Why a Great Website Matters

Picture       In case you're completely unobservant, it will not be news to you that my website is was designed on the Weebly platform. In the two years I've been with them, I've learned a bit about how big and fun the internet can be. 
     Some very seasoned authors I have met have no website of any kind, sometimes saying that they "don't have the time", and that makes me sad. Especially with Weebly, designing and maintaining a website (let alone a shop or a blog) is easy and, dare I say, rewarding.
     First of all, when shopping for a provider to launch your website with, you need to understand that Weebly and similar website design services do not sell the domain name (that would be the "www.faerynnforever.com" part). Weebly will check for you to see if your preferred name is available, and you can buy it through their site, but that's not precisely what Weebly's for.
     Once you have bought the rights for your desired domain name is when Weebly really shines. They have gorgeous layouts already made for you, and lots of them. You can choose from lots of looks and then either modify it in infinite ways or keep it as is and just input your information. You can change fonts, colors, pictures (they've got some great pictures stock, or you can upload your own), sizes, and organization in each page. All of the options allow you to truly customize what you're doing. I had an awesome experience, and it wasn't overly technical. There was no coding or jargon, and I was able to find videos on YouTube to answer most of my questions.
     I don't want to make this sound like a commercial for Weebly. I've had a great experience with them and would obviously recommend them  to anyone, and sometimes it's nice to hear companies that other people have had success with. What I would rather you walk away with is this: 
     At this point in technology, websites are so affordable, so easy, and so versatile, you are stupid not to have one. It expands your ability to reach people with whatever message you have. It gives you a home base to control your image, your brand, or your reputation. 
     And beyond that, you get the warm fuzzy of the "page views" count. 
     Y'see, I have this app-thing (from Weebly, remember them?) that gives me stats on how many people have been to my site, where they came from, what specifically they looked at, among other things. Do you know how awesome it can feel to know that I've had 144 folks on my website this week? That's 144 people who are being introduced to what I do, and I love what I do (well, I love writing. The day-job thing is pretty much only to support this writing issue). That's 288 eyes who may never read my book - but who CERTAINLY weren't going to read it before they came to my site.
     The indie publishing movement can be very lonely. You can feel like you're shouting into a void, and it's easy to get discouraged. Having a page not only helps me with my PR, it expands my ability to connect with people. And that's huge.
     So, thanks for reading. I appreciate you, and I appreciate your time! This Weebly you speak of is interesting. How do I find it?
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Published on February 07, 2016 20:03
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Heather Fluck Winn's Blog

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