If you’re like most writers, you enjoy the part of your job that entails putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). You’re probably, however, somewhat less fond of marketing. Many of us squirm at the idea of cold calling or attending networking events.
That’s why it’s so important to have a strong professional website. Once it is up and running, it can bring you a steady stream of referrals with little or no further effort you your part.
These are features that will help your website attract customers
Landing Page
Your landing page needs to do two things: tell visitors what you do and who you are. It should contain as many keywords as possible without sacrificing the quality of your writing (an SEO company can help you with this).
Your landing page should also include a couple of fun facts about yourself, for instance, “I’m a WAHM whose peak writing hours are between midnight and 8:00 am” or “I do my best writing and editing after a long hike or bicycle ride.”
Samples
Use this page to provide images of or links to samples of your work. Don’t be afraid to choose samples that let your personality shine through.
If you haven’t published any work yet, you can create a special article, marketing letter, or press release to display on your sample page. Another option is to omit this page for the time being and add it to your website once you have some assignments under your belt.
Testimonials
If clients have indicated that they were pleased with your work, ask them to write a brief testimonial – a sentence or two is fine. If you have a truly pen-phobic client, offer to write the testimonial yourself. All your client has to do is sign off on it.
Contact Information
The best practice is to offer an email address, a direct mail address (a post office box is fine), and a phone number if you have a line dedicated to your business.
This is also a good place to tell visitors how to get in touch with you through social media.
Blog
A blog is the quickest and easiest way to provide a stream of fresh content to your website. You can blog about writing, or about a niche topic that you enjoy writing about. For instance, if you specialize in medical writing, your blog can cover the latest medical news.
A well put together website is a great way to get referrals without having to pound the physical or virtual pavement. Put some time and energy into your website and you may be surprised to see how well it works for you.
Michelle is an aspiring writer with a passion for blogging. She enjoys writing about a vast variety of topics and loves that blogging gives her the opportunity to publicly voice her thoughts and share advice with an unlimited audience.
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