So, if you haven’t set up your LinkedIn profile, what are you waiting for? If you’re already on LinkedIn but aren’t attracting new freelance clients, you may not be using the platform correctly.

Whether you are a new LinkedIn user or a struggling one, here are some tips to increase your chances of getting more clients on LinkedIn.

1. Optimize Your Profile

It’s imperative to gain the trust of prospective clients from the moment they land on your profile page. A professional LinkedIn profile will have a higher chance of getting scrolled by clients, leading to you getting hired. Thus, the first step is to make your profile stand out.

Start with customizing your profile URL to make it more searchable while keeping it simple enough to include in your CV. Upload your professional profile photo of your face forward, and choose the right header image to represent your services.

In addition to this, your headline should be engaging, and your summary should demonstrate your experience and explain what value you can add to others’ businesses. Remember that your LinkedIn profile is what makes or breaks you in your client’s eyes, so optimize your profile correctly to make a lasting first impression.

2. Properly Use Hashtags

By using LinkedIn hashtags within posts, you can increase your chances of being seen by potential clients. The only way that could happen is if you use a hashtag they actually follow.

You can check the popularity of a hashtag by searching for it in the LinkedIn search bar to see how many people follow it. The more followers the hashtag has, the more people may view your content, the better your chances are of landing good clients.

For example, you can target the right audience by using hashtags such as #contentwriting, #contentmarketing, and #freelancewriting. To learn more about how many hashtags you should use or whether you should use broader or niche hashtags, check out this compelling article on LinkedIn hashtags.

3. Join LinkedIn Groups

Groups on LinkedIn work similarly to those on Facebook. You can either ask your fellow members to invite you to join relevant groups. When you come across a new group, you can also request to join it yourself.

Once you have joined, try your best to be more noticeable to potential clients. Build your reputation by sharing engaging, relevant content, participating in conversations, accepting constructive feedback politely, being respectful to others in the group, and, most importantly, not breaking any group rules.

RELATED: The Top LinkedIn Groups for Job Seekers

Do not forget to share what you’re learning with your group community. By demonstrating your commitment to enhancing your skill set, you stand a good chance of making new connections and securing some high-paying clients.

LinkedIn offers a section in which users can share their work samples. It’s called the Featured section, and it’s the first place clients can see your work. So, be sure to place your best samples there.

Even though you are not limited in how many documents you can upload there, make sure not to overcrowd it. Instead, include a sample of each of the different types of services you are offering so that clients can easily find and browse through them.

Additionally, make sure your profile visibility is set to public. If the featured section is limited to your connections only, the clients who are not connected to you will not be able to access it, thereby reducing your chances of getting in touch with a potential client.

5. Use Chrome Extensions to Hunt Clients and Job Positions

Chrome extensions can also assist you in the client hunting process. JobSeer, for instance, can help you identify your profile’s shortcomings or filter job listings based on your skills.

The JobSeer extension works by requesting relevant information from you, and when you hit Search Job, it will filter the most suitable jobs for you. When you apply for a freelance position using Jobseer, you’re given a smartly calculated score showing how well you match that position.

RELATED: Why You Can’t Find New Freelance Clients?

This allows you to focus on more suitable opportunities instead of wasting time applying for jobs you are not qualified for. Therefore, use such extensions to filter the right freelance writing position and win it with your expertise.

6. Get Recommendations From Your Clients

Your credibility increases in the eyes of new clients when you receive LinkedIn recommendations from your existing clients. Their feedback speaks volumes about the quality of your services and how reliable and professional you are.

Therefore, ask your clients to honestly review your services on LinkedIn with whom you have worked. Make sure you are gentle with them and don’t force them if they aren’t willing to do it. Moreover, make it a habit to ask your clients for their recommendations at the end of each project if you have not already done so.

Furthermore, platforms like Upwork allow freelancers to share the feedback they receive from clients directly on LinkedIn. So, if you are using such platforms, don’t forget to share feedback on your LinkedIn profile. More vouching for you makes you more credible, and credibility is what most clients are looking for.

7. Ask for Referrals

Besides getting recommendations from your clients, asking for referrals from freelancers on reputable positions in your network is equally important. Using LinkedIn’s Ask for a Referral feature, you can search for jobs in your network and reach out to people who already work at that company.

This way, you increase your chances of winning that position, if your expertise matches the job requirements and the referral comes from someone who occupies a reputable position. While you ask for referrals, don’t be pushy about it and be patient.

Get More Clients on LinkedIn as a Freelancer

Hopefully, the tips included in this list will make the client hunting process easier for you. While doing so, you shouldn’t fake recommendations by exchanging them with others, including services you aren’t good at, misusing the platform, or bribing your referrals. You may land a freelance job by doing all of this, but it won’t last.

Don’t have any testimonials from clients yet? You have a better chance of landing an excellent job in the future with a good testimonial, so why not get one?