HELP! With Websites

[glene]

Alright I know this has to be the most asked question ever no days, But a website, Yes they are almost everything, and yes you should have one.....but what kind??

Ive been looking into a new one for a while and updating it with new photos, as my current website is way out dated and I dont like the format. But the more i look around the more options there are around.

So what is the best option, if I have my own Domain name, Which I do.

Is it worth biting the bullet and getting a pro to design your site even when your just starting out?

What about these blog sites I hear so much about? free to use, easy to change, fresh content means google likes you more (apparently)

Then there are things like Wordpress, which I have heard nothing but good things, is that the way to go.

Then the website services that are available like smug mug and the like are these worth a look, even if you already have your own domain name?

And flash how important is it?? do you need it, seems every photographer has a flash site now days, isnt it expensive??

So you know what I have at the moment Glen Edwards Photoraphy is my site.

HELP, pheeww i feel light headed, going to lie down now

 

[Big Mike]

What about these blog sites I hear so much about? free to use, easy to change, fresh content means google likes you more (apparently)

You already have a blog...it just needs to be updated. They way you have it set up, is fairly common. Having your site and then just linking to your blog page...although you could set the 'blog' button in your menu to go directly to the blog site, rather to another page on your site with a link to the blog.
Another approach would be to host your own blog, right on your site. There are pros and cons to either way though. And yes, the key for getting readers and good search results is to keep adding fresh content (which can be a struggle for many of us...I just caught up on about 6 months worth of blogging).
A few photographers skip the traditional site completely and just use a blog format for as their site...which is OK, but I think the traditional site + blog is by far the most common.

As for website design...it really depends what you want. Your current site looks nice and clean. It's not a 'WOW'...eye catching sight, but it's better than many I've seen. If you want a custom site, that will be different from everybody else, then getting someone to design it might be the way to go. But there are many, many templates available from many sources. You can get great flash templates for reasonable prices these days.

SEO (search engine optimization) is also a big issue for those that rely on their web site to bring in business. You will want a site that can rank up high. Here is where some expert knowledge can go along way...but it's still a mystery to me.