Having a website is one big way to show you’ve got credibility. But do you need one right away?

Do freelance writers need a website? All freelance writers should have a website to establish credibility for themselves and show clients that they’re serious. If you’re using a Hotmail or Gmail email address or putting your portfolio on a free blog site, it gives clients the impression that you aren’t serious or invested in your craft.

In this article, I’ll discuss whether you need a website to start your freelance writing career or not. Plus I’ll outline many of the benefits you can get from having one.

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Why You Need To Have A Freelance Writer Website

Having a website is like your home base on the internet.

If you run any kind of online business, I think you should have one. Whether you’re a freelance writer, an author, or even if you’re just a Youtuber.

You need your own piece of property on the internet that isn’t at the mercy of Facebook, Instagram, or any other platforms. Something that you can truly call your own.

If you’re just getting started on a content mill like Textbroker or Upwork, then maybe you don’t need to set up your writer website right away. But as soon as you’re ready to start taking on clients of your own, I think a website is a must-have.

Should You Start A Blog? Read my article on the topic to find out!

How Much Does It Cost To Have Your Own Website?

To run your own website, you’ll need two things. You’ll need to own a domain, and you’ll need hosting to have a server that actually stores and delivers your website’s content to visitors.

For your first year with signup promotions and discounts, you can get your website set up and running for $100 or less.

Hosting

You can start your own website with hosting for as little as $5 per month on platforms like Hostgator and Bluehost. Usually you can get even lower promotional plans when you first sign up.

I paid about $150 USD for my hosting last year. I just pay it all at once in one big annual amount.

The good thing is that most hosts will allow you to have multiple domains hosted on one plan. Right now I’ve got about 4 websites running on that one shared host. If they ever get to a large enough size I’ll probably need to set up their own dedicated hosting for them. But right now it’s a cost-effective option.

Domain

Besides your hosting, you’ll also need to buy a domain name. That’s your URL like dustinyarc.com that people will actually use to access your site.

Personally I use Namecheap to buy all my domains. They seem to be one of the cheaper options, and most domains will cost you around $12 per year.

Web hosts usually have the option to buy domains for them directly. But I recommend always getting your domain through a third-party like Namecheap. That way if you switch hosts, there’s no awkward situation where you risk the host holding your domain hostage or charging you to move it. You can just log into Namecheap and point your domain to wherever you want.

I also recommend getting a .com domain wherever possible. It may be cheaper or look cool to get a .ca or .co.uk or .work domain. Nowadays there are hundreds of domain extensions to choose from. But .com always looks the most professional and universal, and people will type it by default.

Having trouble deciding on a domain? I’d almost always recommend going with just your first and last name if it’s available. If you have an uncommon name it’s the best choice in my opinion. But if your name is more common, it may already be taken.

Then you might consider other options like JaneSmithWriter.com or similar.

Unless you’ve got an actual corporation with the same name, I’d avoid making a brand name for yourself like SuperWriter.

Themes (Optional)

Themes are basic templates for how your website looks. You can use them so you don’t have to write your website from scratch with HTML code, which wouldn’t be very user-friendly for most writers.

There are paid themes that you can use to customize your site and make it look more professional. But when you’re first starting off, I’d recommend just sticking with free themes. WordPress has hundreds of free options to choose from. So take a look and see what appeals to you and the style you’re going for.

Don’t Cheap Out

You might be tempted to save some money by setting up a free website or blog with Wix, Blogspot, or WordPress. But please don’t.

Honestly, it looks a bit cringe to any serious business when you’ve got a “writer.wordpress.com” website. So you’ll be doing yourself a huge disservice.

Think about it. If you’re not willing to invest $100 in yourself to set up a website, why should a client invest in your writing?

How A Website Can Benefit Your Freelance Writing Business

Here are a few of the many reasons why having a dedicated website for your freelance writing business is a good idea.

You Can Showcase Your Writing

Your website gives you a place to put your portfolio or link to all of your bylined writing pieces in one place.

That way you can just link clients to a page on your website, instead of having to email them a PDF or zip file with your work in it.

It Makes You Searchable To Clients

By making a website, you give yourself the possibility of appearing in search results.

Chances are that you won’t show up on the first page if people just search for “freelance writer” or any of the competitive terms. But if you set up a blog specifically targeting writing clients, you may be able to drive a significant amount of organic traffic to your site.

It Gives You Credibility

Like I mentioned earlier, having a website is just one piece that tells a client that you’re a serious writer and someone they can trust. Personally I wouldn’t hire a writer that doesn’t have their own .com website.

Your website shows off a bit of your style and personality too.

I’d definitely recommend including a professional headshot of yourself so that people can put a face to a name. I think it’s just human psychology that people are a lot more likely to trust you if they can see you.

Want to turn your writing into a career? Check out my article When Should You Quit Your Job To Become A Full-Time Freelancer or Entrepreneur?

It Gives Clients A Way To Contact You

Putting a contact form on your website gives a way for prospective clients who view your website to reach out.

I wouldn’t necessarily expect people to contact you on a regular basis. In fact, I mostly get spam through my contact form. And I think I’ve actually had more people reach out to me via LinkedIn than my website. But it’s still something you should have. Just for social proof if nothing else.

Conclusion

If you want to make a serious attempt at being a serious writer, I think that a website is a must-have.

Without a website, you won’t really present the credibility that you need to wow clients and land jobs.

If you’re emailing clients with a Hotmail or Gmail email address instead of your domain name, or using a free Blogspot or Wix site, it gives clients the impression that you aren’t serious about your writing or willing to invest in yourself. So why should they give you a chance?

To make a serious go of being a freelance writer, I think you need to spend a day and set up a website for yourself. Your first paid writing project will cover the hosting and domain costs for the entire year, so you don’t have much to lose.