Finding Clients as a Freelancer — Web Developers & Beyond!

Getting clients as a freelancer can feel overwhelming—especially when you're just starting out. Whether you're a web developer, designer, writer, or any other freelancer, the challenge is the same: how do you land real, paying clients without endless frustration?
In this post, I’ll break down proven strategies that helped me build a thriving freelance business—from portfolio-building to outreach, referrals, and beyond. No fluff, just practical steps you can apply right away.
Let’s dive in! 🚀

In today's post, I'm excited to share strategies and tips that have significantly boosted my freelance career.
These insights are tailored for web developers but are equally beneficial for freelancers across various fields.
So, whether you're coding websites or do any other freelancing work, stick around for some universal freelance wisdom.

1: Build a Strong Foundation & Portfolio

Before you even think about landing clients, you need something to prove you can deliver. No one hires a freelancer without seeing proof.

✅ Step 1: Get a Portfolio—Even If You Have No Clients

Freelancing’s classic catch-22: You need a portfolio to get work, and work to build a portfolio.

Here’s how to break the loop:

• Your Own Website (a must for web devs!) → Make it clean, simple, and showcase what you do and why you’re the right choice.
• Mock Projects → Build example sites, redesign an existing one for fun, or create something useful.
• Open-Source & Personal Projects → Contribute to existing projects, or build a small tool that solves a problem.
• Strategic Free Work → Pick 1-2 high-value unpaid projects that can lead to real referrals or testimonials.

🔹 Step 2: Get Your First Clients (Without Feeling Salesy)

You can build on this and get an even stronger portfolio and more experience by getting some first real-world projects! Here are some tips:

• Start Close to Home → Ask friends, family, or small businesses you know. They already trust you—easiest yes you’ll get.
• Target Local Businesses → Many still have outdated (or missing) websites. Find them on Google Maps, check their site, and reach out.
• Walk in and Offer Value → Some businesses won’t respond to emails or DMs, but face-to-face conversations work wonders.
• Leverage Social Media → Engage in relevant groups, answer questions, and casually mention what you do—no need for hard selling.

💡 Real Example: My First Client

I built a free website for a local restaurant I loved. In return?

✔️ I got my first real-world project.

✔️ They referred me to paying clients.

✔️ Bonus: I still get free snacks every time I visit.

→ Strategic free work pays off when done right.

Your goal isn’t to work for free forever—it’s to build momentum. Every project completed makes the next one easier.

2: Stand Out—Find Your Niche

Once you have a portfolio, the next step is making sure clients pick you over the competition.

✅ Step 1: Define What Makes You Unique

There are thousands of freelancers—why should someone hire you? The key: specialization.

• Generalist = Competing with everyone.
• Specialist = Becoming the go-to expert in a specific space.

Your niche could be (make it specific, these are still kinda broad!):

✔️ E-commerce sites for small shop owners.

✔️ Conversion-focused landing pages for startups.

✔️ High-performance websites for fitness professionals.

✔️ SEO-optimized blogs for content creators.

For me? I work with small businesses & startups that need high-quality websites without agency pricing.

I even further focussed (in the past, trying to grow this at the moment!) on powerlifting coaches → a super-small niche, but
I could easily become the go-to expert in Germany for these kind of website projects!
I streamline my workflow with a reliable Jekyll theme—keeping costs low while ensuring quality.

🔹 Step 2: Communicate Your Niche Clearly

Being specialized doesn’t mean turning clients away—it means attracting the right ones.

• Website & Socials → Make it clear who you help and how.
• Portfolio → Show projects aligned with your niche.
• Messaging → Speak directly to your ideal client’s pain points.

The goal? Become the obvious choice for your ideal clients.

Your niche can evolve over time, but the sooner you define it, the easier getting clients will be.

3: Get Found—SEO for Freelancers

Having a great portfolio is useless if no one can find you. That’s where SEO (Search Engine Optimization) comes in.

✅ Step 1: Make Your Website Search-Friendly

A well-optimized website can bring organic traffic—potential clients who find you via Google without ads.

• Use keywords → What would your ideal clients search for? Make sure those terms appear naturally on your site.
• Fast loading speed → No one likes a slow website (Google doesn’t either). Optimize images, use caching, and keep it lightweight.
• Mobile-friendly design → More than half of searches happen on mobile—your site must work smoothly everywhere.

🔹 Step 2: Leverage Backlinks (An Easy SEO Win!)

One of the most powerful SEO hacks? Backlinks—links from other sites to yours.

Here’s what I do:

✔️ Add a small “Created by Per Starke Web Dev” link in the footer of client websites (with client permission.

✔️ This tells search engines that trusted sites are linking to mine, which boosts rankings.

✔️ More backlinks = Better visibility in Google searches.

💡 Pro Tip: Some clients might not want an external link—always ask first. A discreet link in the imprint or a “Built by” section can work as a compromise.

SEO takes time, but a well-optimized site + strong backlinks = more inbound leads without extra effort.

4: Social Media—Use It Smart, Not Hard

Social media can be a powerful tool for finding clients—but only if used strategically (not as a time-sink).

✅ Step 1: Use Social Media as an Extended Portfolio

Potential clients will look you up—make sure they find proof of your work.

✔️ Regularly post finished projects (websites, mockups, code snippets).

✔️ Share behind-the-scenes insights (process, before/after, problem-solving).

✔️ Repurpose blog posts or case studies to show expertise.

🔹 Step 2: Pick the Right Platforms

Not every platform is worth your time. Focus on where your ideal clients are:

• LinkedIn → Best for professional networking, tech founders, and corporate clients.
• Instagram → Great for creative businesses, coaches, small biz owners.
• Twitter → Tech & startup space, quick engagement with industry leaders.
• Pinterest → Perfect if your work is visual-heavy (UI/UX, branding, e-commerce).

💡 Pro Tip: You don’t need to be everywhere. Pick 1–2 platforms, post consistently, and let your work speak for itself.

🔹 Step 3: Decide How Much Time You Want to Invest

• Just want an online presence? → Share projects, make sure your profile looks professional, and move on.
• Want to actively grow an audience? → Engage, post regularly, and experiment with content formats.

Either way, social media should work for you—not consume you.

5: Open Source & Pro Bono Work—A Hidden Client Magnet

Not everything you do needs to be paid work to bring in paying clients. Open-source and pro bono projects can:

✅ Boost your reputation → Show expertise in a way clients can see.

✅ Expand your network → Get noticed by other professionals and potential clients.

✅ Sharpen your skills → Work on real projects outside client constraints.

✅ Step 1: Get Involved in Open Source

If you’re a developer, contribute to existing projects or build something useful yourself.

• Fix bugs, add features, or improve documentation.
• Launch a small tool, theme, or framework that solves a real problem.
• Use platforms like GitHub to showcase contributions.

For non-tech freelancers:

• Offer free branding mockups, copywriting samples, or business templates.
• Support local nonprofits with design, marketing, or website work.

🔹 Step 2: Be Strategic with Pro Bono Work

✔️ Choose projects that align with your services (so they attract future paying clients).

✔️ Set clear boundaries

✔️ Treat it professionally to get testimonials and case studies in return.

💡 My Example: I built a free tool called Homepage Canvas to help streamline website planning with clients.

It wasn’t just a fun project—it became a valuable client communication tool and led to paid work.

👉 Open-source or pro bono work isn’t about working for free forever—it’s about working smart to gain visibility, credibility, and connections.

6: Content Marketing—Attract Clients While You Sleep

Creating content isn’t just for influencers—it’s a game-changer for freelancers. A well-written blog post, guide, or case study can:

✅ Position you as an expert → Show potential clients you know your stuff.

✅ Improve your SEO → More people find you when searching for your services.

✅ Work 24/7 → Unlike social media posts, evergreen content keeps bringing in traffic.

✅ Step 1: Write for Two Audiences

Your content should speak to both fellow professionals (networking & credibility) and potential clients (trust & sales).

• For Developers/Freelancers: Share deep dives on techniques, trends, or workflow tips.
• For Clients: Write about how your services solve their problems, why great web design matters, or what makes a project successful.

🔹 Step 2: Publish in the Right Places

✔️ Your own website → Always post here first for SEO benefits.

✔️ Dev.to, Medium, LinkedIn → Repurpose content for extra exposure.

✔️ Guest posts → Write for industry sites to expand your reach.

👉 Content marketing isn’t about going viral—it’s about showing up consistently so the right people find you at the right time,
and see you know what you're doing.

7: The Oldest (and Best) Marketing Strategy—Word of Mouth

Nothing beats a happy client singing your praises.

✔️ It’s free marketing

✔️ It builds instant trust

✔️ It brings higher-quality leads (clients who already believe in your work)

✅ Step 1: Deliver Work People WANT to Recommend

Referrals don’t just happen—you earn them by:

✅ Providing top-notch results

✅ Being reliable & easy to work with

✅ Communicating clearly & delivering on time

✅ Continuously finding ways to exceed client expectations — I call this my "Make Them Smile" project, an ongoing commitment to improving my services, collaboration and ensuring every client is more than just satisfied!

🔹 Step 2: Make It Easy for Clients to Refer You

Even satisfied clients might not think to refer you unless you remind them.

• Ask directly → A simple “Know anyone else who needs a site?” works wonders.
• Set up a referral program → Offer a small incentive, like a discount or bonus service.
• Social proof → Ask for testimonials & encourage clients to share their experiences.

💡 Pro Tip: Instead of cash incentives, I offer free social media promotion for clients who refer me. Win-win!

👉 The easier you make it for people to recommend you, the more referrals will roll in.

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🔥 This was a summary of my full guide on finding freelance clients. If you want the deep dive with more details, check out the original post here:

👉 Finding Clients as a Web Development Freelancer – Full Guide

💡 Looking for short-term tactics to land clients fast? In Part 2, I break down direct outreach strategies to help you connect with potential clients right away.

🚀 Now go build that freelance career!