For many freelancers and self-employed professionals the Internet is a useful research tool and source of work, but too few are using it to its full capacity as a marketing and ‘brand awareness’ resource.
The reasons are many: the perceived complexities of creating a web presence; the possible cost and maintenance overhead involved; and in many cases, the sheer pressure of keeping up the flow of paying work that pushes lower priorities like getting that website sorted to the bottom of the pile.
Getting your face and talents online is less of an onerous task than might be supposed, however. A little planning and an understanding of what you hope to achieve from a web presence can pay rich dividends. This is particularly true of freelancers in the media sector, for whom a website can provide a real showcase for your talents, whether they be in the visual media, writing, music or other audio production, or film/video. Prospective employers have become accustomed to the time savings and efficiency gains to be had from being able to check out a freelancer’s work before making contact.
Nor are the technical or cost implications that great. Typically, there are up to three costs to be considered: the registration of a domain name (i.e. the creation of your web ‘address’ that people will use to find your site); the hosting (rental of storage space and the utilities necessary to create and store your web pages); and the actual authoring (creating the pages and filling them with content).
Domain name registration is typically offered as a service by Internet hosting providers – these are the organisations that store your website and make it available (serve it, in the jargon) to the public. Registration lasts for two years, after which it must be renewed, and can cost as little as a few pounds. Note that some domain names are more desirable, and therefore more expensive than others. You will need to check that no-one is using your chosen name; most hosting companies offer a free search to tell you whether the name is available. It’s a good idea to have some alternatives ready in case your first choice is taken, but don’t forget that some names are associated with different types of business – a .org address, for example, often indicates a not-for-profit or charitable organisation, while a .co.uk address more often represents a business.
Companies offering hosting are legion, and you will need to shop around. Try to get a recommendation from a friend or colleague, as the quality of service can vary. Most will offer a range of packages; beware of long lists of features and enhancements that can push up the price, but which you may not initially need. A basic package with a couple of megabytes of storage should be ample for a starter website of one or two pages. Check that you can switch your package without penalties should you find your online presence growing beyond the basic capacity, though.
Most hosting companies will also offer authoring services to help you create the site, or you may have contacts of your own that can assist with this. Another option is to barter with other freelancers on the Freelance UK forum to keep costs down. There are many free web page authoring tools – try a Google search – but don’t allow yourself to be carried away by the endless possibilities of formatting and flashy content. A clear, concise site that draws attention to your most marketable talents and your contact details far more than a jumble of imagery, fonts, colours and sounds.
In brief, then: don’t be intimidated by the Web, it’s a tool like any other, and like any tool it rewards an understanding of its basic principles. Keep in mind at all times the reason for the site and the concerns and priorities of the people you hope will visit it, and you shouldn’t go far wrong.
Doug Brett-Matthewson
Sep 7, 2007
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