TOP RESOURCES TO UNDERSTAND MARKET TRENDS IN FREELANCING
If you are starting out with freelancing and you are trying to decide which niche you want to go into, I suggest doing some market research to understand market trends and to gain insights into where demand is growing. Below are some UK-specific resources to help freelancers understand market trends and identify in-demand skills:
Freelancing and Gig Economy Reports (UK)
IPSE (The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed): IPSE regularly publishes reports on the UK freelancing landscape, covering topics like earnings, industry demand, and freelancer demographics.
PeoplePerHour’s UK Freelance Survey: PeoplePerHour releases annual insights about the freelancing market in the UK, highlighting trends, popular niches, and economic contributions of freelancers.
ONS (Office for National Statistics): Provides official UK labor market reports, which include self-employment data, trends in remote work, and sector growth information.
Job and Skills Platforms
LinkedIn UK Jobs Insights: LinkedIn UK publishes insights on skills that are in demand, popular job titles, and hiring trends. Their Workforce Report often includes data specific to the UK job market, including freelance opportunities.
Indeed UK: Indeed’s job trends section is a great way to search for in-demand freelance skills by seeing what keywords and roles are trending in the UK.
Upwork’s UK Freelance Insights: Upwork occasionally releases reports specific to the UK, showing which freelance skills are growing in demand among UK clients.
Market Research and Business Insights
Google Trends (UK): You can filter Google Trends data by the UK to see how interest in certain freelancing skills or niches is evolving within the country.
Statista UK: Statista has a large repository of data related to various UK industries, emerging skills, and freelance work trends. It offers insights into fast-growing sectors and areas where freelancer demand is highest.
PWC UK’s Workforce of the Future: PWC UK often publishes insights on changing UK workforce trends, covering digital skills, gig economy developments, and industries with the strongest growth.
Industry-Specific News and Publications
The Guardian’s Careers Section: The Guardian regularly covers trends in the UK job market, including freelance work, remote work, and skill demands.
The Drum: Aimed at digital and creative freelancers, The Drum reports on UK media, marketing, and digital trends, with insights into where UK brands are investing in freelance talent.
UK Tech News: For freelancers in tech or digital marketing, UK Tech News covers developments and demand trends in the UK technology sector, one of the largest areas for freelancers.
Freelancer Communities and Blogs
Freelance Heroes (UK): A UK-based freelance community that regularly shares information about trends, industry news, and freelancing opportunities. Freelance Heroes also hosts meetups and webinars on emerging topics.
IPSE Blog and Resources: IPSE provides blog articles and resources with insights on UK-specific freelancing trends, legislative updates, and economic reports.
r/UKFreelance on Reddit: This subreddit provides a community for UK freelancers to discuss trends, share advice, and get information about changing client demand.
Freelancing Courses and Webinars
The Guardian Masterclasses: The Guardian offers regular courses on freelancing, entrepreneurship, and skill development, with an emphasis on the UK market.
General Assembly London: General Assembly hosts a variety of events and courses in the UK, focusing on in-demand digital skills for freelancers and self-employed professionals.
LinkedIn Learning (UK): With LinkedIn Learning’s data on trending skills in the UK, you can track skills that are growing in demand. LinkedIn also publishes UK-specific skill trends and popular courses.
Government and Economic Data Sources
UK Government’s GOV.UK Labour Market Reports: The UK government publishes reports and data on employment and self-employment, including insights into industries with high freelance engagement.
CBI (Confederation of British Industry): CBI frequently provides insights on trends within specific industries in the UK and how these sectors are changing in response to new technologies and demands for flexible work.
ONS Reports on Self-Employment: The Office for National Statistics offers UK-specific reports on self-employment trends, including freelance income, industry shifts, and market projections for freelancers.
These resources are tailored to the UK market, helping freelancers understand where demand is highest and which industries or skills are projected to grow. They’re particularly valuable for freelancers looking to adapt their services or pivot into niches with rising demand in the UK.
Read my post on Finding your Niche as a Freelancer here!