Doing your website development magic on your own terms doesn’t just mean becoming a master at coding. It also means you get to run the business handling all by yourself.
While that may make becoming a freelance web developer seem scary, it doesn’t have to be that way. All it takes to succeed is preparation and using the right tools.
To show you that, we made a list of the steps you should take before becoming a freelance web developer.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
Who Is a Freelance Web Developer?
How To Get Started as a Freelance Web Developer
1. Find a Niche for Your Business
2. Build Your Freelance Website
4. Use Fast, Accessible Web Development Solutions
5. Host Clients’ Websites for Enhanced Efficiency
Final Thoughts: A Simple Guide to Becoming a Freelance Web Developer
A freelance web developer is a self-employed web design expert and programmer who works on web development projects for several clients as a contractor and receives payment for these services at an agreed price.
A freelance web developer can:
- Accept or reject freelance work
- Decide what startup, small businesses, or large enterprises to work with
- Set standard price
- Work remotely from anywhere
As you can see, freelance web developers get to do everything on their own terms and at their own pace. However, there are a few things you should take into account before becoming a freelance web developer to make it a sustainable source of revenue.
How To Get Started as a Freelance Web Developer
- Find a niche for your business
- Build your freelance website
- Market your business
- Use fast, accessible web development solutions
- Host client’s websites for enhanced efficiency
Becoming a freelance web developer goes beyond just the understanding of website and software development. You should set the appropriate foundation in place to become a distinguished and successful freelance web developer.
To get started as a freelance web developer, you need to:
1. Find a Niche for Your Business
Figuring out your niche is the first step in becoming a freelance web developer. It’s a good idea to be precise about the services you want to offer.
In addition, the fastest way to distinguish yourself from other web developers in online marketplaces is to choose a niche. According to ZipRecruiter, freelance web developers make an average of $72,000, but offering something different grants you the possibility to earn more.
In that sense, it’s better to be a master of web development in a specific area than be a jack of all trades. That way, you can factor in your expertise while developing your pricing strategy.
Do you want to help ecommerce businesses, beauty brands, software companies, or freelancers? Choose a niche that interests you and is profitable.
Some services may have more scalability potential. So take that into account to build a freelance career that yields more profit over time.
2. Build Your Freelance Website
The next step to becoming a freelance web developer is to build your website. You need a personal website that prospects can check to find out more about what you do.
You should ensure that you:
- Create various essential pages to break down your process
- Showcase past projects
- Include client testimonials
- Include your contact information or a form for prospects to reach you.
Essentially, your website should tell prospective clients who you are, what you do, and how they can contact you. You could also include a blog section for sharing informational content and industry trends.
3. Market Your Business
Becoming a freelance web developer comes with promotion duties. You need clients to get more clients and turn your freelancing into a business.
So, to find work and build your clientele, you need to market yourself.
There are several marketplaces and platforms freelance web developers can get clients from. These include:
- Social media apps like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram
- Professional freelance networking groups
- Referrals
- Freelancing sites like Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com
- Paid marketing campaigns
- Word of mouth
To face and stand out among the competition, you need a convincing portfolio that contains skillset ratings, past projects, clients, awards, certifications, and an experience summary. In addition, it’s a good idea to over-deliver on projects when you get your first clients.
4. Use Fast, Accessible Web Development Solutions
As your business begins to boom, there’s an increased need for efficiency. You get more clients’ orders and need to be prompt with deliveries.
So, you need the web development tools to help you scale from running a below-average to average freelance business to a top-scale career.
StoreBuilder by Nexcess is a powerful website builder to quickly and easily create a WordPress store without writing a single line of code. It comes with beautiful templates, premium plugins, and advanced functionality to create stunning websites on WordPress’ open-source platform.
You don’t have to spend a lot of time with front-end development or full-stack development. You don’t even need back-end developers using CSS, HTML, JavaScript, or Python coding.
Whether you are a beginner, part-time, or full-time freelancer, making Storebuilder a part of your toolset is advantageous. In just a few clicks, you can create a custom industry-specific website.
Also, you might need to invest in other tools to run a smooth business, such as:
- Web applications
- Development and framework tools
- Workflow and accounting software
5. Host Clients’ Websites for Enhanced Efficiency
No matter how stunning a website is, it’s incomplete without a reliable hosting service. A mediocre hosting service will render your efforts useless and the website inefficient.
To avoid worrying about poor traffic and conversions due to website crashes, slow loading, and site malfunctions, it’s best if you host your clients’ websites yourself.
You can easily do that with Nexcess’ Fully Managed WordPress Hosting solutions. They come with extensive site maintenance so your clients can focus on their zones of genius without worrying about site performance and operations.
Final Thoughts: A Simple Guide to Becoming a Freelance Web Developer
Becoming a freelance web developer demands knowledge, decisiveness, action, and a heart for excellence.
While jump-starting your career requires more than developing a skillset, it doesn’t have to be daunting. You can get started with your freelance web development career by accounting for the five steps listed above.
And remember, the best way to scale your business is by expediting processes. Avail yourself of accessible, time-efficient tools like Nexcess’s StoreBuilder.
Check out StoreBuilder to get started today.
