By Hila Harel, Director of International Expansion at Fiverr
The UK retail sector thrives on innovation, competitiveness, and growth. With rapidly shifting consumer needs, retailers are adapting how they source talent, increasingly turning to freelancers to stay agile. Fiverr’s Autumn 2024 Business Trends Index highlights this shift, showing that UK businesses, despite rising investments, are leveraging freelancers for key tasks like crowdfunding support to drive growth and innovation.
Delving deeper into the data, Fiverr’s marketplace has witnessed an extraordinary surge in demand for advertising services from UK businesses, with a staggering 496,600% increase over the past six months. This underscores a significant trend: businesses are increasingly prioritizing the expansion of their online presence, with TikTok playing a pivotal role in their digital strategies.
As the UK enters the peak shopping season, let’s explore the key trends shaping how retailers are sourcing and hiring the next generation of talent.
UK businesses are focusing on digital marketing – and TikTok is leading the pack
Fiverr’s recent report – as well as its previous edition – reveal that social media marketing remains one of the top priorities for UK businesses and consequently, what businesses are searching for on Fiverr. TikTok skillsets towers above the rest but it doesn’t stop there. Another Fiverr report shows that digital marketing tools are the leading investment focus for UK retailers this year, forming a key part of their festive season strategy. Notably, social media ads have ranked among the top three investment areas for three years in a row.
Turning our attention to TikTok, it’s evident that UK retailers are increasingly turning to freelancers to bolster their presence on TikTok Shop as the peak holiday season approaches. Fiverr’s search data reveals the specific social media skill sets in high demand among UK retailers. For instance, searches for social media content managers have surged by 2271%, while demand for TikTok monetisation experts has grown by 222% and TikTok content creators by 95%. Additionally, retailers are seeking SEO services (+75%), TikTok Shop expertise (+65%), and social media post design (+35%) to create impactful campaigns. This data highlights how retailers are leveraging specialised freelance talent to maximise their reach and effectiveness on platforms like TikTok.
Growing investment and freelance support fuels UK business innovation
ONS statistics indicate a potential surge in new business development in the UK, with rising business investment driving companies to seek additional funding while increasingly turning to freelancers to support their growth. Notably, searches for trademarks and trademark registration have surged, with the latter seeing a remarkable 935% increase in recent months. This trend underscores a positive outlook for UK entrepreneurship, as businesses prioritise protecting and promoting their intellectual property. Similarly, the rise in searches for crowdfunding campaign creation (+309%), crowdfunding campaign promotion (+203%), and crowdfunding (+92%) highlights the growing reliance on freelancers to provide essential skills that enable businesses to scale and innovate effectively.
Freelancers helping others find work, even amidst cost of living crisis
It’s evident that businesses are relying on freelance support more than ever, but they’re not alone—individuals are also turning to freelancers to help them secure new opportunities. Over the past six months, Fiverr has observed a significant rise in job-related searches, with freelancers offering services like crafting compelling CVs and assisting with job searches. For example, searches for resume writing and cover letters have surged by 73,500%, while demand for reverse recruiters has grown by 5,145%, and executive resumé services by 1,315%.
This trend reflects the challenges many Brits face in navigating the current economic conditions and an unstable labour market. As more individuals turn to freelancing to gain a competitive edge, businesses also stand to benefit. They now have access to a broader pool of high-quality candidates they might have previously overlooked. Organisations can further leverage freelancers to streamline recruitment processes, enhance candidate quality, and secure top talent to drive their success. Fiverr searches for job applications (+753%) and job searches (+320%) underscore the growing demand for freelance expertise in bridging the gap between job seekers and employers.
Retail and business growth will be powered by highly skilled freelancers
These findings offer a clear reflection of broader societal and cultural shifts, providing valuable insights into how these changes are impacting businesses. When such shifts are mirrored in data, their influence becomes both tangible and measurable.
One notable takeaway is the boardroom mindset revealed in these trends. Despite the growing prominence of AI, searches related to AI have not dominated in the lead-up to the holiday season. Instead, businesses are prioritizing more traditional digital services as key drivers of growth.
At the forefront, social media marketing continues to be a dominant force for UK businesses—a trend consistently observed throughout 2024. The data highlights the critical role freelancers play in enabling business growth, whether through enhancing digital presence or supporting key initiatives such as fundraising efforts.
