Reese Spykerman is the owner of Design by Reese and the web design wonder behind my website, my husband’s site FunandBoardgames.com, and many others. Since I get so many questions from writers about websites, I thought I’d ask Reese for her pro tips. [lf]
Why is it important for a writer to have a website?

Let’s be honest: these days, your name is going to be “googled”, whether it be by a friend, college alumni, employer or editor. As a writer, you need a website so that when an editor or publisher does a search on you, you have some control over the type of information they find. Isn’t it better for the information to come from you than another source?

What’s the best way to present clips?

If you have the reproduction rights to do so, I would recommend a combination of both PDFs of the piece in print (if it’s a print article) and actual html text. The PDFs appeal to editors and other potential clients who may place more weight or credibility on this type of format. Putting some of your work as actual text on the site, though, allows you to maximize search engine rankings if you publish them in combination with semantic code (more on this in a second) wrapped around the article titles, subheadlines, key pull quotes, etc.

One caveat: if you link to outside urls for your articles, beware that those links may one day change or go dead. I think it’s good for a writer to try and secure the rights to reprint as many articles directly on their website as possible. This gives you more control and builds a great archive of your work.

Do you have any tips on how to look like a real pro — when you’re really just sitting at home in your jammies?

Hey, more power to you if you work in your PJs–I do!

The good news is, the rise of the entrepreneurial class means that more of us are going to be working at home and/or on our own terms. Just read “Free Agent Nation” for more info. But, this change in the economic and employment makeup of the Western world doesn’t mean you can give up professionalism. First impressions count. Your marketing materials, including a website, help convey professionalism just as much as the eloquent words that you write. The key is to understand that although many successful websites and marketing pieces (business cards, logos, letterhead, etc) reflect, in some way, the person’s style, the design and look needs to be credible for you to look professional. This means that if you’re doing your website yourself, keep it simple. The fewer flourishes, the better. (No animated, cartwheeling smiley faces). Whether you do a site yourself or hire a designer, ask yourself what the goal of your website or marketing piece is. What do you want to communicate? Who will see your site or your pieces? What one thing do you want them to know about you–immediately–when they see the site or pieces? This information helps lead to marketing efforts that look professional and help your writing business grow.

How can you bump up your search engine ranking so editors and clients can find you on the web?

I can’t stress enough the power of a semantically coded website. Say what? Semantically coded websites are meaningful to search engines. Not every web designer, nor every automated design program (if you’re doing it yourself) knows how to utilize this style of coding in an effective manner. Even if your budget doesn’t allow you to currently get an entire site redesign done, it can pay in dividends to hire a designer who specializes in semantic code to go through your existing site and code and revise it with some semantic code.

However, this needs to be combined with careful thought into what sort of search terms (keywords) you want to see an improved ranking on. Then, these can be combined with semantic code to help boost your rankings for those terms.

Finally, a frequently updated website is going to, over time, perform better in search engines than one that stays static for two years. Consider keeping your content fresh. Add a blog to your site–blogs can do wonders for rank when used appropriately.

How about content — what should writers put on their website?

Most writers have some sort of niche–capitalizing on this can lead to a ‘theme’ for your site’s content. For example, one of my clients specializes in writing for Equestrian publications and books. However, she also wanted to attract editors in other genres. We showcased a lot of her Equestrian-related work on her site, while also stressing she can write on other topics, too. We capitalized on her expertise while allowing her to expand in other markets. So focusing on your strengths is an important start.

Specifically, clips of your work, even partial clips, can improve your image and help with search engine rankings, too. Editors and publishers want to see what you can do, and showcasing your writing samples on your site is the quickest and easiest way to help them.

Contact information is important, too. If you have any professional affiliations that are worth noting, it’s good to put these on your site, too, as you never know when someone may be searching for a writer who is a member of a specific group. If you graduated from a university, list that–I’ve personally gotten inquiries from people who looked for web designers who were alumni of the University of Missouri-Columbia. Think of all the ways people may search for you or want to reach you, and find meaningful ways to include that in the content of your site.

Do you recommend that writers have their photos on their websites, and if so, do they need to be professional photographs?

This is somewhat of a gray issue. For some professions (e.g. life coaches) photos are almost a must–they help create and build trustworthy client relationships. Writers may not have the same sort of promotional needs–many magazine editors, for example, may simply want to know if you can meet deadlines and write compelling prose. However, if you’re the author of a book, a photo may indeed serve a promotional need and help better connect you with either a publisher or audience of readers. In this situation, I’d really recommend getting professional photos done. You don’t need to spend thousands on this, but a photographer can adjust lighting and setting to help you look more composed and professional.

Do you have any tips on working with a web designer? How do you find a good one, and how do you tell her what you want?

I think for many professionals, finding a web designer can be a daunting prospect–all the technological know-how that goes behind making a website is not knowledge that most people have. This is compounded by the fact that there are many different types of web designers, and, unfortunately, many people who purport to be designers but are not skilled in creating a professional site that helps you grow your exposure.

With that said, one of the biggest things you want to look at when checking out designers is their portfolio of work. First, do they have a particular style that seems a good fit for your personal style? More importantly, does their portfolio of work look professional and engaging? On a more specific level, have they designed and developed successful websites for other writers? When you find a web designer who fits this bill, you can make both of your lives easier by providing as much information about your needs as possible.

You might mention your goals for your website, what kind of writing you currently do, and how you’d like to expand (if applicable). If you currently have a website, describe what isn’t working for you, and what your vision and hope is for the next rendition. If you’d like to be able to maintain a significant portion of your site yourself without needing to know HTML (and thus save yourself long-term maintenance fees) tell her that, and see if she can accommodate this. Your site’s design and impact will be most successful if you concentrate on describing yourself, your writing, your goals, and your business to the designer, with your preferences on style secondary to this. A good designer will decipher what you do and what you like stylistically and create a site that makes you look better professionally and helps you attract more business. Be prepared to tell her how many pages you think you will need, what sort of content you envision on those pages, and what the #1 or #2 most important things are to you. This focus helps your designer do her job better, and in turn, you’re far more likely to be thrilled with the results!

What are the most common mistakes writers make on their websites?

Many writers don’t edit their content enough and fall victim to “more is better.” Concise and pithy content is king. Be ruthless with the proverbial red pen on yourself. Tell a story about who you are, and what you do, but do it a compelling and succinct manner. A writer who writes 3,000-word investigative pieces for Atlantic Monthly may need help writing what is, essentially, a public relations piece. It may be beneficial to hire the services of another writer to pare down your content–this will keep your site visitors interested and begging for more.

What are your three most important website tips?

1. The web makes the world smaller, and it makes it move more quickly. A dynamic (frequently changing with relevant content) website can do far more for your growth than a static one can.

2. Even a one-page website, with links to external URLs of your clips, is better than no website at all.

3. A copy of Dreamweaver alone does not a professional website make. If you really want to appear professional, you will accomplish this best by hiring a professional who is skilled not only in design but in maximizing your search engine ranking and consulting with you on your business goals and growth.

If you liked that post, you might also like:

• Anatomy of a Writer’s Website
• What Should I Put on My Website if I Have No Clips?
• When you can’t get to the newsstand
• You Ask, I Answer: What Should I Blog About?
• Can You Make Money Writing for a Source? Here’s How to Find Out