Why it is Easier than Ever to Create a Personal Website
It has never been easier or more affordable to conceive, design and create a personal website, for example, which can subsequently be used for multiple purposes. Service providers like Squarespace embody this ease of use better than any, as their process only requires you to select a template and design theme before integrating images, copy and social media icons. You are then free to customize the website according to your needs, whether these relate to the organisation of your personal life or the development of your career. With these points in mind, let’s take a look at 7 reasons why you should build a personal website:
1. Successfully Pursuing the Job of your Dreams
Above all else, a personal website serves as a window in which you can showcase marketable skills and connect with a targeted audience. This is best applied when looking for work, whether you are in search of gainful employment or simply considering an alternative career path. Simply by creating an engaging and informative personal website that promotes both your skill-set and unique characteristics as a candidate for work, you can connect with potential employers and establish an entry point for a productive professional website. You can even utilize proper SEO practices and optimize your personal website to make it easier for potential employers to find your details.
2. Pre-launching a New Product or Service
On a similar note, aspiring sole traders of entrepreneurs can also use personal websites to pre-launch their new business concept, product or service. Such a site can serve multiple purposes, from creating awareness of your developing concept to executing pre-sales and raising much needed revenue. The latter technique was used successfully by entrepreneur Priska Diaz, who was able to raise $50,000 for her company Bittylab simply by pre-selling her air-free baby bottles through a personal website. Whether you aim to create an overarching brand or simply generate additional income, a personal website can be an invaluable tool.
3. Imparting Expertise and Sharing the Benefit of Personal Experience
Increasingly, the online space has become a crutch to citizens who are in search of knowledge and information. This theory can be applied across multiple sectors, from the entertainment industry to the interconnected worlds of business and commerce. An estimated 75% of more than 57,499 U.S. adults surveyed and referenced products online before making a purchase, for example, while I myself used the Internet to reference advice when playing blackjack in Nevada last year. Personal websites play a huge role in successfully imparting expertise and objective opinions, as they can be established by individuals with relevant knowledge who want to share their experience. So if you have a wealth of knowledge and wish to help others or establish yourself as an expert in a particular field, a personal website provides the ideal platform.
4. Store Memories and Photographs Online
Thanks to the development of smartphones and digital cameras, we are able to capture more joyous moments in real-time than ever before. This leaves us with a high volume of videos and images, however, and these must be stored securely if they are to be shared successfully through the generations. A personal website provides the ideal location in which to store your images, while also ensuring that they can be accessed at all times from your personal server. Publishing precious images on a live website also enables others to view them at their leisure, which in turn helps to create more interactive experiences that can unify friend and families regardless of their geographical location.
5. Sharing an Image Led or Audio-visual Portfolio
From artists and photographers to freelance graphic designers, there are a number of people who make their living by creating visually engaging imagery. These individuals are primarily judged on the quality of their visual output, so it is crucial that they utilise a platform that adequately showcases their portfolio of work. Personal websites are ideal for this purpose as the vast majority of templates allow users to upload imagery and embed videos, while such diversity also enables them to customize their layout to minimize the use of text. Given that these websites also boast social functions, potential clients can engage with the artist through a number of mediums and develop a productive working relationship.
6. Networking with Industry Clients and Creating a Virtual Business Card
Regardless of your pursuit or profession, a personal website can be used to assist you at every conceivable stage. This is especially true for young professionals who are looking to progress within their chosen careers, as a personal online space provides the ideal platform from which to network aggressively and liaise with relevant industry experts. In this respect a personal website can serve as a virtual business card, where interested parties can access your contact details and engage in real-time communication. If you also take a proactive approach to socially sharing the website and including it within the body of your email signature, you can improve your visibility further and establish yourself as a recognizable thought leader within your sector.
7. Raise Awareness Surrounding a Charitable Cause
While we have discussed how a personal website may be used to achieve individual goals, it is important to note that it also has the potential to help others. As an online medium that can connect with millions of viewers around the world, it is the ideal platform from which to raise awareness of a specific issue or charitable cause. Modern design templates also feature fully-integrated payment processing technology, which means that you solicit donations and effectively raise funds for your cause. As individuals we all have charitable causes that touch our hearts in one way or another, and a personal website allows us to raise awareness and funds from a single, online space. Featured photo credit: close up hands multitasking man using laptop connecting wifi via shutterstock.com
