People often ask me why I have my own website.
How do you have the time? How do you know what to write about?
But the question I get asked the most is: should I have one, too?
The short answer to that is yes. I think you should get your own website.
In this post, I’ll take you behind the scenes of my blog. I’ll teach you why I run my site, what I plan to get out of it (and what I have already got out of it), and how you can do the same.
Hopefully, I’ll inspire you to get your own website. Here are the top three reasons why you need to get started today.
Your own platform
A lot of people get confused about the word “platform”.
They say: “Wait, but I already have a platform. It’s called Facebook”.
Let me stop you right there.
Facebook is not your own platform. It’s a service that makes money out of advertising. Have you ever read through their terms of service? If you’re anything like me, you just skim it over.
Like any service, they can change their terms and conditions. You don’t know what they will or will not do in the future. You’re putting your entire online presence in the hands of Mark Zuckerberg and his company.
You might be fine with that. But I’m not. And I urge you to think again.
What if you had your own platform instead?
This gives you more control to tell the story of who you are (and who you want to be). Instead of being judged by your old Facebook photos, you have a site where you can take people away from the noise (read: social networks) and into your very own living room.
How cool is that? You could even start your own media empire.
A place to learn and teach
I have learned so much through my blog. It’s my favourite way to learn. This is the place where I can experiment, make mistakes, and learn from them.
I’ve learned how to create HTML links and edit simple code. I have learned how to install and use WordPress. I’ve learned where to go to find creative commons licensed images to put at the top of my posts.
But the lessons don’t end there.
I love to read anything that adds value to my life. This includes topics like personal development, psychology, autobiographies, fiction, marketing, and even business and design. I force myself to think across disciplines and then teach others about it. Right now, my favourite approach is to see how things connect to how we can live a fun and meaningful life.
Connecting those dots keeps me going at the moment. But this is only the beginning. And I’m happy to share my journey with you.
What are you passionate about? What do you want to learn more about and what can you teach others? Get yourself a website and find out. You’ll be surprised what you learn in the process.
You might think I only run this site because I’m a nice person. But that’s not the truth. I also have a secret mission with my site, and I’ve decided to let you know about it.
Show them your passion and demonstrate your skills
One of the biggest reasons why I blog is to demonstrate my skills. I want my passion to invite future employers, clients and readers to building a relationship with me.
Sharing is caring. It also makes for one heck of an online resume (a fun one, too). I am essentially advertising myself through my content.
But why?
Because the job market is so damn competitive, and I need to stick out from the crowd.
Because claiming that you’re an authority is very easy today, which is why you must prove it again and again.
Because having a college degree is not enough.
Because I want to welcome new opportunities.
Because I want to learn and grow. Because I want to make a difference.
Because the blog teaches me to show up and do the work.
Do you see why this matter?
Build valuable relationships
I’ve made some really valuable connections through my blog.
I refer people to my site all the time. I know for a fact that my blog has helped me get an amazing internship gig at Flippa.
My website is my home hub. This is where it happens. Facebook, Google+, Twitter and Linkedin are great ways to reach out to like-minded life enthusiasts.
The conversation starts there, but then it travels across the blogosphere and eventually it leads into “real life”. You never know what kind of opportunities your site can throw at you.
Don’t play it safe
We live in exciting times. Things are changing. Playing it safe is the riskiest thing you can do. School has taught us to fit in and get mediocre jobs. That’s not going to cut it anymore.
Don’t aim for average. You’re much better than that. We need you to be more remarkable, so you can lead a more rewarding life. A life that you’re proud of. A life that you want to live. A life that you deserve.
Be invisible at your own cost.
If you’re scared, insecure, and lost about this new shift, you’re not alone. Welcome to my world. When I first started blogging, I had no idea about keywords, search engine optimisation, and XTML Sitemaps.
But that’s OK. We live and we learn. Just dip your toes in and start doing.
It pays off further down the road.
How to get yourself a website
Follow these three easy steps:
- Buy a domain name on GoDaddy or NameCheap (e.g. yourname.com)
Cost: $10-$12 per year - Buy hosting from DreamHost or Hostgator
Cost: Anywhere from $4-$5/ month. - Install WordPress (free publishing software)
That’s it! You’ve got your own site!
You decide what to do with it, and how much time you want to put into it. I’m leaving that entirely up to you.
If you want a first-class site without knowing much about coding or design, simply check out the Studiopress product in my store.
Over to you
You need a website, whether you like to accept it or not. It’s the world we live in. Go out there and demonstrate your knowledge and learn more. Help others. Be a good egg. Show the world your inner dork.
Will you get a new website or will you let the social networks do the talking for you? Please drop your questions in the comments. I’m always happy to help you get moving.
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