Are you tired of the corporate world? Are you looking for a way out without losing your current lifestyle, or better yet thinking of upgrading it with more freedom? Have you tried searching and searching, but are still confused and want clarity? Then why not try Freelancing? You have no idea how limitless potential is in being a Freelancer, anything is possible and you can do anything you thought you couldn’t, or thought you could and do it even better. Having doubts?
Check out my interview with Camille Olaguivel and see how she accidentally dived into the world of freelancing while she was grabbing an opportunity abroad! How she acquired all the skills and more to do what she is passionate about online. How all of this has ZERO connection to her background skills. You wouldn’t believe me until you hear it from her right here.
The difference of Social Media Manager, Social Media Strategist, and Social Media Coach
The most basic and perfect social media position to start with as a new Freelancer is to work as a Social Media Manager. It is focused on the execution of the plan and strategy, and the content is already available. Depending on the client’s needs and as you grow and get exposed to their social media accounts, they can eventually ask you to map out a plan and strategy.
For some clients who have zero ideas on what to do to leverage social media for their businesses, they hire for a social media strategist. They are the ones who audits the client’s accounts, create a social media strategy in order for the business to identify target users and execute a plan on how to reach them. They mostly have a team that is responsible for the content, marketing, handling online communities and scheduling posts.
On the other hand, a Social Media Coach is perfect for clients who are at the same time have zero or little knowledge in social media or they have been executing their strategy and nothing has ever worked. They help clients identify their goals first and they lay out a plan which they can implement themselves or at least they are knowledgeable enough about their own strategy and can outsource it for someone to help them execute it.
Basic tasks of Social Media Manager
Number 1 is content creation. Content creation includes images, videos, and captions. It’s important that the caption should be on-brand. I think what aspiring Social Media Managers should learn is to create content. In any social media or business, especially online, you need content. But it’s always different, like blogs and social media, it’s a different way to create content.
Like for Twitter, it doesn’t need to be that long. So it depends also on the social media accounts of the brand, or of the business. So I think for starters, they need to learn how to create content, especially copywriting or caption writing. For example like Instagram, since Instagram is more on visuals, most likely the brand or the business would want the photos to look good, so you somehow need to have an eye for design.
Another example, like our local business, Sunny Studios, if you take a look at their Instagram account, they’re totally on-brand. They’re using one color and a certain feel. So usually when the business or brand is new, the Social Media Manager may also come up with a tactic with what they post. There are also categories, but that’s going in-depth now, but there is a process or science behind content creation, it’s not just about the random posting of the brand or business. Especially if their goal is to improve their online presence or to generate their sales.
Is it possible to work as an SMM using just a phone?
It depends on the needs of a brand or business because if the content is ready for you, the copy, graphics, photos, etc. And all you have to do is caption and schedule it, I think it’s possible, but it still really depends, because there are clients that need you to have a tracker running. So if they really need evidence that you’re actually working, then you have to be on your laptop. There are other clients, as my previous client at a digital marketing agency, I had no tracker, but we had a contract where the payment scheme is like “this”, basically it’s already packaged, so no need for a tracker.
How to make a cohesive and branded IG layout?
It is very possible to do this on Canva, but it’s difficult. It may look pretty, but it’s tricky to think about, like wondering what to put there in those square blocks, and of course, you have to think about colors. So somehow the photos you’ll post, to make them look like as one, they have to look similar in colors. That’s the tricky thing when the client wants it really aesthetic. This one is called a puzzle feed and was specifically requested by the client. It’s difficult to plan out.
If you’re doing Social Media Management for a brand or business, especially if they’re selling products and services, before you can think what you’re going to post, you have to refer to the marketing calendar. So usually the promos and discounts or upcoming sales are there, so you have to integrate it there. The first thing a Social Media Manager would look for is to see if there are upcoming sales. So you have to time the specific post with the date, so it appears at the same time. So, for example, you see the 11.11 sale, if you see the post from Lazada, there are teasers all around, but there are others that post within the day. So that’s number one, to look at the marketing calendar. If not, then that’s okay. But the first thing a Social Media Manager should do is to get aligned with the business or the brand because it’s not just about “All right, I’ll go to the site, get photos and post. Especially if what they’re selling is physical products.”. There are brands or businesses that have target clients. Target clients meaning it’s not for everyone. So you have to know that unless the brand or business doesn’t have a marketing calendar, but most likely they definitely do.
Tips and advice for aspiring freelancers
Make sure to yourself if is this what you really want to do, because a lot of people that I’ve spoken with, they would be like “yes”, but it’s like when others find out they work from home online it’s like they don’t do anything, but you definitely do something. Freelancers don’t have security, so sometimes when you wake up you don’t have any work, and this can happen at any time. So that’s one thing you have to consider. Because if you lose your work, you have to look and apply for a job again. So what you’re doing in a corporate job, you’re technically doing it at home. The only slight difference is you have to be more disciplined because no one is checking on you. Well, you do have a tracker, sometimes. But no one is actually watching you when you’re doing your job.
Don’t quit your corporate day job yet, test the waters first. If you can grab a part-time, then good, have a feel of it, and if you believe you can give it your all without one foot out the door, then that’s the time you transition. So before you resign, while you have your part-time, you have to start saving up. Because you never know what could happen, since freelancers don’t have security. So if you’re making money online, and if you can budget and save, do it.
Check blogs online about skills and work that you can do online. There’s a lot out there, such as Social Media Manager, Content Creation, Graphic Designer, etc. Check if what you’re doing right now is what you can do online. If your line of work is not aligned with what you want to do, such as myself being a Social Media Manager while having a background in Microbiology, I had to learn on my own.
I started getting exposed to the online digital world through blogging, then it was a domino effect on Social Media, then creating videos, vlogging, etc. Be resourceful, there are a ton of tutorials and how-to videos out there. So almost everything I know, my skills, I learned on my own.
In one word, how do you describe your freelancing journey?
Adventure. It’s like an adventure for me, because of the highs and lows, but it’s fun, it’s a great adventure.
Guest Bio
Camille Olaguivel is the founder of Sunnies and Style Creatives. She’s a social media manager and content creator and has worked with international brands in the health & wellness, online retail, and digital marketing agency industry. She’s also the person behind the lifestyle blog sunniesandstyle.com
To find out more about Camille, head to:
Blog: sunniesandstyle.com
Vlog: Camille Olaguivel
IG: @sunniesandstylecreatives and @itsmariacamille
Referenced in the Show
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If you’ve got a question about this interview or want to leave us some inbox love, you can email us at [email protected]. Or, you can always find Hazel hanging out in her awesome community, the Freelance to Thrive: Mastermind Group for Filipino Freelancers.
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