The demand for freelancers is increasing this year, according to expert analysts at Worksuite, a freelance management platform that connects businesses and freelancers. The research concluded that there was a 22.4% year-on-year growth in the dollar amount of invoiced contract work being managed via their platform, with major corporate clients hiring these freelancers, including Marriott Bonvoy, Mediabrands, The New York Academy of Sciences, Microsoft, and WebMD.
The top 10 countries with the greatest number of freelance professionals in 2023 were the U.S., UK, Canada, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Philippines, Germany, Puerto Rico, India, France, and Germany. In 2024, the list remains fairly the same, with the exception of three countries—Germany, Puerto Rico, and Sweden—dropping out and being replaced by Brazil, Australia, and South Africa in the final three positions in the ranking.
In the first half of 2024, the top five countries churning out freelancers that experienced an increase in fresh freelance talent (based on Worksuite usage data) compared to last year are South Africa with a 126% increase, followed by the U.S. (68%), Canada (64%), Australia (62%), and the UAE (47%).
Understanding the current state of the freelance market can help uncover areas of strong job demand and growth within your specialism or niche, and can lead to more high-growth and high-paying gigs and projects. You might even decide to move to one of these countries or opt for switching up your marketing strategy to ensure that corporations and entities based in, or having a presence in, these top countries hiring freelancers, are better placed to view your services and contract with you.
To use this information to inform your freelancing strategy when growing your small business and bidding for projects, consider conducting thorough market research to determine which countries would work best for you and your business idea. This knowledge enables you to confidently negotiate better pay rates.
Target your marketing efforts, especially digital marketing and social media outreach, on the countries you wish to target to reap the most benefits. This is particularly helpful if you are narrowing down your audience for PPC (pay-per-click) advertizing on Facebook or sending new connection requests and InMails on LinkedIn.
Build a global client base by diversifying your geographical reach and developing mechanisms that allow you to work for and collaborate with stakeholders across the world. As a freelancer, you are stepping into an entire new world of work, so remember to think smart, strategize your way to success, and physically position yourself and your business visibility where you will be most likely to gain the most profit and opportunities.
