Want to earn a living doing something you enjoy that matches your natural talents and ALSO allows you to work from your boat from anywhere in the world? If so, becoming a freelance digital marketer may be for you!
Cruising sailors all over are getting into the field of digital marketing. No more being bound to a desk in a corporate environment. Instead, you could be lounging on your boat with the wind in your hair while chatting with clients. You can also earn an attractive salary as a digital marketer.
In this article, our guest writer Seth Hymes of In Demand Career outlines how you can get started as a freelance digital marketer, even if you have zero experience.
What is Digital Marketing?
Digital marketing is advertising-based content delivered through digital channels, like social media, email, mobile apps, websites, and search engines. In fact, this blog is a form of digital marketing!
Some of the more popular types of digital marketing options are listed below, though you can specialize in multiple skills and provide more comprehensive services to your clients.
- Search Engine Optimization
- Pay-Per-Click Advertising
- Search Engine Marketing
- Email Marketing
- Content Strategizing
- Content Management
- Video Marketing
- Social Media Marketing
- Affiliate Marketing (Here’s my favorite affiliate marketing course)
Internet marketing is a huge sphere with various areas where you can find jobs. If you aren’t sure where to get started, your best bet is to do a little research to find what types of digital marketing interest you or match your strengths and skillset.
You can also get the support of a digital marketing mentor who can help you identify your strengths and guide you toward online courses that can help you get started.
Experience is More Valuable than Accreditation
Considering that digital marketing is a rapidly-evolving industry, certifications are not enough to land you jobs. The ability to learn on the job is critical for building your resume and developing a portfolio.
Prepare to pick up advanced technologies, techniques, tools, and design strategies to help clients build an online presence.
Training in Google Analytics, Google Adwords, and Social Media Ads will help you get ahead quickly. Another high-demand and lucrative digital marketing position is social media management for businesses and brands.
(Side note from Melody: If you’re looking for some of the best training for social media management, I recommend checking out Your Social Team. They have incredible, high-converting Canva templates for Instagram that make the job of any social media manager easy!)
Accept Freelancing Projects
The key to being a successful digital marketer is starting small with real projects. Develop your own website to practice advertising your skills. (Divi theme with WordPress makes it easy for anyone to develop a website!)
You can also look for projects on social media or professional portals like Upwork, Fiverr, PeoplePerHour, and various others.
Getting jobs as a novice can be challenging, but many employers are willing to try working with fresh talent. Their objectives range from keeping costs low to adopting innovative approaches to their marketing strategies.
You’ll have a better chance at snagging projects if you read the task requirements carefully and understand what you’re expected to do before responding to job postings. Expect to work at low rates. You can always raise pricing once you acquire enough positive feedback and ratings.
Develop Soft Skills
Since you’ll work remotely, develop the essential soft skills to provide efficient services to your clients. When you’re working from aboard your boat, self-discipline and the ability to always have a backup plan is critical.
Since you’ll balance working and a passion for traveling the world, you’ll learn time management and dedication to delivering on deadlines (more on than in just a minute). Clients appreciate contractors willing to take the initiative to try new things and focus on perfection and attention to detail.
Have Good Communication
Adhering to deadlines and regular communication with team members from global locations is one of the most crucial skills for a digital marketer. You’ll share files and request updates and feedback on the completed tasks. If you create media like videos and images, you may need fast connectivity to upload large files.
However, if you’re working from (various!) remote locations, that can present added challenges. Working in the digital sphere requires a steady and robust internet connection. While you can expect to use VoIP services via messenger apps and Skype, you’ll have to let collaborators know that Facetiming could get tricky.
Internet Can Be a Challenge
Technology is, no doubt, advancing quickly, but internet connections on the water can be expensive and slow compared to the connections on land.
If you’re docked near public Wi-Fi, a one-time purchase of a Wi-Fi extender connects you to free networks anywhere. There are security risks with these open networks, though, which makes them less desirable when you’re accessing client data.
A Wi-Fi hotspot is sufficient for staying in touch with your friends and family, but this option may not be powerful enough for efficiently completing your tasks. The most powerful option is a BGAN system — though their price may make them out of reach when you’re just starting out.
You may need to use a combination of these options to figure out what system balances best for your work and your travel plans. You’ll have to get creative with organizing communication timelines and deliverables according to your possible location.
Challenges of Working Aboard
Working as a digital marketer providing services to worldwide clients and designing advertising and sales strategies is an exciting job. You’ll explore your creativity and interact with customers from different locations with varying requirements.
Look forward to a fast-paced, quickly evolving career with the potential to gain hands-on experience and earn fantastic salaries. You’ll also get the freedom to explore new places and travel as much as you want.
However, you’ll need to factor in a whole new set of challenges that are quite distinct from other remote workers . Use your creativity to get around them, and you can surely be very successful in your freelance digital marketing business.
Since 2016, Seth Hymes has helped thousands of people acquire in-demand skills in digital marketing and get into high paying and fulfilling careers, no matter where they start.
