If a tree falls and no one’s around to hear it, does it make a sound?

I don’t know. But I know a closed mouth doesn’t get fed. And that applies to freelance writers.

A content writer without an online presence is invisible. If you don’t work on anything else this year, work on your online presence.

Why does a strong online presence matter so much? Let’s find out.

People Need To Be Able To Find You

What does a strong online presence look like?

• Visibility.
• Active platforms.
• Work samples.
• Contact information.
• Healthy engagement.
• Being searchable.

At least three of these things (active platforms, healthy engagement, and being searchable) require being seen online.

Having some active platform is extremely important, whether it’s a website or a social media profile. The top three marketing channels for digital marketers are the blog on a website, social media shopping tools, and influencer marketing (Shepherd, 2024).

If clients can’t find these types of platforms under your name, they instantly start losing trust in you. Which leads to the next reason.

People Need To Be Able To Trust You

Having a strong online presence helps you build more credibility with your audience.

Your ability to write content that solves your clients’ problems is one way to establish trust. Many people make decisions based on the information presented to them.

After reading a blog post about a particular product, 60% of people decide to purchase it (Demand Metric, 2022).

Your words have power. And so do your actions. Posting content on a consistent basis helps to establish trust between you and your audience.

But another way to establish trust is the next reason for building a strong online presence: knowing certain things about your audience.

People Need To Know What You Know

There’s a reason why we all scroll online. And nine times out of ten, it’s to solve a particular problem that we have.

If your content can help solve your clients’ problems, you’ll be invaluable to them for a long time.

And that’s why a strong online presence is so crucial. Your clients need to know that your content is the solution to their problems. But they won’t know that if they’re unable to find you.

And regardless of who’s complaining online, businesses are always looking for content. LinkedIn is the main content distribution channel used by 94% of B2B marketers (Gallant, 2024).

They are looking for content writers with the ability to share information in a relatable way to an audience. Think of your online presence as a way to connect those businesses to you.

Benefits of a Strong Online Presence

When you’re building your online presence, keep the following benefits in mind:

Greater Exposure

A strong online presence will expose you to a larger number of people. When your online presence is limited, so are your opportunities.

Increasing your online visibility doesn’t have to be painful. You can take simple steps like

• Creating a personal website.
• Engaging on your social media channels.
• Guest posting.
• Joining other content writing groups on social media.

These steps can help you establish your personal brand. The more established your brand, the more your clients will remember you.

Higher Credibility

Improving your online presence can also help with your credibility. People need to see proof – especially when you are online.

When your clients have proof of you writing about certain niches, you’re proving your credibility to them. You’re establishing yourself as a thought leader, which is a great way to stand out amongst the masses.

Having a strong online presence also establishes your professionalism. Like other businesses, you need a digital hub that can connect your audience to relevant content.

Having a website is a great way to establish credibility with your audience. It’s your personal platform that can show your expertise and add value to your clients.

Showcase of Skills

Another way that your online presence can help with your credibility is by showing off your writing skills.

Your website and social media channels can also be used as a portfolio. Many people may want to see examples of your work before doing business with you.

This is where your website comes into play.

You can create a Portfolio page and show different types of writing samples. Showing high-quality writing samples is another way to show your expertise to your clients.

Guest posting with other businesses is another way to showcase your writing skills. Working with other publications is another way to become an expert in your niche.

Networking Opportunities

Finally, a strong online presence can help you with networking.

Freelance writing is like any other business. It’s about building relationships with other writers and clients.

Building a strong online presence allows you to make connections with other clients and writers.

What are some ways that you can network?

• Join groups on social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn.
• Comment under other writers’ articles or blog posts (even if it’s just to compliment their work).
• Follow and connect with other writers on social media platforms.
• Guest posting.

Taking these steps will introduce you to other professionals in the writing industry.

Final Thoughts

Creating a strong online presence is easier when you have a content marketing strategy.

Creating a content marketing strategy is not as hard as it sounds. If you want some simple steps to help you get started, click on my eBook The Ultimate Guide To Create A Content Marketing Strategy here: Content Marketing (sendowl.com).

Also, feel free to check out my blog post Stop Ruining Your Law Firm’s Online Presence With A Bad Marketing Strategy – Valeria Publications.

Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Sources:

Gallant, J. January 16, 2024. 50+ LinkedIn Statistics Marketers Need To Know In 2024. Retrieved from https://foundationinc.co/lab/b2b-marketing-linkedin-stats/.

Hill, C. November 2, 2023. 70+ Digital Marketing Statistics To Know In 2024. Retrieved from https://www.mediavalet.com/blog/digital-marketing-statistics.

Shepherd, J. January 5, 2024. 24 Essential Digital Marketing Statistics You Need To Know In 2024. Retrieved from https://thesocialshepherd.com/blog/digital-marketing-statistics.