I’m in a few Facebook groups for web designers, and often I see potential clients asking the group if anyone can help them with their website. These posts are usually followed with dozens of comments from web designers and devs saying things like ‘I sent you PM’ or ‘check out our site.’

I am curious by nature, and I like to see what other designers are working with. When I find a good designer that is doing good work, they give me ideas and help me improve my design game. Also, sometimes I am looking to hire designers for projects. So, the first thing I do is check out their profile. What surprises me is how often web designers don’t have anything in their Facebook bio indicating they are web designers. Like it’s a secret hidden identity they want to keep from the world. Or, they just don’t know how important having an up-to-date bio is for anyone working in an online industry such as web design and development.

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Don’t Hide Who You Are

Now I get it, some people like to keep their information super private. But if you decide to work in the online market, this really shouldn’t be an option. Not unless you have a psycho ex stalker or wanted by the authorities. Also, for those that create fake accounts and use several Facebook accounts – STOP!!! This is the worst thing a web designer or anyone that works in the online market can do. It shows deception and creates a severe lack of trust.

Just think, what would you advise for your clients. If a client told you, they want an online business but want to stay hidden on social media. You may recommend them that it may not be a good idea and will hold back their potential. The same goes for a web designer.

If you want to get more clients, there are a few things you need to do. In this article, we will focus on optimizing Facebook for your web design business.

Why Is Facebook Important for Web Designers?

All social media is essential for any business in 2020. And if you are a web designer, whether a freelancer or running an agency, you are a business and need to think like one.

Facebook is necessary for any business. As a web designer, it is possible to find clients on Facebook. But most importantly, it’s your chance to establish social proof, credibility, and trust. Clients aren’t stupid. They do their homework and can identify a professional versus an amateur. And they can defiantly spot red flags. And having a Facebook profile that is secretive is a red flag. Oh, and a fake account is beyond a red flag.

Here are three ways to optimize your Facebook profile that presents you as a legit web designer. By doing these three things, you’ll look like a professional. Potential clients will be more likely to trust you with their online business.

1. Optimizing Your Bio

When someone visits your Facebook profile, they should know immediately that you are a web designer and how they can get a hold of you. If you are a serious web designer, you have to let it be known!

When your bio is blank, instantly, you lost trust from anyone considering you for a project. People will think, ‘Is he really a web designer? Who is this person really? Is this person going to scam me?’

And when your Facebook profile shows nothing in your bio and no posts on your timeline, it looks like a fake Facebook account. Only people I see with multiple Facebook accounts are trolls and scammers. Why else run multiple accounts but to do something dodgy.

If you haven’t updated your bio because you don’t use Facebook often, you have lots of opportunities to improve your online presence. Take just a half an hour and put time into your bio. Let it be known, let everyone know. You are a web designer and can help them with their websites. You have friends and family and hundreds, even thousands of Facebook friends that might not even know you’re a web designer. And that is where you are losing projects. You do this, and you will start to get referrals and leads over time.

Here are a few items you must have in your profile:

  1. Your occupation as a web designer.
  2. A link to your website portfolio.
  3. Links to your other Social Media profiles such as Linkedin, Instagram, Behance, Dribble.
  4. Your Facebook Business page (we’ll get into this next)

2. Build a Business Page

Your bio lets people know who you are and what you do. Now let’s take it to the next level and show them that you’re a professional. That is what your Facebook business page is all about. But it is not just creating a business page and then letting it be. You need to create a business page where potential clients can see updated information and work you have done.

Just imagine, you are the client. If you are looking to hire someone and visit their Facebook business page, it is clean, consistent, and detailed, and you see their active posts. Then you visit other designer’s Facebook business pages, and the main image looks not that good. There are no details or information, and the last post was from last year. You would have a very different impression on both designers. Who would you choose?

A common mistake I see for designers with business pages is that they start them, and leave them. These need care and attention.

To get started, do some research and find a few active business pages you like and bookmark them. Next, schedule time for you to spend on your page. Give yourself 2 – 3 hours in one day. Go through your page in detail using the examples you bookmarked as a reference. Go through every single option and make sure no setting or detail is left untouched. Give your page some care.

Once your page is completed, detailed, and close to the example pages you bookmarked, start to plan out your posts. You should have at least one post per week. These posts could either be a design you created, a project you’ve completed, or an article you read and found has value for web design. As long as they are relatable to what you are doing, it’s ok.

What helps is planning out a month or even a couple of months. There are free versions of social media posting tools like Buffer, where you can create 4 to 8 posts and schedule them for the next month or two. And it takes only an hour or two to set up.

You do this, and your social proof for Facebook is set up. The social media icons on your website will now add value when someone clicks on them.

3. Become an Active Member of Facebook Groups

If you are wondering how to get more clients, Facebook groups might be one of the best places on Facebook. There are several Facebook groups dedicated to web design, WordPress, web development, UI and UX, and even more niche-down topics like Elementor and Divi.

The groups and communities are already there and open for you. And you know who else is in these groups? Clients! Some are business owners looking to learn more from people in the industry and even looking for help with their projects. Some are like me, agency owners that hire freelancers and web design contractors for projects. And there are other freelancers to network with. Many of my projects in my first few years as a web designer came from other web designers. I’ve built relationships with other designers, where we recommend clients back and forth.

It is an open platform for anyone to take advantage of. It’s a perfect place to dedicate yourself to and establish yourself as an expert by simply being active and helpful.

If you are in some of these groups, I’m sure there are group members that stand out, and you know who they are even though you never met or talked to them. Just because they are active in making posts and answering people’s questions.

How to use Facebook groups to get more clients:

First, whatever you do, do not approach the groups looking for clients or work. Your goal should not be for you to get a client or a project. It does not work that way. If you do, you will not look like an expert, but as someone desperate for work and possibly even a spammer.

You have to focus on just one thing. Helping people. That is it! Just help. Be helpful in your answers. Never be rude or negative. When you create posts, it should be to help the community. You can post things like something you learned that can help others, or something you found inspiring that helped you. You do this, and you will become someone that adds value to the group.

Select just one to three groups that are a fit for what you do and have an interest in. Don’t try more than three groups. Realistically, trying to be super active on more than three groups would be overwhelming, and you’d end up spreading yourself too thin. Carefully chose your groups. Make sure there are enough members, and the group is growing. Also, select a group that is properly moderated and not overrun by trolls.

There is a massive opportunity in Facebook groups. Anyone can stand out. All you need to do is take time daily and help others. And people will notice. In time, you will be known and recognized. And when someone is looking for a designer and someone to work with, you will be on their mind.

Conclusion

A strong social media presence is vital for any business in 2020. Now more than ever, as we are online more than we have ever been. Neglecting to establish yourself on the largest social media platform is preventing your business from growing and earning more. Establishing yourself and your business on Facebook is not that complicate. It takes just a bit of time and care. And then you go from being some ‘web designer’ that people have no idea about to a web designer they feel they can trust.