Its good to see so many people doing your own sites. You know your
product, image and client base better than anyone. To keep a site
fresh and your pieces up-to-date, it is best to have it under your
own control.
Even if you have someone set up the site or buy a template, the
capability to keep it updated is very important. (Loren said it
best - you can do your own procrastination).
As far as site building packages, I really think that as long as the
software doesn’t add a lot of garbage to your HTML and you can
understand the software your are doing fine - I have used FrontPage
(now obsolete) since 1994 or so and still use it. But that doesn’t
mean its the best, its just the one I know the best.
Your pictures are critical and you can tell best if they represent
your work. I had an article published and the graphics came out
nearly neon on what was softly colored material. A member of Orchid,
Gareth Eckley (who makes Cameos) has written a great article on
organizing your photographs with I have not seen
anywhere else.
http://www.jewelryspectrum.com/business-side/19-organizing-photos.htm
(If any of you have any articles to trade for a permanent link would
love to have them)
For the marketing - getting those quality incoming links is
important. I am talking about links from Orchid, publications, your
suppliers, accessories sites, fashion sites, museums, galleries, etc.
Trading links with other jewelry artisans is probably of limited
value.
Writing articles is helps get quality links and establish yourself.
From just 20 articles on one article directory, I have 140 incoming
links.
Nothing is going to be fast with the marketing - you can do SEO very
simply, and has become almost a throw away term these days.) I do
have a link to a free course that covers it very well - the woman who
teaches keeps up-todate.
Louise
http://www.jewelryspectrum.com/showcase.htm