Freelance website designer for local businesses

Local small businesses such as contractors, salons, restaurants, therapists and small professional firms, plus individuals like freelancers and artists.

A fixed price per website project, often with an optional monthly fee for hosting, updates and small changes.

• Visual design sense
• Building sites on a website platform
• Clear communication with non-technical clients
• Basic writing and organizing content

• Scope creep: define the number of pages and revisions in writing
• Check whether your state or city requires a business license or sales tax on digital services
• Consider professional liability (errors and omissions) insurance and check lease or HOA rules if clients visit your home
• Accessibility rules for websites, check current guidance on making sites usable for people with disabilities
• Image, font and plugin licensing, use only assets you have rights to

Startup costs are typically around $200 to $2,000, depending on the website platforms, software, stock assets and portfolio setup you choose. These are estimates, and your own costs may differ depending on insurance and any local business license.

Monthly revenue is typically around $500 to $4,000, depending on how many sites you build, your pricing and how many clients you keep. These are estimates, not guarantees, and they assume about 8 hours a week or more.

Check whether your state or city requires a business license or charges sales tax on digital services. Also consider professional liability insurance, review current website accessibility guidance, use only images, fonts and plugins you have rights to, and define scope in writing.