Freelancer website: what do you really need?

Do you need a website as a freelancer?

You can manage without one for a while, especially if your work mainly comes through your network. Still, your own site almost always pays off. A few reasons:

• Trust: clients almost always check you out online before they call.
• Findability: with your own site you can be found in Google, including by people who don't know you yet.
• Your own space: on LinkedIn or Instagram the platform sets the rules. Your website is yours.
• Less explaining: in a first conversation you can point to your process, rates or examples.
• A professional email address: with your own domain name you email from name@yourbusiness.nl.

Which pages does a freelancer website need?

For most freelancers, four to six pages are enough:

• Home: in one sentence what you do and for whom, a short explanation, a few examples and a clear button to contact.
• Services: what you offer, who it's for and what it delivers. If you have several services, give each its own page.
• Work or case studies: examples of projects, with what the brief was and what you did.
• About me: who you are, how you work and why. With a real photo.
• Contact: a short form, your phone number and your service area.
• Rates, if you like: an indication or a 'from' price saves a lot of no-strings enquiries.

How to build a strong homepage? Read our article on creating a good homepage.

What to put on a freelancer website

As a freelancer, you're selling yourself. That's your biggest advantage over a large agency. Show it:

• A real photo of yourself, not a stock photo.
• Concrete examples of your work. A few good case studies say more than a long list of clients.
• Real reviews or recommendations, with the client's name and permission.
• Your process in a few steps, so a client knows what to expect.
• Your service area, if you work locally. That also helps local search.
• Your Chamber of Commerce (KvK) number and contact details, for trust.

Write in plain language and from your client's question. 'I help online stores with their bookkeeping, so you can focus on selling' says more than 'Experienced finance professional with a passion for numbers'. You'll find more tips in our article on writing website copy.

Not sure whether to put your rates on your site? A 'from' price or a sample package helps clients judge whether you fit their budget. That saves you conversations with people who drop out over price anyway. If you only work on a quote basis, explain what the price depends on.

Build it yourself or have it built?

With a website builder you can put a site together yourself quickly. That's fine if you're just starting out, have a small budget and want to spend your own time on it. Do keep a few things in mind:

• You're often tied to the platform. Moving to another system is difficult.
• Speed and SEO aren't always easy to get right.
• You have to keep maintaining, testing and improving it yourself.
• It often takes more time than you think, time you could also spend on paid work.

Having a website built makes sense if your site really needs to bring in work, if you want it fast and easy to find, or if you don't want to spend time on it. You get a site that fits your brand, and someone who helps you think about copy and structure. Also read WordPress or a custom website if you're unsure about the technology.

How much does a freelancer website cost?

Building a website yourself with a website builder usually costs a subscription of a few euros to a few tens of euros per month, plus your own time. That's an indication, so check the current price with the provider. A domain name and hosting sometimes come on top.

Having a custom site built is a bigger investment. At Violexa a custom website starts at €1,799 excl. VAT (€2,177 incl. VAT). That includes design, development, a layout that works on every screen, the SEO basics, Google Analytics, a CMS and a walkthrough, so you can edit your own content afterwards. Read more about prices in how much does a website cost.

Winning work through your freelancer website: get it found

A website nobody finds doesn't bring in much. A few things already help a lot:

• A separate page per service, using the words your clients type into Google.
• Working locally? Mention your town and region, and set up a Google Business Profile.
• Ask happy clients for a review.
• Make sure your site loads fast and works well on a phone.
• Link to your site from LinkedIn, your email signature and your quotes.

Common mistakes on a freelancer website

• Too much about yourself, too little about what the client gets out of it.
• No clear next step: no button, no phone number, or just an email address at the bottom.
• Vague services like 'advice and support' with no explanation of for whom and with what.
• A portfolio that hasn't been updated in years.
• A domain name or site registered in someone else's name, so you can't access it later.

Getting your freelancer website built by Violexa

Violexa is a one-person business itself: you work directly with Hisham, the founder. So we understand what a freelancer needs: a site that isn't too big, works well and that you can keep up to date yourself. See what's possible in our websites and apps service.

Curious what a website could do for you? Book a free quickscan. It's a 30-minute conversation, online or at your location. Afterwards you get short written advice with a price indication, with no obligation.

Frequently asked questions