Ultimate Guide: How to Hire Freelance Digital Marketer

Finding the right professional can make a significant impact on your marketing efforts. In many cases, it’s more cost-effective to hire a freelance digital marketer who can effectively utilize various digital channels.

But with so many freelancers available, how do you ensure you make the right choice?

We’ve hired our fair share of freelance marketers, so we’ll guide you through the process of hiring one.

Our Favorite

Fast. Flexible. Freelancers.

MarketerHire

• Pre-vetted experts across marketing specialties
• No long-term contracts or hiring delays
• You choose the talent — they make the match
• Great for startups and fast-moving teams

Learn More

On-Demand Talent. No Agency Markups.

GrowTal

• Freelancers in paid ads, SEO, email & more
• No bloated retainers or hidden fees
• Work directly with proven specialists
• Ideal for lean, agile marketing teams

Learn More

Managed Marketing. Vetted Talent.

Mayple

• Fully managed strategy + execution
• Mayple oversees quality and performance
• Great for founders who want hands-off growth
• Backed by structured reporting and results

Learn More

What Is a Freelance Digital Marketer?

A freelance digital marketer provides digital marketing services on a project basis or as an independent contractor instead of as a full-time employee for a company. They often work remotely and offer specialized skills in various aspects of digital marketing to businesses and individuals. A digital marketing consultant can be hired for specific projects or ongoing work, showcasing their diverse skills in creating and managing comprehensive digital strategies.

Freelance digital marketers perform similar tasks to their full-time counterparts but with some key differences. Digital marketing freelancers should possess a comprehensive understanding of various marketing strategies, proficiency in design software, and a strong portfolio showcasing their work on diverse projects. Here are some of the typical freelance digital marketing services:

• Marketing Strategy Development: Develop comprehensive digital marketing strategies tailored to their specific goals and target audience. This includes conducting market research, analyzing competitors, identifying target demographics, and determining the most effective channels for reaching the target audience.
• Campaign Planning and Execution: They create and execute digital marketing campaigns, including search engine optimization (SEO), content marketing, social media marketing, email marketing, pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, and other online advertising methods.
• Content Creation: Creating engaging and relevant content for various digital platforms, such as blog posts, website copy, social media updates, email newsletters, and video scripts.
• Analytics and Reporting: Monitoring and analyzing key performance indicators (KPIs) is a crucial part of a freelance digital marketer’s role. They use tools like Google Analytics to track website traffic, conversion rates, and other metrics.

Reasons to Hire a Freelance Marketer

Hiring a freelance marketer allows businesses to optimize their marketing efforts, tackle short-term projects, and leverage the skills of experienced professionals without the commitment of a full-time hire. A digital marketing expert can play a crucial role in developing effective marketing strategies and analyzing campaign performance. Here are some common reasons why businesses choose to hire a freelance marketer:

• High Workload: When the workload of your internal team exceeds its capacity, hiring a freelance marketer can help alleviate the burden. Freelancers can take on specific projects or tasks, allowing your team to focus on core responsibilities.
• Specialized Expertise: If your business requires a particular skill set, such as SEO, social media advertising, or content marketing, hiring a freelancer with expertise in that area can bring valuable knowledge and results. A digital marketing professional with extensive experience and relevant certifications can provide the credibility and authority needed to enhance your online presence.
• Short-Term Projects or Influx of Work: Freelancers can be a cost-effective solution to handle short-term projects or a temporary influx of work. Simply hire them for the duration of the project or until the workload returns to normal.
• Limited Staffing Budget: Freelance marketers offer flexibility and cost-effectiveness, allowing you to access marketing talent without incurring the expenses of a full-time hire.
• Access to a Larger Talent Pool: Tap into a global talent pool and a diverse range of skills, perspectives, and experiences. Choose from a wide range of freelancers with different backgrounds and expertise.
• Fresh Ideas and Perspectives: Freelancers work with multiple clients and industries, exposing them to different challenges and trends. As a result, they can bring fresh ideas, creativity, and unique perspectives to your marketing initiatives.
• Scalability and Flexibility: Whether you require a freelancer for a specific project, ongoing support, or occasional assistance, you can easily scale up or down as necessary.
• Faster Time to Market: If you need to launch a campaign quickly or expedite your marketing efforts, hiring a freelance marketer can help you accelerate your time to market.

What to Look for in a Freelance Digital Marketer

When looking for a freelance digital marketer, consider several key factors to ensure you hire the right professional for your needs. Here are some essential aspects to look for:

Skills

Evaluate the specific skills the freelancer has and match them with your requirements. Digital marketing specialists play a crucial role in analyzing market conditions and managing online advertisements. Depending on your project needs, you may want expertise in the following:

• SEO
• Social Media Marketing
• Content Creation
• PPC Advertising
• Marketing Analytics
• Email Marketing
• Growth Marketing
• Brand Management

Characteristics

Along with specific hard skills, several qualities and characteristics make for a great freelance marketer. A few of the most important characteristics to seek out include:

• Adaptability
• Willingness to learn
• Positive attitude toward professional growth
• Excellent communication skills to ensure smooth collaboration
• Problem-solving and analytical skills to find creative solutions
• Attention to detail
• Professionalism and reliability

Qualifications

Formal qualifications may not always be necessary for a freelance marketer. Instead, assess their certifications and background of experience. Some helpful things to watch for include:

• Google Ads certifications
• Google Analytics certifications
• HubSpot certifications
  • For a more basic understanding, check these free courses on HubSpot setup.
• Portfolio of clients in your industry/ with similar needs
• Case studies/ demonstration of previous results

Digital Marketing Services

Digital marketing services encompass a wide range of activities designed to promote a business or brand online. These services can include social media marketing, content marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, email marketing, and more. A digital marketing specialist can help businesses develop and implement a digital marketing strategy that aligns with their goals and target audience.

Some common digital marketing services include:

• Social Media Marketing: This involves creating and scheduling social media posts, responding to comments and messages, and analyzing engagement metrics. Effective social media marketing can help build brand awareness and foster a loyal community around your brand.
• Content Marketing: Creating and publishing blog posts, articles, and other types of content to attract and engage with target audiences. High-quality content can drive traffic to your website, improve SEO rankings, and establish your brand as an authority in your industry.
• SEO: Optimizing website content and structure to improve search engine rankings and drive organic traffic. SEO is a long-term strategy that can significantly increase your online visibility and attract more qualified leads.
• PPC Advertising: Creating and managing paid advertising campaigns on platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads. PPC advertising can provide immediate visibility and drive targeted traffic to your website, making it an essential component of a comprehensive digital marketing strategy.
• Email Marketing: Creating and sending targeted email campaigns to subscribers and customers. Email marketing is a powerful tool for nurturing leads, driving sales, and maintaining customer relationships.

By leveraging these digital marketing services, businesses can effectively reach their target audience, achieve their marketing goals, and drive growth.

Steps for Hiring a Freelance Digital Marketer

Determine Your Digital Marketing Needs

The first step is to determine your marketing needs. Figure out which areas of marketing you need a freelancer’s help with. A few questions to ask yourself include:

• What are the current marketing roles and responsibilities of my employees?
  • Growth Marketer Hiring Guide
  • PPC Specialist Hiring Guide
• Which areas of expertise are we lacking?
• What are our marketing goals for the next 30 days? 90 days? Year?
• Which marketing projects do we need help with?

Set Your Budget

After getting a good idea of your overall marketing needs, you must set a freelance digital marketing budget. If you plan to outsource most of your marketing needs to a freelancer, then you should allocate a larger percentage of your marketing budget. In general, it’s fair to spend around 5-10% of overall revenue on marketing.

Create a Job Description

Once you’ve nailed down what help you need and how much you can spend, it’s time to craft a job description. Create a detailed, yet easy-to-follow job description that outlines the core responsibilities, duration/timeline, expectations, and compensation.

Use the Top Freelance Marketer Sites

Next, it’s time to find potential freelance marketers! One of the best places to do this is on freelance marketing websites. Each website may work a bit differently, but they all aim to connect qualified freelance digital marketers with job openings.

A few of our favorite freelance marketing websites include:

• MarketerHire: The best for high-quality marketing talent
• Upwork: A well-known freelance website offers a large pool of freelance marketers
• Fiverr: One of the largest freelance job boards with many specialized marketers

Assess Candidates

Freelance websites make it easy to compare various freelancers. When evaluating potential candidates, consider:

• Relevant experience (with projects and companies like yours)
• Professionalism
• Cost
• Turnaround time
• Reputation (reviews are extremely helpful for this)

Prepare a Contract

If you’re hiring a freelance digital marketer on your own, then you should create a contract. This solidifies that both parties know and agree to a set of expectations. It can help protect you from legal trouble and keep your freelancer accountable.

Since freelance marketer websites already have terms of services and expectations, they help streamline the contract and agreement process.

Onboard Your New Freelance Digital Marketer

After officially agreeing to the job details and contract, it’s time to onboard your new freelance digital marketer!

• Meet to review the project and answer any questions
• Create logins for them and share the information
• Provide brand guide documents and information on current marketing
• Guide them toward the first tasks/activities
• Share daily, weekly, and monthly expectations
• Review data collection and management
• Set up a payment system (if applicable)

Digital Marketing Tools and Platforms

Digital marketers use a variety of tools and platforms to plan, execute, and measure their digital marketing campaigns. These tools help streamline workflows, automate repetitive tasks, and gain insights into campaign performance. Some common digital marketing tools and platforms include:

• Social Media Management Tools: Tools like Hootsuite and Sprout Social allow digital marketers to schedule social media posts, monitor engagement, and analyze performance across multiple social media channels.
• Content Management Systems (CMS): Platforms like WordPress and Drupal make it easy to create, manage, and publish content on your website. A robust CMS is essential for effective content marketing and SEO.
• SEO Tools: Tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush provide valuable insights into keyword rankings, backlink profiles, and competitor analysis. These tools help digital marketers optimize their websites and improve search engine rankings.
• PPC Advertising Platforms: Platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads enable digital marketers to create and manage paid advertising campaigns. These platforms offer advanced targeting options and detailed analytics to maximize the effectiveness of PPC campaigns.
• Email Marketing Platforms: Tools like Mailchimp and Constant Contact allow digital marketers to create and send targeted email campaigns. These platforms offer features like automation, segmentation, and analytics to improve email marketing performance.
• Analytics Tools: Tools like Google Analytics and Mixpanel provide detailed insights into website traffic, user behavior, and campaign performance. Analytics tools are essential for measuring the success of digital marketing efforts and making data-driven decisions.

By utilizing these tools and platforms, digital marketers can enhance their efficiency, optimize their campaigns, and achieve better results.

How to Measure Success

Measuring the success of digital marketing campaigns is crucial to understanding what’s working and what’s not. Digital marketers use a variety of metrics to measure success, including:

• Website Traffic and Engagement Metrics: Metrics like page views, bounce rate, and time on site provide insights into how users interact with your website. High engagement metrics indicate that your content is resonating with your audience.
• Social Media Metrics: Metrics like followers, engagement rate, and reach help measure the effectiveness of your social media marketing efforts. These metrics can indicate how well your social media posts are performing and how effectively you’re engaging with your audience.
• Conversion Metrics: Metrics like lead generation, sales, and revenue are critical for measuring the success of your marketing campaigns. Conversion metrics help determine the ROI of your marketing efforts and identify areas for improvement.
• Return on Investment (ROI) Metrics: Metrics like cost per acquisition and return on ad spend provide insights into the financial performance of your marketing campaigns. These metrics help digital marketers optimize their budgets and allocate resources more effectively.

By tracking these metrics, digital marketers can refine their campaigns, optimize their budgets, and improve their overall performance. Regularly reviewing and analyzing these metrics is essential for achieving long-term success in digital marketing.

Tips for Working with a Freelance Digital Marketer

Working with a freelance digital marketer can be a great way to access specialized skills and expertise without committing to a full-time hire. Here are some tips for working with a freelance digital marketer:

• Clearly Define Your Project Goals and Objectives: Before starting any project, make sure you have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve. Clearly defined goals and objectives will help guide the freelancer’s efforts and ensure that everyone is on the same page.
• Establish a Clear Communication Plan and Schedule: Effective communication is key to a successful working relationship. Establish a communication plan that includes regular check-ins, updates, and feedback sessions. This will help keep the project on track and address any issues promptly.
• Set Realistic Expectations and Deadlines: Be realistic about what can be achieved within the given timeframe and budget. Setting realistic expectations and deadlines will help avoid misunderstandings and ensure that the project progresses smoothly.
• Provide Access to Necessary Tools and Resources: Make sure the freelancer has access to all the tools and resources they need to complete the project. This may include access to your website, social media accounts, analytics tools, and any other relevant platforms.
• Establish a Payment Plan and Terms: Clearly outline the payment terms and schedule in the contract. This will help avoid any confusion or disputes regarding payment and ensure that both parties are satisfied with the arrangement.

By following these tips, you can build a successful working relationship with a freelance digital marketer and achieve your digital marketing goals.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

When working with a digital marketer, there are several common mistakes to avoid. These include:

• Not Clearly Defining Project Goals and Objectives: Without clear goals and objectives, it’s difficult to measure the success of your marketing efforts. Make sure you have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve before starting any project.
• Not Establishing a Clear Communication Plan and Schedule: Effective communication is essential for a successful working relationship. Establish a communication plan that includes regular check-ins, updates, and feedback sessions.
• Not Setting Realistic Expectations and Deadlines: Be realistic about what can be achieved within the given timeframe and budget. Setting unrealistic expectations and deadlines can lead to frustration and disappointment.
• Not Providing Access to Necessary Tools and Resources: Make sure the digital marketer has access to all the tools and resources they need to complete the project. This may include access to your website, social media accounts, analytics tools, and any other relevant platforms.
• Not Establishing a Payment Plan and Terms: Clearly outline the payment terms and schedule in the contract. This will help avoid any confusion or disputes regarding payment and ensure that both parties are satisfied with the arrangement.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can ensure a successful working relationship with a digital marketer and achieve your digital marketing goals.

How Much Do Freelance Digital Marketers Charge?

Freelance digital marketers may charge anywhere from $50 to $200 per hour, although some may offer monthly retainers for a set amount of hours or work.

Hiring a freelancer provides the opportunity to save on overhead costs and keep your budget down. However, that doesn’t mean that every freelancer is inexpensive. When assessing how much freelance digital marketers charge, we must keep in mind that marketing job salaries and freelance rates vary greatly.

The top factors that influence the cost of hiring a freelance digital marketer include:

• Experience level
• Expertise (special certifications or qualifications)
• The parameters of the project
• The duration of the project
• Location of the freelancer

Our Favorite

Fast. Flexible. Freelancers.

MarketerHire

• Pre-vetted experts across marketing specialties
• No long-term contracts or hiring delays
• You choose the talent — they make the match
• Great for startups and fast-moving teams

Learn More

On-Demand Talent. No Agency Markups.

GrowTal

• Freelancers in paid ads, SEO, email & more
• No bloated retainers or hidden fees
• Work directly with proven specialists
• Ideal for lean, agile marketing teams

Learn More

Managed Marketing. Vetted Talent.

Mayple

• Fully managed strategy + execution
• Mayple oversees quality and performance
• Great for founders who want hands-off growth
• Backed by structured reporting and results

Learn More

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a freelance digital marketer do?

Freelance digital marketers work as contractors to handle a wide variety of marketing responsibilities, including content creation, social media marketing, SEO, ads, website development, marketing strategy, and more.

Is hiring a freelance digital marketer worth it?

Yes, hiring a freelance digital marketer can be worth it if you need specific expertise, have an influx of marketing tasks, and choose the right freelancer for your company.

How much do freelance digital marketers charge?

On average, freelance digital marketers charge between $50 and $200 per hour for marketing services.

Where do I find a freelance digital marketer?

One of the best places to find a freelance digital marketer is on freelance marketing websites like Market Hire, Upwork, or Fiverr.

What skills should I look for in a freelance digital marketer?

Time management, attention to detail, creative problem-solving, and hunger to learn are some of the top skills to look for in a freelance digital marketer.