform is designed specifically for professional networking, so many of those features are well-developed and readily available. 
• Increased visibility: LinkedIn is a professional networking site with over 700 million users, making it a great platform for freelance ghostwriters to showcase their skills and connect with potential clients.
• Establish credibility: By sharing valuable content and engaging with others in their industry, freelance ghostwriters can establish themselves as experts in their field and build credibility.
• Opportunities for collaboration: LinkedIn provides opportunities for freelance ghostwriters to collaborate with other professionals in their industry, which can lead to new business opportunities.

Cons:

• Competition: With so many users on LinkedIn, freelance ghostwriters may face stiff competition from other writers and content creators. Personally, I believe the competition is increased dramatically by the number of content writers also billing themselves as ghostwriters.
• Time-consuming: Building a strong presence on LinkedIn takes time and effort, which may be a challenge for freelance ghostwriters who are already juggling multiple clients and projects. You can always tell when I am swamped with work because my online presence anywhere suffers: my blog posts aren't published as quickly, my social media profiles are abandoned, and I am not available to chat in many communities or groups.
• Cost: While LinkedIn is free to use, freelance ghostwriters may need to invest in paid advertising or premium features to reach a wider audience and stand out from the competition.
• Lots of existing spam: The LinkedIn Inbox is notorious for spammy sales messages, making the whole the messaging system can feel impersonal and ineffective.

Tips on how to optimize a LinkedIn profile for freelance ghostwriting services:

1. Craft a compelling headline: Use your headline to clearly communicate what you do and who you serve. Be sure to include relevant keywords that potential clients might search for without stuffing a lot of vague broad terms into your headline. For example, use “freelance ghostwriter for books on social media marketing” rather than “writer”. You might come up in fewer searches, but those searches will be a closer fit.
2. Create a professional profile photo: This probably goes without saying, but don't hide behind a logo; or worse, don't hide behind a vague writing-related illustration like a quill pen instead of a photo. LinkedIn is about collaborating with professionals, and it works much better when people can see your face. Choose a high-quality headshot that presents you as a professional and trustworthy individual.
3. Write a clear and concise summary: Use your summary to highlight your skills, experience, and unique value proposition. Be sure to include specific examples of your work and any relevant certifications or awards.
4. Highlight your best work: LinkedIn is formatted almost like a sales page of all the best parts of you. There are places to showcase your best work, portfolio items, writing samples, publications, articles, case studies, as well as endorsements and testimonials from satisfied clients.
5. Engage with your network: Regularly engage with your network by sharing valuable content, commenting on posts, and participating in relevant groups. This will help you establish yourself as an expert in your field and build relationships with potential clients. Just remember, you're not engaging with the express intent of getting people to hire you: you're engaging so that people will start to know who you are.
6. Optimize your profile for search: Keywords should not be reserved just for your headline. Use them throughout your profile to make it easier for potential clients to find you. This includes your summary, experience section, and skills.

Twitter

Twitter is a fast-paced social media platform that allows users to post short messages known as “tweets”. It’s useful for freelance ghostwriters who want to share their thoughts on industry news or engage with potential clients or collaborators. The platform has over 330 million active users worldwide.

Pros:

• Ease of use: Twitter is a free platform that has a large writing and publishing community already active. It's relatively easy to learn and easy to use, and it doesn't require a lot of time or energy before your tweets start to get seen.
• Potential for virality: Tweets can quickly go viral if they’re popular among users. And you'll often find tweets, especially some of the more viral tweets, used as content on other platforms, which can extend your audience reach significantly.
• Up-to-date news sharing: The platform is great for real-time conversations about current events or breaking news in any industry, and there are always Twitter Chats and Twitter Spaces happening around every niche and industry to help you get in on those conversations.
• Built-in community: Because Twitter already has such a large writing and publishing community, it's a great platform to start collaborating with others in the industry.

Cons:

• Short-form: Tweets have a limited character count (280 characters), which can be challenging for longer-form writers when they first get on the platform.
• Hard to keep up: The fast-paced nature of the platform can be overwhelming for some users. This is especially true for new users who haven't started engaging with content yet and. therefore, are seeing a little bit of everything.
• Time-consuming: Twitter can be time-consuming, and it can be difficult to stand out in a crowded market.
• Drama and noise: There always seems to be some drama happening over on Twitter, and it's often a central piece to political arguments and outrage. This can make it hard to wade and sift through the content you don't want to see in order to find content from people you do want to see until you have spent the time engaging with certain content and blocking other content.

Effective Ways to Promote Your Ghostwriting Services on Twitter

1. Improve your Twitter bio and profile: To attract potential clients, it's important to have a strong Twitter bio and profile that showcases your skills and experience. Make sure your bio is clear and concise, and explain what you do and who you serve. You should also include links to your website or portfolio, and use high-quality images and graphics to make your profile stand out. Remember, most people aren't going to find you through searching—they are going to find you because they saw one of your tweets or met you inside a Twitter chat or a Twitter Space, or maybe even because they met you on another platform. So your Twitter profile should be less about keyword-search-optimized and more about reassuring people they've come to the right place by following through and checking you out.
2. Provide proof of skills: You are, of course, free to tweet about anything, so if you really just want to share those funny cat videos then by all means please do so. However, if you want potential clients on Twitter to hire you, you need to provide proof of your skills. This can include sharing writing samples, testimonials from previous clients, and case studies that demonstrate your ability to grow Twitter accounts and increase engagement.
3. Jump into the conversation: Twitter is home to all kinds of community chats and group conversations. There are Twitter Chats and Twitter Spaces centered on nearly every industry and niche available, whether you want to talk about writing in general or talk to people in the industry you're hoping to write for. And these conversations are the perfect starting point for introducing yourself to that community, demonstrating your skill and knowledge, and networking with potential clients.

Facebook

Facebook is the largest social media platform in the world, with over 2.7 billion active users, which Facebook a natural first stop for ghostwriters who need to market their services. It’s useful for freelance ghostwriters who want to connect with potential clients or collaborators in a more personal way. Facebook allows you to join groups focused on your industry or interests and share your writing with a wider audience.

Pros:

• Large audience potential: Like I said, everyone's on Facebook. That means Facebook has a huge audience, making it a great place to advertise your business.
• Cost-effective: Facebook advertising can be cost-effective, especially compared to traditional advertising methods2.
• Ability to target specific audiences: Facebook allows you to target specific audiences based on demographics, interests, and behaviors. In fact, I dare say that they have the most robust manual targeting system out of all the social media platforms (outside of search-based platforms like Pinterest, Google, and YouTube). When I run ads on social platforms, it's always easier for me to pick and choose my audience on Facebook than on any other platform.
• Easy to use: Facebook's advertising platform is user-friendly and easy to navigate.
• Focus on community: Back in 2018, Facebook announced their goal of helping people build community, and they have focused on community-building tools since. This has meant that their groups and group-related features are the most well-developed group features on any social media channel.

Cons:

• Pay to play: Facebook's organic reach has decreased, and businesses now need to pay to get their content seen. So it's probably an even better thing that you can target your audience so well when you do want to run an ad. Contrary to popular belief, I don't think this is a sign that Facebook is saturated or dying, like others will tell you. I actually think this is a symptom of how successful Facebook is as a platform; if it were dying, no one would be using it and there wouldn't be such competition to get your content seen.
• Ad-heavy newsfeeds and ad-fatigue: People on Facebook are inundated with ads, affiliate links, friends selling products and services, and sponsored posts. And they are sick of them. People on Facebook are more likely to tune out the ads than they are on most other platforms.

Effective Ways to Promote Your Ghostwriting Services on Facebook

1. Define your ideal clients / target audience: Take some time to define the types of clients you want to target or work with, the type of content they respond to when they're on Facebook, and what they would want to see from you. This will help you create targeted ads and content that will resonate with them.
2. Share your knowledge and expertise: Once you know what your ideal clients would want to see from you on Facebook, start creating that valuable content they would either find helpful or relatable. This can help establish you as an authority in your field in the eye of your potential clients and convince them that you're the perfect ghostwriter for they'll want to work with should they ever have a need for one.
3. Engage with your audience: The Facebook algorithm favors genuine engagement, which means having a two-way conversation. Respond to comments and messages in a timely manner to show your audience that you are engaged and interested in their needs and invite them to continue the conversation with you. This can help build trust and establish relationships with potential clients.

Instagram

Instagram is a visual-focused social media platform that’s great for freelance ghostwriters who want to showcase their personality and style through their writing. The platform has over 1 billion active monthly users worldwide.

Pros: 

• Platform size: Instagram is a popular social media platform with a large user base, so it can be an effective way to reach potential clients.
• Owned by Meta (formerly FACEBOOK): Since being bought out by Meta, Instagram has become Facebook's sister-site, meaning that a lot of the targeting tools you can use on Facebook can be translated over to Instagram, especially through Meta Business Suite.
• Highly visual: Instagram's visual nature allows you to create eye-catching graphics and images to promote your services.
• Several tools available: No matter what type of strategy you want to use for marketing your ghostwriting services, Instagram has you covered: Posts, videos, and carousels on your profile feed can showcase your work and help build trust and authority with potential clients; Reels have massive reach that can get you discovered by new potential clients; Instagram Stories allow you to engage with your audience and build deeper relationships with potential clients; livestreaming allow you to connect with your audience in real-time and demonstrate your expertise.

Cons:

• Confusing algorithm: Instagram's algorithm can make it difficult to reach a large audience, especially if you don't have a large following. And it seems that everywhere you turn for advice on how that algorithm works, everyone has a different answer. For sure, Instagram's algorithm is built to help people find the content they want to see and works to keep them on the platform longer, but as far as what format (ie., Reels or Stories) is weighted within this algorithm, no one knows.
• Highly visual: Yes this was also a pro. While it's great for creatives you can create eye-catching graphics and photos of the world around them, it may not be the best platform to showcase your writing skills and can be difficult to get into if you are not graphically inclined.
• Ad fatigue: Sponsored posts and “influencer marketing” are becoming the majority on the platform, which can make organic posts feel less valuable. It's to the point where there has to be a disclaimer when it's not an affiliate or sponsored post because people are so used to others selling to them and they are tired of it.

Effective Ways to Promote Your Ghostwriting Services on Facebook

1. Identify your target audience: Once again, you have to know who you're talking to, especially if you want an algorithm to help you find those people. Before you start promoting your services, identify your target audience. This will help you create content that resonates with them and increases your chances of getting hired.
2. Share your life and work environment: People like to peek in and see the world from your eyes, and Instagram is the perfect platform to give them that peek. Show off images of your workspace, computer or office, internet cafes or coffee shops if you write outside the home, and any pets that you would call your “coworkers”. Optionally, you can also share information about the area in which you live, info on your travels, and/or your children if you like (these are all deeply personal aspects of your life, and you can certainly draw boundaries around them if you don't want to share details of them).
3. Share your portfolio: Share your portfolio on Instagram to showcase your writing skills and attract potential clients. You can also share testimonials from previous clients if you have them to help build trust.
4. Collaborate with other writers: Collaborate with other writers or influencers in your niche to reach a wider audience. You can do this by guest posting on their blog or social media, doing Story swaps, or by doing a joint Instagram Live session.
5. Engage with your audience: Engage with your audience by responding to comments and direct messages. This will help you build relationships with potential clients and increase your chances of getting hired.

As you consider which platforms will work best for you, think about your goals – do you want to connect with potential clients, showcase your writing style, or join conversations about industry news? By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each platform, you can make an informed decision that will help you meet your goals as a freelance ghostwriter. 

Build Your Network

Follow Industry Leaders

One of the best ways to build your network on social media as a freelance ghostwriter is by following industry leaders. I tell my clients all the time: the fastest way to be seen as an expert is to be seen with the experts. It's not about who you know, but about who knows you. Industry leaders have already established themselves in that industry and can offer valuable insights and advice. Following them on social media platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn can provide you with access to their expertise and potentially connect with them and even develop a friendship down the road. 

When following industry leaders, make sure to engage with their content by commenting, liking, and sharing their posts. This will help you establish a connection with them and potentially even get noticed by them or their followers. Just make sure you are genuine in your approach: don't comment so that they will benefit your business, comment because you want to be their friend.

Engage with Potential Clients

Another essential strategy for building your network on social media as a freelance ghostwriter is engaging with potential clients. Take the time to research companies or individuals who may require ghostwriting services and follow them on platforms where you've established your presence. Engage with their content by commenting thoughtfully and sharing relevant articles that may be of interest. 

Engage with Your Audience

One of the most important aspects of setting up social media profiles as a freelance ghostwriter is engaging with your audience. After all, social media is all about building relationships and connections. Here are some strategies for effectively engaging with your audience: 

Respond to Comments and Messages

When someone takes the time to leave a comment or send you a message on social media, it's important to respond in a timely manner. This shows that you value their input and are interested in building a relationship with them. 

Make sure to read comments carefully and respond thoughtfully. Even negative comments can be opportunities for engagement if you respond in a positive, constructive way. 

Create Opportunities for Discussion

One way to engage your audience is by creating opportunities for discussion. You could ask questions related to your industry or share an interesting article and ask for feedback. This not only boosts engagement but also helps you learn more about what interests your audience. 

Participate in Online Communities

Another great way to engage with your audience is by participating in online communities related to your industry. This could be anything from Facebook groups to LinkedIn groups or even Twitter chats. By participating in these communities, you can connect with like-minded professionals and potential clients while also sharing your expertise. 

Show Personality

Don't be afraid to show some personality on social media! Share personal stories, behind-the-scenes glimpses of your work process, or even funny memes related to writing or freelancing. This helps humanize your brand and makes it easier for people to connect with you on a personal level. 

The Importance of Networking for Building Your Freelance Ghostwriting Business

Networking plays an essential role in building any successful business, including freelance ghostwriting. By connecting with others in your industry through social media platforms such as Twitter or LinkedIn, you can establish valuable relationships that may lead to new clients or opportunities down the line. 

Not only does networking provide access to potential clients, but it also helps you stay up-to-date on trends in the industry and learn from other experienced professionals. Participating in online discussions or groups related to your niche can also help establish yourself as an expert in your field and attract potential clients who are looking for someone with your expertise. 

Collaborating with Other Professionals

Another way to build your network as a freelance ghostwriter is by collaborating with other professionals in related fields such as editors or graphic designers. By establishing these relationships, you can offer clients a more comprehensive range of services, which can help set you apart from other freelance writers. 

Collaborating with others also provides an opportunity to learn new skills and gain insights into different aspects of the industry. You may even be able to refer clients to each other, which can lead to continued business down the line. 

The Power of Consistency

When building your network on social media platforms as a freelance ghostwriter, remember the power of consistency. Make sure to post regularly and engage with your followers consistently. This will help establish yourself as a reliable professional in your field and keep you top-of-mind for potential clients. 

Consistency also helps build trust with your followers over time and can lead to valuable referrals or recommendations from satisfied clients. So make sure to stay active on social media platforms and provide value through quality content and engagement. 

Share Your Work

How to Share Your Writing Samples and Portfolio on Each Platform in a Professional Manner

As a freelance ghostwriter, your writing portfolio is one of your most valuable assets. It showcases your skills and expertise, and gives potential clients a taste of what they can expect if they hire you. Sharing your work on social media platforms is an excellent way to reach a wider audience and attract new clients. 

Here are some tips for sharing your writing samples and portfolio on each platform in a professional manner.

LinkedIn: LinkedIn is one of the most popular social media platforms for professionals, making it an excellent place to share your writing samples and portfolio. 

You can add links to your writing samples in the “Featured” section of your profile, or include them in relevant posts. When sharing your writing on LinkedIn, be sure to write a brief introduction that explains what the article is about and why it's relevant to your audience. 

Twitter: Twitter is great for sharing short snippets of your writing or links to longer pieces. To share an article, simply copy the URL into a tweet along with a brief description or quote from the piece. 

Don't forget to include relevant hashtags so that people who are interested in your topic can find you.

Facebook: Facebook is another popular platform where you can share longer pieces of writing. 

You can publish articles directly on Facebook using the “Notes” feature (if it's available to you), or link to articles from other sources. Be sure to tag any relevant people or pages in your posts so that they are more likely to see it. 

Instagram: While Instagram may not seem like an obvious choice for sharing writing samples, it can be an effective way to showcase visual elements of your work (such as book covers) or quotes from your articles overlaid onto visually appealing backgrounds. Use hashtags strategically so that people who are interested in your niche can find you. 

Showcasing your work on social media platforms is a great way to attract potential clients and showcase your skills as a freelance ghostwriter. By sharing your writing samples and portfolio, you are giving people a taste of what they can expect if they hire you. Here are some reasons why showcasing your work is essential for attracting new clients: 

• Establishes credibility: Sharing your writing samples and portfolio on social media platforms establishes credibility by showing potential clients that you have experience in the industry and know what you're talking about.
• Demonstrates expertise: Your writing samples and portfolio demonstrate your expertise in specific topics or niches, which can help attract clients who are looking for someone with specialized knowledge.
• Differentiates yourself from other writers: By showcasing your unique writing style and skills, you differentiate yourself from other writers and stand out from the crowd.
• Showcases versatility: Sharing a variety of writing samples (e.g. blog posts, articles, white papers) showcases your versatility as a writer, which can be attractive to clients who need help with multiple types of content. 

Sharing your writing samples and portfolio on social media platforms is an effective way to establish credibility, demonstrate expertise, differentiate yourself from other writers, showcase versatility. When sharing your work on social media platforms, be sure to do so in a professional manner that highlights the value you bring as a freelance ghostwriter. 

Final thoughts on the Importance of Social Media for Ghostwriters

I get it.

A lot of freelance ghostwriters get into the industry because they want to help others write their stories, and they are okay with sitting in the background. As a people, we don't mind being invisible. So, for a lot of ghostwriters, the idea of having to hop onto social media to start marketing our writing services feels outside of our comfort zone and overwhelming.

Setting up social media profiles as a new freelance ghostwriter can seem daunting at first, but it's an essential part of building your business and connecting with potential clients. By choosing the right platforms, creating professional profiles, building your network, sharing your work, and engaging with your audience, you can establish yourself as a knowledgeable and reliable freelance ghostwriter. 

Remember to stay authentic and true to yourself throughout the process—people respond best to genuine connections. Good luck!