tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925401174378785919.post7320735759662208048..comments2023-12-29T11:39:14.271-06:00Comments on 4RV Reading, Writing, & Art News: Don’t be Taken to the 'Website Design' Cleaners - 5 Tips to Creating an Author Website as the First Step in Your Online Marketing StrategyVivian Zabelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06129178812565073972noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925401174378785919.post-28302625117780031902014-10-07T14:39:21.644-05:002014-10-07T14:39:21.644-05:00Once, blogger came out with the different pages &a...Once, blogger came out with the different pages & other improvements, it works well for a website. Mine isn't fancy, but it's serviceable to keep my message out there.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17406103471551171672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925401174378785919.post-88769043275129635322014-10-07T08:41:40.633-05:002014-10-07T08:41:40.633-05:00Vivian, I looked into Weebly at one point, but it ...Vivian, I looked into Weebly at one point, but it lacked optimization features that WordPress offers. Karen Cioffihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15492421057039326702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925401174378785919.post-59259155583453233792014-10-07T08:38:29.038-05:002014-10-07T08:38:29.038-05:00Holly, so true. There are those who will need help...Holly, so true. There are those who will need help along the way, but it's important they find services that don't take advantage. <br /><br />I love WordPress. I also have two Blogger sites. Blogger doesn't offer the same SEO features though.<br /><br />LOL My first website was a Yahoo Small Business site (if I remember correctly) - I don't even know it they still have them. It was so much more complicated than WordPress.<br /><br />From my experience, most writers don't code, so I try to find solutions for them that won't break the bank. :) Karen Cioffihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15492421057039326702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925401174378785919.post-67430312066848547702014-10-06T10:08:37.770-05:002014-10-06T10:08:37.770-05:00I use yola.com for the 4RV websites, and I have fo...I use yola.com for the 4RV websites, and I have found it very user-friendly. Weebly is also a good website for people who are not tech savy. I have a WordPress site, but I find it very confusing. Blogger for a blog works for me.Vivian Zabelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06129178812565073972noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2925401174378785919.post-57741305731932661372014-10-06T09:57:52.989-05:002014-10-06T09:57:52.989-05:00There are many businesses that prey on naive write...There are many businesses that prey on naive writers.<br /><br />One reason I can think of for a website design company to insist on that sort of control over the site, though, is so that people who lack the technical expertise to set up a website in the first place are not able to screw it up so badly that it reflects badly on the website design company. I think there's a very valid argument to be made both ways. In any case, it's something that should be hashed out before the contract is signed, and these tips will help to clarify the objectives and the level of involvement (or costs) that an author is interested in having with his or her site.<br /><br />I highly recommend a WordPress site (self-hosted or paid-for and ad-free on WordPress.com). It's a nice trade off between highly flexible and customizable and accessible for writers who don't code. It's such a standard platform that almost anyone can help out, and the community of WordPress bloggers is generous with free advice and assistance. There are some lovely pre-built themes (free and premium) and most can be customized to suit anyone's needs without too much effort. <br /><br />I think with some of the changes Blogger has made to be more user-friendly, they've actually become LESS user friendly - and WordPress is just much more comfortable for me, personally. But I like both for different reasons. Blogger was my first. You never forget your first. :)<br />Holly Jahangirihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08034708581256314628noreply@blogger.com