More so, the freedom that comes with freelancing can be put into other ventures to increase your income. Everyone talks about how freelancing is the easiest way to reach your goal of making thousands of dollars a month. While some give you actionable steps to take, others just say stuff like “being a freelancer is the best decision I ever made.”
Whatever the case may be, we’ve highlighted a couple of ways you can make more money as a freelancer in Nigeria in this article.
Let’s get started.
1. Select a niche/skill
While many freelancers are successful in being generalists, concentrating on a specialty or a particular market increases your chances of thriving in the competitive freelance market.
For example, instead of portraying yourself as a copywriter, UX writer, SEO writer, or creative writer, focus on at least one niche or skill. It doesn’t mean that you ignore other skills you have, you’re just focusing on your strength and maximizing it to the fullest.
This way, clients see you as very skilled in a particular field, with your other skills as add-ons.
Additionally, it helps you to focus on clients that are ideal for you, develop additional expertise, increase your knowledge base, and gain brand recognition in your field.
2. Build a portfolio
The best way to showcase your skills is by creating a portfolio to exhibit your work. It could be a WordPress site, a series of organized assets in a Google Drive link, or Notion pages.
Your goal is to provide proof of the skills you say you have, and how you have used those skills to create desirable results for the clients you’ve worked with.
So, include relevant past experiences and contact information to enable your potential clients can find you easily.
A portfolio gives your prospective clients clarity about your services, work you’ve done, and reviews from former clients.
But if you’re a beginner with little to no experience, consider taking volunteer and pro-bono work to help build your portfolio.
3. Garner more skills
The money you receive as a freelancer depends on your available skills and the effort you put into delivering your job. To earn higher hourly rates, develop more skills, especially those highly sought after, and reach out to more clients.
A good way to do this is to identify skills relevant to your niche as you climb higher in your career. For example, you can learn about SEO and social media management as a content marketer.
Your aim is not to gather different skills from different niches. But to have more skills relevant to your niche that enable you to charge higher.
4. Don’t underprice yourself
The biggest mistake you’ll make as a freelancer is thinking you’re not good enough to charge fair rates for your services. Never listen to that voice in your head.
Rather, research current prices in your niche based on your expertise and level, and let that guide you when charging for your services.
This only applies when you are grounded in your skills and can provide high-quality services. Most clients won’t be reluctant to pay higher rates to a freelancer who makes a great initial impression and convinces them they can deliver quality value.
5. Sell digital products
Selling digital products is another way to make more money as a freelancer. Digital products have come to stay, so you can make the most out of them.
Consider teaching people about the ins and outs of freelancing or a skill you’re so good at or sharing your experience about how you’ve been a successful freelancer for X years.
You can write an ebook about it, create an online course, or create a worksheet to help other freelancers. Either way, you can consistently get paid for what you know.
6. Approach clients
In freelancing, going beyond your comfort zone, helps you to land more projects. Send that Twitter DM or cold email, what’s the worst that can really happen?
Outside LinkedIn, platforms like Expaat, help you reach global clients easily. And when you do get these clients, offer high-quality services to retain them.
7. Refine your online presence and stay consistent
Most clients prefer to check your social media presence as a freelancer before they decide to work with you. This is why having a personal brand online is important.
Talk about the skills you’re excellent at, the projects you’ve worked on, and the lessons, and challenges you experienced. Let the world know what an amazing freelancer you are.
Update your social media bios and title, clearly stating what you do. Follow accounts relevant to the kind of services you render and interact with people and companies in your field.
More importantly, stay consistent. Consistency here doesn’t mean posting every day. It really means selecting the days you want to show up and showing up on those days so you stay top of mind for your audience.
Your goal is to make your name synonymous with your skill. So when a client who’s also part of your audience needs your services, you easily come to mind.
7 Websites You Can Make Money as a Freelancer in Nigeria
1. Expaat
Probably the best of all times, Expaat is a freelance website connecting freelancers in Nigeria with global clients. Whether you’re a software developer, designer, research analyst, digital marketer, or copywriter, there’s a job for you on Expaat.
You can sign up very quickly. Just visit expaat.co and click on “Apply as a freelancer” to sign up and get matched to clients in need of your skills. Once you sign up, set your rates for each job and bid for clients.
2. Fiverr
The phrase, "Sell your services beginning at $5," is pretty realistic. You may provide just about anything you can think of, such as writing and performing a poem, making DIY items, etc.
Writing and translation, web marketing, film and animation, music, programming, and graphic design are some fundamental areas.
3. LinkedIn
Create an account and select from numerous types of jobs, each with a large number of offers from recruiters.
All there is to do is create a LinkedIn profile, follow the relevant people and pages, and market yourself to people telling them that you have the skillset and the experience they need. Even more, let them know you are open and available to take up offers.
4. People per Hour
Make a captivating profile, search for employment, send out proposals, and create a little video marketing your offerings.
With PeoplePerHour.com, everything is extremely simple: you identify a customer, deliver high-quality service, and get rated.
5. 99designs
Here, over 281,579 designers from 192 different nations may network with prospective customers and present their jobs.
A customer gives details about his company and the kind of logo he wants. The customer may then select the design that he likes most once the designers have submitted their work.
You search for design competitions, participate in those you like, and do your hardest to win. Your prestige will increase as you win more competitions, and you'll have additional possibilities.
6. iFreelance
iFreelance is a sizable freelance network with areas for writing, translating, architecture, engineering, graphic design, marketing, traditional art, and lots more.
7. Simply Hired
This is a comprehensive website for finding freelance work, especially if you're a writer, graphic designer, or web designer. You can easily browse through the current job postings in your field, to find one that suits you.
Here are the top websites to find freelance work in Nigeria.
Top Services You Can Offer to Make Money as a Freelancer in Nigeria
The following are the top services you can offer as a freelancer to make more money online.
- Web Development
- Web design
- UX design
- Content writing
- Copywriting
- Graphic Design
- Digital Marketing
- Virtual Assistance
- Social media management
- Video or photo editing
Conclusion
There are perks attached to being a freelancer such as the freedom to work from anywhere you choose, the ability to set your own rules, freedom from mindless office politics, less stress, and the opportunity to spend more time with friends and family.
Every aspect of freelancing can be learned and honed. If you are on this path, I hope you find this information useful and that you prosper in your freelance career.
