Should freelancers have their own website?

Freelancers Owning a Website

Yes, many freelancers claim that the secret to their success is that they have their own websites. In fact, some are adamant that having a website makes them stand out from the crowd of freelancers flooding the market.

While it wouldn’t hurt to have your own freelancing website, there are things to take into consideration. Let’s think like a potential client and consider the positive aspects of creating your own website as well as some concerns about the process.

Why you should build your freelancing website

Having a website will make you seem more professional.

Imagine that you are a client who is hiring a freelancer for the first time. If you’ve never worked with a freelancer before, you may feel more comfortable hiring someone with a professional online presence. Since you may be unsure about the process of hiring a freelancer, you may feel more comfortable working with someone who knows the ins and outs of that unique client/freelancer relationship.

Having a website gives you the aura of being a person who is serious about freelancing. Having a website makes it look as if you know what you are doing.

Having a website will give you more credibility.

The freelancing/client relationship is built on trust. This trust is really amazing when you think about it because people working with each other online can make all sorts of claims, and many times that information is unverifiable.

If you were a client looking for a writer who has expertise in a specific subject, and you submit a job listing on Upwork, you don’t know if the freelancer who applies for the job has experience in your field or not. But if that same freelancer directs the client to her website where she lists her qualifications or shares links of her work, that freelancer has a bit more credibility than a writer without a website.

Having a website could make writing proposals easier.

Getting new clients is a tedious process. It takes time, concentration, and energy to write unique, thoughtful proposals for jobs. If you had a website, your client could learn your background and qualifications without you having to repeat that information in each bid.

Having a website will help you find work in your niche.

Someone who is searching for a specific type of writer or designer may be able to find you through your website, especially if you have a particular niche. Using SEO strategies on your websites may help potential clients find you.

So whether your client is searching for “professional writer dog breeding” or “website designer for office supplies,” you may be more likely to be found if you have your own website.

Concerns about building your own website.

You may have concerns about building your own freelancing website, especially if you are starting in the business.

What if your online work is attributed to someone else?

Perhaps you are concerned about building your own website because most of your work is not attributed to you. This is a common practice in the freelance writing community.

Website creators may feel as if the work will have more credibility if a professional in the industry gives his name to the work. Some of your clients will ask that you write a blog in their voice so that they can add it to their LinkedIn pages. Much online content is not attributed at all. Some clients handle so much material that they mistakenly attribute pieces to the wrong writers.

This may be a concern as you think about creating your own website. A potential client would expect that links to your writing would be included on your page, but what if the articles look as if they were written by someone else?

What if your work doesn’t bring in comments or shares?

What if you complete quality work for a client, but it doesn’t receive likes, comments, or shares? Would you want to share your work with new clients if it looks like it gets little attention? What if your work has never been featured as a snippet? What if none of your pieces have ever gone viral?

What if the client doesn’t take the extra step to look at your website?

People are lazy. When you are writing a proposal, how can you be sure that your potential client will take the time to click on your website? From there, how many seconds will the person spend on your content? Would it be better to spend all your time on submitting a quality proposal?

Final Thoughts

Do you have your own freelancing website? Has it helped generate work for you? Tell us your experiences with creating your own website in the comments below.

This article was originally posted at Freelancing Buzz.

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