Mobility is one of the reasons why many are jumping on the freelancing bandwagon. You don't have to commute to work to earn a living. You can work as a freelancer from the comfort of your own home, in your favorite coffee shop, or in a co-working space.
Indeed, our ability to do things on the go has made an enormous impact not just on how we do business, but also our daily life. One study published by Statista shows that over half of the internet traffic from all over the world come from mobile devices.
Source: Statista
Of these, 77% use their mobile devices to search on the internet even if they got a laptop or desktop on hand to use.
Source: Digital Stats
Because of these changes, Google recently began rolling out its latest search algorithm update. They aptly called it mobile-first indexing.
What is mobile-first indexing?
As its name implies, mobile-first indexing means that from now on, Google's search algorithm will regard the mobile version of your website as its primary version, not your desktop.
Now, that doesn't mean that Google won't anymore consider your website's desktop version. It will still consider your site's desktop version. However, it won't get as high a ranking on Google's search results page compared to those optimized for mobile-first indexing.
Why the shift?
Weâve all heard the saying, âif it ainât broke, why fix it?â
For many, thatâs the question that many are asking when Google announced the news about mobile-first indexing.
To answer that, we need to learn a little bit about search engine optimization first.
Search Engine Optimization, or SEO, is a system thatâs meant to increase the visibility of whatever you publish online so that it gets more traffic.
Whenever someone searches Google, it sends out robots called web crawlers or spiders, to scan and catalog all the different files published online. These are then evaluated by Google's algorithm, which then displays and ranks them based on their value and relevance.
Source: Moz
Why should freelancers care about mobile-first indexing?
Aside from the fact that SEO is one of the crucial skills freelancers must have today, the freelance industry is on the rise. In the US alone, over 57 million people are working as freelancers, and this number is growing. In fact, it's estimated that freelancers will dominate the US workforce within a few short years.
Source: UpWork
Thatâs a lot of competition regardless of your niche and service!
On top of that, studies show that websites or online portfolios that are listed number 1 on Google's Search Results Page (SERP) are the ones that most people tend to click.
Source: Smart Insights
If you want to get more high-paying clients for your freelance business, youâll need to make sure that you get right up there on the top of the SERP.
That said, here is a list of things that you can start doing today to give your freelance business a boost in today's mobile-first indexing world.
1. Make sure your online portfolio is mobile-friendly.
Itâs not enough anymore that you create an eye-catching and informative online portfolio. You need to make sure that itâs easy for your potential clients to view and navigate through it whether theyâre using their desktop or a mobile device like a smartphone.
For many, the way to go around this is make your own website using a responsive WordPress theme. Their themes are designed to automatically adjust to fit the screen of whatever device your potential clients are using when they view your online portfolio.
If you're a freelance designer or photographer and are looking for a more visually appealing way to create your online portfolio, use an online flipbook maker within your website. You can upload a PDF version of your portfolio and FlipSnack will convert it into a digital flipbook that will give your potential clients a professional-looking portfolio that they can virtually flip back and forth as they view samples of your work.
Screenshot from FlipSnack
When youâre done making it, FlipSnack will give you a code that you can embed into your website. Also, because FlipSnack uses HTML5 technology, your potential clients can seamlessly view it on their desktop or their mobile device.
You can even create a virtual bookshelf so that you can group sample works within a specific industry or project type.
Screenshot from FlipSnack
It's more attractive and makes it easier for your potential clients to gauge if you're the right person for the project they'll offer.
2. Write content for mobile.
Nothing can deter a reader more than coming face-to-face with a massive wall of text.
That said, make sure that your content is comfortable and inviting to read on mobile devices. Here are some ways to do this.
- Use short headings and sentences. Mobile devices have smaller and thinner screens than desktops and laptops. That means lesser characters can fit on one line. Choosing simple words helps not only get your message across more efficiently but also tend to be shorter, so they don't take up to much space.
- Incorporate images.Images serve a double purpose. First, they help break up your content, so it doesn't look like a massive wall of text. Second, our brains process images like infographics and graphs more quickly than written text. So youâre able to convey your message to your potential clients more efficiently using fewer words.
- Apply SEO best practices.Even though Google's changing its algorithm, there's no place for SEO anymore. In fact, applying proper SEO techniques to your content will prove to be very helpful in increasing your chances of potential clients finding your online portfolio when they search.
- Use larger font sizes.Small font sizes will be challenging to read on a mobile device. Increasing your text's font size will save your potential clients from the frustration of having to squint and zoom in just to read your content.
3. Consider using videos.
Video is fast becoming the preferred content format. One study shows that video accounts for 74% of the global internet traffic.
Another study done by HubSpot, 62% of those that participated say that that they are more willing to consume video content over other content formats entirely.
Adding videos to your WordPress website with Powr.io media gallery plugin can help boost your freelance business in three ways.
First, it gives you the opportunity to exemplify your skills in creating videos. Many small businesses are looking for cost-effective ways to develop a webinar since this is very popular these days. When they see in your portfolio that you know how to host a webinar that's compelling and gets results, you stand a better chance of getting your potential clients' attention.
Second, it gives you the opportunity to tell more about you and the freelance services you can offer in a short span of time. That way, you skip that annoying part of the interview where potential clients ask you to tell them about yourself and what sets you apart from others.
Lastly, videos are more easily consumed and remembered compared to written text. One study shows that people remember 95% of a message relayed to them on video, but only retains 10% of it when they read it. Your potential clients are busy and always on the go. Watching a video is more convenient for them than having to sit and read through your About Me page.
4. Track and monitor your analytics
When freelancers here about analytics, they often think of website traffic. That's true, but it's not the only kind of analytics you need to monitor. One of the most vitalâbut often ignoredâmetrics is your email analytics.
Email remains to be the most preferred form of communication in the business world. More than likely, this is going to be how your potential clients will reach out to you when they like what they see on your online portfolio. At the same time, this is also the best way to reach out to potential clients youâd want to work with and offer a proposal.
Using a tool like EmailAnalytics will help you keep track not just on the number of emails you send out versus those that you receive, but also your busiest email days.
Source: EmailAnalytics
That way, you can accurately adjust your schedule to make sure that you're able to respond to current and potential clients, and still complete your deliverables on time.
5. Provide mobile-friendly invoicing and payment options.
Your invoices may not have any direct effect on your ranking on Google, but it's something that your potential and current clients will appreciate.
For this, you can use an online invoice generator to create professionally branded invoices and receipts thatâs easy to view on any device. Some, like InvoiceSimple, even allows you to add a âPay Now' button on the invoice that allow you to accept credit card payments. If you happen to meet with a potential client, you can even process the payment by taking a quick picture of their credit card.
Source: InvoiceSimple
Not only would this be more convenient for them, but also ensures you get paid on time.
Google's mobile-first indexing rollout is not yet complete, which means that you still have time to make adjustments to your online portfolio. Applying the tips, I shared here will help you not only make your freelance business ready for mobile-first indexing but also prosper and grow.
Kevin helps founders and influencers implement growth marketing campaigns to increase their qualified inbound leads.
