A website for freelancers and ZZP'ers: what to include

Why a freelancer website is different

A company website sells a business. A freelancer website sells a person: your skills, your judgement and your reliability. Clients who find you, whether through a referral, a platform profile or a search, usually visit your website to answer one question: is this the right person for my project, and is it safe to hire them?

That shapes everything. You need less corporate structure and more evidence: examples of work, clear services, a sense of how you work, and enough business detail to show you are properly set up. This applies whether you are a Dutch ZZP'er (zelfstandige zonder personeel), a German Freiberufler, a French auto-entrepreneur or a self-employed consultant anywhere else in Europe.

The pages you need

Home

Say what you do, for whom, and the result clients get, in one or two lines. "Freelance UX designer helping SaaS companies simplify onboarding" beats "Creative professional with a passion for design". Add a photo of yourself, a short proof line (years of experience, notable sectors, or a client quote with permission) and one clear button: "Book an intro call" or "Ask about availability".

Services

List what you are actually hired for, not everything you can do. For each service, describe the typical deliverable, the usual timeframe and who it suits. If you work in fixed packages, show them. If you work by the day or hour, explain how you scope a project.

Portfolio or case studies

This is often the deciding page. See the section below on making it work.

About

Write in the first person. Cover your background, how you work, what clients can expect, and what kind of projects you do best. A good portrait photo matters more here than anywhere else.

Contact

Email, phone if you take calls, a short form and, if you use one, a booking link for intro calls. Mention your usual response time if you can keep to it, and your availability if it changes (for example "booking projects from next month").

Legal and business details

Privacy information, plus the business details your country expects. More on that below.

A portfolio that wins work

A gallery of images without context is pretty but rarely persuasive. Clients want to see how you think. For three to six of your best projects, write a short case study:

1. The situation. What the client needed, in one or two sentences.
2. Your approach. What you did and why.
3. The result. What changed, described honestly. Use real outcomes only if the client agrees you can share them.
4. Visuals or samples. Screenshots, photos, excerpts, before and after.

Always ask permission before naming a client or showing their work. Many freelancers work under confidentiality agreements; in that case, describe the project anonymously ("a mid-sized logistics company in Belgium") or create a sample project that shows your process.

Quality beats quantity. Three strong, relevant examples persuade more than twenty mixed ones. If you serve several types of client, group examples so each visitor quickly finds work similar to their own.

Trust signals that matter for freelancers

• Your face and name. People hire people. Hiding behind a logo makes you look like an agency, or like you are hiding.
• Testimonials with names and roles, used with permission. A LinkedIn-style recommendation copied onto your site works well if the author agrees.
• Clear business registration details. They show you are a real, registered business that can invoice properly.
• Insurance and certifications where relevant to your field, such as professional liability cover.
• A professional email address on your own domain instead of a free webmail address. See professional email on your domain.
• Clarity about process. How a project starts, how you communicate, how invoicing works.

Business details to show, including for ZZP'ers

Most EU countries expect online businesses to show basic identifying information such as your business name, address, contact details, registration number and VAT identification number where you have one. The exact list and wording depend on your country and legal form, so check the official source:

• Netherlands: the Kamer van Koophandel (KvK) explains which details to show, including your KvK number. Sole traders have a VAT identification number intended for use on invoices and websites, separate from their tax reference; the Belastingdienst explains the difference. If you work from home, check with the KvK which address must appear and what options you have.
• Germany and Austria: a formal legal notice (Impressum) is expected. Our Impressum and legal notice guide explains what goes in it.
• Other countries: your national business register or chamber of commerce publishes guidance for online businesses.

When unsure, ask an accountant or adviser, since requirements can depend on your situation.

Mistakes that cost freelancers clients

• Being everything to everyone. "Designer, developer, marketer and photographer" makes you harder to remember and to recommend. Lead with your main specialism.
• No prices or price guidance at all. You need not publish rates, but "projects typically start from" or "day rate available on request" helps clients self-qualify.
• Out of date work. A portfolio last updated years ago suggests you are not busy, or not current.
• Relying only on platforms. Freelance marketplaces and social networks change their rules. Your own website on your own domain is the one profile you control.
• Hard to contact. If the only route is a form with ten fields, potential clients go to the next name on the list.

Keep it small and current

A freelancer site does not need dozens of pages. Five well written pages and a handful of strong case studies are enough. What matters more is keeping it current: add a new project every few months, update availability, and refresh your headline when your focus changes. If you write, a short article now and then about common client questions shows expertise and helps people find you; see getting your business found on Google.

If you want this structure without building it yourself, The Website Builders creates a complete site from six questions in about ten minutes, which you then put in your own words. It is €29.95 a month on your own domain, and each enquiry from your form is stored as a client record so leads do not get lost in your inbox.

Frequently asked