How Much Business Did A Website Bring You? (Freelancers)

14 replies
I'm talking to all the writers, web developers, web designers, graphic designers and programmers out there.

In order to move away from the slave driving cesspool known as forum clientele, you need to have your own website. Not only that, but you need to market yourself and stay away from the job boards/forums.

My question to you is: How much business has having your own website brought you?

My Goal: To never have to look at job boards/content mills again just to fight over $1/$3 per 100 word assignments by people hoping to rule the internet with cheap content.

I'm currently looking into different themes and mapping out my own marketing plan and it's something I'm definitely going to do, but I want to hear from you if you have your own website for freelancing services. Tell me your story.
#bring #business #freelancers #website
  • Profile picture of the author travlinguy
    When I was freelancing my site brought in a few clients. But that wasn't why I had a site. I kept a Website so I could display my portfolio, sample articles, and reviews from happy clients. It was more like a brochure than a client magnet.
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    • Profile picture of the author parvezjasani
      Originally Posted by travlinguy View Post

      When I was freelancing my site brought in a few clients. But that wasn't why I had a site. I kept a Website so I could display my portfolio, sample articles, and reviews from happy clients. It was more like a brochure than a client magnet.
      Totally agree with you.Websites make your online presence more vital but they do are not guarantee of getting more work and clients.We should work on our online profiles on various websites like freelancing websites,LinkedIn and similar sites to get clients and work
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  • Profile picture of the author dvduval
    I reached a point where I had some popular scripts that people wanted to buy and I stopped looking for work. That doesn't mean I still don't sometimes look for additional clients using various methods but having a popular software product makes it a lot easier. So long as you are always working on someone else's website that is going to always take you out of the drivers seat in most cases.
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    It is okay to contact me! I have been developing software since 1999, creating many popular products like phpLD.
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  • Profile picture of the author JRJWrites
    First day I set the website up:

    Closed a $2K deal.

    Did that answer your question?
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    • Profile picture of the author Ignas LT
      Originally Posted by JRJWrites View Post

      First day I set the website up:

      Closed a $2K deal.

      Did that answer your question?
      Wow, what the website was about?
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      • Profile picture of the author JRJWrites
        Originally Posted by Ignas LT View Post

        Wow, what the website was about?
        It advertised my writing services.
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  • Profile picture of the author focusedlife
    I was on the interwebs making money with offline clients 8 months before putting up my own 1st crappy website.

    Nowadays, I still think its a lot easier to simply leverage aggregate traffic sites to get clients via customer ascension.

    My main stay is to have products that get customers, happy customers that turn into clients.

    Just the other day I made $1,000 for coaching from a butt ugly craigslist ad.

    This stuff isn't that hard if you have a plan of attack, work the plan consistently and leverage all of the various ways to get your message to your target prospect as well as setup all necessary booby traps to capture your favorite unicorn customers when they go looking for what you've got to feed'em.

    Hope that made sense and wish you the best of luck.

    Regards

    Los
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    The only group with more actionable info than any WSO → The Parlay Society
    Want me to write stuff for you? → Click here to check this out
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  • Profile picture of the author laurencewins
    I don't know if my sites have directly brought me in a lot of work BUT I do know that lots of people have checked my sites to verify I am a real person, to check samples and testimonials and to see my overall reputation so they can decide if I am somebody they want to work with.

    If you're going to be a freelancer, you NEED your own site for sure.
    It doesn't need to be an expensive one with lots of bells and whistles. But it does have to exist.
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    Cheers, Laurence.
    Writer/Editor/Proofreader.

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  • Profile picture of the author dsouravs
    don't get me wrong but how will people know about your website if you dont do marketing/promotion for it in relevant forums ?

    organic SEO?
    PPC?
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    I can convert your Non-Responsive website to Responsive website ... How sweet is that? :)

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  • Profile picture of the author dewayneboyd
    Originally Posted by Corey Geer View Post

    I'm talking to all the writers, web developers, web designers, graphic designers and programmers out there.

    In order to move away from the slave driving cesspool known as forum clientele, you need to have your own website. Not only that, but you need to market yourself and stay away from the job boards/forums.

    My question to you is: How much business has having your own website brought you?

    My Goal: To never have to look at job boards/content mills again just to fight over $1/$3 per 100 word assignments by people hoping to rule the internet with cheap content.

    I'm currently looking into different themes and mapping out my own marketing plan and it's something I'm definitely going to do, but I want to hear from you if you have your own website for freelancing services. Tell me your story.
    Think about it this way. Do you think your past clients are making money? If so, why would you spend your time writing for someone else when you can keep all of it? The only reason I can think of is if a writer is completely incompetent at keyword research. How about you free yourself from having any clients at all?
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    1,574,810 unique visitors and counting. And that's just one of my websites.

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  • Profile picture of the author Adie
    I am making around $800/month from my writing service website. That is 10 folds lower than what I am making from my affiliate sites. The earnings from my writing service website is actually intended only for my own virtual assistants and writers who write articles for my own affiliate sites. That is how I appropriate online funding.
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    Moderator's Note: You're only allowed to put your own products or sites in your signature.

    Signature edited.
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  • Profile picture of the author drr
    Think your own site can be very influential in showing your wares and talents to a prospect. You can even slurp up high target leads and keep in touch with your clients.
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  • Profile picture of the author seobro
    That is not the website's purpose. People do not use your web site to order services. Still, you will get some orders, but not too many. Key is to get into a hot niche that is new. Competition will be a lot lower for you. Mostly, your site will not be at the bottom of a large pile of sites that look similar or almost the same. Get busy finding new areas.
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  • Profile picture of the author jessiewriter
    Two blogs you should read: Carol Tice's Make a Living Writing, and freelance writing blog at Jennifer Mattern's All Indie Writers blog.

    You'll be able to learn -- for free -- everything you need to know about marketing yourself as a serious business owner, as a freelancer.

    Both sites have plenty of information specifically about freelance websites, too.
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    ~ Jessie Haynes
    Erotica Author
    Caffeine Headaches: Author Blog

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