I’ve been a full-time freelance writer since 2010 and over the years I’ve sought advice and assistance from other more experienced freelancers. I’ve consumed endless blogs and have even invested in coaching programs back in the day.
Over the years, however, I’ve noticed that most people share the same basic advice.
“If you wanna be a successful freelance writer, you’ve gotta have a writer website.”
Moreover, the underlying message seems to be that if you don’t have a website, potential clients won’t take you seriously.
This advice is documented so often that it’s taken as gospel, but is it really true? Do you need a writer website when starting out?
I have to say no, you don’t need a writer website right off the bat.
That’s not to say you shouldn’t have one at some point. In fact, it’s a good idea to have one, but it isn’t necessary when starting. And that’s a good thing because it’s one less cost to worry about, right?
Need more proof?
Here are four solid reasons why a writer’s website isn’t a necessity for a new freelancer.
Reason #1 – A writer website won’t make you money in the short term
The act of setting up a website is not going to get you clients or put cold hard cash into your account. To do this, you’ll need to invest a great deal of time and effort in driving traffic to it. Moreover, unless you have the skills to design a website yourself, it’s only going to lose cash in the short term because any money you initially invest is unlikely to give you an immediate return on investment.
Reason #2 – it’s a distraction
Even if you can design a website (and there are plenty of tutorials available that show you how to do just that), it still takes a lot of time and effort. Most people focus their attention on trying to build their brand and in reality, that’s time and effort that could otherwise be spent finding your first client.
Reason #3 – Potential clients aren’t interested in whether you have a website
There, I’ve said it. Contentious I know, but in reality, a client isn’t bothered whether you have a great-looking writer website. Instead, they want to know whether you can write the kind of content they need. Today, I write for a variety of dental companies and honestly, none of them have ever asked specifically to see my website.
In fairness, my website is well-placed in the search engine so potential clients often contact me via my site but that’s only because I’ve spent years growing it. In the beginning, it certainly wasn’t like that.
Reason #4 – You may not yet know who you’re targeting
When I started I would take on work from any industry or subject. My very first ever project, for example, was for 57 articles on Hermit Crabs. It was only after I’d been freelancing for a while that I decided to focus more on all things dental-related.
This is normal practice for newbie writers as most start as generalist content writers until they find their industry niche. Some, of course, remain generalist writers and that’s not a bad thing.
However, if you do decide to change tack and you’ve already spent time and money building a shiny new writer website, you’ll need to invest even more time and money changing it. Personally, I think that’s counterproductive.
So there you have it, 4 solid reasons why you don’t need a writer website when starting out.
In truth, the idea that you need a website to get hired is manufactured by website design companies who want your business, and while it’s true, that a writer website will benefit you in the long run, it isn’t necessary right off the bat.
But wait a minute!
If you don’t need a website, then how do you land clients?
I would focus attention on creating an online portfolio of your best work. Online platforms like Clippings. me, Muck Rack and Journo Portfolio are either completely free to use or have free options. From here, focus your attention on finding and pitching to clients.
Alternatively, you can use platforms like Upwork or job boards like ProBlogger to find clients to pitch to.
The bottom line is that a writer website is certainly a good thing to have as you grow your business, but it isn’t a must-have, despite what other people tell you.
In the meantime, focus your attention on honing your writing skills and building a client base, then, once you’re making money, consider looking at your writer website.
If you’re yet to get your dental writing business off the ground, I’ve got you covered. Visit my website and download my extensive free guide that walks you through the steps on how to become a well-paid dental writer.
Here’s to your success!