Creating A Freelance Writer Website That Sells

By Bamidele Ojo

Now, if the idea of building your own website scares the shit out of you, you might be tempted to skip right past this post.

Don't do that.
Why?

Because you need a strong freelance writer website to set yourself up for long-term success and build a profitable business.

I'm not talking about something like an Fiverr profile here. I'm talking about your very own website, my friend.

How to Create a Freelance Writer Website

The great thing about setting up a freelance writer website is that you don't need web development skills to make it happen.

To start out, you just need to follow these 3 steps:
1) Decide on a site name.
2) Buy a domain (the URL of your site)/website hosting.
3) Pick a content management system/site builder (Wordpress, Squarespace, Wix, etc.).

Now, you've got tons of options for your host and the way you choose to build your site.
But I don't want to overwhelm you, so I'm going to go over each step and share the methods I've used in the past.

Deciding on a Site Name

Lots of freelance writers simply use their name for their freelance writing business. So, they buy a domain that looks like this:
firstnamelastname.com
I personally chose to pick a niche name (effectivecontentmarketing.com) for my freelance writing business pretty early on, so that's what I use for my URL.

I picked it because I knew that I wanted to set my business apart by creating a strong, in-your-face brand. And my business name helped me immediately get that message across to potential clients.

But you absolutely don't have to pick a name for your freelance writing business. If you're having a hard time making a decision, make things easy for yourself and just use your first and last name as your URL.

I said this in the last lesson, but let me point it out again because it's THAT important:

Don't stress out too much over decisions like picking a niche and deciding on your site name. Focus more on taking action, and always keep in mind that you can change things up later if you need to.

Buying a Host + Your Domain

Once you know what you're going to call your site, it's time to buy your URL and pick a website host.
I use Godaddy for domain because they're reliable and have always worked out well for me.

You can also use namecheap. There are so many options for domain and hosting out there. If you are at a loss, send me a message. But this lessons are free, so, I prefer you buy it yourself so that it would look like I am charging you.

The process is pretty straightforward — you simply sign up, tell them what domain you want to buy, and pay for it.

Picking a Site Builder/CMS

The great thing about Hostgator hosting is that they have customer service agents who will walk you through setting up your domain name with WordPress if you need help.

They also have a one-click Wordpress integration feature (!!!).

Plus, they have plenty of free resources on how to set up your domain with other site builders. So, they make the process pretty easy — even if you're clueless about how to set up a site.

But maybe your concern is that you don't know which site builder to choose.

I feel you. It can get a bit overwhelming.
So, let me tell you what I did. It was pretty much just some writing samples and a few paragraphs about my experience and my niche.

It didn't look fantastic or anything. But it didn't really need to.

At that point, I knew that just GETTING myself out there was WAY more important than trying to build the perfect site from the start. And guess what?

That website helped me land few clients.

But still, I always knew my site was just something to help me get by while I built my more professional-looking Wordpress site. I mean, that site was a great start, but it wasn't going to be my site for my entire career.

A professional site will make a huge difference in the quality of clients you would get and the rates you can charge.

The point is this:
If you don't have a site, take action and get something out there now. It needs to include your niche and writing samples at the very least.

Once you have that, you can start marketing, but try to start building a better site and/or make improvements to your site as you learn. You should always be taking action to improve your business if you want it to grow!

Creating a site that SELLS

Now that we've covered the basics on how to set up your website, it's time to talk about how you can turn that site into a client-generating machine.

That way, you don't just have a portfolio. You have a powerful business website that sells and brings in clients on a regular basis.

Here are a few tips to help you make it happen:
Make your niche crystal clear.
In the last lesson, we talked about the importance of picking a niche. But after you've picked your niche, you HAVE to make it crystal clear to potential clients.

I recommend you do that by using a big-ass headline on your website that states your niche. That way, anyone who visits your site will immediately recognize your expertise.

Also, make sure you display writing samples that show off your niche expertise. You can create these on your own time if you're having a hard time finding clients at first (that's what I did as a newbie!).

Sell, don't tell.

Clients aren't going to take the time to read a giant wall of text on your site about your passion for writing.
They're busy people, so you have to be brief and relevant when you're creating your website content.
For example, here's what I have on the home page of my current freelance writer website:
My services
About
Blog Posts

I don't have any huge paragraphs, and I certainly don't waste valuable space on my site telling my life story or talking about how much I enjoy writing.

Nope - everything is there for ONE reason: to SELL my freelance writing services to a specific type of client.

Make it easy for clients to contact you.

A client should NEVER have to dig through your site to figure out how to contact you.
Create a page called "Contact Me" or something along those lines. And put multiple "Contact Me" buttons or forms on your site if you have several pages.

That way, a client can act on their desire to get in touch with you right away – regardless of which page they're on!

Now, don't get me wrong – you can't make these changes to your site and expect to wake up the next day with a shitload of clients.

Remember, you've got to actively seek out clients and send them your information/site if you want to build a freelance writing business.

Keep your contact forms short.

Trust me – clients don't want to spend 10 minutes filling out a form so they can contact you.
So, keep your forms short. Try to use around 3 form fields.

Now, I know what you might be thinking:
Three form fields?? There’s no way I can get all the information I need!
Yes, there is.

You get the basic information you need about the client/project – then, you get on the skype and chat with the client to learn all the details. Or you can just start emailing back and forth with them to learn what you need to know.

Because you don’t need the client’s life story before they’ve ever even talked to you – you just need their name, email address, and basic information about the project.

Be yourself!

Seriously. Write your best copy to attract clients.
You are NOT a boring corporate robot. You're creative. You're fun. You're a word-slinging BEAST.
So, get rid of any jargon words like "leverage" and "best-in-class," and write your copy the way that you talk. You know — like a human being.

Be bold about who you are, and create a personal brand that represents you AND attracts your ideal clients.
So, ask yourself what kinds of clients you want to attract and what tone of writing best represents who you are.

If you can balance those 2 things, you should be able to write your website copy in a way that helps you build a strong brand.

The Best Way to Find Clients As a Newbie

After you pick a niche and set up your site, you're going to want to start marketing yourself.
And when you're starting out, the best way to find clients is cold emailing.
I'm not just saying that – I know from experience.

With cold mailing, you don't have to spend tons of time on social media building relationships or dig through a bidding site – you just have to find your target client and sell your services to them the right way.
And that's exactly what is called Cold Emailing.

Cold Emailing is for freelance writers who are having a hard time finding their own clients and want to break free from shitty bidding sites, content mills, and low-paying gigs. And finding clients is the most difficult part.

And tomorrow's post?

It's going to be a good one, my friend. It will be highly informative
You're going to learn all about marketing your services + what you can do to find high-paying freelance writing clients – even if you're just starting out!

Today's post came so late because I have been busy since morning and I don't want to disappoint your expectations.