Finding clients as a freelance social media manager doesn’t always mean casting a global net. In fact, there could be a goldmine of opportunities right in your local area, depending on where you live.

If you’d rather work with businesses down the road instead of across the world, here’s how to make sure local business owners find you when they need help with social media.

1. Optimise Your Business Pages For Local Discovery

A few tweaks to your already great content can make all the difference if you are focused on attracting local businesses:

• Update your bio/About section – As well as being clear about the way you help people, include local keywords that'll help you be found in search, e.g., “Helping Manchester restaurants get booked out every weekend”
• Use your pinned post(s) to speak to local people by using local imagery, hashtags and search terms and showcase the results you're helping other local businesses achieve to build credibility.

2. Look for Businesses That Are Paying To Advertise Locally

Many businesses still advertise in traditional ways via local papers, notice boards, and flyers because they haven’t yet cracked social media. If they’re paying for print ads you already know they have a budget. They might just be spending it in the wrong place!

• Keep an eye on local newspapers, shop window ads, and community boards.
• If you see a business advertising offline but not doing well online, try and connect with them.

3. Attend Local Business Networking Events

Yes, it might be out of your comfort zone, but in-person networking can fast-track trust and relationships.

• Do your due diligence beforehand so you know the types of business owners who typically attend. You don't want to waste your time networking with hobbyists or MLMs.
• Have an elevator pitch ready so that when you introduce yourself people really understand how you help others. For example “I help gym owners in West Sussex to get more local people into their gyms.”
• Follow up with new contacts to keep the conversation going on social media – after all, that's your comfort zone!

4. Optimise Your Content for Local Audiences

Your content should scream “I’m the go-to social media expert for [your location]!”

• Use the locality in your hooks for example: “3 features every Bristol beauty business needs to know to get more bookings”
• Include recognisable local imagery in your content, we all stop scrolling for familiarity.
• Add local SEO keywords in your captions so you can be discovered in search. Terms like “London social media manager” can help you be found by people searching for social media help in London.
• Tag and share local businesses in your stories (but not in a spammy way). Everyone loves a bit of flattery so shout out local businesses, recommend them, or share their posts, that's what puts you on their radar without being salesy or spammy.
• Geo-tag your posts, Reels, and Stories.
• Engage with local content – Comment on posts tagged at local cafes, coworking spaces, or business hubs.

5. Use Facebook & LinkedIn Groups (Without Being Spammy)

Facebook and LinkedIn groups can be goldmines if you use them right:

• Join local business and networking groups – not the spammy sales ones where people just dump a link to their website and leave. The ones where people are chatting and having conversations.
• Engage naturally by answering questions, providing tips, and contributing to conversations.
• No link-dumping! The goal is to become known as the helpful go-to person, not the spammy sales machine.

For more help to find clients in Facebook groups read this blog.

6. Host a Free Local Live Series

People need to see you as the expert before they’ll hire you. Hosting a free live series does exactly that!

• Interview local business owners about their journey.
• Offer quick-fire social media tips tailored to local businesses.
• Cross-promote so you tap into their audience too.
• Repurpose the content into Reels, carousels, and blog posts.

7. Create a Local Lead Magnet or Low-Ticket Offer

A lead magnet is an easy way to get local business owners onto your email list.

• Offer something like “5 ways Brighton Gyms can get more members on Instagram” as a free PDF.
• Share it in local groups and on your own profile.
• Have a strong call to action: “Grab your free copy here 👉 [Your Link]”.

8. Run Local Lead-Gen Ads (Without a Huge Budget)

Don’t assume Meta Ads are expensive—they’re one of the cheapest ways to target local businesses.

• Use Facebook Lead Ads to collect emails without sending people off-platform.
• Target by location and business type.
• Offer something valuable in exchange for their email (like your lead magnet!).

If you want to really master Meta Ads, check out Ads Manager Academy.

Final Thoughts

Finding local clients doesn’t mean waiting for them to find you. With a bit of strategy and consistency, you can position yourself as the go-to social media expert for businesses in your area. Implement even a few of these tactics, and watch your client list grow!