Should Authors Use a Web-Designer? An Interview

Rich Gannon, big web design ideas, small fish.

Rich Gannon,  owner of Front Range Web and my personal web-designer, shares a great Labor Day BBQ recipe and his some advice for authors and their websites.





You designed a killer website for me. Something that fits my novel thematically, but also has design elements that as a writer, I could have never created on my own.  What advice do you have for authors looking for a web designer? 
 

Mostly it would be the same advice I would give to someone who was looking for a general contractor to remodel a kitchen, responsiveness, that's a word right?  Do a little research (ask for a list of current clients - and call them!) to make sure your web designer has a good history of returning phone calls,  returning emails and making updates and changes to your site in a timely manner.  

Also make sure there is clear understanding that it is your site, not the web designers, and if you want purple unicorn wall paper background on your home page, with an animated .gif of a kitten hugging a penguin...then by God that is what they should make for you.  A good designer can offer tips on design and style, but in the end they should listen to what you want...you are the one paying the bill.

What does a web-guru, a webmaster, a web-ster, like yourself bring to the process that a web-idiot like me lacks; say if I was to fire you and design my own webpage? 

I think it all boils do to time.  I can probably design, publish and maintain something much faster than you could.  There are a lot "design by yourself" websites out there that actually do a really good job making sites that look nice.    But wouldn't you rather be writing your next master piece than spending hours on a site trying to figure out how to re-size the picture of your book cover to fit just right? 

What can authors do to increase traffic to their websites?

One of the biggest factors in getting good search rankings and driving traffic to your site is links.  Linking from your site to other websites and getting as many links back to your site will do wonders for your traffic.  Social media, in addition to just getting your message out, also plays a good role here.  

You can't control what people do, but you can ask nicely.  If someone is blogging about you or even making a comment on Facebook, ask them to link to your site, also make sure links are phrased properly.  So instead of a link like, "this book is really good"  a better way would be, "Don Rearden's book is really good." 


My book, The Raven's Gift,  is really good, thanks. Without naming any names, when you look at the websites of other writers, what drives you nuts?

Generally, cluttered sites are a turn off.  If I can't figure out what your site is about in a few seconds, then I'm not likely to stay on it.   I also don't care for purple unicorn wall paper background on your home page, with an animated .gif of a kitten hugging a penguin.  

Any final bits of advice for writers who want a webpage? Do they even need one?

If a person has the time, and the ability, then they should try a site where they can design their own.   Does a writer need website?  Should people buy your book?  Yes and Yes.

You're a web-meister, but also something of a chef.   Can you share a favorite summertime recipe?

"Something" being the key modifier here.   But it is grilling season around here...and this is one of my favorites.   I don't really follow recipes and things change a little each time...but here goes.

Where's the Beef (hint, not here)

Grilled portobello mushroom burgers with caramelized red onion and  blue cheese

Portobello Mushrooms

Red Onion 

Blue Cheese

Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Hamburger bungs

Remove the stem of a portobello, (1 mushroom serves one person...so plan accordingly)

Place in a plastic bag or container, add some olive oil and a couple of dashes of balsamic vinegar, shake the container to coat the mushroom, fire up grill.

While the grill heats, caramelize some red onion let onions cool and add a commensurate amount of blue cheese until the there is a mixture of about 70% onion 30% blue cheese to onion ratio.  (if you like things cheesey then by all means increase the cheese part of the ratio)

Grill the portobellos over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes on each side, after both sides have been grilled drain a little bit of the mushroom juice out of the mushroom before the next step, leave the mushrooms on the grill gill side up then spoon in cheese and onion mix, cover and heat a few more minutes to melt cheese.

Remove and serve on a toasted hamburger bun...goes great with sweet potato fries. 

Notice my nicely worded links.  

Nicely worded links noted. Thanks, Rich!  Be sure to check out Front Range Web if you're looking for affordable and reliable web-design. 

DISCLAIMER:

When I was in third grade, Rich's older brother and myself lassoed Rich and tied him to a tree near a bee colony and then proceeded to throw rocks at the large white boxes holding tens of thousands of potentially lethal honey bees. He survived and took the lessons from that humbling experience to heart and became an incredible web designer. It took creativity and heart to escape. He's my cousin and he owes me big time. (Actually I owe him... his work on my website donrearden.com has garnered international attention and millions of hits. Well not millions, but tens of thousands.)