As a creative professional, it is essential to have an online presence. After all, most of your potential clients or employers will likely find you through a simple Google search. If you’re not visible online, you’re missing out on opportunities. Luckily, you can do a few things to enhance your online presence and ensure the right people see you.
Start a Website or Blog
Starting a website or blog is one of the best ways to improve your online visibility. This is a great way to show your work, highlight your skills, and attract attention from potential clients or employers. Plus, if you regularly update your site with new content, you’ll ensure that people keep coming back for more. Not sure where to start? WordPress and Squarespace are two popular (and easy-to-use) platforms for creating websites and blogs.
Moreover, you will need to ensure that your website is optimized for SEO. This means using the right keywords, tagging your photos, and ensuring your site is easy to navigate. This will help you attract more visitors from search engines and, ultimately, help you improve your online presence.
Get Active on Social Media
Another great way to improve your online presence is to get active on social media. Platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram offer incredible opportunities for networking and marketing yourself and your work. Post engaging content to grab people’s attention and connect with other creatives in your field. Who knows—you might just make some valuable connections that lead to new opportunities down the road.
For example, if you’re a freelance writer, you could use Twitter to share your work, connect with other writers, and build up your online following. Similarly, if you’re a graphic designer, you could use Instagram to showcase your portfolio and attract new clients.
Bottom line: being active on social media is a great way to improve your online presence and reach new people.
Publish Your Work Online
If you’re not already doing so, another great way to improve your online presence is to start publishing your work online. Platforms like Medium and Behance offer great opportunities for creative professionals to share their work with a wider audience. Not only will this give you some valuable exposure, but it can also help you attract new clients or employers who are impressed by your work.
It’s also important to ensure that your online presence is professional. This means having a clear and up-to-date headshot, using a consistent name and bio across all of your platforms, and ensuring that your website and social media profiles are up-to-date.
Develop A Brand
If you want to stand out from the crowd, it’s important to develop a brand. This can be tricky for creative professionals, who often wear many hats and have diverse skill sets. However, it’s important to focus on what makes you unique and what sets you apart from other creatives in your field.
Think about what you want people to think when they see your name or work. Do you want to be known for your fantastic attention to detail? Or, perhaps, you want to be known as the go-to person for a specific type of project. Whatever it is, make sure your branding is consistent across all your platforms and accurately reflects who you are and what you do.
Become A Part Of An Online Community
As a creative professional, it can be easy to feel isolated. Fortunately, there are a number of online communities that can help you connect with other creatives and find support and advice. For example, The Creative Group has an online community for creative professionals that offers job search advice, networking opportunities, and more. Similarly, Dribbble is a popular online community for designers, illustrators, and other creatives to share their work and connect with others in their field.
Collaborate With Other Professionals
Finally, collaborating with other professionals is another great way to improve your online presence. This could mean guest blogging on another creative’s website, collaborating on a project, or simply sharing each other’s work online. Not only will this help you reach a new audience, but it can also lead to new opportunities and connections. Moreover, by collaborating with other creatives, you can also learn from each other and get new ideas for ways to improve your work.
There’s no doubt about it—if you’re a creative professional, it’s essential to have an online presence. Luckily, there are a few simple things you can do to enhance your visibility and attract the right kind of attention from potential clients or employers. So what are you waiting for? Start building up your online presence today!