Your Website will keep You at the Top of Google Rankings

__A professional website's purpose is to raise your name search to the top of Google, provide a controlled, managed platform to deliver well branded information about you compared to Linkedin's cookie-cutter template.  It utilizes great photography, graphic imagery and well-done content to paint the most flattering portrait of you, your talents, your background, and your value proposition.

It is interesting how actual web development for individuals and small businesses is now a commodity and many template driven sites offer a both a platform and hosting to build to build a professional website not just a blog.

I use the term professional website instead of the cutsy word online portfolio because that is what it is. I believe every professional needs one now to control their brand, Google ranking, and the message and image they project. A website will do that for you. Unless you are a big ecommerce site or online data repository, having a custom built website long-term costly as keep on paying with charges for every update and change. Use the free template-based sites provided by Google, Yahoo, GoDaddy, Yola, Wix and Wenode.

What really matters now is content: both visual and written. And that makes photographers, web/graphic designers and expert content writers the key value contributors for websites.  The ability to write great marketing and branding copy for beautifully photographed and illustrated products, services, and people is now king.  

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What are the key things to consider when building a professional website and blog?

• The blog is just a part of the total marketing messaging of your website. In fact several of my client’s websites do not have blogs.  A professional website doesn’t need an audience, or a following, or high rankings.
• However a blog is like an editorial column where expert advice, opinion and viewpoints are expressed. There is no point in interviewing others for your blog posts unless you add your own opinions and views. Do not become a journalist blogger on your professional website unless the names you drop will get you hired.
• A well done blog is the bonus or frosting on the cake to capture attention and interest from the first posting. We want to give hiring entities a taste of your thoughts on the new sector and industry with blog posts of around 250 words or less.  Put all the wood behind one arrow and focus the blog content towards your career transition and/or job search goals.  You can add white papers or longer articles on other website pages.
• The other important pages on the site speak to your core services, your portfolio of companies and customers, and overviews about you that brand or rebrand and reposition you. Launch the site when you have all the other pages in place and have a blog then at least 10 backdated blog posts.
  
• Begin with  branding your resume as a foundational positioning piece, then enhance it in your Linkedin profile which is itself a branding brochure not a resume template. The content of both then leverages and expands into your website. If you blog, try to be conversational and engaging in your own voice that let's your personality come through. 

Most people think that Linkedin is enough. It's not anymore because you are your brand and your brand is most easily visible and promoted online. You differentiate yourself by your brand that distinguishes you to be chosen over another seeking the same opportunity. To use all the latest, leading tools and techniques to do that is in your best interests.

It's never too late to make a great first impression online with your own professional website!

If you want to learn more about putting together a well-branded website, contact me for a free consult on my website http://www.pattiwilson.com