Top 10 Digital Strategy Freelancers to Increase Your Social Engagement in 2024
Think your social media is in a rut? Partnering with a digital strategy freelancer can get your social engagement out of its funk, ultimately elevating all of your digital marketing efforts.
Published March 3, 2024.
Social media is an essential battleground for businesses. Think about it:
- There are an estimated 5.17 billion social media users worldwide
- The total global social media ad spend is expected to surpass the $300 billion mark this year.
- 75% of marketers report an increase in traffic after a successful social media campaign.
So, if you're not on the social media train, you need to jump on fast. Or, maybe you are on the train, but you're getting off at the wrong station. If you're struggling to cut through the noise and connect with your target audience, it might be time to consider bringing in a digital strategy freelancer. In this blog, we've scoured the digital landscape to uncover the top 10 experts who can help you unlock the power of social media engagement.
Our top picks of the best digital strategy freelancers
1. Nicolas G. - Best overall
2. Sherisse W. - Best for branded social campaigns
3. Brad J. - Best for email campaigns
4. Akihiro N. - Best for SEO-ready campaigns
5. Barbara H. - Best for incorporating affiliate marketing
6. Chris W.- Best for improving campaign CRO
7. Kathryn L. - Best for PR engagements
8. Michael K. - Best for paid ads engagement
9. Alesandro P. - Best for eCommerce brands
10. Stephen R. - Best for customer acquisition
What is a digital strategy freelancer?
A digital strategy freelancer is an individual who helps businesses grow by building strategies and using a wide range of skills including copywriting, content writing, SEO, social media, search engine marketing, and design.
Hiring a digital strategy freelancer can give your digital marketing direction across different digital channels, such as content marketing, social media platforms, email campaigns, and search engine optimization.
1
Nicolas G.
Digital strategy freelancer
Experience
8+ years
Country
JP
Industry focus
Professional services | Technology
Brief overview
Nicolas specializes in digital marketing, automation, team and project management, front-end development (TypeScript, React), and writing. He's passionate about creating efficient, scalable solutions to help businesses achieve their goals and deliver exceptional customer experiences.
Specialties
- Marketing strategy
- Social media management
- Community management
- Copywriting
- Content
- Design
- Email & chatbot marketing
- Web development
- Branding
- Google Ads
- Facebooks Ads
Why hire Nicolas?
Nicolas is your one-stop shop for digital success. He crafts comprehensive strategies, masters social media, and creates captivating content across all channels. His design prowess, web development skills, and branding expertise ensure a polished online presence. Nicolas leverages his paid advertising proficiency and proven track record to deliver tangible results for your brand.
2
Sherisse W.
Branding & social media expert
Experience
9+ years
Country
US
Industry focus
Art & entertainment | Technology | Professional services | Food & drink | Health & wellness
Brief overview
Sherisse is a brand and digital marketer with over nine years of experience in social media, editorial, digital marketing, SEO, content creation, and content management.
Specialties
- Marketing strategy
- Branding
- Social media management
- Content
- Design
- Email marketing
- Google Ads
- Facebook Ads
- Instagram Ads
Why hire Sherisse?
Sherisse is a social media and branding expert with a proven track record of driving engagement. She crafts strategic content, manages social media effectively, and leverages her design skills to create impactful campaigns that resonate with your audience.
3
Brad J.
Freelance marketing consultant
Experience
12+ years
Country
US
Industry focus
Real estate | Beauty | Finance | NGOs & government | Sports, outdoors & fitness | Home & garden | Education | Professional services | Technology
Brief overview
Leveraging 12 years of marketing experience and a marketing degree, Brad has empowered businesses of all sizes, from large corporations to local shops, to transform their ideas into actionable strategies that drive lasting success.
Specialties
- Marketing strategy
- Email marketing
- Tracking implementation
- Branding
- CRO
- Google Ads
- Facebook Ads
- Bing Ads
Why hire Brad?
As an email marketing specialist, Brad uses his expertise to elevate your social engagement. He prepares targeted campaigns, integrates them with social media, and analyzes the resulting data to improve each campaign's performance. He's passionate about building relationships and driving conversions through email.
4
Akihiro N.
Freelance SEO & marketing expert
Experience
10 years
Country
JP
Industry focus
Electronics | Education | Finance | NGOs & government | Health & wellness | Art & entertainment | Professional services
Brief overview
Akihiro is a digital marketing specialist focused on planning, researching, executing and analyzing digital marketing strategies for businesses.
Specialties
- Marketing strategy
- SEO
- Copywriting
- Tracking implementation
- Google Ads
- Facebook Ads
- LinkedIn Ads
- YouTube Ads
- Instagram Ads
Why hire Akihiro?
Akihiro's SEO expertise is key to elevating your social engagement. He uses technical skills, market research, and data analysis to optimize your website for search engines, driving organic traffic and brand awareness. His integrated approach combines SEO with paid advertising and social media for maximum online impact.
5
Barbara H.
Digital marketing expert
Experience
10+ years
Country
AT
Industry focus
Professional services | Health & wellness | Beauty | Gaming | Baby
Brief overview
Barbara has been working in digital marketing for more than 10 years and is still as passionate as ever. Her areas of expertise include performance marketing, Search Engine Marketing (SEM), social media marketing, and affiliate marketing.
Specialties
- Marketing strategy
- Affiliate marketing
- Facebook Ads
- Instagram Ads
- YouTube Ads
- Apple Search Ads
- Amazon PPC
Why hire Barbara?
Barbara leverages her affiliate marketing expertise to elevate your social engagement. She builds strong partnerships, optimizes campaigns for conversions, and implements innovative strategies to drive traffic, engagement, and results. Her focus on mobile marketing and landing pages ensures a seamless experience for audiences, ultimately boosting your brand visibility and success.
6
Chris W.
Marketing & CRO expert
Experience
8+ years
Country
GB
Industry focus
Automotive | Home & garden | Real estate | Technology | Travel | Gaming
Brief overview
Chris has grown startups, scale-ups and businesses for the last 8 years. His services include doing customer research to uncover pain points, running growth marketing strategies across multiple channels, and setting up/optimizing acquisition campaigns on Facebook, Google and YouTube to drive better performance.
Specialties
- Marketing strategy
- CRO
- Copywriting
- Growth hacking
- Google Ads
- Facebook Ads
- YouTube Ads
- Instagram Ads
- LinkedIn Ads
Why hire Chris?
Chris, a CRO expert, elevates your social engagement. He optimizes user journeys and social media content for conversions and engagement. His data-driven approach, including A/B testing and UX optimization, ensures every interaction on your social channels drives results.
7
Kathryn L.
PR marketing professional
Experience
10+ years
Country
US
Industry focus
Professional services | NGOs & government
Brief overview
For more than a decade, Kathryn has developed data-driven strategic consulting and marketing solutions for political campaigns, nonprofits, and corporations throughout the United States. Her past experiences include managing polling & data programs and earned & digital media efforts such as email campaigns, social media programs, and advertising efforts.
Specialties
- Marketing strategy
- Public relations
- Content
- Email marketing
- Google Ads
Why hire Kathryn?
Kathryn leverages her PR expertise to elevate your social engagement. She crafts captivating brand stories, builds strong media relations, and fosters vibrant communities. Her data-driven approach ensures measurable results through strategic partnerships, creative campaigns, and proactive reputation management.
8
Michael K.
Paid ads & marketing specialist
Experience
13 years
Country
US
Industry focus
Beauty | Electronics | Automotive | Finance | Education | Food & drink | Health & wellness | Pets
Brief overview
Michael is an experienced marketer and consultant, focused on a partnership-driven approach. He builds individualized marketing and advertising strategies based on your unique goals and KPIs.
Specialties
- Marketing strategy
- Branding
- Google Ads
- LinkedIn Ads
- Instagram Ads
- YouTube Ads
- Pinterest Ads
- Bing Ads
- Facebook Ads
Why hire Michael?
Michael's paid ads expertise skyrockets your social engagement by targeting the right audience with compelling ads across platforms, optimizing campaigns for maximum ROI, and using retargeting to keep your brand top-of-mind. Transparent reporting ensures you're always in the loop. With his proven track record, Michael helps you achieve your digital marketing goals.
9
Alesandro P.
Freelance marketing expert
Experience
10+ years
Country
GB
Industry focus
Art & entertainment | Beauty | Style & fashion | Home & garden | Technology | Sports, outdoors & fitness
Brief overview
With over 10 years of experience in eCommerce and online marketing, Alesandro is passionate about helping businesses scale from the ground up by using strategies like funnels and paid traffic to achieve multi-million dollar success.
Specialties
- Marketing strategy
- Facebook Ads
- Google Ads
- LinkedIn Ads
- YouTube Ads
- TikTok Ads
- SMS marketing
Why hire Alesandro?
Alesandro understands your eCommerce business's needs and strategically promotes products, optimizes user experience, and integrates with platforms for seamless social shopping. His expertise in CRO, retargeting, and user-generated content fuels engagement, while data-driven decisions and a passion for innovation ensure maximum impact and ROI.
10
Stephen R.
Digital marketing specialist
Experience
12+ years
Country
GB
Industry focus
Finance | Electronics | Automotive | Travel
Brief overview
Stephen drives customer acquisition through digital channels by leveraging targeted online advertising to reach potential customers at the most opportune moments, fostering long-term, valuable relationships. His expertise lies in PPC (including Google Ads, Bing Ads, Display, Programmatic, and Taboola) and social media advertising (spanning platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn).
Specialties
- Marketing strategy
- Google Ads
- Facebook Ads
- Instagram Ads
- LinkedIn Ads
- Outbrain
- Taboola
- Amazon PPC
- Yahoo Gemini
Why hire Stephen?
Stephen uses targeted online ads to attract new customers, boosting your social engagement. He's a data-driven strategist who adapts to changing trends and uses creative problem-solving to reach your target audience. With demonstrated success, Stephen helps you acquire customers and elevate your brand on social media.
What does a digital strategist do?
A digital strategist acts as your digital marketing expert, crafting and implementing a cohesive online presence for your business. They combine consumer knowledge and digital expertise to create targeted campaigns and strategic advertising, maximizing your reach and engagement.
Think of them as unburdening partners, taking the reins on tasks like social media management and content creation. This allows you to focus on your core business while they orchestrate your digital marketing strategy, ensuring everything works in harmony towards your goals.
In essence, they're highly skilled brand ambassadors in the digital world, connecting with your audience and making your brand shine. They help you tell your story, engage your customers, and stand out from the crowd.
5 skills every digital strategist should have
A digital strategist is a jack of all trades to some extent, but there are some crucial skills they must have to do their job successfully.
1. Technical proficiency
While a digital strategist doesn't need to be an expert in every app or program they need to use, they should:
- Have a basic understanding of graphic design and video editing, so they need to be familiar with the Adobe Suite.
- Be knowledgeable in Microsoft Office and Google Workspace.
- Be proficient in content management systems such as WordPress.
- Be savvy with project management software such as Confluence, Jira, or Trello.
2. Social media knowledge
A digital strategist is responsible for creating social media strategies and managing your social media presence. This means creating and uploading social media posts and managing social media accounts. That's why having in-depth knowledge and understanding of social media is crucial.
3. Marketing knowledge
Since digital strategists are essentially digital marketers, intense marketing knowledge is indispensable. Your digital strategist must know how to:
- Research your consumer base and your competitors
- Identify and analyze your performance indicators
- Manage and run marketing campaigns
They use paid advertising platforms like Google Ads and Facebook Ads to achieve this. By analyzing and interpreting the data from these platforms, a digital strategist can launch, run, and adjust successful campaigns.
4. Analytical thinking
Analytical thinking is a cornerstone skill, essential for anyone juggling complex tasks and navigating various data points. It's especially important for digital marketers, where success hinges on understanding demographics, consumer interests, optimal advertising channels, and more.
These factors aren't just launchpad prerequisites, either. Digital strategists must constantly monitor and analyze campaign performances to pinpoint areas for improvement and maximize ROI. In simpler terms, analytical thinking allows them to optimize marketing efforts and squeeze the most value out of every campaign.
5. Project management skills
Digital strategists typically act as social media managers, in charge of creating and implementing your digital marketing strategy. This means that they can't do without strong project management skills. That way, they ensure:
- The marketing team is working smoothly and cohesively
- Every task is carried out diligently and on time
- Campaigns stay within the budget
What makes a good digital strategist?
In essence, a remarkable digital strategist combines adaptability, clear communication, and creativity to orchestrate a successful online presence for your business.
Adaptability
Adaptability reigns supreme in a digital strategist's toolkit. Their ability to navigate shifting landscapes and overcome hurdles with ease sets them apart. This skill applies to a broad spectrum of tasks, ensuring they can tackle whatever challenges arise.
Communication
Clear and concise communication is another defining mark. They not only manage client relationships effortlessly but also bridge the gap with you through comprehensive communication. This ensures they gather the right information to craft effective strategies and present their ideas in a transparent and understandable way.
Creativity
Creativity fuels the engine of a digital strategist. They strategize engaging written content and guide visual content creation, requiring a dash of artistic vision and imagination. Moreover, the digital world throws unexpected hurdles their way. A creative mind allows them to think on their toes and develop innovative solutions to stay ahead of the curve.
How much does a digital strategist cost?
The cost of hiring a digital strategist depends on their experience, skill set, and the amount of work your project needs. However, according to Comparably, digital strategists in the United States make the following salaries:
- Average - $87,008
- Lowest - $45,000
- Highest - $175,000
The amount you'll pay will vary, of course, but you can use these numbers to roughly guess the cost of investing in a digital strategist.
How to hire the perfect digital strategy expert
Let’s take a look at the most effective ways of finding the perfect digital strategist, so you don’t have to waste time endlessly browsing online.
1. Check out freelancing platforms
There are a few freelancing platforms that can help you find the right digital strategist:
- Upwork: As one of the biggest, it can easily help you connect with various digital marketing freelancers in different fields. Whether you're looking for a social media manager, a graphic designer, or something else entirely, you'll be able to find the right person even if you're on a tight budget.
- Toptal: It's more exclusive than Upwork, so you can find better talent, but you'll probably also have to invest more money. If you're just starting out with your business, it may not be a good option.
- People Per Hour: It's been a useful platform for businesses that require flexibility and need to hire experts on a temporary basis.
- Fiverr: Similar to Upwork, it hosts many freelance digital marketers at different price ranges, so you can find the right freelancer regardless of whether you're just starting out or already have an established business.
2. Search on social media
Since you’re looking for someone to handle your social media, it makes sense to use social networks to find the right person. Simply create an ad that advertises your job opening. Instagram ads managers are extremely good at targeting people, so you’ll likely find someone suitable in no time.
Otherwise, many freelancers on social platforms advertise their services and are actively looking for clients. You might come across someone this way—there’s nothing stopping you from reaching out for more information.
3. Use job boards
You can use more traditional job boards like Browse Indeed, LinkedIn, or even Craigslist. These platforms allow you to contact potential freelancers directly, see what they’re experienced in, and hire them quickly if they’re a good match.
4. Hire with Mayple
The most convenient way to find a freelance digital strategy expert is by working with Mayple. We can connect you to hundreds of digital marketers, freelancers, and agencies who specialize in various niches and can handle all your digital strategy needs.
Get started now and find the perfect digital strategist for your business. Mayple will ensure that you're connected to the most suitable marketer for your business and rid you of the hassle of sifting through freelancers on various freelance platforms.
8 questions to ask your digital strategist before you hire them
Here are some questions you can ask a potential freelance digital strategist during an interview:
1. What education and training in the field do you have?
Being a freelance digital strategist typically requires a degree in marketing, communications, or a related field. However, you should also inquire about other courses and certifications they've done, especially when it comes to Google Ads and Google Analytics.
2. Which software are you familiar with?
As we've already mentioned, your freelance digital strategist must be savvy with many digital tools, so it's important to know if their digital toolbox aligns with your business needs. You can also phrase this question as "What tools do you use in your digital marketing activity?" as an alternative way to determine their toolstack and experience.
3. What salary do you expect?
Budget is a reality for all businesses. Ask the digital strategist about their hourly rates and the salary they're expecting, so you know if they fit your budget or not.
4. Can you give us some examples of campaigns you've executed?
Inquiring about your prospective freelance digital marketer's digital marketing career and achievements is essential. It's about showcasing a proven track record and reassuring you that they're reliable.
5. How could your experience benefit our business?
This could be a good follow-up question to the previous one. You want to look for digital strategists who have clear ideas on how to implement their digital marketing skills to help you achieve your goals.
6. What are your favorite techniques to build loyal customers?
A good digital marketing consultant knows that marketing is about more than just "converting" people into buyers. It's also about happy clients who recommend your products or services to their peers. Ask your digital marketing expert about their approach to loyalizing customers to see how they think and whether they have experience in this area.
7. Have you ever done any guest post outreach?
While guest post outreach is a digital marketing specialization on its own, it's worth asking your freelancer about it. They might want to help you with it if they have the experience.
8. How did you start your freelance marketing career?
While this question may not tell you a lot about your candidate's skills, it can show you where they come from, how they ended up in the marketing landscape, and where they want to go from here. This will help you better understand how passionate they are, and how willing they are to go the extra mile to help you succeed.
Finding Your Digital Strategist Mastermind
The social media landscape is dynamic, demanding constant adaptation and strategic finesse. While our list of top digital strategy freelancers provides a valuable starting point, remember: the ideal partner goes beyond technical skills and impressive portfolios.
Seek someone who resonates with your brand vision and understands your target audience. Their expertise, coupled with open communication and mutual trust, will unlock the true potential of your social engagement, fostering genuine connections and propelling your brand forward.
