Social media sites promised that we could network and make connection with people, but the truth is that sites like LinkedIn only benefit a handful of people, and the web is open to anyone who wants to start a site. So why not put your own stamp on the internet,and let your business card point to a personal site all your own? Here are some key reason to go your own way.
5
Full Control Over Your Brand
In the good old days of sites like MySpace, you had extensive control over what your personal page looked like. It could be a reflection of your tastes, creativity, and vibe. These days, everyone has to conform to the same cookie-cutter social media profile template. One Facebook or LinkedIn profile page looks pretty much like the next.
For better or worse, if you create your own personal site you can immediately signal who you are, what your outlook is, and which sorts of people should be working with your brand.
4
No Algorithm Standing Between You and Your Audience
I say “no algorithm”, but I guess you still have search engines to contend with. Nonetheless, when you have your own site, you can get people to visit it in various ways that don’t entirely depend on what social media sites deem to be valuable.
For one thing, you can tap into paid advertising on social media sites or search engines, or on related websites. If you’re working in a small niche without lots of direct competition, advertising won’t cost an arm and a leg. Besides, you can always set a maximum budget for any ads you run.
3
Showcase Your Creative Projects and Portfolios
With your own site, you don’t have to be limited in the scope and type of portfolio you can create. This is especially important if you do something that’s not easily showcased using middle-of-the-road social media platforms. Since you’re in control of the site design, you can precisely shape how your work should be showcased. You also don’t have to worry about conforming to the sometimes arbitrary content rules and restrictions on third-party websites.
I think this is true even if you use easy website builders like SquareSpace or Wix. It might not be a total free-for-all, but it’s far more flexible than pre-made portfolio services.
2
Get Taken Seriously
I think that someone who makes their own site gets a certain level of respect by default, and it shows you’re serious about your personal brand. Again, there’s no harm in still keeping your LinkedIn, or Facebook creator account and simply having them pointed at your own site, but putting up your own website is a step above what most people are willing to do.
1
Monetize Your Expertise
Lots of social media platforms now let you use them to do business in some ways, which includes selling goods and services. However, that also means giving a big cut of your income to a platform. If you use your own site to do business, then you can trade directly with client and customers. This is particularly effective if you are selling knowledge through consultation.
It’s also a great opportunity to make money passively through “content marketing”. This is where you give some of your expertise away in the form of blog articles, videos, or whatever media you’re comfortable with. People find that content on your personal website through organic searches or by sharing it on other platforms such as X or LinkedIn.
While people are visiting your personal site, they’re more likely to take note of your goods and services. You can monetize this passively by having ads on your personal site as well. The beauty of having your own site is that you can tackle monetization on all fronts, and combine it with third-party platforms like X or YouTube.
The more I look at the current landscape of professional profiles, media, and platforms, the more convinced I’ve become that having a personal website is the right move for me. So that’s going to be a priority project for me going ahead. However, probably like you, I’m not a web designer.
The good news is that there are easy ways to create websites, and I don’t know about you, but I love it when things are easier than you thought it would be.
