5 Tips To Build An Awesome Writer's Website

Written By: Tina Thakrar

Building a writer website is a somewhat like creating a resume because it stands as a reflection of yourself and your professional skills. Unlike a personal meeting, people will judge your ability on the basis of what they see on your website. In such an instance, creating and maintaining a good website is crucial. Here are some important pointers to bear in mind when building your own writer website.

Plan your content

First and foremost, you must plan the content you intend to put up on the website, and how you intend for it to look. Your bio, services portfolio, work samples and contact information are indispensable items. Needless to say, the writing must be impeccable and crisp, and must clearly put across what you want to communicate. Pack the punch of your words within a few sentences to leave a lasting impact.

Focus on the audience:

It is imperative to be aware of the kind of visitors you are expecting and to consequently cater to each set. List down your ideal website visitors and accordingly frame your content. Are you a a freelance journalist, an SEO specialist, a business writer or a copywriter? Make sure that your content speaks to individuals and companies that are likely to hire writers from your niche. As for the style, writing that is light, easy to comprehend and professional can satisfy a wide range of customers. Clear and concise text with a friendly tone can do wonders to raise potential clients.

Hire professional services to design the website

If you are not trained in web design, do not attempt to create a website just by learning off of the internet. A trained professional will ensure that important things are not overlooked. Within a relatively affordable price range, these professionals also regularly update the website to keep it clutter free and fast. Be sure to have a large volume of content to put up before you pay the website designer a visit, so you can fill in any empty spaces, if needed. However, always remember, focus more on the content than on the design.

Website design

Use your own visualization and ideas to guide the designer. Avoid flashy templates and garish colours that may turn off visitors and pick a clean design with pastel colours or go for the traditional combination of black and white. Steer clear of images or graphics that may make the page too heavy and prevent it from loading quickly. Use navigation buttons to conveniently steer from one section to the other. In a nutshell, do not design a site that is brash to look at and inconvenient to use.

Website layout

The layout is as important as the text. List down the things you wish to include ensuring that you answer questions such as Who are you? and What do you do? Break down items under sub headings like:

1. Home Page – Provide a summary of your work specialisations, team and a slogan or sub quote if you have one.

1. Introduction – Include your qualifications, training, past employments and hobbies. Be sure to include a photograph here. It is always pleasing to be able to relate names to a friendly face.

1. Portfolio – Mention your previous work opportunities, blogs or publications with links to everything. You can include a sample or two on your website under ‘case studies’.

1. Services – Here, be very clear and specific with the type of writing you are comfortable with. Use your interests and previous work samples as a basis to fill up this section.

1. Clients – List down all your past and present clients. Put down a small introduction of some important ones. The list must indicate to potential clients that you are open to working with a plethora of companies or people.

1. Contact Information – Provide your e-mail address and telephone number here. Also, be sure to state in which part of the world you are based so potential clients can judge whether it will be convenient to work with you. Indicate your presence on social networking sites too.

1. Testimonials – You may have this as a separate page or include it under the Introduction section. This is merely to provide readers and future clients with a review or a client’s point of view. Besides, it is always considered humble if your testimonials praise your work rather than you doing so yourself.

Always remember to give readers a website that they are happy to read and that showcases your writing abilities to the maximum. Don’t be afraid to let your individuality shine if you intend to stand out in the large pool of writers out there. Use the above pointers and you should have a successful website going in no time!


About Tina: Tina Thakrar is a freelance writer and travel enthusiast based in Mumbai. For any content-related help, you can reach her at tinathakrar15@gmail.com.