Table of Contents

Introduction

After the pandemic, there has been a huge shift from traditional jobs to freelancing.

As a result, more and more companies started hiring freelancers which led to a huge growth of the gig economy.

Taking advantage of such a shift, LinkedIn, which was initially a platform on which professionals across the world could connect with each other has also introduced a service called LinkedIn Marketplaces.

What is LinkedIn Freelancer Marketplace?

How can this benefit freelancers?

Read the entire article, to know the answer to these questions. 

Key Takeaways

  • Ever since the pandemic, there has been a tremendous increase in the number of freelancers and this trend is constantly growing even after the pandemic has come to an end.
  • To facilitate the increasing number of freelancers to carry out their services, LinkedIn has recently launched a new service termed as LinkedIn Marketplaces.
  • This platform is different from other freelancing platforms such as Upwork and Fiverr.
  • To know more about how this platform is different, and how you can use this platform to showcase your services, do read the complete article.

What is LinkedIn Marketplaces?

LinkedIn Marketplace is an integrated platform that allows you to showcase your services along with networking with professionals from your field.

Unlike standalone freelance platforms like Upwork or Fiverr, LinkedIn Marketplace leverages the vast professional network already established on LinkedIn, providing a seamless experience for both freelancers and clients.

Features:

  • Profile Integration: Freelancers can use their LinkedIn profiles as portfolios, showcasing endorsements, recommendations, and work history.
  • Search and Discovery: Businesses can easily find freelancers using filters for location, skills, and expertise.
  • Direct Communication: Messaging between freelancers and clients happens through LinkedIn’s chat feature, enabling quick and transparent communication.
  • No Commission Fees: Freelancers retain their full earnings since LinkedIn doesn’t take a cut from payments—a major advantage over traditional freelance platforms.

How to Prepare for LinkedIn Marketplace?

If you are a freelancer who has just started your freelancing journey, creating your freelancing profile could be a challenging task.

Below are a few tips that could ease the process of creating a successful page on the LinkedIn Marketplace:

Develop Your Portfolio

It is true that resumes contain most of the information about the work that you have done. 

However, they are not sufficient. Your clients can vest their trust in you only when you can show concrete proof of what you can do.

So, if you don’t have a highlight reel of your greatest projects, now is a great time to gather those documents.

Here are some of the tips that can help your portfolio stand out:

  1. Put your best work forward: Whenever you are making your portfolio, you don’t have to add every work that you have done. Only include your best work. Somewhere between seven and 10 examples is the sweet spot for your portfolio.
  2. It’s all in the details: Always include details which are required by your employers. Let them know the who, what, why, where, and how of each project that you have added in your portfolio.
  3. User experience: Always tailor content to each individual job posting to create the most streamlined user experience.

Set Competitive Prices

If you are a freelancer who has just started with your freelancing journey, deciding prices for your services, could be a little overwhelming.

Here are some of the pointers that you can consider while deciding your price:

  1. How much money do you want to make: Decide the amount that you want to earn annually. This can help you decide the price that you want to charge for your services.
  2. Business costs: While setting your price, consider business costs which are expensive such as health insurance and taxes along with other costs such as laptops and software.
  3. Working hours: Do consider the time time you would like to take off like sick leaves, etc. while calculating your rates.
  4. Value your work: Always remember that the work you do is highly valuable. Even after considering all the points mentioned above, if you feel that your price is below the market standards, you need to reassess how much value you’re affording your work.

Optimize Your Website

Whenever your potential clients or employers view your website, it is unlikely that they will stop there.

In order for them to find out more about you and what work you do, it will be beneficial for you if you create and optimize your website.

Here are a few tips that you can incorporate while curating your website:

  • Create a headline that lets visitors know what you’re about as soon as they land on your site.
  • Include a photo of yourself on the website in order for the clients to connect with you in a better way.
  • Include client testimonials.
  • Post your rates.
  • Showcase your personality in the website.

Market Yourself

You can earn some bonus client quotes and testimonials by marketing yourself.

These tips can help you score jobs and gain references that will boost your credibility when it’s time to build your LinkedIn Marketplace profile.

How to Set up Your Services Page on LinkedIn Marketplace?

Setting up a Service Page is quick and easy.

  • From your profile page click on ‘Open to’ at the top of page
  • Select ‘providing services’.
  • Click continue and complete page information.
  • Preview the page, then publish.
  • You have the option of inviting up to 20 clients to leave a review

You also have the option to hide/unpublish your page at any time and to choose whether to display or turn off the all of their reviews.

For the moment, reviews are by the provider’s invitation only.

To know more about how to set up your Services page, do watch the video attached below:

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Is LinkedIn Marketplace free to use?                                                                                                                                                                Yes, as of now, LinkedIn Marketplace is free for both freelancers and clients, with no commission fees or subscription costs.   

Which industries or services are most popular on LinkedIn Marketplace?
Popular services include content writing, graphic design, software development, digital marketing, consulting, and business coaching.    

Can I manage multiple clients on LinkedIn Marketplace?
Yes, but LinkedIn doesn’t have built-in project management tools. You’ll need to use external tools like Trello, Asana, or Google Workspace for project tracking.                                     

Conclusion

Therefore, LinkedIn Marketplaces is definitely one of the platforms that you can look up yo if you want to work as a freelancer.

Whether you are just starting out or have been doing it since a long period, this platform is equally important for all freelancers as it not only provides you with a platform to showcase your work, but also to connect with like minded people.

Hence, by following all the steps and procedure mentioned in the article, you can ensure that your page stands out form the rest.

So, what are you waiting for?

Create your Services Page now and start working!