If you’re anything like me, X/Twitter takes up a lot of your time.
Whether you’re scrolling through a trending hashtag for a laugh or two or desperately stalking your favorite celebrity, it’s that kind of place where time seems to disappear.
X/Twitter is a great source for connecting with freelance writing clients.
It’s taken me a while to build my love-hate relationship with X/Twitter to one that’s mostly filled with good feelings. As a writer, a site that’s limited to 140 characters is both a welcome challenge and the bearer of doom (how can I not cut this down to one tweet?!).
As I’ve been dabbling with X/Twitter over the years, I’ve realized that it’s such an awesome platform to connect with other professionals. The short blasts mean conversations are quick and to the point, and the option to curate your feed to a fine point is priceless for writers (can I get a heck-yeah for all that inspiration?!).
Since I became a freelance writer I’ve been spending more time on X/Twitter than ever before. Not because I’m procrastinating to within an inch of my life (okay, maybe that’s partly true), but because I’ve found it a great source for connecting with clients.
Here are some great ways you can pick up clients on X/Twitter like it’s going out of fashion.
Set Up Your Profile Properly
It makes me sigh in desperation when I see freelance writers not making the most of their profiles on platforms like X/Twitter.
You’re given a tiny slice of space to promote yourself and your services, but so many writers choose to shout about their love of fine dining or crafting rather than their skills with words.
If you don’t blatantly state you’re a freelance writer, how is anyone going to know that’s what you do when they stumble on your profile?
Before you step anywhere near X/Twitter, make sure your profile is up to par with a brief description of your services, a professional headshot, and a link that directs potential clients to a site where they can learn more about you.
X/Twitter Lists
X/Twitter lists are pretty much a god-send for freelance writers. Not only can you curate your own little party of inspiration, but you can group together potential clients and keep a close, beady eye on them.
They don’t even have to know they’re part of a special group either, because you can privatize X/Twitter lists so only you can see them. Once you’ve set up a few, remember to check back regularly and share the content your favorite brands are posting.
There’s nothing quite like a little scratch on the back, and when you start engaging with potential clients on X/Twitter they’ll already know who you are when you reach out to them later down the line (more on this below).
Reach Out and Connect
The great thing about X/Twitter is that it’s a two-way street. You’re not the only one on the prowl for clients and connections – everyone is. That includes potential clients and brands you love.
When a brand follows me on X/Twitter that I believe I could help content-wise I send out a quick email to connect on a deeper level.
The best part is they made the first move, so they’re obviously interested in what I have to offer. This technique has led to a number of working relationships and referrals, and it’s a great way to link up with brands and clients you wouldn’t have found otherwise.
Tweet Your Best Stuff
I strongly advise writers against simply pushing out their own content hour after hour. X/Twitter is a social platform that requires real engagement and real conversations.
That being said, there’s no harm in showing off some of your best work every now and again. I often forget that I have a whole portfolio of content that’s just sitting there waiting to be shown off to the world and, you never know, it might catch the eye of a brand out there who’s looking for something similar.
As well as tweeting samples of your work, you could also push out testimonials every now and again. Building trust is an important part of being a writer and running your own business, and testimonials are a great way to establish your position as a super-duper writer.
Hashtags
Ah hashtags. The love of some people’s lives and the bane of others. Whatever anyone says about hashtags, it’s easy to see they’re a great way to whittle down the content in your X/Twitter feed and hone in on the good stuff. There are a couple of ways you can tap into the power of hashtags:
- Search for keywords in your industry – Writing about travel? Use #travel or designated hashtags like #ttot to find brands who are tweeting about it. From there you can start engaging with your favorite brands and creating connections.
- Join X/Twitter chats – X/Twitter chats are all the rage at the moment and there seems to be several each week in every industry you can think of. Research some of the chats in the areas you write about and join in a couple each week. There tend to be tonnes of brands tweeting during chats for exposure, so be sure to check out who’s involved and start making connections.
I’ve joined several travel X/Twitter chats in the past (one of the areas I write in), which saw my follower count go up drastically during those hours. The best part? A large number of my new followers were travel brands with websites and blogs crying out for great content.
As you can see, X/Twitter doesn’t just have to be a massive time suck. In fact, it’s a great platform for seeking out potential clients and making connections with them.
The social aspect of it means everyone’s on the look-out for a decent 140-character conversation, and there’s millions of brands in every niche waiting for your “favorite”, “retweet”, or “follow”.
How do you use X/Twitter to find clients? Any techniques I’ve missed here?
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