I am contemplating redesigning this site to look more professional in my quest to lure more freelance work this Fall. For inspiration, I wanted to check what my colleagues are up to. Truth is, not much. Most freelance journalists prefer simplicity in their site design with many opting to have outdated Web pages.
An example of a bad freelance site
One example is Bob Bly, author of many books on freelance writing. Books that are very useful (in fact, I owe Temple Library a few bucks for keeping them too long). Bly’s page is very 1999 with a simple left hand navigation and a very text heavy content area:
While Bly may prefer function over form, his site can inundate you with pop-ups such as a “Wait! Are you sure you want to leave this page?” such as when you exit his coaching page. He even has an “e-articles” section that takes you to an under construction message. In his books, Bly advocates an aggressive marketing strategy for selling yourself and his site does just that. However, on the Web, it is not the site owner that piques interest: it is the curiosity of the user. Trying to bombard them is just going to tick them off enough to hit the back button. Keep the user (hopefully a prospective client) so interested in what you have to say that they drill down themselves.
Bly is just one example of a lackluster Web page. There are many more. Google “freelance journalist site“. Go ahead, I’ll wait here. You will even find people who write about the Internet with sub par design and usability.
The good
One freelancer’s Web site I particularity liked was Brad Mackay. One could argue that his rollover based left hand navigation is awkward, but I found it refreshing, and very intuitive. But most importantly it stands out from all of the dull text heavy pages of most freelancers.
Another is Koren Wetmore. The page is very simple with excerpts from the articles on the main page, with a very clean navigation on the left. If you want to read her work it is visually separated from the rest of the page. If you’d like to contact, that is easily accomplished as well. Nothing is being shoved in your face, yet she is promoted and represented well.
As a rule all freelance sites should:
- Make the writer easy to contact
- Present themselves as a business, not an individual with a Blogger account
- Have a home page that does not try to list all of your articles
- Let the user decide if they want more details on you or your work
- Support transparency and answer questions people have about your article/book/etc.
- Stand out without compromising usability
I am not in the business of picking out people who may have site designs I find uninspiring, I wish to see journalists, especially freelancers, embrace all the Internet has to offer. I also know that this Web page isn’t exactly Cameron Moll. As an industry, we can do much better in presenting our true love. Let’s help push it forward.
Sean Blanda is a journalist / entrepreneur living in Philly. Read more 
