Freelance Website Build in 3 Steps
Are you a freelancer who needs to build a website? This might seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. There are plenty of easy and free ways to access website builders that can get your online portfolio up and running in no time.
Making a website is vital because it allows you to present yourself as a professional who is serious about your craft and committed to providing high-quality work. With your own site, you can highlight what makes you unique, and you can list packages that showcase your expertise. This will make it easy for prospective clients to hire you.
1. Buy Your Website Domain and Purchase Web Hosting
To start, you’ll need to choose a website domain name, and find a web hosting provider.
Your domain name is the address that people type into their browser to find your site. You want a domain name that’s short and easy to remember, and it should reflect your brand, your business, and the work you do.
Your web hosting is the server that stores all of your website information so it’s available online. Once you’ve decided on a host and signed up with them, then you have an account that contains all of your files for your website build. That account needs to be connected to your website domain name, so when someone types in www.yourwebsite.com it will connect to your online content.
2. Customise Your Freelance Site With a Theme
The main reason why most freelancers choose to build a WordPress website is that it’s easy to manage. Setting up the site requires no coding knowledge, and once it’s built, you can use a simple interface to make changes. It allows you to drag-and-drop different elements on your pages so that you can easily customise them for your needs.
There is an abundance (9,233 free themes!) of WordPress themes that make it easy for beginners to create a professional-looking site.
Check out this complete guide to setting up your freelance website.
3. Create Pages and Content For Your Freelance Website
There are six essential pages (at a minimum) for a freelance website build to be effective.
- Home Page
- About Page
- Contact Page
- Services Page
- Portfolio Page
- Testimonial Page
There are several more options to round out your site, but these are crucial to present as a professional.
Home Page
When you’re building a website, you want it to be intuitive, easy to use, and fast.
Your home page is the first thing people will see when they visit your website and therefore the most important. It should serve as the main hub for all information on your site and have direct links to other pages on your website.
Visitors scan more frequently than they actually read. That means that the first third of your homepage needs to communicate several important details:
- Who you are (as a company or individual)
- What you offer (goods and services)
- Why it matters to the reader (what do they get from visiting your website)
- How to get what you offer (call to action)
Use prominent headlines, sub-headlines, a logo, a call to action button, bullet points, and scannable text.
Below the hero headline is the main body of your homepage text. You can use this space to build on your value proposition, demonstrate how your product works, and give examples of clients or customers that have used your product.
About Page
The goal of your About page is to convince a visitor that you’re the right person for the job. You’re credible, trustworthy, skilled, and easy to work with. You can connect with their audience.
Write in a friendly, engaging tone that reflects your personality and/or brand voice. Be relatable by sharing past experiences or challenges that are common among your target audience. Be authentic: tell the story of how you started, what motivates you, or any other information that helps people understand who you are as a person and business.
Contact Page
This serves as the call to action point of your freelancer website. This is where you put any and all information that will help potential clients get in touch with you as quickly as possible. Include your email address and contact form, as well as phone numbers, or social media platforms that could be helpful to site visitors trying to contact you.
Services Page
The Services page is where you explain what services you offer and how you deliver them.
Start with a clear title for your page. Then move to the body of the page and explain exactly what you provide and how they work to benefit customers who receive your services.
A services page should answer the following questions:
- What you provide
- Who you provide to
- How they benefit
Portfolio
Your Portfolio section should be easy to navigate. The design should help visitors see your work without any distractions or confusion. Showcase your work, skills, and services in an effective and appealing way, highlighting your projects and accomplishments. Prioritise your best work first.
Testimonials
Testimonials help encourage potential customers to take action because they see that others have already tried it, and it worked. A person who is reading a testimonial can relate to the person who wrote it; they may have gone through similar circumstances and are looking for a solution. Because the testimonial speaks directly to them, it helps remove their fears and uncertainties about what you offer. If you have an established base of loyal customers and clients, you have access to free marketing through their positive feedback and stories.
Call To Action
A call to action (CTA) is a clear instruction that prompts your website visitors to take immediate action and convert them into paying customers or clients. A call to action is often written in the form of a button or link that moves your visitors further into your conversion funnel when clicked. It directs them on where to go and what to do in order to become a customer.
Call To Action examples:
- Book Now
- Learn More
- Get Started
- Get A Quote
Ensure you have a Call To Action on every page. It should be at the fingertips of all your website visitors.
If You Build It They Will Come
So remember these three steps to building a freelance website:
- Step 1: Set up a basic WordPress website
- Step 2: Customise your site's appearance with a theme
- Step 3: Add content to your website
Creating a freelance website doesn’t have to be much different from putting together any other online project. You need to create a shell that will hold your content, then apply the finishing touches so everything looks polished and professional. If you’re going to be working independently, your website needs to look as accomplished as you are.
If you’re brand new to the gig economy our website is here to support you. You might like to check out our Best Freelancing Tips For Beginners. Work smarter not harder!
