Freelance Content Marketing Strategy Development

Struggling to land those high paying freelance clients?

You’re not alone.

When I first started freelancing I had no clue how to create a freelance content marketing strategy that attracts clients — not in a real sense.

My plan to attract clients?

I didn’t have one.

That’s why I started out on platforms like Upwork (then Elance).

I figured if I played my cards right, I could land clients without any kind of portfolio or past experience. At least that’s what I thought.

Boy was I wrong.

Even on platforms like Upwork, designed to make life easier for freelancers, you need a strategy and you need a portfolio.

The internet is full of content — some estimates peg the number of blogs alone at more than 600 million.

If you’re going to get noticed by clients in a crowded pond like that you have to be proactive and you have to be smart in your approach.

You might have the best content, on a beautiful website, but what good is that if no one knows you’re out there and they never read your posts?

Great content needs a great plan if you’re going to get noticed and land better paying clients. As a freelancer, you’re the writer, producer and promoter all rolled into one.

You have to establish your authority, build trust in your expertise and position yourself as a leader in your field.

That high-quality content is a start, but you need traffic that turns into repeat visitors if you’re ever going to turn them into paying clients.

With a great content strategy you can make that happen.

Let’s talk about how you do that.

Before we can make anything happen, let’s start with the basics — just what on earth is a content strategy anyway?

It’s a combination of planning, creation, publishing, distribution, marketing and managing your content.

In a nutshell, it’s your long-term plan for creating and sharing the content that will help to grow your freelance business.

Sounds like a lot, but once you get the ball rolling it gets easier.

The bottom line is this.

A good content strategy helps you focus on the purpose of your content in the first place and who you should be targeting, how you meet their needs, and how you build on that relationship to reach the ultimate goal.

Paying customers!

Give people what they want and they’ll reward you with brand loyalty and the potential to become customers down the line.

This isn’t a quick fix.

It’s an ongoing approach to how you market your business.

For example, I have content that appears on the first page of Google for organic traffic. As a freelance writer that’s gold!

It signals to my potential clients I have real expertise and I might know a thing or two about this whole online writing thing that could help their business grow.

That means more sales of my freelance services and more money in my pocket.

After all, that’s our goal right? Financial security as a freelancer.

Want to know a simple truth?

More than 70% of freelancers that are making a real living use a content strategy.

It’s not a nice to have. It’s a must have.

That is if you want to compete and land those big clients.

Your content strategy is your road map to freelance success. Without it you’re bound to take a wrong turn down a dead end.

It will help you today, tomorrow, and a year from now.

Believe me, your competitors are doing this. Start your roadmap today.

If you’re thinking at this point, why bother with all of this?

I get it.

It sounds like a lot of work, but think of it this way.

If you just create a website, write a few blog posts, and wait for the clients to roll in, you’ll be waiting a long time.

You’re blog post is like a dusty old book, buried in a box in the back of your garage.

It might be a masterpiece, but how is anyone ever going to know it’s there?

Now if that book was taken out of that box, dusted off, and placed on the livingroom coffee table, there’s a much better chance it will get discovered.

Think of your content strategy as your way of getting your content on that coffee table.

Still not convinced?

Here’s a breakdown of why you need a content strategy as a freelancer:

It creates clarity of purpose. As a solo creator you need an edge to compete against bigger players. Having a clear strategy in place allows you to stay focused on your goals such as building you personal brand, finding qualified leads, and keeping potential clients interested. Content creation without a purpose won’t help you do this.

It helps you choose the right content. Without a strategy how do you know what type of content to focus on? Do your ideal clients prefer video content, blog posts, podcasts, newsletters, or a combination of all of them? Also, which channels are best for distributing your content? A strategy aligns your content creation with your goals, instead of just blindly throwing darts at the board and hoping for a bullseye.

It helps you make better use of your limited resources. As a freelancer, you probably have a limited budget. You’ll want to spend the money you do have for marketing wisely. When you create a clear strategy for your content it’s like having a map to success.

It helps with online visibility. Remember earlier when I mentioned the importance of showing up on page one of Google’s search pages? Great content that’s focused and part of an overall strategy will help you get there. That means more clients for your business.

It boosts your authority and helps build trust around your brand. When you show up consistently and always share valuable content, that gets you noticed. Do that over and over again and you become an authority. Who would you rather hire? Someone with no credentials or someone that has clearly established their expertise?

It helps you get noticed. With more than 600 million other blogs out there you need a way to stand out to get noticed. Your content strategy is your tool for cutting through that noise and rising to the top.

That’s great, but how do you build your plan?

Here’s your content strategy blueprint and all the essential elements you need to build one that works:

Start With Goals and Objectives: Where are you trying to get to? Do you want to start by just building your personal brand or do you want to dive right in and start finding client leads? Whatever your initial goal is in creating a content strategy, it should be the driving focus behind everything you do. In the corporate world I used the SMART framework for prioritizing goals. It can be a great place to start.

Create Client Personas: Who is your ideal client? This is something you’ll want to dedicate time and research to. Don’t take a shortcut here. What are their pain points? What are they interested in? Where can you find them? If you can answer these questions effectively, you can build better content that will attract them and keep them coming back. Tools such as Hubspot’s Make My Persona can be a big help here.

Do a Content Audit: When I first started my website I had a basic idea of the content I wanted to create, but not a clear plan. So it’s no surprise some of that content doesn’t really align with my goals today. At this stage you’ll want to look closely at your content. What’s working and what isn’t? What’s missing? Find those gaps and opportunities in your content and target your future content on filling those gaps. A great tool that can help here is Google Analytics.

Content Formats and Channels: There’s no point in creating long blog posts if your ideal client loves video. Create content your potential clients will actually consume and share it on channels they actually use. That might be your blog, it could be a podcast, or it could be a major video platform such as Youtube or TikTok. Be where your audience is.

Build A Content Creation Process: Don’t just start writing. Figure out your process first, from research to idea, to publish. A content calendar can be a big help here.

Measure Your Content’s Success: It doesn’t make sense to keep doing something that isn’t working. That’s why it’s critical to continuously measure the success of the content you create. Set goals along the way for how many views you expect for each content type, how much engagement and how many leads you expect for winning actual clients. Once again, Google Analytics is a big help here.

Establish Content Guidelines and Policies: Consistency and quality are essential to your growth as a freelancer. Build a consistent brand voice that your audience can recognize and only produce content of the highest quality. If you don’t like it, your clients probably won’t either.

Following the blueprint above will land you more clients when followed consistently.

I can’t stress that concept enough.

Consistency.

No plan will work if you don’t follow it daily.

Here are a few more secondary elements to add to your content strategy:

Build Brand Guidelines: Your content has to stay on brand if you want to build an audience. That means creating a strong visual identity with a logo and consistent color theme. It also means consistent messaging and a well defined voice.

Use Editorial and Content Calendars: Plan ahead with overall editorial themes and create individual content that builds on those themes. Stay organized and stay consistent.

Use Pillar Content and Content Clusters: A staple in the SEO world is the use of pillar content and content clustered around that piece of pillar content. This helps to establish you as an expert on that topic. The goal is to cover all aspects of your chosen subject to create a richer experience for your audience (Spoiler alert! This post will be pillar content for future content I create).

Develop A Marketing Funnel: That audience you’re trying to build won’t always be ready to hire your services. That’s okay. A content strategy is a long term plan. Some visitors will just be discovering your helpful content for the first time, others will be ready to hire you. Create content built for people at different stages of their journey to get the most out of your content strategy.

We’ve covered a lot, but we’re not quite there yet. You have your blueprint, but how do you put it all together?

Here’s a simple 7 step framework you can use to start building your content strategy today:

Figure out your why. Why are you creating content and how can it help your freelance business?

Build your client persona. Don’t skip this. You may even need multiple personas. Create them if you want to be sure you’re making content that will reach and grow your audience.

Finish your content audit. Be completely honest with yourself. Look at all of your content and see if it aligns with your goals. If it doesn’t you may need to delete it. Fill any gaps you find with your audit with new helpful content that your audience will love.

Pick a content management system. It can be as simple as a Google sheet or Excel doc, but choose something that you’re comfortable with and stick with it. You’ll want something that makes it easy for you to plan, create and manage your content.

Choose your content types. Now that you know your goals, understand your audience and you have a grasp on your available resources, choose content formats and channels that align with all of this.

Keep brainstorming content ideas: Running out of content ideas can be a major problem for creators and content marketers. That’s why you should always be brainstorming ideas. I even keep a notebook next to my bed, just in case that groundbreaking idea hits me while I’m in bed!

Create your publishing and content management system. Don’t worry, this will all seem overwhelming at first. But as you establish your plan and put it into action, you’ll start to run your content strategy on autopilot. Use your content calendar and any other tools you feel help you with your process. A strong and consistent system is the key to success.

Feel free to bookmark this list and use it as a checklist as you go.

At this point you have a strong plan in place.

You understand how to choose your content and measure its success.

Now let’s take a closer look at some of the content types you can choose from to execute your content strategy:

Blog posts: If you’re trying to build an authoritative website as a freelancer, blog posts are a must. They help to establish your expertise and provide valuable content that your audience can link back to and bookmark for reference.

Ebooks: Ebooks are lead generation gold. If you have a client considering taking that next step, the offer of a free ebook to download can push them in the right direction.

Case Studies: Show don’t tell. That’s where case studies come in. They show real-world examples to potential clients of how you successfully executed the strategies you’re offering them. For an example of an effective case study, check out my recent case study How I Ranked #1 on Google with Zero Traffic to Start: SEO Case Study for Freelancers and Solopreneurs.

Templates: Chances are your audience is looking for tools that can help them with their business. Offering templates they can use to save time are a great way to build trust. For example you might find my free article outline template helpful.

Infographics: If you’re trying to help a visitor visualize what you’re talking about, there’s no better way than to include infographics in your content. They help to simplify data and make it easier to understand. For reference, take a look at my article 51 Remote Work Statistics for 2025. I included an infographic outlining key remote work statistics in this post.

Videos: When it comes to creating engagement, it’s hard to beat video. It’s a powerful tool when used to forward your content strategy. Don’t worry if your first few efforts aren’t mind blowing. Video production is a skill like any other. It takes time to develop. Check out one of my earlier efforts as an example.

Podcasts: Podcasts are growing in popularity. They’re a great way to showcase expertise and provide value to an audience. If you’re looking for more freelance ideas and tips my podcast, The Freelance Insider Show, is a great place to start.

Social Media Posts: Social media isn’t just a channel for distributing your blog posts and videos. It’s a great platform to create original content in its own right as well. This can be a key tool in your content strategy.

Other Visuals: Visuals come in so many forms. Not just videos and infographics. You can use GIFs, interactive tools, quizzes and surveys. All of these can add value for your audience and should be considered in your content strategy.

One thing all good content should have in common is a Call to Action.

It doesn’t have to be asking for a sale, but it should direct your visitor towards what action you’d like them to take next.

It could be reading your next article, downloading your free template, or, yes, contacting you for a quote.

If you want to convert one time visitors into loyal followers you have to have CTAs. Always make sure they’re visible, clear in their intent and relevant to your potential clients interests.

Don’t rush to publish if you’re not ready.

Make sure your content is always valuable, genuine and of the highest quality.

Solve problems. Offer advice.

Above all don’t be pushy.

If you don’t like that salesperson knocking on your door at supper time, chances are your potential clients feel the same way.

Be helpful and let your content speak for itself.

Demonstrate your expertise as a freelancer with real-world examples of your work. As I mentioned earlier, show don’t tell.

Your content strategy will help you plan your content creation so that it addresses your audiences needs and educates them in an area they need help with.

Your content should be a gentle nudge towards hiring you, not a blunt force instrument pestering them to take action.

If you can offer social proof even better.

Highlight positive testimonials from previous clients, point to real case study examples of your biggest wins and share your successes on social media.

All of this shows your potential clients that you’ve delivered for others and you can deliver for them.

Yes, your content should be the central piece of your content strategy, but there are three more things you should add to your success toolbox. Here’s a quick breakdown:

Growing Your Personal Brand — As a freelancer you’re unique. There may be lots of competitors out there, but none of them are quite like you. Build a personal brand that becomes your calling card. One that helps you stand out in a crowded marketplace. Remember to keep your brand consistent on your website, across social channels, on your podcast, and on any video platforms you build on. How people see you matters. They should be able to easily recognize you and your business no matter what platform they find you on.

Building Your Network — Reaching out to potential clients and peers on a personal level can be a great way to move your freelance business forward. In person networking is a great place to start, but joining Reddit groups, industry forums and online virtual meet and greets can give you a big advantage as well.

Partnerships — Why not hook up with other entrepreneurs that offer complimentary services to yours? A freelance writer for example, can partner with a graphic designer or a website builder. Each recommending each others services to their clients. It’s a great way to grow and expand your service reach.

Continuous Learning — The content strategy you’re building today may look very different from the one you’re creating three years from now. The online world is constantly changing and evolving. You have to adjust your strategy to keep up. That means constantly educating yourself in the latest methods and techniques. Making sure you keep up with the changes helps you maintain your competitive edge.

If you’re still with me at this point, thanks for sticking around.

I know there’s a ton of material here to digest, but having a clear content strategy is a must if you want to attract the right clients and keep building your audience.

All of this planning, organizing, and creating moves you one step closer to your goal — a successful freelance career.

You have to know your audience if you’re going to gain their trust and eventually win their business.

Knowing what type of content they like, which platforms they use and what their pain points are wouldn’t be possible without a strong content strategy.

Combine your winning content strategy with a strong personal brand, comprehensive network and powerful partnerships and you’ll be well on your way to success as a freelancer and solopreneur.

Remember, you don’t need to be everywhere.

Be where your ideal client is, speak to their needs, and create consistently.

Time to launch. Pick one content idea and get started today.