5 Essential Things Every Newbie Freelance Writer Website Needs

It’s that old thing where it’s hard to get a job without experience, and hard to get experience without a job. There is an easy way to break out of this cycle, though. You can create a freelance writer website that impresses clients and makes them want to hire you. 

Yes, even as a newbie.

I am aware that making a freelance writing website and not knowing what to include can overwhelm beginners. But it doesn’t have to be rocket science or overly time-intensive. And while you might think you need a masterpiece, the reality is that a simple site with a few pages will be more than good enough.

Now let’s dig in. 

Your Newbie Freelance Writer Website Needs A Personal Domain

If you’re serious about freelance writing and want clients to take you seriously, getting a professional web domain is a good idea. In the offline world, your name is your identity. And, in the digital world, your name is your domain.

But it is more than that: your domain can match your real name. And, if you want to add a personal flavor to it, then the .ME domain extension is the perfect choice (Think namesurname.me)

Ideally, you can go for the namesurname.ME combination or variations of it. .ME makes any combination of your first and last name more personal and credible. And you can also go with your nickname – especially if people recognize you by it!

What is important is that your domain extension needs to say “This is me!”

Your Newbie Freelance Writer Website Needs Personality

We, freelancers, are fortunate in that we’re not one-dimensional people. We’re writers but also, artists, musicians, song sommeliers, dungeon explorers, nostalgia consultants, and gardeners. All at the same time.

Choosing among all of our interests can pose a delightful challenge. Should we focus on gardening? And talk about how we plant creative seeds that turn into wonderful writing projects for our clients. Or do we really go for the gusto and do something else?

The thing is, infusing your freelance identity with your unique personality makes for a sticky brand. Take a look at the various interests you have, as well as your personal characteristics. Then fuse a passionate part of your personality with your freelance brand. This makes for an enduring freelance identity and gives you ample ammunition to position yourself uniquely among your competitors.

Read More: How to Show off Skills in a Creative Way With Personal Website

Your Newbie Freelance Writer Website Needs An Epic Homepage

On your freelance writing website’s homepage, you should talk about how you can help potential clients. Talk about your specialty writing areas and the results your services will get for them. If you don’t have much experience, don’t worry. The value you provide might be as simple as freeing up some extra time for them to focus on other business areas.

On your homepage, you should also include a picture of yourself. Whether it’s a clickthrough to your services page or contact form, a call-to-action is also a wise addition.

What Your About Page Should Look Like

While clients want to know about the results you can provide for them, they also want to work with a person. On your About page, you can get a little more creative. Talk about your journey to becoming a freelancer, why you chose to start writing, and the problems you’ve overcome.

You can also share some facts about yourself, and plenty of personal pictures too.

Why Your Newbie Freelancer Website Should Include Some Testimonials

When you’re just getting started as a freelance writer, convincing others to invest in your services can be difficult. The best way to sell yourself is through social proof from others.

Think back to people who have been impressed with your work in the past. Former bosses, colleagues, and university lecturers are good places to start when asking for short testimonials. When including them on your website, you can either add them to a separate page or onto your homepage. Don’t worry about getting lengthy paragraphs; a short quote will work just fine.

Your Newbie Freelance Writer Website Needs A Writing Portfolio

When pitching to clients and searching for jobs, having a few samples of your writing on hand is essential. Beyond proving that you’re good at what you do, having samples will also save you time creating pieces when others ask.

If you’ve never written for another company before, create your own portfolio pieces. Think of a topic you know well, do your research, and get typing.

And if you did, it may be tempting to add everything, but don’t underestimate the power of keeping your site short and sweet. Specializing in one subject or type of service can also be advantageous. Keep in mind that specializing in something now doesn’t mean you can’t change it later.

You also don’t need to include a resume because the content on your site should be your resume. It’s better to be succinct than to put everything out there. 

Bonus Tip: Your Writing Portfolio Could Benefit From A Blog Section

Blogging is a great way to increase your SEO ranking and demonstrate your authority on a particular topic. Every blog post you publish is also a portfolio piece. Therefore, you’ll simultaneously increase the number of writing samples you can show to others.

Your Newbie Freelance Writer Website Needs A Contact Page

Once you’ve wowed potential clients, you’ll want to make it easy for them to get in touch with you. Adding a Contact page to your website is the simplest way to do this.

On your Contact page, you can include a simple form for users to fill out. Adding links to your social media profiles is another way to help others reach you, and can also be useful for growing your online presence.

But if you choose not to do that, you should at least add your email address. 

You can also add a map showing where your office is, and include your mobile number if you want. But don’t feel pressured to include either of these if you’d rather not have people knowing where you work.

Read More: How to Improve Your Freelance Career: Tips from .MErs

In Conclusion

Many new freelance writers spend too much time worrying about the microscopic details. As a result, they never get started. Your newbie freelance writer website only needs the basics, to begin with. Clients want to know how you can help them, a little about you, and that you’re a good writer. And of course, they also want a way to get in touch with you quickly.

Start with the essentials and slowly build out from there.

And remember: you can change your site’s content later if you don’t like it.