Hi,

Do you think it's worth building a website at the start of going freelance? I have an entry in the PTC's freelance finder and Associates Available but I wonder if potential clients could look at a 'newbie's' website and be put off by the small number of clients, lack of testimonials, etc. Would it be better to wait until I can create something a bit more impressive?

@helen-hughes

My advice would be to set up your website now - while you have the time! Even if it's just a homepage with your contact details, some online presence will be better than none.

You can add to it as you go, adding clients, testimonials and so on. In fact, adding content like this will help your SEO (search engine optimisation - how high you are listed) as Google values sites with regularly updated content.

If you leave it till you have regular work piling up - you may never find a good time.

Hi Helen.

I completely agree with Sarah. You can keep it simple for now. Not all editorial freelancers put as much detail on their sites as others, anyway. Also, it may take you a while to fiddle around with the design, or decide on which particular host you want to use. The beauty of using something like Weebly, Lola, WordPress etc. is that you can update it whenever you want, so there's nothing to stop you experimenting with a few different hosts to see which one you find most user-friendly.

Good luck!

Thank you Sarah and Louise for your replies. I will move out of my comfort zone and have a go at creating a website!

Helen

Hi Helen,

I'm in a similar position to you and have recently created my own website. I've focused on what services I can provide rather than any experience I have, which is practically nothing. I intend to add a testimonial page at a later date once I have a couple to include. As long as you go for something simple it really is quite simple to do. I'm not in the least bit 'techie' and I still managed it.

Anyway, good luck.

Deborah

Hi Deborah,

Thanks for your encouragement! I've had a look at WordPress and Weebly this morning and I'm surprised to see how easy it looks. Keeping it simple and adding content later seems to be the way to do it, so I'll have a go!

All the best,

Helen