Building a Successful Freelancing Business Online

Julie Starr • September 3, 2020



While some people enjoy working in a 9-5 role, others crave the excitement and responsibility that comes with being your own boss. Freelancing gives you the opportunity to carve out your own niche and do something you love. What’s more – you can combine freelancing with your current role as an employee and boost your income, if you choose too.

Of course, building your own freelance business isn’t always straightforward. Creating any enterprise from scratch can be challenging, so it’s important to be prepared for what’s ahead. With these handy tips, you can begin planning for a successful career as a freelance business owner now…

Choose your business focus

Before you can begin working, you’ll need to decide exactly what it is you want to do. Perhaps you’ve always had a burning ambition to develop a product or maybe you’ve got a great idea for a service business ? Alternatively, you might decide to use your professional experience to your advantage and use it as the basis for your freelance career.

When you’re choosing what type of business you want to launch, take the time to really think about the type of role you want. If you’re eager to work from home, you won’t want a business that involves traveling to client sites on a regular basis, for example. Being a freelancer gives you the chance to create your ideal working environment, so make the most of the opportunity.

Research your market

Just because you think your business idea is fantastic, it doesn’t necessarily mean that other people will agree with you! Before you get too far into the planning stage, be sure to research your market and make sure there is a demand for your products or services.

Fortunately, the internet makes it easier than ever to carry out market research activities. Instead of hosting your own focus groups, you can access databases of willing participants within your target demographic. This means you can carry out your research quickly and cost-effectively while building your freelance business.

Locate potential clients

Acquiring new customers is arguably the biggest challenge for any business, so start to think about how you’ll attract clients or customers early on. When you’re running your business online, you can rely on the internet to connect you with your target audience, providing you know where to look.

There are many sites that are dedicated to matching clients with freelancers, for example. You’ll even find niche marketplace sites that post short-term audio visual jobs , copywriting projects or website development roles. Although you’ll typically need to pay a fee or commission to the site, this can be an easy way to pick up clients, particularly while you’re establishing your new business.

Formally set up your business

When you’re working as a freelancer , you have the option to register as self-employed. Many people enjoy the flexibility this offers but it does mean that your personal finances and assets are tied into your business.

If you want to create distance between your personal assets and your business, you might prefer to register as a limited company. Some people decide to form a company because they believe that it creates a better impression, but this depends on your industry and the type of clients you’re aiming to attract.

Whether you decide to operate on a self-employed basis, register a limited company or form a partnership, make sure you’ve completed the necessary paperwork, and submitted the appropriate documentation. This will give you peace of mind that your tax, legal and financial obligations have been met.

Learn about SEO

When you’re running a business online, search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for success. Even if your business will be trading offline as well, having online visibility helps to create brand awareness and increases your reach within your target demographic.

SEO is an entire industry in itself, so don’t expect to learn everything you need to know in an instant. In many cases, it can be more effective to outsource your SEO and online advertising to a third-party company or another freelancer who specializes in this area.

However, learning the basics and understanding why SEO is so important for your business will stand you in good stead for the future.

In order for your website to be effective, it needs to be designed well in order to attract and convert visitors into customers. If you’ve never built a site before, then it’s worth consulting Squarespace web designers to help you get up and running fast with your website.

Set up social media profiles

If you want to establish yourself as a successful freelancer, you’ll need to have an active presence on social media. Take a look at the platforms that are most popular with your target audience and set up profiles on each one.

When you post and share content on social media, you get the opportunity to showcase your talents, establish your specialties, and create awareness of your services. While self-promotion is expected, make sure your social media posts offer more than just that. Engaging with people on topical issues and sharing industry news is a great way to gain fans and followers on social media.

Build a professional network

Working as a freelancer can be somewhat lonely, particularly if it’s your full-time role. Connecting with other freelancers gives you the opportunity to build your network and learn from other people.

Furthermore, liaising with other freelancers may give you the chance to gain new clients or customers. Informal partnerships with subcontractors who offer similar but not competing services ensure you can recommend one another’s services. Personal endorsements carry a lot of weight, so this can be an excellent way to get free promotion and expand your customer base.

When to Launch a Freelance Business

Once you’ve decided what your business will entail, it’s tempting to jump ahead and start advertising your services straight away. However, you run the risk of trying to do too much at once if you throw yourself into the deep end too quickly.

Take the time to research your market, create a professional website, and establish your SEO and social media strategies before you even think about trading. Once you’ve got the essentials covered, you’ll be well-placed to launch your business and start your career as a fully-fledged freelancer.

Build Sustainability into your business 

As a reminder, every business can be a sustainable business.  The first step is to ensure that sustainability is at the core of your business and build from there.

With these tips, you’ll be able to launch your freelance business online in no time!

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.