Hi Anne,
I have an existing website that I use for my books. I’m just beginning to do freelance writing. Is it a good idea to use the same site to market my freelance writing?
Thanks,
Deidre (in comments)
Hi Deidre,
This is a real ‘mileage will vary’ question. A case can be made either way. I think I’d hang the decision on several factors:
- If the books you write demonstrate the kind of writing you do, you might be able to market yourself from the book site.
- If the book site has it’s own domain name you might be able to market yourself from that site.
- OTOH if you can capture your name as a domain name, even with some variable like writer or ghostwriter after it, it can make a great deal of sense to use that to market yourself.
- Having two sites that link to each other can be a small bonus.
Think through what you’re trying to accomplish with both your book site and any site you’d create to market yourself. If there’s a lot of overlap one may do. It never hurts to have more than one site, except for the extra work, of course.
Does this help at all or have I just confused you more?
[askanne]
Write well and often,
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Diedre,
I am in a similar situation, and I can really see the value in Anne’s guides (and all the advice offered on this site). I also agree with Ron about marketing totally separate interests and talents separately.
I currently provide Computer Services and Technical Writing, but I plan to write Fiction as well…I will have two sites, and maybe a pen name…but that is ANOTHER question for Anne!
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Hmm, interesting, but basic marketing. You’re selling products, if the one product would distract or not support sales of the other product, then you market them separately. If they have some beneficial synergy, market them together. If they don’t help or hurt each one’s sales to be together then you can market them together or apart, as you wish. Perhaps, you market them together to support a greater product.
For example, you might have many diverse talents, including writing. If you were marketing yourself, you would discuss all of those talents, including all writing styles.
Otherwise, in general I expect that the great majority of freelance writing employers are engaged in commercial, for-profit ventures and seek writers who demonstrate awareness of the concept of making money. Thus, if the books you’ve written were, say, fairy tales, romance novels, philosophical rants, or emotional blather, you may consider whether they truly support your freelance marketing.
But, of course, if you intend to market your freelance talent strictly to employers seeking fairy tales, romance novels et al, then, by all means, include those books in your site.
My default decision would be to not include any books that reveal too much of your personal characteristics, opinion, and personality — you are taking the very real chance that the employer, with many candidates to choose from, decides your fate based on whether they agree or disagree with your book.
Good guides to use.
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Hi Anne:
I’m interested in the decision of whether or not to have multiple sites. Friends have asked me what I thought. These are good guides as we work out what we’ll do. By the way, I’m a bit proponent for securing names. I bought mine and my brother’s for future use.
Thanks,
Shari