Name of your website?A Write Word
Your name?
Erin Wiedemer
Your Location (city, etc)
St. Augustine
When and why did you start your website
I built my website in order to promote my freelance writing, editing, transcription, and typing services to both my local community and nation-wide as well.
Please give us a short summary of your website, business model, etc
A Write Word offers numerous writing and editing services including grantwriting, ghostwriting, and the writing of promotional materials, such as press releases, catalogs, brochures, newsletters, mass mailers, emails, and web content. It also offers copyediting, content editing, final reviews, and proofreading. To round out our array of services, we also offer transcription and typing services. It is my wish to provide private citizens and small businesses with a full spectrum of communication tools and services to assist in their success.
What has been the most difficult part of creating and running your website?
When I began creating my website, I had never done any web design before. I had never worked with java scrip, html, or any web design software. So the very act of learning how to write and serve a website was a significant challenge for me. I had a friend show me the basics of working with MS Frontpage, and from there, I read a lot of books and web articles. Once I understood the basic how-to's, it became more of a creative endeavor, and therefore easier and more fun.
What has been the easist part of operating your website?
The easiest part of operating my website is posting my client's kudos on my "About" page. It is always a pleasure to post compliments from customers.
What was your biggest mistake?
My biggest mistake was assuming that I could develop my website and be done with that aspect of the buisiness. Web development is never done and I am constantly altering it.
Who maintains your website and why?
I maintain my website because A Write Word is a one woman show. Since my business is so new, I am still doing all of my own web maintenance so that I can have control and responsibility over all aspects of the website.
Tell us how your business has benefitted from your website?
My website has been integral to my business. As a freelancer, marketing and promotion is key to acquiring clients. I live in a fairly small, North Florida town, and the only way that I could really expose my services to a wider client base is through the internet.
What are your views on ecommerce and the future of the internet?
I find e-commerce and internet shopping to be extremely convenient and reliable. I now do the majority of my Christmas shopping online and I love it because staying away from the crowded stores keeps the holiday grumpies at bay. I also think that online buying helps me find EXACTLY what I am looking for in a short period of time. Overall, I find that ecommerce saves me time and money and I see no ending of this trend. If anything, I think that more and more will be available on the web. People are beginning to realize that products are not the only thing that they can purchase satisfactorily online. Sites like my own are making high quality services available to the masses regardless of physical location.
What are your views on Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
I was completely unfamiliar with SEO when I began my business. But after consulting some professionals in web-based business I came to realize that SEO was going to be a very important part of my web development. I still find it difficult, but I have mapped out a plan, and I try to work on optimazation a little bit every day. I don't know that the work will ever be done; there is always more that you can do, but I am striving to pursue search engine optimization only in the most ethical and positive ways.
What are your views on Search Engines? Have they helped or hindered your website?
I love search engines! I don't know how we ever got anything done without the internet and without search engines in particular. Several times a day I look something up through a general search engine like Google, or through a more specialized search like the Digital Library and Archives. An unfathomable amount of information is available to anyone through search engines, and in order to access it, all you have to do is ask. For me, search engines are invaluable.
What method has been most successful for promoting your website?
I am still trying to determine that so I don't have a definte answer. I have had good success with promoting my website directly to those who I think could benefit from it the most. I especially target colleges and non-profit organizations because they tend to not be able to pay someone an annual salary to write and edit material, so they are very open to utilizing the services of a freelancer paid per piece. I also do a lot of posting in writer community websites to promote my own writing as well as my editing services. I do plan to begin promotion using google adwords in the next six months as well, and I expect that to be fairly successful.
You can enter a question of your choice and the answer here: Why did you decide to start your busines?
I began A Write Word because writing and editing is my true passion. As geeky as that sounds, it is true. I have held a vast variety of jobs over the course of my career, but I have always been writing and editing on the side. I began freelancing ten years ago for friends and acquaintences. Slowly word of mouth began to spread and I found most of my evenings were filled with freelane work. Finally, I decided to take the plunge and devote all of my time to writing and editing on a freelane basis. In order to do this profitably, I knew that I had to have a website. That is how www.awriteword.com was born.
What is your website address?
A Write Word
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