What\u2019s the first thing you do when you meet someone new and interesting? If you\u2019re like us, you go home and Google them to learn more. The freelance writing world is no different; your online reputation helps readers learn more about you and assists prospective clients in deciding whether to hire you.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thus, if you want to build a career as a writer, it\u2019s paramount to have a personal website. Here, we\u2019ll explain why you need a website to launch and sustain your writing career. We\u2019ll also outline the steps to take to build one (it\u2019s not as complicated as you might think–we promise). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
First and foremost, a personal website helps people find you. If a prospective writing client searches your name and doesn\u2019t find much, they\u2019re going to be apathetic at best and suspicious of your skills at worst.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A personal website allows you to control the brand and image of you that exists online. It enables you to position yourself as an expert at what you do–after all, you control the messaging. It helps editors and other potential decision makers choose to hire you by showcasing your strongest work.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, a personal website helps interested readers take the next step in contacting you, whether it\u2019s to share a juicy story tip or inquire about hiring you. Don\u2019t make someone hunt you down, because they often won\u2019t work that hard. Instead, use your personal website to make yourself easy to get in touch with online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a writer, the main goal of your personal website is to spotlight your best work. Use it to showcase your versatility and highlight the pieces you\u2019re most proud of. Again, you control the messaging, so it\u2019s your opportunity to direct visitors\u2019 attention to your strongest samples that might not necessarily be displayed at the top of the list in search results.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Next, your website should clearly state what you do or outline the types of opportunities you\u2019re seeking. You might choose to do this via your About Me page (more on this in a minute) or, if you take contract work, on a page that lists your services. Don\u2019t neglect the power of SEO here. Local search weighs heavily in Google results, so listing your services helps people who might be searching for terms like \u2018copywriter near me\u2019 or \u2018hire a technical writer.\u2019
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Your personal website is the place to let your personality shine. Use a high-quality photo of yourself and be sure to include a page where readers can learn more about you. Unlike platforms like LinkedIn, which are strictly professional, your About Me page might share personal details like your volunteer work or hobbies–things that set you apart not only as a writer, but as an individual. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Building your own website from scratch has never been easier; there are dozens of platforms that walk you through the process of buying the necessary services and setting up your site. No matter which platform you go with, you\u2019ll need to go through a few common steps to get your website up and running. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Formatted like this, www.yourname.com<\/a>, your domain is your website\u2019s address. Just like your physical address tells visitors where your house is in your neighborhood, your domain tells online visitors where your site is in the vast assortment of neighborhoods on the world wide web. Many writers simply choose to use their name as their domain, which is great for branding and search engine placement. However, each domain can only be used once, so if someone already has your name, you\u2019ll need to consider an alternative option. Domain names are available for as little as a few dollars a year. You can find out if the one you want is available by using the search function on a domain name registrar like GoDaddy.com<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If your domain name is akin to your address, then your hosting is the land you build your house on. In cyberspace, a hosting service houses all of the data, files and documents associated with your website on remotely located servers. It provides the infrastructure that allows visitors to bring up your site on their computer from anywhere in the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The most basic level of hosting is called shared hosting, where your site shares a server with many others to keep things economical. Several providers offer this type of hosting for under $50 a year. For most personal websites, this level of hosting is more than sufficient to manage the traffic. If you expect a large volume of visitors, like if you plan on driving advertising traffic to your website to sell a book, you might consider the next step up in hosting for your site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve got a website address and a place to put your files, it\u2019s time to tackle your site\u2019s design. The design refers to what your site looks like on the front end, a.k.a. how it appears when someone visits it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re totally new to designing a website, a platform with drag-and-drop capabilities like Squarespace<\/a> or Wix<\/a> is a good option. If you have some familiarity with content management systems and feel comfortable doing a bit of technical setup, WordPress<\/a> is an excellent choice. Most writers design their website using a template. This means you\u2019re not coding the design from scratch; instead, you select an outline with the basic look and feel you like and fill in the content like text, images and menu items with your own material. The website design platforms we mentioned above all offer a selection of fee and paid templates to choose from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If all of this seems overwhelming, don\u2019t rule out building a personal website just yet. If you don\u2019t want to deal with securing a domain name, buying hosting and setting up a site design, you have another option that thousands of writers use to jumpstart their writing careers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n An online portfolio takes care of all the setup associated with building a website on a single platform. Clippings.me<\/a> is one such example. Tailored specifically to writers, Clippings.me is readily equipped to house your writing samples and showcase your bio. After registering for a free account<\/a> and inputting some basic information, you\u2019ll be able to upload writing samples from your computer or link to them via URL. Because Clippings.me is built by writer, for writers, it has all the features and sections you need in a personal writing website and nothing you don\u2019t. It eliminates confusion and leaves you with a streamlined, professional looking portfolio you can use to apply for writing jobs.<\/a> The entire setup process can be completed in an hour or two. A basic Clippings.me account is free and includes everything you need to get up and running. If you\u2019d like to use a custom domain like the ones we discussed above, you can upgrade to a premium account to access this and many other features for a small monthly fee. By setting up a personal website, you\u2019ll stake your claim on your online brand and establish a viable online portfolio you can use to launch your writing career. What\u2019s the first thing you do when you meet someone new and interesting? If you\u2019re like us, you go home and Google them to learn more. The freelance writing world is no different; your online reputation helps readers learn more about you and assists prospective clients in deciding whether to hire you. Thus, if you …<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nHosting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nDesign<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nOr Build a Personal Website On a Platform<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Online Portfolios<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"