The freelance writing industry has ballooned in recent years. As more and more B2B and even B2C businesses start creating an online presence, the demand for professional writers has skyrocketed. This is great news for freelance writers who are looking for new clients.
The downside of this exponential growth is that more and more people are entering the freelance writing field. In turn, it can be hard to stand out from the competition with so many writers on the scene. One of the best ways to set yourself apart is to create your own freelance writer website.
The best freelance writer websites help new clients figure out who you are, what writing services you offer, and how skilled you are. These sites can be gold mines for new clients when they are set up properly. Read on to find out how to create your own writer website to gain clients and build your reputation as a professional writer.
Why Freelance Writers Should Have A Web Page
Having a web page specifically for your freelance writing services adds legitimacy and authority. Simply creating a writer's website describing your services puts you ahead of the majority of other content writers.
Adding in a portfolio section allows potential clients to see what type of work you've done in the past. Make sure to include the different types of content you have created whether it's blog post copywriting, case studies, website design or other writing work. If you're a successful writer, you can also highlight your expertise by sharing the names of clients you've worked for in the past. By posting articles you've written before, it's easy for a client to gauge your depth of knowledge and get a feel for your writing style. You can also add testimonials from past writing gigs that highlight your copywriter skills.
Another benefit of a writer web page is that it makes it easy for potential clients to find you and contact you. At The Writer Finder, we often reach out to writers in specific niches for potential opportunities. We tend to reach out to writers that have an online web page before others who simply say they're writers on LinkedIn. That's because it's easier to find a way to reach the writers and we also have a better feel for their published experience.
Having a dedicated website also boosts your performance in search engines. For example, if someone searches for a freelancing SEO writer or blogger in Los Angeles, they probably won't find your social media profiles on the first few pages. If you have a website promoting your freelance writing business, you're much more likely to show up in the client's search results.
Things To Include On Freelance Writer Website
Home Page
All freelance writer websites should have a home page or landing page. Your home page should feature a small snippet about your services and a call-to-action button. You can send potential clients directly to your contact form or integrate an E-commerce app that allows them to purchase your services immediately. This page should be clear and concise. Don't fill it with clutter and useless information. This page should be your sales pitch and include all the vital information a client may want in just a few sentences. A high-quality and ctachy tagline can also draw in potential clients and set your blogging and freelance work apart from the crowd.
About Page
As with most content marketing these days, branding is essential. Use your “about me” page to establish who you are and what you have to offer a potential client. You can liven things up by including a video introduction or keep things simple with a few paragraphs explaining your background.
Make sure to include important information about your skill set. Highlight if you know how to use website platforms such as WordPress and Squarespace. If you're a web designer or web developer, emphasize this information as it demonstrates skills that many writers don't necessarily have. Focus on setting yourself apart from the competition. List your past experience including work from sites such as LinkedIn and Upwork.
This is also a great place to include your values and mission statements if you have them. Include a call-to-action somewhere on the page to encourage potential clients to reach out to you. You can also include links to your social media accounts or use social proof tools here to highlight people who have purchased your services.
Writing Services
Your writing website should feature a page that outlines exactly what writing services you offer. You should include whether you can work part-time or full-time and any expectations in this section. Your writing services page should be clear and concise. Share the types of content you produce whether its blog posts and email content or eBooks and business reports.
Many writers don't publish rate information publicly. That's because they want to maintain the freedom to negotiate and alter rates on a project basis. Other writers prefer to post rate information to make the hiring process simpler and more transparent.
If you would like to share your rate information, the writing services section is a great place to put this information. New clients can also easily see whether they can afford your services and what types of content they can incorporate into their content plan and budget.
Portfolio
The portfolio page on your own site is quite possibly the most important. Aside from your home page, many potential clients will typically head straight to the portfolio page to see your expertise. Your portfolio website should include links to past writing jobs. You should include links to your best work and try to highlight the different styles you create content for.
If you have a lot of published articles, you can make it easier to digest by breaking the content down into different writing niches. You can also use a WordPress theme to prominently feature the logos of companies you've produced content for in the past. Make sure to link the logos to the works you created. Remember that your writing portfolio should feature your best work, so try to narrow it down and be focused on the writing samples you share.
Contact
Every writer website should include an easy-to-find contact page. This enables writing clients to contact you if they want your services. You can use a widget that installs a contact form onto your site or simply create a separate landing page with your contact information. Your "hire me" or call-to-action button should generally direct clients to your contact page unless you have a site that enables purchases instantly.
Keep your contact information professional. You should have an email client with your website platform and hosting. Make sure to direct all inquiries to that professional email and not a personal email with silly names. Your own website serves as your resume so keep it clean and professional.
Avoid These Mistakes
Clutter
Too much information is not a good thing. Keep your web pages simple and straight to the point. Remember that the goal of your own writer website is to get potential clients in touch with you or to purchase your services. Everything you do on this site should be oriented towards that goal.
Call-To-Action Errors
Choose one call-to-action and stick with it. Readers may get overwhelmed if there are competing call-to-action buttons. Plus, it's hard enough to get readers to accomplish one thing and near impossible to get them to do multiple things. Decide if you want your call-to-action to be to join a newsletter, sign up for an eBook, reach out to you for writing services, and so on. Once you have identified your goal, set up your call-to-action to guide potential clients there.
Visual Errors
When creating a website, people tend to do too much. Figure out a color scheme that works for your branding and stick to it. Using wild colors and contrasting images can be visually pleasing, but it can also distract from your call-to-action. Remember that the focus here is your writing services. Set up your website to highlight your freelance writing career and show why you're a great writer potential clients should hire.
Formatting
Professional writers are known for their great attention to detail. Show clients you care about the presentation by keeping the formatting on your website under control. Make sure any bullet points are formatted properly and break up information using headers and subheaders.
Get Inspiration From Some Of The Best Freelance Writer Websites
Ashley Gainer
Ashley Gainer's freelance services website is visually pleasing and demonstrates her expertise in an easy-to-read format. Her landing page features her call-to-action right at the top and briefly outlines who she is and what she has to offer. She also has a recent posts section so you can see the type of content she has worked on.
Hillary Weiss
Hillary Weiss has a fun and engaging writer website that shows off her branding and writing skills. Her site is entertaining with phrases such as "welcome to the party" and "keep the web weird with me". She does a fantastic job of showing off her creative side and marketing skills with an energetic site that makes you want to hire her.
Sarah Turner
Sarah Turner uses her personal writing website to outline her niche expertise in the health industry. She features a prominent call-to-action to book a 15-minute consult so you can decide if hiring her is a good fit for your business. Her site is well laid out with easy links to her rates and services as well as her portfolio. She even maintains a blog offering advice to other writers and boosting her authority.
Get More Clients With Your Own Writer Website
First things first, having your own writer website is a great way to build authority and make it easy for potential clients to find you outside of job boards. It's more professional than just having your own blog and it can help you make money faster. Business owners will appreciate your prominent writing samples and can easily decide if you'd be a good fit for their team. Freelance writing sites are basically the digital version of resumes. They help you stand out from the crowd and enable you to share your past website copy and content marketing expertise.