What’s the key to creating a contract writing web site that get’s seen?
You understand…a super consumer lands in your author web site. And also you’ve received all the correct stuff there to get that particular person to name, electronic mail, or join to speak about freelance work.
As a contract author, an important web site can:
- Generate freelance writing leads
- Develop your community
- Showcase your portfolio
- Assist you stand out as the author in your area of interest
…whilst you sleep.
Chances are high fairly good you already know a great web site helps professional freelance writers stand out.
However what does your author web site seem like?
Possibly 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?
If you happen to aren’t certain the place to begin or methods to enhance your on-line presence, you’re in luck.
Listed here 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 determine to throw up a author web site, one of many largest errors new freelancers make is making an attempt to serve each sort of consumer in each trade.
FYI…It doesn’t work very properly. 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 trade like this:
- [Niche] freelance author
- finance freelance author
- healthcare freelance author
- health freelance author
- engineering freelance author
- expertise freelance author
- start-up freelance author
- SaaS freelance author
If you happen to’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 (deal with 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 nonetheless write for shoppers exterior Austin and in numerous niches).
Tip: Outline your freelance writing niches and splendid shoppers. And check out different top-ranking freelancer websites in your area of interest to get concepts.
Upon getting some concepts in place in your write web site, then what?
2. Select a website title + internet hosting in your freelance web site
To be able to get a contract writing web site up and operating, you first must have a area title and internet hosting.
Area title
It’s what you name your author web site.
If YourName.com is out there, I’d advocate going with that. You will discover out if it’s out there right here, or verify along with your internet hosting firm (extra on that in a only a bit).
If YourName.com isn’t out there, there’s a lot of different naming conventions you need to use to decide on your area title, like this:
Tip: Bear in mind, there are already hundreds of thousands of internet sites on-line, so the area title you need in your author web site won’t be out there. Maintain making an attempt till you discover one that you simply like.
Hosting
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 a lot of them to select from like Bluehost or GreenGeeks.
Tip: Not all internet hosting firms are created equal.
Attempt discovering a internet hosting supplier with…
- All of the instruments you’ll want to construct an important author web site (templates, weblog, touchdown pages, search engine optimization, plug-ins, drag-and-drop modifying, portfolio options, and many others)
- Wonderful customer support
With the area title and internet host in place, now you can transfer on.
3. Construct your freelance web site with WordPress
What software program do you have to use to construct your author web site?
There are a number of completely different CMS (content material administration programs) you need to use to construct and design your author web site, like:
My software program advice to construct your author web site…WordPress.
There’s a few necessary causes WordPress will get my stamp of approval for constructing your freelance author web site:
- It’s very simple to make use of, particularly for learners.
- All kinds of templates, plug-ins, tutorials and paperwork can be found to assist construct your author web site with WordPress.
- If you happen to 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 inexpensive 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 characteristic able to roll that you need to use to create reader-friendly content material. Running a blog will be a good way to get site visitors to your web site and appeal to potential freelance writing shoppers in your area of interest.
What’s a WordPress theme?
It’s mainly a template you need to use to create your author web site. And there’s hundreds of them.
Listed here are a few themes and plugins that work properly to simply arrange your freelance web site:
Tip: It doesn’t must take days, weeks, or years to create your author web site. You possibly can construct a purposeful author web site in only a few hours. So put aside a block of time at some point and get it finished. Then hold it up to date.
4. Create content material in your freelance web site
You’ve received your area title, internet hosting, 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 need to be good. It’s going to alter. A primary author web site is best than no web site.
Imperfect motion is at all times higher than no motion.
What ought to your author web site embrace?
Begin along with your homepage. Write the content material, embrace an expert photograph of your self, and publish it. Bear in mind, you may add extra pages later.
Frequent pages in your freelance web site might embrace:
House
That is the place you make first impressions, outline your area of interest, ship your elevator speech, and get prospects all in favour of working with you.
Take a look at 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.
Showcase your character in your About web page like freelancer Kayla Hollatz (take a look at these enjoyable information!).
Portfolio
Showcase your greatest work. Prospects at all times ask for examples, proper?
Make it simple for them to see what you’ve finished. (Don’t neglect to replace your portfolio once you full a brand new venture.)
Right here’s how freelance author Amy Hardison White arrange her portfolio web page.
Companies
What sort of writing providers do you provide?
Your area of interest + the kind of writing providers you provide (weblog posts, case research, white paper writing, Fb adverts, and many others.) is one other solution to stand out.
Right here’s how freelance author Kristi Hines does it.
Weblog
Working a distinct segment weblog in your author web site like freelancer Jamie Johnson will be a good way to construct authority in your area of interest and appeal to potential freelance shoppers. She even wrote about it: The best way to Get Freelance Writing Leads From Your Private Weblog
Contact
Your contact data might embrace your electronic mail handle, telephone quantity, contact kind, social media channels, and many others.
Make it simple 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 web site.
Right here’s how freelancer Gary Schenkel does it.
Different pages to contemplate
You may additionally wish to embrace a listing of shoppers you’ve labored with, steadily requested questions, or gross sales pages to buy books or programs.
5. Leverage on-line advertising and marketing to drive site visitors to your author web site
You’ve received your freelance author web site arrange. Now what?
Strong advertising and marketing methods will show you how to land extra freelance shoppers and get further site visitors to your web site.
Listed here are some advertising and marketing methods to get extra shoppers to your author web site:
- Share hyperlinks to your web site on social media. Begin with LinkedIn. It’s the place you’re most probably to search out freelance writing shoppers. Share a hyperlink to your web site, latest weblog put up, or testimonial revealed in your web site. Utilizing different social media networks like Twitter, Fb, and even Instagram, can assist drive site visitors to your web site.
- Optimize your web site for search engine optimization (SEO). Correct search engine optimization for a author web site can’t be overstated. When you’ve got your search engine optimization setup correctly, then your web site goes to get listed and ranked sooner and better. This can be a nice solution to get seen organically in search outcomes and an ongoing solution to market your author web site.
- Construct an e-mail record: One other nice solution to market your author web site is to construct an electronic mail record. With a listing 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 need to be a troublesome job. When you’ve got the correct instruments and data, you may actually get it finished in a day for little or no cash.
It’s a crucial a part of advertising and marketing your self as a contract author to get discovered on-line, join with prospects, and make a residing writing.
