All my on-line life, I'd heard that you have to have a website. "You need to buy your domain." But on August 5th, I let go. It doesn't seem important anymore, and honestly--I couldn't afford to keep changing it. There's nothing worse than a static site, and I was guilty with a capital "G".
I could have pointed it to my blog, but I have enough web presence. That'd be like double-dipping. Everything anyone has ever wanted to know about me is on my blog. Because of the extraordinary SEO optimization my former design god used, my former domain--currently on hold while they figure out I don't want it--is still #1. Maybe one of the other jodi henley's will buy it, but I really don't care.The times, they are a-changin' or maybe search engines are getting better.
5 comments:
The difference between a blog and a regularly updated website is very fuzzy, IMHO. We've generally been calling them blogs rather than web sites based on the software used to create them. The log sites (blogger, blogspot, livejournal, dreamwidth, etc.) are basicaly distinguished by the fact that they let you write little essays and keep them available without doing very much design work. You can customize most of them to a fair degree, but you don't have to.
I actually see my web site as a fairly static thing. It's a place for people to look who want to find my complete bibliography (which will hopefully be large someday), find reference material for my fantasy setting, and ohter things that don't change very often.
If you are selling something directly, then there's no question that you need a web site. I view a publisher which hasn't taken the trouble to have a real web site, just something on one of the blog sites, as not really serious about business, and I'm sure I'm not alone in that.
On the other hand, if you're trying to just make sure your name is out there, and share opinions and news, a blog is probably plenty.
Of course if you view setting mood and image as part of that presence, then you probably want a website with a blogging feature, so you can have pretty graphics that support your image.
I hear you. I had to make a similar call a few months ago. I was ultimately weak and caved into another renewal. *sigh*
For what it's worth, I think your blog has everything you need. Plus, it's free. I could use more free in my life. LOL
Hi Kathryn! You've just hit what really bothered me about my old site. The upkeep. I have basic HTML--enough to look like someone's ten year kid, and little money. (or rather, nothing to spare. The bane of being a single mother)
Lol, I wish you'd seen my first site. The crows flying across a dark sky, turning into my name, all time worn and tattered. Flash everything. I suspect it was overkill. Maybe one day, although I have the feeling if I do it again, it'll just be something basic like white on black and my picture again.
I'd been looking at Jim Butcher, and how he handled being the "second" jim butcher to want his name. It doesn't seem to keep him down in the rankings that his website is actually jim-butcher and I suspect the other jodi's really don't care about owning their name.
I have a month off from work (temporary lay-off) I'm going to use it to put my book together. I have your email, don't I? I'll send you a copy of the deconstruction I just did. I think you'll enjoy it. :)
Hi Hailey! I went right down to the wire, seriously. Hemming and hawing and trying to keep myself busy so I didn't have to think about it. I'm still trying not to think about it during the grace period. Trained behavior--it's strong. Sort of like a cigarette smoker needing a cigarette.
But, yeah--I did the whole what it cost and might potentially cost to do an update (complete with new layout)versus what I actually got out of it. The other day, I visited a couple of big editors with just blogs and said--heh. If they can do it, I'm just starting out. (and like you said, it's free. First thing I did on the 6th was to back everything up :)
I liked your site, but I hadn't checked it in a long time. So my guess is it served its usefulness, and now you're doing your blog thing so well, and it's free until the next greatest website invention comes out -- at which time you'll already be famous and can afford it, right? :o)
Deanna, that's why I like you. :) I liked my site too (and had to restrain myself from giving in and renewing it today) but yes it outlived it's usefulness. You say it much better.
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