How to design your website for freelance success

As a freelancer, a high-quality website is one of the, most valuable assets you can own. The virtual equivalent of a shop window, it, shows potential customers what you can offer and should entice them to come in.

At the same time, a poorly designed website shows a, lack of professionalism and will instantly put people off. To ensure your, website makes the right impression, there are certain elements that absolutely, must be included. Here is how to optimise your website for freelance success.

Professional, setup

Above all else, your website must be professional --, from the way it looks to how it’s set up. The overall aesthetic will depend on, your industry, but all business websites should be easy to read, simple to, navigate and divided up into logical menus. From a technical point of view, it, is worth registering a domain name -- not only to create and protect your, brand, but also to ensure your web address appears legitimate and professional., Your domain should be based on your company name if possible, and be easy to, spell and remember. You can easily find and register a domain name online, and companies such as 1&1 also, include an email account and SSL certificate -- which leads us to the next, point.

Security

If your website is not secure, prospective clients, will no doubt have reservations about your credibility. This is especially, important if you plan to receive payments online, but either way, having the, right security measures in place is crucial to building consumer trust. As, previously mentioned, your website should at least be protected by an SSL, certificate. SSL protection ensures that any data submitted to your site by a customer, is encrypted in transit – such as credit card details or personal information., Sites with SSL are instantly recognisable by a padlock symbol in front of the, web address as well as the “https” prefix instead of “http.”

About page

This is your chance to introduce yourself and tell, your story. If a prospective client is considering hiring you, they will want, to know who you are, and the “About” page will be their first port of call. This, section is also an opportunity to make your site a little more personal;, especially in the crowded online market, it can help to set you apart from the, competition. Create a memorable “About” page by including photos and writing in, the first person. Describe what you do and what you can offer as a freelancer,, highlighting your unique selling points and, most importantly, conveying, passion for your profession.

Contact, details

As obvious as it may seem, contact details are a vital, feature of any business website. As a freelancer, you need to make it as easy, as possible for people to get in touch with you, especially online. Firstly,, make sure that your contact details are prominent and clearly visible -- in the, footer section of every page, for example. It is also worth having a dedicated, page which offers a variety of different contact methods. In addition to a telephone, number and email address, consider using, Foxyform to integrate a contact form so that visitors can send a message, without navigating away from your website.

Testimonials

Happy, clients are your most powerful marketing tool, so be sure to feature, testimonials on your website. Genuine reviews provide reassurance to, prospective clients, showing that you are trustworthy and can be counted on to, deliver results. You don’t necessarily need a separate page for testimonials --, you can simply integrate them into your homepage. As long as they are clearly, visible, positive testimonials work wonders when it comes to procuring new, business.