What’s the key to creating a contract writing web site that get’s observed?
You understand…a perfect shopper lands in your author web site. And also you’ve received all the fitting stuff there to get that particular person to name, e mail, or join to speak about freelance work.
As a contract author, an ideal website can:
- Generate freelance writing leads
- Develop your community
- Exhibit your portfolio
- Make it easier to stand out as the author in your area of interest
…when you sleep.
Chances are high fairly good you already know a superb web site helps professional freelance writers stand out.
However what does your author web site seem like?
Perhaps you retain placing it off or keep away from giving it an improve since you’re not a graphic designer, internet developer or tech genius.
Sound acquainted?
Should you aren’t certain the place to start out or learn how to enhance your on-line presence, you’re in luck.
Listed below are 5 necessities to get your freelance writing web site up and operating to face out, transfer up, and earn extra
1. Establish your freelance writing area of interest
If you resolve to throw up a author web site, one of many largest errors new freelancers make is making an attempt to serve each kind of shopper in each business.
FYI…It doesn’t work very nicely. Why? As a result of individuals usually don’t seek for generic options to particular issues.
Prospects are going to seek for a contract author with particular expertise of their area of interest or business like this:
- [Niche] freelance author
- finance freelance author
- healthcare freelance author
- health freelance author
- engineering freelance author
- know-how freelance author
- start-up freelance author
- SaaS freelance author
Should you’re able to construct your author web site (otherwise you received began with the generic method), now is an effective time to outline your area of interest or niches (give attention to only a couple).
When you determine your area of interest, it makes constructing your author web site and advertising and marketing your self as a contract author quite a bit simpler.
Right here’s an instance: Freelance author Mandy Ellis stands out to potential shoppers by area of interest AND location (however she will be able to nonetheless write for shoppers exterior Austin and in several niches).
Tip: Outline your freelance writing niches and excellent shoppers. And try different top-ranking freelancer websites in your area of interest to get concepts.
After getting some concepts in place in your write web site, then what?
2. Select a site title + webhosting in your freelance website
With the intention to get a contract writing web site up and operating, you first must have a area title and webhosting.
Area title
It’s what you name your author web site.
If YourName.com is offered, I’d suggest going with that. You could find out if it’s out there right here, or examine together with your webhosting firm (extra on that in a only a bit).
If YourName.com isn’t out there, there’s plenty of different naming conventions you should use to decide on your area title, like this:
Tip: Keep in mind, there are already thousands and thousands of internet sites on-line, so the area title you need in your author web site won’t be out there. Preserve making an attempt till you discover one that you just like.
Webhosting
It’s the service supplier with all of the software program and tech instruments wanted in your author web site to be seen on the Web.
And there’s plenty of them to select from like Bluehost or GreenGeeks.
Tip: Not all webhosting firms are created equal.
Attempt discovering a webhosting supplier with…
- All of the instruments you must construct an ideal author web site (templates, weblog, touchdown pages, search engine optimisation, plug-ins, drag-and-drop modifying, portfolio options, and so on)
- Wonderful customer support
With the area title and internet host in place, now you can transfer on.
3. Construct your freelance website with WordPress
What software program must you use to construct your author web site?
There are a number of totally different CMS (content material administration methods) you should use to construct and design your author web site, like:
My software program suggestion to construct your author web site…WordPress.
There’s a few essential causes WordPress will get my stamp of approval for constructing your freelance author web site:
- It’s very straightforward to make use of, particularly for inexperienced persons.
- All kinds of templates, plug-ins, tutorials and paperwork can be found to assist construct your author web site with WordPress.
- Should you need assistance with the technical half of organising your write web site, WordPress is probably the most widely-used software program for internet design. So that you gained’t have an issue discovering an reasonably priced designer or tech-savvy particular person that can assist you.
- Running a blog. Each WordPress theme (extra on this in only a sec) has a built-in weblog function able to roll that you should use to create reader-friendly content material. Running a blog could be an effective way to get visitors to your website and entice potential freelance writing shoppers in your area of interest.
What’s a WordPress theme?
It’s mainly a template you should use to create your author web site. And there’s hundreds of them.
Listed below are a few themes and plugins that work nicely to simply arrange your freelance website:
Tip: It doesn’t must take days, weeks, or years to create your author web site. You possibly can construct a practical author web site in just some hours. So put aside a block of time at some point and get it achieved. Then maintain it up to date.
4. Create content material in your freelance website
You’ve received your area title, webhosting, and primary design components discovered. Now it’s time to create content material in your author web site.
That is the place a variety of freelance writers get caught.
Right here’s the factor. Your author web site doesn’t should be good. It’s going to vary. A primary author web site is best than no web site.
Imperfect motion is all the time higher than no motion.
What ought to your author web site embody?
Begin together with your homepage. Write the content material, embody an expert photograph of your self, and publish it. Keep in mind, you may add extra pages later.
Frequent pages in your freelance website could embody:
House
That is the place you make first impressions, outline your area of interest, ship your elevator speech, and get prospects taken with working with you.
Try the house web page for freelance B2B and SaaS copywriter Michal Eisikowitz
About
It’s not simply all enterprise or a resume-style record of your work expertise…Boring!
Purchasers wish to know you’re an actual particular person with likes, pursuits, hobbies, and different accomplishments. Your About web page is a good place to get prospects to know, like and belief you.
Exhibit your persona in your About web page like freelancer Kayla Hollatz (take a look at these enjoyable details!).
Portfolio
Exhibit your greatest work. Prospects all the time ask for examples, proper?
Make it straightforward for them to see what you’ve achieved. (Don’t neglect to replace your portfolio if you full a brand new undertaking.)
Right here’s how freelance author Amy Hardison White arrange her portfolio web page.
Companies
What kind of writing providers do you supply?
Your area of interest + the kind of writing providers you supply (weblog posts, case research, white paper writing, Fb adverts, and so on.) is one other option to stand out.
Right here’s how freelance author Kristi Hines does it.
Weblog
Operating a distinct segment weblog in your author web site like freelancer Jamie Johnson could be an effective way to construct authority in your area of interest and entice potential freelance shoppers. She even wrote about it: Methods to Get Freelance Writing Leads From Your Private Weblog
Contact
Your contact information could embody your e mail handle, telephone quantity, contact type, social media channels, and so on.
Make it straightforward for potential freelance shoppers to contact you want Laura MacPherson.
Testimonials
Present don’t inform. Together with testimonials in your author web site helps construct belief and authority when prospects take a look at your website.
Right here’s how freelancer Gary Schenkel does it.
Different pages to contemplate
You might also wish to embody an inventory of shoppers you’ve labored with, incessantly requested questions, or gross sales pages to buy books or programs.
5. Leverage on-line advertising and marketing to drive visitors to your author web site
You’ve received your freelance author web site arrange. Now what?
Strong advertising and marketing methods will provide help to land extra freelance shoppers and get further visitors to your web site.
Listed below are some advertising and marketing methods to get extra shoppers to your author web site:
- Share hyperlinks to your website on social media. Begin with LinkedIn. It’s the place you’re probably to search out freelance writing shoppers. Share a hyperlink to your website, current weblog submit, or testimonial printed in your website. Utilizing different social media networks like Twitter, Fb, and even Instagram, will help drive visitors to your website.
- Optimize your website for search engine optimisation (SEO). Correct search engine optimisation for a author web site can’t be overstated. When you’ve got your search engine optimisation setup correctly, then your website goes to get listed and ranked quicker and better. This can be a nice option to get observed organically in search outcomes and an ongoing option to market your author web site.
- Construct an e-mail record: One other nice option to market your author web site is to construct an e mail record. With an inventory of subscribers, you may promote your freelance writing providers, share helpful data, present worth, and keep related to show prospects into shoppers.
Construct a author web site to draw extra freelance shoppers
Constructing a contract writing web site to draw shoppers doesn’t should be a troublesome process. When you’ve got the fitting instruments and data, you may actually get it achieved in a day for little or no cash.
It’s a essential a part of advertising and marketing your self as a contract author to get discovered on-line, join with prospects, and make a dwelling writing.