Do you have a professional website or blog? Although it can be tempting to just opt for the free choice, every writer needs a professional website.
Sometimes free is a viable option, and, let’s face it, just plain cool. But you still pay a price when you choose free – even if it doesn’t come attached to a dollar sign. The price you pay could be many things: no tools for SEO (Search Engine Optimization), less design options, distracting ads or banners…or maybe just a lack of choices. (Maybe you want to control your own advertising?)
The thing is, today the Internet has more for our disposal. It used to be if the everyman wanted a website, “free” was just how he did it. Where would we have been without Geocities or Angelfire, or GoDaddy? Now though, we’re not necessarily at the whim of a designer, either. We have more options: Blogger, Tumblr, WordPress.com, Wix…the list keeps going. But what’s interesting, is that all these “free” options also make it easier than ever to “go pro”.
So while a pro website isn’t necessarily a must in every case, there are circumstances where it can be important to have a professional website:
- Your want your website to “mean business”. Since the rise of social media and blogging platforms, it’s becoming more and more common, and less and less of a faux pa, to establish a website without purchasing a domain name. But you can’t deny there’s a certain air of professionalism with a “yourname.com”. When people see you’ve bought a domain, they can tell you mean business. So if you want the full pro reaction, at some point you’ve got to get the domain. For at least the sites that you “mean business”.
- You’re selling your work. There’s a certain level of importance we assign to a website or a blog when it has a domain name, isn’t there? And what could be more important than selling your work? Whether you’re a writer, an artist, or entrepreneur, if you’re selling your work, people will see credibility in you – credibility that is reinforced by a pro website.
- SEO. Speaking of credibility, no website has credibility like Google does. Most people are on Google the instant their fingers start typing, and some even have it set as their home page. This is because Google – along with other search engines like Bing, MSN & Yahoo! – is a trusted resource. When it comes to optimizing your website for search engines, Google decides what’s important and what’s not important by sifting not only through keywords but through brands. Got your own domain, and you’re one step closer to solidifying your brand name – and your
streetSEO cred. - Feeling like a pro. Because when you dress like a pro, you feel like a pro.
What’s been your experience with a professional website – have one, want one, don’t think you need one? 😉 Share your thoughts on going pro!
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The photo featured with this post is by Marina Blaze Photography!
Check out more of Marina’s photos on Facebook.
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