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Freelancing is way easier when clients come to you instead of you chasing them across the internet like a lost puppy.
LinkedIn makes that possible because it’s one of the few platforms where people show up already thinking about work, hiring, and business growth.
But most freelancers use it like a digital resume, then wonder why nothing happens.
You don’t need to go viral.
You need a profile that sells, a simple outreach system, and proof you can deliver results.
If you want more places to stack clients (besides LinkedIn), this list of freelancing apps that can pay you $1000 fast in 2026 gives you extra options without adding chaos.
In this post, discover 12 freelancing tips to get clients on LinkedIn—the stuff that actually moves the needle: positioning, content, messaging, and follow-ups that don’t feel cringe.
Use the tips in order, and LinkedIn stops feeling like a time-waster and starts acting like a client pipeline.
Let’s get you booked.
1) PICK ONE CLEAR SERVICE AND SAY IT LIKE A HUMAN
If your headline says “Creative Solutions | Helping Brands Grow | Passionate About Excellence”… congrats, you’re invisible.
Your first job is clarity.
Choose one main service and one main audience, then say it plainly.
Examples:
- Email copywriter for ecommerce brands
- Short-form video editor for coaches
- Bookkeeper for local service businesses
Clear beats clever.
People can’t hire what they can’t understand.
2) TURN YOUR HEADLINE INTO A VALUE PROMISE (NOT A JOB TITLE)
A headline that only says “Freelance Designer” makes the client do all the thinking.
Don’t make them work.
Try this formula: Service + audience + outcome.
Example: “Landing page designer for SaaS brands who want more demos.”
That outcome piece does something magical: it tells people what you do and why they should care.
LinkedIn rewards clarity because humans reward clarity.
3) WRITE AN “ABOUT” SECTION THAT SOUNDS LIKE A SALES PAGE (BUT CALMER)
Your About section should answer three questions fast:
- Who do you help?
- What do you help them do?
- Why should they trust you?
Keep it skimmable: short paragraphs, bold results, simple proof.
Add one line that tells people what to do next: “DM me ‘PROJECT’ and I’ll ask a few questions.”
If writing isn’t your superpower, don’t wing it.
Run your profile text through Grammarly’s writing assistant so you sound confident and clean instead of “typed this at 1 a.m. with one eye open.”
4) STOP LISTING DUTIES—SHOW PROOF IN YOUR FEATURED SECTION
Clients don’t hire “hardworking” or “detail-oriented.”
They hire outcomes.
Your Featured section should include:
- 1–2 case studies (even mini ones)
- Before/after examples (screenshots help)
- A simple one-page offer (what you do, pricing range, timeline)
- A booking link or DM instruction
No case studies yet? Make a “sample project” for a realistic brand.
Then explain your choices like you would to a client. That’s still proof.
5) MAKE YOUR PROFILE LOOK LIKE A BRAND, NOT A Random Account
People judge fast. Like, two seconds fast.
Use a clean banner that states what you do.
Use the same colors and vibe across your visuals so your posts look consistent.
If design stresses you out, it shouldn’t.
Use Canva’s ready-made LinkedIn templates to create banners, carousels, and simple visuals that make you look established even if you’re new.
6) POST 2 TYPES OF CONTENT: PROOF AND PROCESS
You don’t need to post daily.
You need to post things that make the right people think: “Oh… they get it.”
Two content types do that best:
- Proof posts: wins, screenshots, results, client feedback, lessons from projects
- Process posts: how you work, what you notice, common mistakes you fix, simple tips
A simple weekly plan:
- 1 proof post
- 1 process post
- 2 comments per day on posts your ideal clients read
FYI: consistency beats intensity. One solid month of steady posting beats one chaotic week of trying to “grind.”
7) COMMENT LIKE A STRATEGY, NOT A Hobby
Most freelancers comment like this: “Great post!”
That’s nice. It’s also pointless.
Instead, leave comments that add value:
- A quick example
- A respectful counterpoint
- A tiny framework
- A one-sentence case study (“I tried this with a client and it doubled X.”)
Clients notice strong comments because it’s “free proof” of your brain.
And it’s the easiest way to get seen without posting every day.
8) BUILD A TARGET LIST USING SEARCH (AND ACTUALLY TRACK IT)
If you don’t track your outreach, you’ll feel busy and still stay broke.
Harsh, but accurate.
Make a list of 30–50 targets:
- Founders in your niche
- Marketing managers
- Agencies that subcontract
- Recruiters (depending on your service)
Use filters and save leads.
If you’re actively hunting opportunities, LinkedIn Jobs can help you find companies already hiring for the work you do—then you can pitch a freelance option if the role fits.
Track: name, role, company, date contacted, follow-up date, result.
You’re building a pipeline, not sending vibes into the universe.
9) SEND DMs THAT DON’T SCREAM “I COPIED THIS FROM A GURU”
Your first message should not be a pitch.
It should be a door-opener.
Try this structure:
- Something specific you noticed
- A small relevant insight
- A simple question
Example:
“Hey Sam—noticed you’re posting weekly webinars (nice). Quick thought: your replay page could probably convert better with a tighter CTA. Do you already have someone optimizing that?”
It’s calm. It’s specific. It doesn’t beg.
And it invites a conversation instead of a rejection.
10) SELL A PACKAGE, NOT YOUR TIME
Hourly work makes clients compare you to everyone.
Packages make clients compare you to the problem they want solved. Big difference.
Examples:
- “LinkedIn profile refresh + banner + About rewrite”
- “4-week content batch: 8 posts + 2 carousels”
- “Landing page teardown + rewrite + 2 revision rounds”
Packages make you easier to hire because the scope feels contained.
Also: you stop getting trapped in endless “quick little tasks.”
11) GET QUICK WINS BY OFFERING A “STARTER” OPTION
People hesitate because they don’t trust yet.
So lower the commitment without lowering your value.
Create a starter offer like:
- A paid audit
- A one-page rewrite
- A single edited video
- A 60-minute strategy session with deliverables
If you want an easy place to list a clear starter offer (so clients can hire without a long courtship), Fiverr’s freelance marketplace works well for packaging a simple service with defined deliverables.
Then once they trust you, you upsell the bigger package.
That’s not “being salesy.” That’s making it easy to say yes.
12) UPGRADE ONE SKILL THAT MAKES YOU EXPENSIVE
LinkedIn rewards specialists.
Clients pay more for people who solve expensive problems.
Pick one skill to sharpen for 30 days:
- Sales copy
- Paid ads basics
- Email marketing
- Video editing speed
- SEO content strategy
- Data/reporting
Need structure instead of random YouTube hopping?
Use something like Coursera’s career-focused courses for guided learning, or grab a targeted skill course on Udemy when you want quick, practical lessons you can apply this week.
One upgraded skill + visible proof on LinkedIn = better clients.
Better clients = better rates. That’s the whole game.
If you want a broader remote-work strategy alongside LinkedIn networking, this step-by-step guide on how to find a high-paying work-from-home job includes practical LinkedIn positioning ideas you can borrow for freelancing too.
Getting clients on LinkedIn isn’t about being the loudest person in the feed.
It’s about positioning clearly, showing proof, and starting real conversations with people who can hire you.
Fix your headline, tighten your About section, post proof + process, and message with curiosity instead of desperation.
Start today with three moves:
- Update your headline with a clear outcome
- Add one proof item to Featured
- DM five targets with a non-pushy opener
Do that for two weeks and LinkedIn starts feeling less like a social app and more like a client engine.
And if you want to level up faster, a structured learning path like Coursera’s career-focused courses can help you sharpen the one skill that makes your rates jump.