Posted by Jay Baxter, October 2, 2022
I’ve been a writer for years, but I have always relied on an agency or word of mouth to get jobs. Now that I am a full-time freelance copywriter, I needed a professional-looking website to attract new business and showcase my portfolio.
I know how overwhelming building a website can be, so I’ve put together this step-by-step guide to show you how.
Choose a domain
A domain name is what you type into your browser window to reach a specific website.
Choosing a good domain name for your website can help boost your brand and make it easier for potential customers to find you.
As a freelancer, the simplest and cleanest way to go is by using your first and last name as your web address. You can also make it a bit more descriptive by adding what you do, like “photography” or “stylist”. It typically takes less than five minutes to purchase a domain name on sites like GoDaddy or HostGator.
Choose a hosting company
To make your website a reality, you need a host—a company that provides servers for storing and powering your site. I chose BlueHost because they are cost-effective and well-reviewed, and web designers seem to love it. They even include your first year of domain registration for free.
Choose a platform to build your site
A website is built using software like WordPress, Shopify, or Wix. I used WordPress to build my website because it’s made for bloggers and freelancers, and it allows me to publish new blogs and portfolio items easily.
Choose a theme
Designing a website, as with any other design project, is more fun when you know what it will look like in the end. A theme is the basis for every design element of your site: its color scheme, fonts, and layout. You can find themes that fit your brand all over the web, including plenty of free and paid options on WordPress or from independent designers on Etsy. I purchased my theme for under $60 at ThemeForest. I wanted a clean and simple website, so I searched for “wordpress minimalist portfolio” and was presented with hundreds of options. After doing some research, I chose the Andy Parker theme because it looked great, included everything that I needed, and was well reviewed.
Fill in the blanks
When you have a clear idea of what your website will look like, it’s time to start putting together content for the site that is personalized to you.
The copy on your site should be written in a professional tone—as if you were talking directly with someone who has questions about your service or product. You want to keep it simple and easy to read so that anyone can understand it. You can also hire a freelancer to do the copywriting for you.
You should also gather your portfolio items from all over the web, and place them in separate digital files.
Be sure to have all the content for your new site in order before moving on to the next step.
Hire a web developer
A web developer will take all the elements above and turn them into a good-looking and functional website.
You can hire a web designer locally, but it’s becoming more common to work with freelancers remotely. You can post your job on Upwork and find a designer who suits your needs and budget. I worked with Derrick at Polar Line Services to build my website. We connected over email and worked together to create a site that was exactly what I wanted and needed–all in less than 24 hours.
Once you’ve got the basic structure of your site in place, go through each page individually to make sure everything’s working as it should. This includes checking for broken links and errors, as well as making sure all the images are uploaded correctly.
Making changes
As freelancers, we keep our websites up to date with new information about our services, blog posts about our latest projects, and portfolio items that show off the work we’ve done.
When you have these changes, you can hire a web developer and pay them an hourly fee. Or you can learn how to make the changes yourself. Derrick took the time to make a series of videos that showed me how to change my site. I highly recommend this method, rather than taking notes, because you’ll have step-by-step instructions whenever you need them.
Show off your new website
Now that you have a website, it’s time to get the word out. One of the best ways to do this is by using social media and email marketing. Add your website’s URL to your Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn profiles so that people can spread the word about your new site. And don’t forget to include a link to your website on your resume.
Conclusion
I hope this post has helped you to understand how easy it can be to get your own freelancer site up and running, even if you don’t have any technical experience.
I love to help other freelancers succeed, so comment below if you have questions!