Intermediate Level: Scaling Your Freelance Business and Income

Intermediate Strategies for Growing Your Freelance Business.

3. Intermediate Level: Building Your Online Presence
- 3.1 Setting Up Your Freelancer Profile: Your Online First Impression

3. Intermediate Level: Building Your Online Presence

Welcome to the Intermediate Level! Now that you understand freelancing, it’s time to get visible online. This level is all about building your professional presence and attracting clients.

3.1 Setting Up Your Freelancer Profile: Your Online First Impression

Think of your freelancer profile as your online handshake. It’s often the first thing potential clients see. A strong profile can make clients say “Yes! I want to hire this person!” A weak profile? Clients might just scroll past. Let’s make yours stand out!

Why a Strong Freelancer Profile Matters (It’s Your Online Magnet):

First Impressions are HUGE Online: Clients decide quickly. Your profile is your instant opportunity to impress. Make it count!
Builds Trust & Credibility: A professional profile says “I’m serious, I’m skilled, you can rely on me.” Clients hire people they trust.
Attracts the Right Clients: A well-crafted profile targets clients who need your specific skills. Quality over quantity of inquiries.
Shows You’re Professional, Even as a Student: A strong online presence proves you’re professional, regardless of your student status. Clients care about skills, not just degrees.
Your 24/7 Marketing Tool: Your profile works for you even when you’re not actively searching. Clients can find you.

Key Elements of a Winning Freelancer Profile: Make Each Section Shine

Think of your profile as having essential “ingredients.” Make sure you include these, and make them high quality:

1. Professional Profile Photo: Show Your Face (The Right Way!)
- Why it’s important: People connect with faces. A photo makes you real, approachable, and trustworthy. No blank profiles!
- Do’s:
  - Professional, but Approachable: Smile naturally, look friendly and confident.
  - Good Lighting & Clear: Well-lit, in-focus photo. No blurry phone pics.
  - Appropriate Background: Clean, non-distracting background. Plain wall, simple office setting.
  - You Alone: Just you in the photo, no group pictures or distractions.
  - Current Photo: Look like you do now.
- Don’ts:
  - Selfies in Casual Settings: No bathroom selfies, party pics, or overly casual shots.
  - Sunglasses or Hats: Clients want to see your eyes and face clearly.
  - Low Quality/Pixelated: Avoid blurry, dark, or poorly cropped photos.
  - Logos or Avatars Instead of Your Face (Usually): Unless you’re in a field where anonymity is standard (rare for most tech freelancing), use your photo.

2. Compelling Headline: Your “Skill Hook” in One Line

Why it’s important: The headline is the first text clients read about you in search results and on your profile. It needs to grab attention and say instantly what you offer.

Do’s:

Be Clear & Specific about Your Skill: “Web Developer (ReactJS & Node.js Expert)” or “Graphic Designer

Branding & Logo Specialist”

Highlight Your Key Expertise: Focus on your strongest, most in-demand skill.
Keep it Concise & Punchy: Short, memorable, and impactful.
Use Keywords Clients Search For: Think about what clients type in to find freelancers like you (e.g., “WordPress Developer,” “Social Media Manager”).

Don’ts:
- Generic Titles: “Freelancer,” “Tech Expert,” “Student” - too vague and doesn’t say what you do.
- Funny or Unprofessional Headlines: Keep it professional and client-focused. Humor can backfire.
- Overly Long or Confusing Headlines: Keep it short, clear, and easy to understand at a glance.

3. Detailed “About Me” Summary: Tell Your Story & Sell Your Value
- Why it’s important: This is where you expand on your headline and give clients the full picture of who you are, what you offer, and why they should hire you.
- Do’s:
  - Start Strong - Hook the Reader in the First Sentences: Immediately state your key skills and what you can do for clients.
  - Focus on Client Benefits, Not Just Features: Instead of “I know HTML, CSS, JavaScript,” say “I build fast, responsive websites that help businesses grow online.” (Focus on results for clients).
  - Showcase Your Relevant Skills & Experience: Highlight the tech skills most relevant to the freelance services you offer. Even student projects can count as experience!
  - Quantify Your Achievements (If Possible): Instead of “Improved website speed,” say “Improved website loading speed by 30% using…” (Numbers are impressive!).
  - Keep it Concise & Readable: Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and clear language. No long, rambling essays. Clients are busy.
  - Professional Tone, but Still Personal: Professional language, but let your personality shine through a bit. Be authentic.
  - Call to Action (Subtle): End with a soft call to action, like “Let’s discuss how I can help you with your project” or “Contact me to learn more.”
- Don’ts:
  - Generic, Vague Descriptions: “Hardworking student,” “Passionate about tech” - too generic, doesn’t say what you can DO for clients.
  - Just Listing Skills (Without Context): Simply listing technologies is boring. Explain how you use those skills to solve client problems.
  - Typos & Grammatical Errors: Proofread carefully. Errors make you look unprofessional.
  - Too Long & Rambling: Clients won’t read huge blocks of text. Be concise and to the point.
  - Negative or Complaining Tone: Keep it positive and focused on your strengths and what you can do.
4. Skills Section: List Your Tech Arsenal
- Why it’s important: This is a quick, scannable list for clients to see exactly what technologies and skills you possess. Keywords matter here.
- Do’s:
  - List All Relevant Tech Skills: Be comprehensive but focus on skills relevant to your freelance services. Include programming languages, software, tools, methodologies.
  - Use Industry Standard Keywords: Use the terms clients actually search for (e.g., “ReactJS,” “WordPress,” “SEO,” “Social Media Marketing”).
  - Categorize Skills (Optional): Group skills into categories like “Web Development,” “Design Tools,” “Marketing Skills” for better organization.
- Don’ts:
  - Irrelevant Skills: Don’t list skills that have nothing to do with your freelance services. Focus on what’s client-relevant.
  - Typos & Misspellings: Double-check spelling of tech terms.
  - Exaggerated Skill Levels (If Platforms Allow Skill Levels): Be honest about your skill level (Beginner, Intermediate, Expert). It’s better to be accurate.
5. Portfolio (Even a Small One!): Showcase Your Work - Prove Your Skills
- Why it’s important: Show, don’t just tell. A portfolio is proof of your abilities. Even as a beginner, you can build a portfolio.
- What to Include (Even if You’re Just Starting):
  - Student Projects: Class projects, assignments, personal coding projects. Show what you’ve built!
  - Practice Projects: Create sample projects specifically for your portfolio (e.g., design a sample logo, build a demo website).
  - Contributions to Open Source: If you’ve contributed to open source projects, link to your contributions on GitHub or similar platforms.
  - “Before & After” Examples (if applicable): Show improvements you’ve made (e.g., website speed optimization “before” and “after” results).
- Presentation Tips:
  - High Quality Visuals: Use screenshots, mockups, demos to showcase your work visually.
  - Brief Descriptions: For each portfolio item, write a short description explaining the project, your role, and the skills you used. Focus on what you did and what you learned.
  - Organize Your Portfolio: Categorize projects if you have different types of work (e.g., “Web Development Projects,” “Design Portfolio”).
- Don’ts:
  - No Portfolio at All (If Possible): Try to include something, even if it’s small. Clients want to see your work.
  - Low Quality or Unrelated Work: Only include your best and most relevant work.
  - No Descriptions: Don’t just show images – explain what clients are seeing and what skills it demonstrates.
6. Testimonials/Client Reviews (Get Social Proof - Even if New!)
- Why it’s important: Testimonials from happy clients are powerful social proof. They build trust and make you more credible.
- How to Get Testimonials (Even When Starting Out):
  - For Initial Small/Practice Projects: Ask friends, classmates, or mentors for feedback on your work and if they’d give you a short testimonial. “Even feedback like ‘This person is reliable and delivers quality work’ is a start.”
  - For Pro-Bono Work: If you do any free work to build experience, ask for a testimonial in exchange for your free service.
  - Request After Every Project: Make it a habit to ask clients for a short testimonial after every completed project (even small ones). Polite follow-up matters.
- Where to Display Testimonials:
  - Freelance Platform Profiles: Most platforms have sections for client reviews and ratings.
  - Your Portfolio Website (If You Have One): Dedicated “Testimonials” section.
  - LinkedIn Profile (Recommendations Section): Request recommendations from clients or collaborators on LinkedIn.
- Don’ts:
  - No Testimonials at All (If Possible): Even a few starter testimonials are better than none. Aim to get some feedback.
  - Fake Testimonials: Never make up testimonials. Honesty is always best.
  - Ignoring Negative Feedback (Completely): If you get constructive criticism, learn from it and improve your profile and services. You don’t have to display negative reviews, but use them to grow.

Where to Build Your Profile: Choose Your Online Stage

Freelance Platforms (Upwork, Fiverr, etc.): Excellent starting points to create profiles and find initial clients. Many clients browse platforms directly.
LinkedIn Profile: Essential professional networking platform. Optimize your LinkedIn profile as a freelancer, even if you also use freelance platforms. Clients and recruiters often check LinkedIn.
Personal Portfolio Website (Optional, but Powerful Long-Term): For more advanced freelancers, having your own website as your portfolio hub is ideal. Gives you full control and a professional online “home.” Consider this later, as you progress.

Your Intermediate Action Steps: Profile Power-Up - Go Build Your Profile!

Choose Your Platform(s) to Start: Focus on 1-2 platforms initially (e.g., Upwork + LinkedIn).
Gather Your Profile “Ingredients”:
- Take a professional profile photo.
- Write a compelling headline highlighting your key skill.
- Draft your “About Me” summary focusing on client benefits.
- List your tech skills using industry keywords.
- Select portfolio items (student projects, practice projects) to showcase.
- Brainstorm who could give you starter testimonials (friends, classmates if you’ve done practice work for them).
Create Your Profile(s): Set up your freelancer profile on your chosen platform(s), section by section, using your prepared ingredients.
Get Feedback: Ask a friend or mentor to review your profile. Is it clear? Professional? Does it highlight your skills well? Get a second opinion.
Start Applying for Projects: Once your profile is ready, start searching for freelance projects that match your skills and apply! Your profile is your foot in the door.

In Summary, “Setting Up Your Freelancer Profile” = Your Online Client Magnet:

A strong freelancer profile is essential for attracting clients, building trust, and showcasing your tech skills online. It’s your 24/7 representative in the freelance world. Invest time to make it shine – it will pay off!

Now, go create or revamp your profile and get ready to impress potential clients! Let’s build your online presence and make you discoverable!

GPT Prompts

“Explain why a strong freelancer profile is critical for attracting clients.”
“List key elements to include in a winning freelancer profile.”
“Generate tips for writing a compelling bio to showcase your expertise and personality.”
“Write a guide for beginners to choose the right freelancing platforms for their skills.”
“Suggest steps for updating and optimizing a freelance profile to appeal to intermediate-level clients.”
“Explain how to use keywords effectively in your profile to appear in client searches.”
“Draft an action plan for creating profiles on multiple freelance platforms.”
“List mistakes to avoid when setting up your freelancer profile.”
“Generate ideas for integrating portfolio work into your freelancer profile for maximum impact.”
“Explain how to continuously update and improve your profile as your skills grow.”

National Digital Capacity Library - Sri Lanka