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Episode 154 | THE DISCOVERABILITY PROBLEM


THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: The Scarescotland Talent Agency.

If you don't get noticed, you don't have anything. You just have to be noticed, but the art is in getting noticed naturally, without screaming or without tricks. Leo Burnett

Welcome folks to the final episode of this six-episode mini-season and I just want to say thanks again for choosing to spend your time here with me. It is greatly appreciated. I do the show to give what I can back to a community that I love and want to support. Please subscribe to the show if you haven’t done so already so that you don’t miss the next one which will likely be in about 12 weeks.

 

In last week's show, I introduced Another 3 Pearls of Invaluable Wisdom. Important advice that could make the difference between success and failure when it comes to your life and work. Please go back and check it out and remember too that there are always plenty of back episodes to learn from, to help you find success.

 

Today I’m looking at something called The Discoverability Problem. It's a marketing-related matter and I can’t say that I have endless solutions to it, but I do believe it’s a topic worthy of our time.

 

Wikipedia says that Discoverability is the degree to which something, especially a piece of content or information, can be found in a search of a file, database, or other information system. Discoverability is a concern in library and information science, many aspects of digital media, software and web development, and in marketing, since products and services cannot be used if people cannot find them or do not understand what they can be used for. It is the personal marketing area, marketing for creative freelancers in a noisy world, that I am particularly interested in today.

 

Muriel Romanes a guest lecturer at my college, an actor, and an award-winning director once said to me, "if you are not contactable you are not employable" and I do believe that that was the very first piece of productivity advice I was ever given, or at least the very first one which I took heed of. If no one knows you exist, or how to contact you if they want to employ you or work with you, then you will never find success.

 

The "Discoverability Problem" is particularly relevant in the era of the internet and digital media, where the sheer volume of available content and the number of competing entities make it difficult for any single person to stand out and be noticed. Breaking through the white noise of emails, social media posts, web searches, and everything else out there to make sure that you stand out is a particularly difficult endeavor.

Findability precedes usability. In the alphabet and on the Web. You can’t use what you can’t find. Peter Morville

The discoverability problem in freelancing terms refers to the challenges we face in making our services visible and appealing to potential clients or employers in a crowded and competitive marketplace. We face issues like;

 

  1. Saturation of the Market: With the rise of freelancing platforms and the increasing number of individuals offering similar services, it becomes harder for us to stand out.

  2. Visibility Among Potential Clients: We must find effective ways to appear in search results or recommendations on freelancing platforms, websites, and social media.

  3. Building a Reputation: New freelancers often struggle to build a portfolio and gain reviews or testimonials that can increase their credibility and attractiveness to potential clients. This encourages more iffy approaches like Fake it till you make it, which I can tell you does backfire, as these individuals are becoming easier and easier to identify and dismiss.

  4. Niche Specialization: Determining and effectively marketing a unique skill or niche area can be challenging, but it's crucial for differentiating yourself in a sea of generalists.

  5. Networking: Freelancers often need to actively network and reach out to potential clients, which requires skill and persistence.

  6. Algorithm Dependency: On digital platforms, social media, etc, freelancers are often at the mercy of algorithms, which dictate how and when their profiles are shown to potential clients. I seem to be forever caught in an algorithmic pitfall on Twitter these days. It's something I find great difficulty in combating.

Networking is simply the cultivating of mutually beneficial, give and take, win-win relationships. It works best, however, when emphasizing the "give" part. Bob Burg

The Discoverability Problem in freelancing terms ultimately boils down to how effectively a freelancer can make themselves known and appealing in an environment where clients have a plethora of options.

Formula for success: under promise and over-deliver. Tom Peters

There are some solutions to The Discoverability Problem that you may want to try of course. I use many of them myself and I honestly can’t say that they all work. In my world, the world of film, theatre, and television stunts and fights I face a fundamental problem from what I will loosely call an industry. That problem is that I genuinely don’t believe that my employers, 95% of them certainly, care one jot about who they work with. It’s not that they deliberately don’t employ me, it’s that they don’t think about me at all. That’s possibly something for another episode!

 

Here are 10 solutions to the Discoverability Problem that you may want to try though.

 

  1. Optimize Your Profile on Freelancing Platforms: Include keywords relevant to your skills and services in your profile and project descriptions to improve visibility in search results.

  2. Build a Strong Portfolio: Showcase a range of your past work that highlights your skills and expertise, helping potential clients quickly understand your capabilities.

  3. Engage in Networking: Join freelancing communities, attend industry events, and participate in social media groups related to your field to increase your visibility.

  4. Develop Your Personal Brand: Create a personal brand that reflects your unique skills, values, and professional approach, including a professional website, a consistent social media presence, and a distinctive logo or style.

  5. Gather Client Testimonials and Reviews: Encourage satisfied clients to leave positive reviews or testimonials to enhance your credibility and attract new clients.

  6. Create and Share Content: Share your expertise through blogs, videos, or social media posts. This positions you as an expert in your field and can attract clients seeking that expertise. I'd add to that to leverage promotional opportunities.

  7. Optimize Your Personal Website for SEO: If you have a personal website, make sure it's optimized for search engines to increase the chances of being found by potential clients.

  8. Focus on a Specialization: Concentrate on a niche or specialized area to reduce competition and make it easier for clients seeking specific skills to find you.

  9. Be Active in Freelance Communities: Participate in discussions, answer questions, and share insights in online communities to raise your profile within the industry.

  10. Utilize Paid Advertising: Consider using paid advertising on social media or search engines to target potential clients.

  11. Follow Up and Seek Referrals: Regularly follow up with past clients for potential new projects and ask for referrals to open up new opportunities.

 

By implementing these strategies, you can enhance your visibility and attractiveness to potential clients or employers, effectively countering the discoverability problem in freelancing.


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I hope you’ve found today's show a little enlightening and I hope that you will be able to use what you have learned here to help yourself stand out from the crowd. There’s always the chance that there just isn’t a lot of work out there for you too, so if you are getting nowhere it may be worth diversifying or changing what you are doing to pay the bills.

 

Certainly, that’s where my head is at the moment as there just isn’t as much work around as there used to be.


That’s enough for today and for this season 12 mini-season. Thanks again for listening.

 

I’ll be back with more episodes soon, even sooner if I can't find any decent employment myself. Perhaps I'll complete another 6 episodes of season 12 and make it a full one or maybe I’ll move straight on to season 13 instead. You'll only really know if you are subscribed to the show on the podcast app of your choice and please, if you have not done so already please please please leave a review on Apple Podcast or even just a star rating on Spotify! It all helps to solve the Discoverability Problem that I have with Film Pro Productivity and Success.

 

I’ll end the season with a quote from Thomas A. Edison who said that Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.

 

Now take control of your own destiny, keep on shootin’ and join me next time on FILM PRO PRODUCTIVITY AND SUCCESS!


The Discoverability Problem

  • The music you can hear right now is Adventures by A Himitsu and the executive producer is Kris Sommerville of Frontline Kit UK. Uniform hire for TV and film.

  • You can view the show notes for this episode on the official website filmproproductivity.com

  • You can follow my personal accounts on Twitter and Instagram @fight_director or follow the show on Twitter @filmproprodpod or on Facebook @Filmproproductivity

  • Please support the show by subscribing, spreading the word and leaving an AWESOME review.


EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:


Kris Sommerville of Frontline Kit UK. Uniform hire for TV and film.



Frontline Kit UK Premier police kit and uniform clothing provider.


THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: The Scarescotland Talent Agency.


Scarescotland Talent Agency provides uniquely talented performers to the film, television, and Live action industry.  Including creature actors,  stand-ins, and classic horror characters for events.


References:

None.


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