Any tips on website content?
Thread poster: XXXphxxx (X)
XXXphxxx (X)
XXXphxxx (X)  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:07
Portuguese to English
+ ...
Jan 23, 2012

I am finally getting round to drafting the content for my website and was wondering if anyone has any tips on what they have found most or least useful about their own sites and what they wish they had or hadn’t done from the very start.

Initially, I’d like to keep it as brief as possible and expand as and when required. I’m wondering, for example, if I should include the areas I specialise in or leave those out altogether, my concern being that they are completely unrelated,
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I am finally getting round to drafting the content for my website and was wondering if anyone has any tips on what they have found most or least useful about their own sites and what they wish they had or hadn’t done from the very start.

Initially, I’d like to keep it as brief as possible and expand as and when required. I’m wondering, for example, if I should include the areas I specialise in or leave those out altogether, my concern being that they are completely unrelated, which could look a little funky. Any suggestions most welcome, I’m currently sitting in front of a blank sheet.
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Giles Watson
Giles Watson  Identity Verified
Italy
Local time: 17:07
Italian to English
In memoriam
Give visitors a reason to come back Jan 23, 2012

Your website is more likely perform for you if you have a steady flow of repeat visitors.

Make sure the site features something of interest that you update regularly, such as a blog or a resource related to your specialisations or indeed anything else you think might encourage people to return.



[Edited at 2012-01-23 19:04 GMT]


 
Deric Rocha
Deric Rocha  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 13:07
Member (2011)
English to Portuguese
Some reference articles Jan 23, 2012

You may find useful a series of posts I wrote about this subject on my translation blog (Portuguese only):

http://traducaonapratica.blogspot.com

More specifically, this post: <
... See more
You may find useful a series of posts I wrote about this subject on my translation blog (Portuguese only):

http://traducaonapratica.blogspot.com

More specifically, this post: http://traducaonapratica.blogspot.com/2011/12/site-profissional-de-tradutor-parte-iii.html


In English, there's this excellent article by Marina Varouta:

http://www.proz.com/translation-articles/articles/1170/
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XXXphxxx (X)
XXXphxxx (X)  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:07
Portuguese to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you Jan 24, 2012

Thanks to both of you and to Deric for the cracking links. My blank sheet now consists of 2 pages of a draft outline for my website.

 
Emma Goldsmith
Emma Goldsmith  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 17:07
Member (2004)
Spanish to English
Been through the same. Jan 24, 2012

I went through the same dilemmas as you, Lisa, a few months ago. I'll be interested to see your final result. This is mine: www.goldsmithtranslations.com

Mine's been up and running since September now, and I must say it took much longer to write than I thought.
My advice as a novice:
1. It should be in all your working languages.
2. It should be in the 1st person if y
... See more
I went through the same dilemmas as you, Lisa, a few months ago. I'll be interested to see your final result. This is mine: www.goldsmithtranslations.com

Mine's been up and running since September now, and I must say it took much longer to write than I thought.
My advice as a novice:
1. It should be in all your working languages.
2. It should be in the 1st person if you are a freelance translator working alone (I was really sure I wanted to steer away from the "we do this", "contact us" style).
3. I agree with Giles that some contents should be updated regularly, but I haven't put that into practice yet.

The immediate results that I've noticed is that people are no longer clicking on the CVs in my ProZ profile (presumably they go straight to my website to learn more about me), and some requests for jobs have come from the contact form on my site rather than through a ProZ message.

Good luck with yours!
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XXXphxxx (X)
XXXphxxx (X)  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:07
Portuguese to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
@ Emma Jan 24, 2012

Yours looks great. Simple, professional - can't fault it Thanks for sharing and for the tips. My concern is how to explain in very few words why I have this slightly bizarre set of specialist areas and how I came to have these languages. Could look off-the-wall otherwise.

 
Deric Rocha
Deric Rocha  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 13:07
Member (2011)
English to Portuguese
@Lisa, @Emma Jan 24, 2012

Lisa Simpson wrote:

Thanks to both of you and to Deric for the cracking links. My blank sheet now consists of 2 pages of a draft outline for my website.


You're welcome Lisa!

2. It should be in the 1st person if you are a freelance translator working alone (I was really sure I wanted to steer away from the "we do this", "contact us" style).


That's a good point. However, besides that, as I have read in this article (http://freelancefolder.com/7-reasons-your-website-doesnt-bring-in-new-clients/), a more customer-centered copy may bring better results.


 
Paul Carmichael
Paul Carmichael  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 17:07
Spanish to English
Broken link Jan 30, 2012

Deric Rocha wrote:

That's a good point. However, besides that, as I have read in this article (http://freelancefolder.com/7-reasons-your-website-doesnt-bring-in-new-clients/), a more customer-centered copy may bring better results.


That link seems to be broken.


 
Deric Rocha
Deric Rocha  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 13:07
Member (2011)
English to Portuguese
Link Jan 30, 2012

Paul Carmichael wrote:

Deric Rocha wrote:

That's a good point. However, besides that, as I have read in this article (http://freelancefolder.com/7-reasons-your-website-doesnt-bring-in-new-clients/), a more customer-centered copy may bring better results.


That link seems to be broken.



Try this:

http://freelancefolder.com/7-reasons-your-website-doesnt-bring-in-new-clients/


 
Marina Steinbach
Marina Steinbach
United States
Local time: 12:07
Member (2011)
English to German
Do you already have a website, Lisa? Jan 30, 2012

I'm just asking, because you didn't provide a link in your initial posting.

Lisa Simpson, MCIL wrote:

I am finally getting round to drafting the content for my website and was wondering if anyone has any tips on what they have found most or least useful about their own sites and what they wish they had or hadn’t done from the very start.


I'm thinking about starting a blog. That might be a new idea for your website.


 
Marina Steinbach
Marina Steinbach
United States
Local time: 12:07
Member (2011)
English to German
Before I forget to do this again... Jan 30, 2012

Emma Goldsmith wrote:

This is mine: www.goldsmithtranslations.com


I owe special thanks to you for sharing your resources with us.
Thank you Emma!


 
XXXphxxx (X)
XXXphxxx (X)  Identity Verified
United Kingdom
Local time: 16:07
Portuguese to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Yes, thanks everyone Jan 31, 2012

Thanks for sharing your ideas and links. @ Marina, I don't have a website just yet. It's in the making. My web designer is raring to go, my ideas are down on paper and I need to start editing them, selecting photos etc. This falls into my 'marketing' time, which is always done when I'm between jobs.

 


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