📊 The social platform overtaking Instagram

Author

Jim Hamilton
September 01, 2023

Happy Friday! This is The Freelance Gig. We’re like a great Labor Day BBQ, here to get your next season off to a sizzling hot start.

Discussed in today’s edition: TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter / X. Plus a simple solution to scope creep, and how to create content for LinkedIn using AI.

Read time: 3 minutes and 21 seconds

Presented by BiziNumbers

Freelance accounting 101 in just 5 minutes per week

There’s a difference between working in your business and working on your business.

Problem is, most freelancers are so focused on one that they forget the other.

That’s why 80% of freelancer businesses fail within 3 years.

Luckily, this is where BiziNumbers comes in. Their free accounting newsletter is full of tips and tricks on how to manage cash flow, optimize profitability, and so much more.

All in just 5 minutes per week.

Making the Rounds

  • TL;DR: U.S. adults are now spending more time on TikTok than Instagram on a daily basis. But Instagram still generates 6x more ad revenue per user.

  • Why it matters: Talk of a country-wide TikTok ban seems to have quieted down. And in the meantime, the platform continues to surge in popularity among U.S. users.

  • TL;DR: The latest update to the LinkedIn algorithm lends more weight to hashtags and spreads content reach over a longer period of time, instead of in the first 24 hours after posting.

  • Why it matters: If you’re creating content on LinkedIn, adding hashtags may now get you more reach. And when evaluating the performance of your posts, consider looking at impressions after both 24 and 72 hours to get a better idea of how it’s doing.

  • TL;DR: Verified Organizations can now post job listings on their Twitter / X profile.

  • Why it matters: This could be an exciting new opportunity for freelancers to find work. Especially with all the recent changes at Twitter / X driving away some users.

Working With Clients

A Simple Solution to Scope Creep

Time is money.

So when a client asks for more work than what you originally quoted them


Your fee should go up, right?

Unfortunately, not all clients see it that way.

Some will even get upset if you try to point this out.

If you’ve ever wondered how to respond when the scope of the project starts to creep


Check out this article from our friends at Millo:

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Working For Yourself

How to Create Content For LinkedIn Using AI

LinkedIn is a goldmine for freelancers.

But only 1% of users actively create content on the platform.

If you’re looking to build an audience, demonstrate your expertise, and attract qualified inbound leads


Read this article to get inspired:

Together with The Copywriting Gig

Want to charge premium rates? Read this

Most freelancers struggle to raise their rates.

But it’s not because they aren’t good at what they do. It’s because they don’t know how to communicate their value to clients.

This is where the skill of copywriting comes in.

Learning how to target your client’s pain points, offer a compelling solution, and position yourself as an elite service provider is key to growing your business.

And our sister newsletter shows you how, step-by-step.

So if you’re eager to get fully booked with quality clients who are happy to pay top dollar


Tool of the Week

Whimsical: Build simple funnel maps for free

Even if you’re not a graphic designer or funnel builder


If you work in marketing, chances are you’ll need to map out funnels for clients from time to time.

And unless your client’s a seasoned direct response marketer


It’s easy to get bogged down trying to explain it to them.

Good news is, there are lots of tools out there to help you do that.

Bad news is, most of them suck.

They’re clunky, laggy, and not intuitive at all. That’s why we’re big fans Whimsical. It’s fast, free, and easy to use.

So whether you’re using it as a part of a proposal for a prospect


On a kickoff call with a new client


Or to collaborate with another freelancer to make sure they build the next funnel properly


Whimsical can help you get it done.

Bonus Points

đŸ€“ Learning: How to master any craft using the 4 stages of competence (Twitter / X)

💰 Business: Read these 6 books for a personal MBA (Instagram)

đŸ“© Email: Avoid these 7 deadly sins of email marketing (LinkedIn)

✍ Copywriting: 3 ways to use AI to become a better copywriter (YouTube)

đŸ› ïž Tools: Use these 11 tools to build a one-person empire (TikTok)