Nuts & Bolts
Public Relations

Selling Yourself on the Web

By Karl Signell, WIW Member

Everyone is getting on the Web. Can an independent writer use the Web for marketing? I think you can, with some research, organizing and good presentation. Say, those are writer's skills you already have! It's about time you added new skills for the 21st Century, isn't it? Think about these suggestions for a successful Web site:

Why do I need a Web site?
It's a speedy, 24 hours-a-day/7 days-a-week, inexpensive delivery system for info about your skills, your experience, and your work. The Web audience, including potential employers, is increasing explosive. That Web address on your business card shows that you're a professional and you are abreast of the real world.

What kind of content can I put up?
Anything that will help sell your skills: resume, clips, sample book chapters, photographs, audio, video, tour schedules. Do not use "shovelware," stuff from previous print documents that you haven't bothered to adapt for the Web.

How do I massage the content into Web pages?
Conceptual preparation: Analyze good and bad points of other Web sites, read books, use tutorials on the Web or hire a professional. For books, I recommend Louis Rosenfeld and Peter Morville's Information Architecture for the World Wide Web for clearheaded thinking about your site, and Laura Lemay and Arman Danesh's various HTML titles for the nuts-and-bolts of HTML tags.

Where can I find a host for my Web site?
Your current Internet Service Provider (ISP) may offer free or inexpensive Web hosting to subscribers. Ask about commercial restrictions. I currently recommend Erols Web hosting to my commercial clients. Don't just look at price; ask questions on their tech support line, try dialing the connection to see if it's busy, ask current users how they like the Web hosting service. If you want to look really professional, ask your ISP to register your own domain name ("wordcraft.com," "wordsplus.com").

Am I ready to go public?
Don't announce your Web site until your spouse or significant other, friends and professional colleagues critique it.

Then?
After you've fine-tuned your site, announce it to the world. Casually mention your Web site to prospective employers (they'll be impressed). Print the URL on your business card, show it on all correspondence—hard copy and e-mail—and tell everyone.

Notify Yahoo, Excite and other search engines.

Keep your site updated regularly.

Good luck!