The digital nomad lifestyle is extremely appealing, as it allows you to travel the world, see unique perspectives, and enjoy all that life has to offer without feeling tied down. While the nomadic lifestyle can offer plenty of career growth, it may also make it challenging to market yourself to potential clients, especially if you’re juggling multiple freelance assignments.
However, you don’t have to set down roots just to build a successful business. Today, we’ll explore the ins and outs of marketing yourself as a digital nomad so that you have plenty of globetrotting funds.
Perform Market Research
While this may seem obvious, many digital nomads dive in head-first without identifying their niche or checking out the competition. It’s crucial to understand what you’re up against and determine what value you provide as opposed to others in your area.
As a freelancer, you are part of the product that you are selling; your expertise, prior experience, and reputation all contribute to your price points and overall offerings. As such, spend some time identifying what you do differently than other freelancers in your field of interest. You should perform a SWOT analysis, which will then inform your marketing copy and overall approach to the field.
Develop an Online Presence That Serves as a Storefront
Unfortunately, some companies may be leery of working with digital nomads, believing that they are untrustworthy because they do not have a physical storefront. You can counter this by developing a permanent online presence that serves as a hub for all your projects.
Just a Google Business Profile or social media page is not enough. Many clients will look down on a company that can’t host its own page and may believe that you’re a fly-by-night company that will not provide quality services. This site should contain your contact information, portfolio, pricing, frequently asked questions, and a blog that interested clients can review. Have links to all of your profiles on different platforms, like
Let Your Personality Mold Your Brand
Including part of yourself in your marketing makes it feel more authentic. It also allows you to stand out amongst a sea of other freelancers providing similar services. By developing your unique voice in your advertising, you create a brand and connect with potential clients on a deeper level.
For example, many freelancers will go for the tired symbol of a quill or a pen when developing their branding. What if you did it differently and chose your favorite plant or animal? You could find a specific color that you want to be synonymous with your work. These make you more memorable and, therefore, help you stand out in a crowded field of freelancers.
Emphasize Your Authority Through Well-Written Content
The best SEO methodology is to develop excellent content and regularly add more so that you have a solid catalog of well-written articles. This helps you establish Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T), which are used to determine a page’s rank.
Your research into what other freelancers are doing will prove vital here. Identify top competitors in your niche, then assess their blogs and other content to see what topics they are covering. After reviewing their content, identify ways that you can improve upon their work, such as by going into further depth, adding tutorials, or including a personal element that provides greater context.
You should also judiciously use keywords, which your potential clients use to find freelancers like you on their preferred platforms.
Don’t Discount In-Person Connections
It can be challenging to keep track of the many people you meet while traveling, but you shouldn’t let this discourage you. Many of these connections may turn into lucrative opportunities later on if you so choose. Your cubicle buddy at the office share space may have a lead on a great freelance opportunity, or the woman you rented a house from may need someone to redo her website for her.
As such, set up a professional social media page that others can follow and interact with. Facebook Pages are a great option, as they are a compromise between a personal and business account; people can message you about things of interest without intruding on your personal accounts.
Be Persistent, But Don’t Fear Experimentation
Marketing requires constant refinement and experimentation as trends change. What worked last year may no longer enjoy the same return on investment, meaning that you must remain agile. You may find that your marketing tactics need to change as you gain more experience and start attracting different clients.
However, consistent and regular effort will eventually pay off, especially if you continue to tweak your approach as you get feedback from clients. Continually produce high-quality content and reach out to those in your field of influence, ensuring that you have a steady “front page” to direct them to. Soon enough, you’ll be managing multiple jobs and building a stand-out portfolio that lets you travel the world with ease.
