As a video editor, finding clients can be challenging when you’re just starting out. However, with persistence and creativity, there are many ways to get your services in front of potential clients. Let’s explore some of the most effective strategies for finding video editing jobs as a freelancer.
Leverage Your Network
One of the best places to find clients is within your existing network. Make it known to friends, family members, and professional contacts that you provide video editing services. Offer them a discounted rate to get testimonials and referrals. Attend local networking events for small business owners and creatives to connect with potential clients. Don’t be afraid to tell everyone you know that you’re open for business! Word of mouth referrals can be a great way to organically grow your client base.
Promote Yourself on Social Media
Social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter are great for getting the word out about your services. Create profiles highlighting your skills, experience, and portfolio. Post examples of your work, behind-the-scenes photos and videos, and testimonials from past clients. Engage with others in your niche by commenting on relevant posts and joining Facebook groups. Run targeted ads to reach potential clients looking for video production services. Adding your website and contact info to all social profiles makes it easy for prospects to learn more and get in touch.
Build an Impressive Website
Your website is often the first impression potential clients will have of your business. Invest time and effort into creating a professional site that quickly communicates your personal brand, skills, experience, portfolio, and pricing. Make sure site visitors can easily navigate to a contact form to get in touch. You should also include client testimonials, an about me page, service offerings, and a blog where you share video editing tips and company news. This establishes credibility and helps prospects get to know you and your work prior to contacting you for a project.
Create and Distribute Content
Publishing regular video editing content positions you as an industry expert while getting your services in front of your target audience. Create a YouTube channel filled with video tutorials teaching editing techniques, product reviews of editing software and gear, and examples of your work. Write blog posts covering video editing topics to share on your site and pitch to industry publications. Guest post on relevant blogs and record podcast interviews discussing your experience. Just make sure any content you create includes a strong call-to-action that encourages viewers and readers to hire you.
List Your Services on Freelance Job Sites
Freelance job search engines like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com attract clients specifically looking to hire video editors and videographers. Creating a detailed profile highlighting your expertise, with plenty of portfolio samples, can lead to job invites and proposals from potential clients. Make sure to provide accurate rate information and availability details so prospects know what to expect when hiring you. While freelance sites take a cut of your pay, they can be a steady source of new clients as you build your business.
Network Locally
Attending in-person networking events and creative meetups in your local area is a great way to introduce yourself and develop relationships with potential clients. Look for relevant conferences and seminars in your city where video professionals congregate. Join local organizations like filmmaking groups and video marketing clubs to connect with others in your field. Don’t be shy – let people know you’re taking on new video editing clients and hand out business cards wherever you go. The personal connections made through local networking could lead to ongoing client relationships.
Run Google and Social Media Ads
Paid advertising and lead generation through Google Ads and social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are powerful ways to get your services in front of prospects actively searching for a video editor. You can target your ads very precisely to only reach people searching for terms related to video editing and production or displaying interest in videography on social media. This allows you to put your message and portfolio in front of ideal potential clients when they’re already looking for someone to hire. It does require an ad budget, but the leads generated may be worth the investment.
Partner With Other Creatives
Partnering with others in the creative industry who don’t offer video editing services can be mutually beneficial. Offer your editing skills to complement the services of photographers, graphic designers, writers, social media managers, website developers, and other freelancers. They’ll appreciate being able to provide a complete service offering to clients by bringing you in for the video work. In turn, they can refer clients to you or hire you themselves for editing projects. Over time, these creative connections could become steady sources of new business.
Reach Out to Past Clients
Once you complete projects for a few clients, make sure to stay in touch and keep them in the loop on your services. Ask if they were happy with your work and let them know you’re available for future projects. Offer them a discount as a loyalty perk. Clients who have worked with you already and were pleased with the results make some of the best leads for ongoing work. Periodically reaching out and keeping them updated on your business makes it easy for repeat clients to send new projects your way.
Offer Free Samples
To build your portfolio and get potential clients excited about hiring you, consider offering limited free video editing samples. For example, you could promote a free trial where interested prospects can send you raw footage and you’ll edit a 60-second sample video for them to preview your work. Or you could create a portfolio of sample videos showcasing your skills across different genres and share these on your website and social profiles. This allows you to show off your abilities with no risk to the client.
Provide Discounts
Running special promotions and offering introductory discounts can incentivize prospects to give your services a try. You could offer 25% off their first project or bundle a few services together at a discounted rate. Having sales and limited-time offers encourages potential clients to sign on with you now rather than put it off. Just make sure your rates still cover your costs – you don’t want to lose money just to build your portfolio. Rewards for referrals and loyalty discounts for repeat clients are also great promotional ideas.
Partner With Production Companies
Once you have some experience under your belt, reaching out to local video production companies about partnering can lead to steady freelance work. Most production firms bring in freelance editors on a per project basis. If a company likes your work, they’ll continue reaching out for future client projects. You may start as an entry-level video editor, but prove yourself to be indispensable and more high-level editing gigs will come your way.
Join Local Business and Networking Facebook Groups
Search Facebook for local networking, small business, entrepreneur, and career-focused groups to join. Engage regularly by commenting on member posts, providing helpful advice, and sharing video editing tips and tricks. When relevant, drop a link to your website or portfolio. Business owners in the group looking for marketing help will take notice of your consistent involvement and may reach out when they need professional video services. Just make sure groups allow self-promotion before posting any overt advertising.
Run a Video Editing Internship Program
Developing an internship program where you train and mentor aspiring video editors gives you access to a pool of second shooters who can assist on client projects. In turn, they’ll learn directly from you. As they grow their skills and start taking on their own clients, they may hire you as their lead video editor or refer clients to you that are outside their service level. Bringing new editors into the industry this way builds your reputation too.
Showcase Your Work Locally
Research local film festivals, indie theaters, galleries, coffee shops, co-working spaces, and community event venues that may be interested in showing examples of your editing work. Offer to curate a demo reel of your best videos to play on loops in their establishments in exchange for promotion. Have business cards, flyers, and other branded materials on display for patrons to grab and get in touch. Getting your work in front of people locally on a regular basis keeps your business top of mind.
Promote Your Niche Specialties
Identifying and promoting specialized skills and niche services you excel at provides more opportunities to connect with ideal potential clients. For example, showcase your talent for editing esports videos, wedding highlights, social media ads, corporate training videos, or vlogging content. Industry professionals specifically seeking those skill sets will be more likely to hire you over general video editors. Just make sure you highlight your niche expertise across your website, content, and other marketing materials.
Partner with Event Planners
All types of events from conferences to weddings require professional videography services to capture highlights and testimonials. Establish relationships with local event planners to be their go-to freelance video editor. Be sure to provide event videos quickly with short turnaround times so your work generates buzz during the event. Planners will then want to bring you back again and refer other clients your way. Stay top of mind by regularly checking in with new package offerings.
Offer Related Services
Expand the types of video services you provide beyond editing to attract more potential clients. Offer videography, on-location filming, storyboarding, video SEO, closed captioning, animation, and more. Specialize in producing entire video projects from start to finish. Clients looking for a one-stop video production shop are much more likely to hire a freelancer who can handle diverse video needs, saving them from hiring multiple pros.
Conclusion
Becoming established as a successful freelance video editor takes time, effort, and creativity. Leveraging your network, promoting yourself online, and utilizing job search platforms gets your services in front of initial prospects. Providing discounts and free samples encourages potential clients to give you a try. Developing partnerships, offering niche services, and building a strong portfolio and reputation keeps new business coming in. Are there any other effective strategies you use to find video editing clients? Let us know in the comments!