Reddit marketing for Freelancers and consultants: where to start

When you work alone, your name is the product. Reddit lets you show how you think in public, one answer at a time.

You do not need a big audience. A few people who read your answers and say that person knows their stuff can be enough to fill your calendar.

What your buyers are asking

These are the kinds of questions that come up again and again. Each one is a chance to be the helpful answer.

• How do I find a good [designer, writer, developer, consultant]?
• What should I charge for [kind of work]?
• Is it normal for a client to ask for this?
• How do I get my first clients?
• How do I write a contract for a small job?
• How do I say no to a bad project?

Where to look

• r/freelance. Freelancers across many fields sharing pricing, contracts and client stories.
• r/consulting. More about the consulting industry and careers than about finding clients.
• r/smallbusiness. Owners who may need what you do. Many threads ask for recommendations.
• Communities for your field. Designers, writers, developers and translators each have their own places.
• Communities for your clients. If you work with dentists or restaurants, spend time where they talk.

Rules change and every community is different, so read the sidebar and pinned posts before you write anything. Our guide on how to read subreddit rules shows what to check.

What tends to work

• Giving a clear answer that shows how you think.
• Being open about your price ranges and how you set them.
• Staying around after the thread has gone quiet to answer follow-ups.

What to avoid

• Cold direct messages offering your services.
• Pretending to be a client to recommend yourself.
• Complaining about clients in a way that could identify them.

An example of a good answer

Here is the kind of reply that helps. The product and company in it are made up, and the point is the shape: answer first, reasons next, a short honest note about the connection last.

Question: How do I price a small website for a local business?

Start from the hours, then add the parts people forget: meetings, revisions and the time spent waiting for content. Then look at what the site is worth to them. A site that brings in even two extra customers a month is worth more than a hundred dollars an hour of your time. I build sites for small businesses, so take this as one view, but I would quote a fixed price with a clear list of what is included and a set number of revisions. It makes the talk about money much easier.

Post ideas you can use

• A real price breakdown for a typical project.
• How you handle scope changes.
• A short checklist you give new clients.
• A story about a bad client and what you changed afterwards.
• What you wish you knew in your first year.

How to tell if it is working

Keep a simple list of every enquiry and where it came from. For a freelancer, five good enquiries from Reddit in a quarter might be an excellent result. Our guide to measuring Reddit marketing results has the full setup.

Common questions

Can I put my website in my Reddit profile?

Usually yes. A link in the profile is much more accepted than a link in a comment.

Do I need a lot of karma?

No. You need a history of useful answers.

Is it better to answer in my niche or broadly?

Mostly your niche, with some general topics so you look like a real person.