S4 - Making the most of your website, Sophie Playle (SfEP 27th conference, 10-12 September 2016)
Transcript of S4 - Making the most of your website, Sophie Playle (SfEP 27th conference, 10-12 September 2016)
Making the Most of Your Website
Why You Need a Website
Helps attract professional, reputable clients
Advertises your services
Persuades people to hire you
Today:
Basic design principles – make your website look the part
What to include and what not to include on your website
A few quick ways you can improve your website’s copy
Basic Design Principles
Plenty of white space …
Not too many fonts …
Difficult to read Don’t try this at homeIt’s a bit too fancyTOO MANY FONTS … DISTRACTING!
American TypewriterVerdana, example body font
MontserratCochin, example body font
A responsive design …
No pointless imagery …
No more than one sidebar …
Make sure you have a simple, professional design
… which is most easily achieved by installing a professionally created theme
What to Include on Your Website
• Home – Are visitors in the right place? Entice them deeper into your website.
• About – More about how your business can help.
• Services – Detail precisely what services you offer.
• Contact – The page potential clients will head to if they want to contact you.
What about a portfolio page?
Not always necessary.
In a nutshell, consider: • how you want to represent your experience• which projects best reflect your skills and niche• and how easy it is for you to update your portfolio
Do you need a CV on your website?
Again, not always necessary.
If you work with publishing houses or agencies of any kind … keep a CV on your computer, ready to email.
What about a blog?
• Don’t start a blog because you feel you should • Consider the purpose of your blog• Consider who you’re blogging for / writing to• How can you be useful and interesting to them?
Have the right amount of information on your website
… Keep pages to a minimum, and don’t clutter
How to Improve the Copy on Your Website
• Inform – Give visitors the information they need • Persuade – You’re the editor they should choose
Be crystal clear about what you want your website visitors to know
and what you want them to do
as they look around your website.
Use a tagline
What problem you can help them solve
Why you should be the one to do it
Liminal Pages:
A literary consultancy for writers of fantasy,
sci-fi and speculative fiction
Littera Editorial Services:
Helping authors bring history to life
Enigma Editorial:
Intelligent editing for writers of mysteries and thrillers
1. Open with a question or a statement that lets your target client know they’re in the right place
2. Write a paragraph or two giving an overview of how you can help
3. Write a paragraph about why you’re up to the task
4. Write a paragraph that’s actually about you
5. Include a CTA (Call-to-Action)
6. Apply the finishing touches
What to write on your About page
What to write on your Home page
• What would you say to someone to persuade them to hire you?• How would you describe your services?• What’s the main benefit of working with you? • What’s the most exciting outcome a client could expect to get
from hiring you?
• Interrupt – Grab people’s attention
• Engage – Show that you have the solution
• Educate – Give more detail
• Offer – Insert a call-to-action
EXAMPLE:
How do you know when your novel’s ready to be released into the world? [Interrupt]
Is your book ready to be self-published, submitted to agents, or read by
readers? Sometimes it feels as though there’s always more work to be done. But at
some point you know you’re just tinkering, and you’ve got as far as you can get on
your own. The next stage is to find another pair of critical eyes. [Engage]
I help authors take one step closer to publication by helping them make sure their
story is solid and their writing is free from niggly grammar, punctuation, spelling and
consistency issues – you know, the kind of things that will distract a reader
from being fully immersed in your tale. [Educate]
Take a look at my About page to learn more about how I do this. [Offer]
What specifically do your clients want to get from working with you?
When an author's text is clear and accessible to
readers, it's like a key that turns easily in a lock. The
reader can open the door and step inside the author's
world.
– Brittany Dowdle, Word Cat Editorial Services
Consider why someone is viewing your website … and write your copy with a focus on what they need.
Summing Up
Make sure your website:
• Has a clean and professional design – use a simple, customisable theme.• Only contains the information your prospects need.• Contains copy that’s focused, persuasive and to the
point.
Connect with me on Twitter: @sophieplayle
www.liminalpages.com