The role of a freelance social media manager in Dubai is increasingly becoming essential for many companies in the region. However, landing on such gigs may prove difficult for most beginners. Here’s a comprehensive guide to taking you through all that you need to know when looking for social media freelance work through some of the best sites.
One of the most effective ways to attract potential customers in the UAE entails being visible on social media, starting conversations with potential customers, and creating and sharing useful content with them on these platforms with the hope of increasing conversions.
This has resulted in more companies looking for qualified people to manage their social media pages such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
According to Linkedin data, social media positions posted on the site have seen a 1357% increase between 2010 and 2014. According to the study, the top five social media-related jobs on LinkedIn were: social media manager(21,106), social media marketing(11, 862), social media coordinator(6, 825), social media specialist(6, 709), and social media consultant (6, 051). According to the same statistics, 36% of social media jobs were entry-level, while 42% were senior-level jobs.
What does a social media manager do?
If you love social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat, you could turn it into a career. A social media manager develops a company’s social media strategy and manages its social media pages. In addition to that, they also track engagement metrics by analyzing the performance of their social media campaigns.
Necessary skills required to be a social media manager
Though the young generation are experts in using social media platforms, not all can make good social media managers. Having numerous social media accounts or frequently using them does not qualify you to be an excellent social media manager. Below are five skills that you need to be a good social media manager.
1. Copywriting
You will need to do a lot of writing as a social media manager, perhaps a few pages per day. Also, every social media requires a different style and tone depending on the audience. LinkedIn requires a more professional tone, while Facebook can be a bit lighthearted and fun.
However, the key is to create posts that your audience can easily understand and promote a positive image of your brand/company. A few basic copywriting skills that you could incorporate in your daily engagements with customers include:
- Short and concise headlines
- Engaging introductions
- Excellent structuring of text.
2. SEO knowledge
SEO and social media strategy go hand in hand. A good social media manager knows the importance of optimizing the content on social media platforms. Embracing SEO always helps you reach a larger audience hence more potential customers.
Therefore, a social media manager must understand the relationship between how social media and increased rankings in the SERPs, how to promote blog content on social media, and the importance of driving traffic to the website to increase revenue.
3. Customer Service
According to a recent survey, 90% of people have used social media to communicate directly with a brand. Customers find social media as one of the most effective ways to get answers about products. Lack of social media response for queries by customers might affect the image of the company. It might result in negative reviews on Facebook or Google.
A skillful social media manager should have the necessary customer care skills to interact with customers appropriately. They should also have in mind that they are the face of the company online, and their interaction with customers online affects the business.
According to a survey by Help Scouts, 86% of consumers quit doing business with a company due to poor customer service. While your job description as a social media manager may be indicated as 9-5, you need to be ready to answer customers’ queries anytime.
4. Research Skills
An excellent social media manager must keep up with the numerous technological changes that influence social media. They must also know trending content and how audiences are using different platforms to grow business. You can learn how to use Twitter Trends and the Facebook Trending sidebar, research hashtags, and understand how to set up essential tools such as Feedly and Buzzsumo.
5. Social Media Skills
This may seem obvious, but if you want to be a freelance social media manager in Dubai, you need to have a few years of experience under your belt. You can gain experience through lots of research and experimentation. You will also need to understand what type of content works for each platform and how to engage audiences through social media.
How to become a successful social media freelance manager
Competition in social media management is at an all-time high, and plenty of social media managers in the job market are charging low prices for their services. How do you position yourself as a quality social media manager without putting off potential clients away or pricing yourself out? What do you do to ensure that you are paid well and at the same time make sure that clients get value for their money?
1. Be creative
Social media platforms are designed to be as user-friendly as possible, and anybody can post content. However, you risk being declared redundant if you do not evolve with the market. Social media managers are also marketers who know their customer base and what they want to hear. You need to understand how to use social media in a way that improves business for the company.
2. Keep learning
Learning never stops. To be regarded as the best freelance social media manager in Dubai, you need to know how you will charge the highest prices. To charge the highest prices, you need to improve the level of service. Is it your copywriting skills, your graphics, your sales process, or lack of optimization? You can then take courses to acquire skills such as graphic design, web development, and SEO.
Improve your business systems
Always prioritize the critical aspects of your business. In this case, you can prioritize getting the latest software that could make your work easier. Things like client onboarding and other admin works should not affect the quality of your output to clients.
3. Learn to outsource
Look for people who can help you with some duties at a low price. They should also be able to perform like you or better. You can hire someone to schedule your posts or handle admin work at a cheap price.
4. Be a leader
Most social media managers are afraid to show what they can do. This makes them stagnate to the point that they may remain in junior positions for years. Showing leadership means that you are willing to share suggestions with clients, make decisions and deal with the consequences.
5. Work on your mental health
As a freelance social media manager in Dubai, your mental health needs to be high on your priority. You should fire clients who are constantly stressing you out. You will also realize that these bad clients will affect your value to the better clients who pay you better in most cases. Getting good sleep and eating a balanced diet is also essential.
How to land your first social media management client
- Establish a reputation
Since you cannot prove your years of experience in an agency or any company whatsoever, you can build a reputation from your own social media pages. Alternatively, you could create social media pages for your agency and build a following.
- Create a good proposal
You also need to create a good, well-polished summary of what you do. This can be a way of starting a conversation with a potential client. In your proposal, ensure that you describe your strategy and a brief description of the kind of services you wish to provide.
You can also include a guarantee in your proposal. The guarantee could be in the realm of “double your current Facebook followers in 6months” or anything on that line. With regards to pricing, it is wise to lower your price for your first client. After all, you want to be in the game for a long time and not in the short run.
- Find the right prospects.
Since you do not have an online presence, you can consider networking and having one on one conversations with people who have social media needs.
- Prioritize your portfolio
Your first client should be a gateway to get more clients. Do your best, and if you can, use them as proof of concept for future potential clients. You might also get some referrals from that client. This will put you on the right path to success as a freelance social media manager in Dubai.
Top 10 Best sites for finding social media work online in Dubai
1. Bawabba
Bawabba is the ultimate online job board with more than 4000 freelancers who provide more than 160 different services in Dubai. The platform has lots of jobs, and signing up takes less than a minute. At Bawabba, you can choose social media manager jobs that suit you depending on your experience and expertise.
The good thing is that you also work when you want, and you get to be reviewed by clients. It is vital to deliver value to clients to get good reviews which will help you get more clients. The site is also user-friendly and shares insightful tips on starting and scaling up your freelance career.
2. Worknass
Worknass is an online platform committed to helping freelancers enjoy what they do with the freedom to decide when they want to do it. If you are an expert at executing tactics and optimizing content, Worknass is the best place for you. The platform exposes you to numerous opportunities from clients based in different parts of the world. This helps you build an impressive portfolio that is essential in securing your future. You can sign up with them today to get the best opportunities.
3. Workhoppers
Workhoppers started when two work-at-home mums brainstormed on a way for companies and workers to find each other. That is how they came up with an online platform where matching algorithms generate the best match for the job at hand. You can sign up and create a profile that highlights your social media managerial skills. After that, potential employers near you will look at your profile, and you might get hired.
4. Upwork
Upwork is an American freelance platform where employers and individuals who are looking for freelance work conduct business. With over 8000 jobs posted daily, you can choose to work with various clients who pay the right prices for great work.
The platform is straightforward to maneuver, and good work is rewarded with private contracts that are not available publicly. There are hundreds of social media and influencer jobs posted on the platform from high-value clients such as Microsoft, Air BnB, and many more. Sign up and get one job that might propel your social media career forward.
5. Fiverr
Fiverr is a great way to utilize your social media managing skills while earning some cash on the side. The company was found in 2010 to allow freelancers to advertise their skills and list their available digital services. The skills offered by freelancers on the platform are called “gigs.” They go for as low as $5 hence the name of the company.
If you are a freelancer on the site, you are referred to as a seller. After creating a seller account, you can list social media manager as the type of service you intend to offer. After that, you can set the amount which you will charge clients.
6. Freelancer
Freelancer is currently the largest online marketplace for freelance jobs. The site contains 45 million employers and freelancers distributed across the globe. Creating a freelancer account is free and is open to anyone. Once you are done creating a profile, you can search for social media jobs that fit your expertise and experience.
7. GulfTalent
GulfTalent is a leading online recruitment portal that operates in the middle east. The platform is used by over 9 million professionals from all sectors and serves as a primary source for local and expatriate talent for over 10000 companies and recruiter agencies.
A quick search for social media manager jobs will give you a couple of results(vacancies) for social media manager jobs. You can create a profile on their website and apply for these jobs.
8. Indeed
Indeed is one of the most trusted and most visited job sites around the world. It is available in over 60 countries and represents a massive 16% market among all the job boards. Indeed also has a reputation of being the first place clients most companies go to place vacancies.
At Indeed, the process involves signing up, posting your CV, and then searching on their website to look at the numerous job vacancies posted on the site. You can search for remote social media jobs, or you can opt for UAE jobs near you.
9. Bayt
Bayt was founded in 2002 and is one of the most trusted brands in the Middle East. The team at Bayt has immense knowledge about the recruitment network and the business landscape in the UAE. The company has over 39 million job seekers and over 40000 companies from diverse industries looking to hire people.
You can check out their dashboard, where you first sign up, search for social media jobs and then apply for the most suitable depending on your level of expertise. Some companies offer internship positions, while others offer remote social media manager jobs.
10. Careerjet Dubai
Careerjet is one of the biggest employment search engines in Dubai. In just one search on their website, you will get access to hundreds of jobs. The job website does not host the jobs itself, but it redirects you to the original job posting. It, therefore, drives traffic to the company websites.
A search for social media manager jobs will show you the latest job vacancies in Dubai. Click on the most suitable job and apply for it.
Salary of a social media manager
The average salary of a social media manager differs from company to company and is influenced by the following factors.
- Experience
The longer you have worked as a social media manager, the higher your chances of fetching a good salary.
- Employer
Like most other jobs, the most stable companies that are performing well in their business will most likely offer a better salary than unstable companies struggling financially.
- Benefits
The salary offered to you might be tiny, but it comes with several financial and non-financial benefits as well as performance bonuses.
- Scope of work
For some companies, a social media manager job might only mean a person who handles the company’s social media pages. However, some job descriptions may want you to do more than handle the company’s social media pages. Your job description might also include social media marketing and sometimes traditional marketing.
According to payscale, the average annual salary of a social media manager is AED 86,897 while Indeed puts it at AED 4,708 per month.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the key skills that you must have as a freelance social media manager?
The key skills that you must have as a freelance social media manager are: copywriting ability, SEO knowledge, customer service, and extensive research skills.
What is the salary for a freelance social media manager in Dubai?
There are many factors that affect the salary of the individual such as their experience, scope of work, and who their employer is. However, according to Payscale, the average annual salary of a freelance social media manager in the UAE is AED 86,897.
Can I find social media manager work through freelancing websites?
Yes. You can find freelance social media manager work through certain freelancing websites such as Upwork and Bawabba.
Conclusion
Improvements in technology have led to widespread use of social media globally. This has also resulted in the emergence of new careers. A wise freelance social media manager in Dubai should take advantage of the rise of social media manager jobs to position themselves as the best in the business.
from Best Blog For Freelancers https://blog.bawabba.com/freelance-social-media-marketing/how-to-find-social-media-freelance-work-best-sites-for-finding-social-media-work-online/
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