Why the Creative Industry Needs a Platform Like LinkUp
The UK freelance creative market is worth £125B—and 28% of creatives are self-employed. Yet they're still scrolling for work. Here's why that has to change.
The LinkUp Team
Creative marketplace—Manchester
The Problem: Creatives Are Stuck in the Wrong Tools
Musicians, filmmakers, designers, game developers—the freelance creative industries are booming. The UK market alone is worth £125 billion, roughly 6% of GDP. Nearly a third of creatives are self-employed. And yet, finding work and booking collaborators still feels like a patchwork of workarounds.
Unreliable Talent Search
Social media wasn't built for hiring. Instagram and TikTok are great for discovery, but DMs aren't a booking system. Scrolling through feeds to find a sound engineer or a motion designer isn't scalable—and it's not built for trust or payment security.
No Central Hub
Platforms like Upwork are too broad—they're built for everyone, not for creatives. Niche platforms are too narrow—they might serve one discipline but not the cross-industry teams that creative projects often need. Music, film, gaming, and design overlap constantly—but the tools don't.
Poor Portfolio Visibility
Creatives can't showcase their full skillset and availability clearly. Generic gig templates bury what makes them unique. And when availability is a guessing game, projects get delayed and everyone loses.
Lack of Booking Tools
Managing time, securing payments, and building trust—these are table stakes for professional collaboration. Yet many creatives still rely on spreadsheets, DMs, and crossed fingers.
How LinkUp Solves It
LinkUp is an all-in-one platform built specifically for the freelance creative industries. From profile creation to job booking, availability tracking, and project completion—all in one place.
- Curated collaborator matching for music, film, gaming, and design
- Custom, portfolio-focused profiles—not generic gig templates
- Built-in tools: bookings, availability, ratings
- Cross-industry functionality for multi-disciplinary teams
The Market Opportunity
The UK freelance creative market is underserved. There's a growing need for dedicated creative work platforms. Creatives deserve better than scrolling for work—they deserve frictionless discovery, booking, and trust.
Conclusion
The creative industry needs a platform that speaks its language. One that's hyper-local, real-world focused, and built around the way creatives actually work. That's why we're building LinkUp—and why we're launching in Manchester first.
Ready to book work or get booked? Join LinkUp.