Freelance teaching is a great route to go down if you like the idea of being your own boss (FREE comprehensive guide here) – meaning working the hours you want to work, taking as much time off as you want and generally being the driver of your own success. But perhaps the bigger draw is the earning power. With freelance teaching, you can look to make over £50 per hour. But that’s not to say a salary like that doesn’t take some graft…
Doing well in online teaching comes from having a constant rotation of loyal clients that rely on your services, and more, recommend you to other students who might be looking to learn English. This will come with time, but a good way to accelerate this is to market yourself. Marketing yourself as an online English teacher can be a great way to build a successful freelance business, and don’t be daunted, it’s actually pretty simple once you get the hang of it.
Here are some tips to help you effectively market yourself in the online teaching industry…
– Create a Professional Online Presence
Having a professional website, social media accounts, and a strong online portfolio can help you stand out from the competition. Make sure your website is easy to navigate and includes all the relevant information about your services, qualifications, and experience. Social accounts that spotlight what you do (and show a bit of your personality, teaching style and passion for your work along the way) is a great way to build your personal ‘brand’ and are increasingly becoming a popular way to gain new business.
– Build a Strong Network
Building a strong network can help you find new students and grow your business. Join online teaching communities, attend webinars and conferences and engage with other online teachers to learn from their experiences and share your own.
– Utilise Online Platforms
Utilise online platforms such as LinkedIn, Upwork and other similar platforms to showcase your skills, qualifications and services. It’s also a great way to connect with potential clients.
– Offer a Free Trial Class
Offering a free trial class is a great way to attract new students and build trust with potential clients. This will give your students an opportunity to experience your teaching style and decide if they want to continue with your services.
– Create Quality Content
Create quality content marketing such as blog posts, videos and podcasts to showcase your expertise (these can be promoted on your socials). In these, you can share tips and resources to help your students improve their English skills, establishing yourself as a credible and knowledgeable teacher and enhancing your ‘expert image’.
– Use SEO techniques
SEO sounds techy, but it’s as simple as using keywords such as ‘Online English Teacher’ in your website and social content. Using search engine optimisation techniques to improve your visibility in search engine results helping you reach a wider audience and increase your chances of attracting new students. We like this simple guide by Search Engine Journal.
– Invest in Advertising
If you have the means, investing in advertising can help you reach a larger audience and attract new students. You can use social media platforms, Google ads and other platforms to promote paid ‘ads’ such as a video of you talking to a camera or a static post. Just a warning: do your research and work out if this route is right for you before you pump money into paid ads. It could be that you’re finding clients more organically, which is great!
– Get Testimonials and Reviews
Ask your satisfied students to leave testimonials and reviews on your website/landing page and social media profiles. This will help you establish credibility and build trust with potential clients. And everyone likes hearing they’ve done a good job, right?