5 benefits of having a web presence as a beauty pro
This post is in collaboration with Silky Ocean Studios and was originally published in 2018.
As a digital content professional and freelance beauty writer, I understand the importance of having a digital presence and owning your own online site. It's a great way to market yourself and your services.
Over the years, I’ve noticed a lot of influencers and content creators abandoning their blogs and websites in favour of social media. While there’s nothing wrong with this, it’s always important to remember that you don’t own your social media channels. You can only own your website and email list. If your social media channels went down or were removed, what would you do? What would happen to your content? How would you cope? It’s important to be mindful of this.
I always made sure to own my own website/blog and purchase my own domains. I set up my website, Chichi Writes, years ago, and a few months ago, I redid my site to refresh its look and bring it into its current iteration.
I set up my own website/blog because:
I wanted my own platform
I wanted to be able to host my own content
I needed to place to market and advertise my services online
I wanted potential clients to find me via Google
I wanted to use my website/blog as a tool to pitch to potential clients.
When I started out, I hosted my site via Blogger, then I switched to Wix and then I switched to WordPress. Eventually I transitioned to Squarespace - I’ve been running my site using Squarespace for over three years.
If you're a beauty professional - makeup artist, writer, journalist, video editor, editor, hairdresser, manicurist, blogger, influencer, content creator, graphic designer, etc - I'd 100% recommend setting up a business website, regardless of whether you're self-employed or employed.
You can create the website yourself - which is what I did - or you can hire a web design company - such as Silky Ocean Studios - to do it for you. Here are some of the reasons why it's important to have a web presence as a beauty pro.
1. Having a web presence makes you much more visible
A beauty business website allows others to find you and see what you have to offer. It also keeps you relevant and active because, after all, most people are immersed in the digital world and are often on the internet.
2. Having a web presence shows that you are professional
As a beauty writer, I feel as though having a website shows that I am credible, professional and serious about what I do for a living. It shows that beauty writing is not just a hobby for me - it's my career, so clients are more likely to want to work with me.
3. Having a web presence expands your reach
Having a business website means that anyone in the world can find my services and reach out to me so I can have clients from the UK, the USA, South Africa, Australia, Bali, Argentina, Brazil, New Zealand, Taiwan, Canada - anywhere! A beauty business website makes you much more accessible and allows you to expand your client base.
4. A web presence gives you the chance to showcase your work and skills
It's important to have a portfolio but it's even better to have a full business website. You can incorporate your portfolio into a business website and showcase your work in the best way. On my website I have my blog, writing portfolios and contact page. It’s nice to have everything in one place - it makes marketing myself a lot easier.
5. A web presence builds a brand
A web presence is not just a great way to market and advertise your services - it's also a great way to establish your own brand, position yourself, show your authority and expertise and make a mark in your chosen industry.
For web design services, check out Silky Ocean Studios.