How Remote Workers Build an Online Presence That Wins Clients

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A remote worker's online presence is the set of pages a client or employer finds when they search your name. Keep it simple: one site or main profile that explains what you do, one or two networks you keep current, a little published work, and secured accounts. Do those four well and you have most of the benefit.

Why does your online presence matter when you work remotely?

In a coworking space, people meet you, see you work and ask what you do. Remote clients and hiring managers do not get that. They search, read and decide from what they find in a few minutes.

That makes your online presence your handshake. It should answer three questions fast: what do you do, can you prove it, and how do I reach you?

What should your website include?

You do not need a large site. A single clear page can do the job. Include:

• A plain statement of your work. One sentence on what you do and who you do it for, with no jargon.
• Two or three examples. Describe the problem, what you did and the result. Only claim results you can back up.
• Contact details. An email address or form, and links to your main profile.
• A short bio. Where you work, what you are good at, and your time zone so clients know when to expect replies.

Check the page on a phone. Many people will open it there first, and slow or cramped pages lose visitors.

Which social profiles are worth keeping?

Choose by where your clients are, not by what is fashionable. A profile you update is worth more than five you abandoned.

• LinkedIn suits consultants, developers, designers, writers and anyone selling to businesses.
• Instagram or similar visual networks suit photographers, interior and product designers and makers.
• Industry forums and communities suit specialists who want to be known for answers in a narrow field.

Use the same photo, name and short description everywhere so people can tell it is you. Answer comments and messages within a reasonable time.

How do you publish useful work without it taking over your week?

Publishing proves you know your field. The trick is to make it small and repeatable.

Start with questions clients really ask

Keep a note of the questions you answer by email or on calls. Each one is a post, a short video or a checklist. Because it comes from real work, it is useful and it is easy to write.

Pick one format

Written posts, short videos and talks all work. Choose the one you can do on a schedule. One good item a month is better than a burst followed by silence.

Use the space around you

If you work from a coworking space, a talk or small session for other members is a good way to show your skill locally. Our piece on hosting workshops in a coworking space covers how to run one. If your work is visual, see how coworking spaces can stand in for a photography studio.

How do you get found in search?

Search visibility comes mostly from clear pages. Google's own SEO starter guide explains that helping search engines understand your content starts with useful, readable pages, descriptive titles and a site that is easy to crawl, and it is a good place to learn the basics from the source: Google Search Central SEO starter guide.

In practice, that means:

• Give each page a title that says what it is about.
• Write for the person searching, using the words your clients use.
• Make sure the site loads quickly and works on mobile.
• Link your pages to each other so visitors and crawlers can move around.

How do you keep your accounts secure?

Your online presence is only worth something if you control it. A hijacked email or social account can damage your reputation and your client relationships.

• Use a password manager and a unique password for every account.
• Turn on multi-factor authentication for email, social and banking accounts. CISA explains how it works and why it blocks most account takeovers on its multi-factor authentication page.
• Be wary of unexpected links and attachments, especially messages that claim to be from a client or platform and ask you to log in.
• Keep your laptop and phone updated.
• Take care on shared networks. Our guide to reliable and safer internet for remote workers goes through the options.

How do you know it is working?

Pick a few numbers and look at them every month or two. Do not chase everything.

• Enquiries: how many people contacted you, and where they said they found you.
• Visits to your site: and which pages they open.
• Profile views and messages: on the network you use most.

Ask new clients how they found you. That answer is often more useful than any chart, and it shows you which effort to keep doing.

What does a sensible first month look like?

1. Week one: write your one-sentence description and update your main profile.
2. Week two: build or tidy a single page with examples and contact details.
3. Week three: secure your email and social accounts with unique passwords and multi-factor authentication.
4. Week four: publish one useful piece answering a client question, and ask a past client for a short written recommendation.

If you travel with your work kit, a compact setup also helps you take calls and deliver files reliably. Our guide to a portable home office kit lists what to carry, and you can browse MaviGadget travel gadgets for extra accessories.

The short version

You do not need to be everywhere. Be clear about what you do, easy to contact, visibly good at it and hard to hack. Keep the site and one profile current, publish when you have something useful to say, and review the results a few times a year.