Should I Start a Website?

As you may or may not know, I'm participating in the Platform Building Challenge at My Name is Not Bob for the month of April. Every day we're given a task to help us build and improve our platform. (A platform is your potential readership, your audience, your niche). Today's task? Do a google, bing and yahoo search for our own name and see what comes up.

Now, what should come up is your website/blog and your twitter, facebook, LinkedIn account, etc. All that came up for me was my twitter handle, and not too near the top. According to My Name is Not Bob, my blog really should be at the top of the list, but I understand why it isn't. My name isn't even in the url. When I originally set up this blog, I had no idea what a platform even was. I just wanted something quirky and funny. Unfortunately, it also equaled obscurity and I'm realizing now that I need to upgrade and present a more professional image. Plus, it doesn't help that some of the top search results were for an old figure skater and a woman who killed a man with a bottle. Obviously, neither one is me.

Which brings me to today's query. Should I start a website? I've pretty much already made up my mind that I will, but I'd like to hear the pros and cons of anyone out there that has one. What are the must haves for writers? What are the dos and don'ts? Please feel free to weigh in with your opinion in the comments section.