It’s not as simple as yes or no… you need to consider the longevity of your freelancing. But if you’re in it for the long haul, then read on.
As a freelancer illustrator since 1990, I’ve learnt that having a website can be a valuable asset for several reasons:
4 good reasons
- Professionalism: Having a website can help you appear more professional to potential clients. It shows that you take your work seriously and have invested time and effort into establishing a professional online presence. It says you’ve invested in your business, and you’re more likely to to be around in 12 months time.
- Visibility: A website can make you more visible online, allowing potential clients to contact and learn more about you easily. This can be especially important if you offer services that are in high demand or if you want to expand your client base.
- Credibility: A well-designed and informative website can help build your credibility as a freelancer. It allows you to showcase your work, provide testimonials from satisfied clients, and demonstrate your expertise in your field.
- Marketing: Your website can serve as a marketing tool for your freelance business. You can use it to promote your services, share your portfolio, and highlight your unique selling points.
Things you’ll need to do
Okay, owning a website, and marketing it involves cost and effort. Obviously you’ll need to pay someone to make it, but remember, you’ll need to be involved with the developer to get the best out of the website. Or like me, you do it yourself… something I’ve enjoyed, but it’s taken me away from my work all too much in the past. Then there’s the cost of buying a URL ( Unique reference address ) your web address simply put. And the hosting of it… that’s normally an annual thing, and paying a company to upload and store your website on the internet. The rest is simply adding to the website to keep it up to date… this is best done via a blog, but you will at some point, and like me an illustrator. Want to add new work to the gallery or portfolio.
Conclusion
Ultimately, if you’re going to have a website, then I suggest you do it as soon as you can. These things take time to grow, and there’s usually a fair amount of input from you.
Overall, having a website as a freelancer can be a worthwhile investment that can help you establish a strong online presence, attract new clients, and build your brand.
Feel free to contact me if you want to learn more about how a freelancer can use their own website or if you’re looking for an illustrator.
