If you don’t know where to even start when it comes to finding freelance jobs online, you’re not alone! In fact, the number one question I get from readers and students is “where can I find clients?!”.

It’s a great question.

The internet is a huge place, after all, and there are so many potential clients lurking behind every click.

At the start of my freelance career, I spent an unhealthy amount of hours getting lost down the rabbit hole of Google searches for things like “freelance jobs online”, “freelance writing jobs”, “jobs looking for freelance writers”.

There are literally so many sites out there claiming to have a hotbed of clients ready and waiting to snap you up. But when you actually start digging, it’s harder than you think to find high-quality clients that are willing to pay you what you’re worth.

So, without further ado, here are the most successful ways I’ve found freelance jobs online:

1. Twitter (In What I Call The “Active Approach”)

Millions of people use Twitter and pretty much every brand imaginable has some kind of presence on this mammoth social media site. This means it is a great place to find freelance jobs online – if you know how to do it.

Instead of just scrolling through your feed and hoping something pops up, actively search for brands in your niche using the search function and start making connections with them.

The great thing about Twitter is that people expect you to connect with them, which makes it an excellent place to build up a network of potential clients.

Simply search “[NICHE] brands” and follow, Tweet, or engage with any relevant companies you come across.

2. Twitter (In What I Call the “Passive Method”)

We’re still on Twitter here because there are so many different ways to find freelance jobs online with this goldmine of a platform. After you’ve connected with brands in your niche, the next step is turning it into a job search tool.

To do this, find hashtags that you can follow which regularly share freelance jobs online – try #freelancejobs and #freelancerswanted to begin with – and set a time each week to check in on them.

You can also search for accounts that regularly share freelance jobs. For example, @freelancewritingjobs shares daily callouts for freelance writers.

3. LinkedIn (In What I Call the “Active Approach”)

Like with Twitter, the active approach to finding freelance jobs online with LinkedIn is using the search function to find brands that fall into your niche. Start by running a simple search for “[NICHE] brands” and filtering the search to “companies”.

Once you’ve identified a selection of potential clients, you can connect with key staff members, like the marketing manager if you’re a writer or the head of design if you’re a designer.

4. LinkedIn (In What I Call the “Passive Method”)

And just like with Twitter, there is a passive method for using LinkedIn to find freelance jobs online too. LinkedIn was made for job hunting, so use it as it was meant to be used!

Search for your niche and discipline in the search bar and filter to show “jobs”.

The rest is pretty straightforward!

5. Freelancer Groups

Your fellow freelancers are one of the best ways to find freelance jobs online.

Think about it:

If someone else is overflowing with work, there’s a high chance they’ll refer it onto you if you’re in their vicinity. You can also team up and collaborate with freelancers in different disciplines to take on bigger, better-paying projects.

Freelancer groups are everywhere, but Facebook is a good place to start. Seek out Facebook groups dedicated to freelancers, get involved, and start networking. You’ll soon find that this feels more like fun than finding work.

I might be biased, but my Facebook group, Creative Freelancers Unite, is a good place to start 😉

6. Agencies

If you haven’t already researched and introduced yourself to agencies, it might be a good time to start. While they don’t always pay top buck, they pay considerably better than most projects on freelancing websites like Upwork and Fiverr. However, they find clients for you so you don’t have to.

And there are tons of them out there. Agencies can be an excellent way to top up your client list in dryer times with steady work and a decent income.

When you’re looking for agencies, there are two good places to start:

• Search for agencies that specialise in working with clients in your niche (like tech-specific agencies if you’re a tech writer)
• Search for agencies that are local to you, as the local connection will make you stand out amongst other freelancers

Agencies are always on the hunt for freelancers to add to their roster, so don’t be shy in reaching out to them.

7. Indeed

There are literally millions of job boards out there that can make finding freelance jobs online confusing and incredibly time-consuming.

Indeed is one of these sites, but it scrapes a lot of jobs from all over the web and shares them all together in one place.

Just make sure you add the keyword “freelancer” to your searches to ensure you’re bringing up freelance jobs. For example, if you’re looking for jobs in the freelance health and wellbeing sector, search “freelance writer wellbeing”.

8. Google Careers

Like Indeed, Google Careers brings together job listings from all over the web. It’s not solely dedicated to freelance positions, but there are plenty on there if you dig deep enough.

Again, make sure you use the word “freelance” or “freelancer” when searching for jobs here so you’re only served relevant jobs.

9. Dedicated Freelancer Job Boards

If you’ve started having a look at freelance jobs online, you’ll probably have come across dedicated freelance job boards.

These are sites that solely share freelance jobs, and include platforms like ProBlogger’s job board, Remote.co, and Contena.

To find boards relevant to your discipline, simply run a Google search for “freelance [discipline] job boards”. These boards tend to be regularly updated with freelancer jobs so you don’t have to sift through 9-5 positions to get what you want.

They can be a quick and easy way to find a large quantity of potential projects in a short space of time.

However, you’re usually up against a lot of competition on these sites, so bear that in mind when using this method to find freelance jobs online.

10. AngelList and Other Startup Lists

Startups are often on the hunt for their next batch of talent, and most of the time they’re looking to fill freelance positions. They’re set up so you can browse through a list of the latest startups and can see how big they are and any positions that they’re hiring for.

It can be a great way to build a network of potential clients and put yourself out there for freelance roles. On AngelList in particular, there is a “startup jobs” section that has a range of positions available, from freelance web developers, to writers, designers, and marketers.

You can also see how big the company is (a.k.a. how many employees it has) to see if it is a viable business and has the funds to pay you what you’re worth.

11. A Good Old Google Search

Google is still your best friend if you’re looking for freelance jobs online. The search engine is one of the best ways to discover clients in your niche to reach out to and pitch your services.

This is a powerful way to build a roster of clients you love working with.

Start by searching for “[NICHE] brands” and creating a list of potential companies. Then, craft a pitch outlining your services and the value you can bring to these brands.

My program, Pitch & Prosper, shows you exactly how to write an engaging pitch that actually converts and how to use Google to find high-quality clients who really value what you’re doing and are willing to pay good money for it.

Ready to Find Freelance Jobs Online?

These are the methods that have worked best for me, and I’ve landed a client using every single one of these so I know they work. It’s worth scheduling time into your work week to carry out some of these activities, even if it’s just half an hour every Friday afternoon before you clock off for the weekend.

Good luck and happy hunting!