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As a freelancer, should you have a website?
Absolutely.
I started building my personal brand within the first few months of my freelancing journey. Your brand is your intentional effort to position yourself as an authoritative figure in your chosen arena. My priority was to build up my client base while providing a professional experience. Your website doesn’t have to be complicated, in-depth, or perfect. But, you do want a place where you can funnel your leads.
Why do I need a website?
The first function my website had was to display my portfolio in an attention-grabbing manner. I quickly noticed that my contacts were requesting a portfolio, which I didn’t have at the time. I would send them links to my published content, but it’s not the same as sending them to your own website where they can see your talent in your own words.
Now, I’ve expanded my website to be a live resume, portfolio, landing page, and blog. My website is included in my LinkedIn, and every cold email I send to my clients. It’s been profoundly helpful to send my clients to one location when they ask for testimonials, experience, and past publications.
My website is now pulling in organic leads through my contact form without me lifting a finger. It’s nice to have a functioning landing page that’s doing my marketing for me. My page is constantly revised for SEO, clarity, and content.
So why should you make a website?
Organic leads without pitching
Funneling in your clients to one spot
Providing a personal brand
Maintaining professionalism
Testimonials, content, and resume ready to go
When I put my laptop down for the day, my website continues to draw my target audience in. Building a website should be at the top of your freelancing to-
do list after you get your first several clients. The key is to not get bogged down right away with making your website. When you have a million things to do, a website shouldn’t be your very first step.
Websites and Branding
Every good website had a clear theme throughout. There’s a color scheme and a designated font. They all tie together to create an overall “vibe” on your platform. This “vibe” is your brand identity.
Your brand identity is what makes you different from every other freelance writer. It’s how your clients remember you. If you use the same colors and words with your content, your audience will start to associate your content with those colors and words. So, if the main color in your logo is yellow, your client may
remember you as the “yellow” freelance writer.
The more memorable you are, the more likely that potential client is going to reach out to you when they need someone to write a deliverable. People want to interact with people they remember and relate to. So, your website is one of the biggest impressions your brand can make on your potential clients.
Creating a personal brand adds a level of authenticity to your work, as well as the power of recognition. Your logo and brand package are like a smile and wave at a conference. Whose booth is going to get more visits? The person smiling and waving, or the one with their head down?
With a job that important, many freelancers turn to graphic designers. Graphic designers can help you create your logo and website with a cohesive strategy. They understand how different colors, images, and fonts interact with each other to create a lasting impression. A skilled graphic designer can help you level up your online presence.
What does a graphic designer do?
Graphic designers know the theory behind how certain visual concepts affect the viewer. Some colors create a certain response. Green is associated with health or wealth. Yellow reflects creativity and motivation. Graphic designers can use a combination of colors to create a “feeling” for your brand.
They will also make sure the colors are cohesive. Graphic designers review the saturation of the colors along with other characteristics of your image. These subtle changes can make a big difference when they’re implemented throughout your website or logo.
When you work with a graphic designer, they will build your website and logo
with your ideal client in mind. An established graphic designer can even help you craft a brand identity package along with social media content. This means that your ideal client will want to interact with your brand. They’ll relate to the images used and the color choices. Your website will become a more enjoyable experience for your targets.
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Graphic designers can do a deep dive into what makes your target audience tick. What characteristics do they have? Why do these people gravitate toward some products and websites? All this will be used to form your brand.
In this case, you’re branding yourself as a freelance writer for a particular niche. If you want to write holistic blogs for homeopathic doctors, your branding will look different than if you want to write medical communication documents for a large pharmaceutical company. A skilled graphic designer will help you tease out the qualities your logo should emulate to bag that ideal client.
If you’re looking for an established graphic designer, I worked with Chloe Dubois for my brand package. You can find her at ofWoodsCreative.com or chloe@ofwoodscreative.com.
Summary
A website helps funnel all your leads into one spot. It makes it easier for you to convert your potential leads, and it leaves you with room to upsell package deals. Once your clients are there, they can see your testimonials, portfolio, and services all in one location. Over time, your website can pull in organic leads without you having to lift a finger. It’s one of the only tools that will work 24/7 for you.
A graphic designer can help you make a converting, high-quality logo, website, or brand package.
Looking for more tips on freelance writing? Check out my services.
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