Why you should really have your own website…

Creating a website is often mistakenly viewed as an effort or something unnecessary. The idea of building a website for your business or yourself, can feel like a big step, investment or something that’s not directly within your expertise. And in a time where we can easily showcase ourselves on social media, who needs a website… right? 

Well, I’m here to tell you, the opposite is true! 

Yes, a website requires work and money, but let those arguments not prevent you from opening up your first website. Nowadays, there are many website platforms that will help you to easily set up and host a website for a reasonable price.

Having your own website comes with many advantages and in this article, we will be discussing them all! 

Naturally, not everybody needs a website, but when you own a business or when you are self-employed, I strongly believe in the advantages of having one. If you have been doubting whether you should have your own website. Then, I know this list of advantages will undoubtedly convince you to start building your website today!

• A website is the perfect way to showcase and categorize your entire business or portfolio.

You own your own website, meaning you control everything. You decide how you want your business or portfolio to be visible and websites mostly have endless possibilities. Depending on your host or web-builder of course. 

It’s easy and important to categorize your products, services or business content. This will allow your consumers to get a better overview, resulting in a user-friendly experience.  

• A website simply provides more space for more context and content than Social Media. 

Social Media are restricting. You have to play by their rules, and you can only use forms of content they allow on their platforms. On top of that, it is often impossible or impractical to edit your older posts and link in between.

For example, there is no feature on Instagram that allows you to link your post to a newer or older post. Your singular posts are very disconnected and may lose their context. With a website, you can easily edit your older content in connection to your newer content. It is also easier to link in between the types of content. Different posts can be linked together and can provide more context or information. 

• A website allows you to be more authentic, you decide the exact way you portray yourself to the world.  

I know, you can be authentic everywhere. But a website gives the possibility to add a personal touch. How does the home page look? What colors are you using? What types of font are you using? Is your website’s design very neat looking or is it much more playful? Built your website to your own liking and add some of your personality. People discover a new website often with a lot of joy and are curious how it connects to you as a person. A website is honestly much more fun than a boring LinkedIn page. 

• Having your own website legitimizes your business as a freelancer and improves your credibility.

A 2015 survey showed that 84% of consumers believe that having a website makes your business more credible than just a social media page. So, a Facebook business page or Instagram business account won’t make you look any better and won’t give you any more credibility. 

• Unlike on Social Media, the content on your website will always stay visible and searchable. 

Social Media posts often disappear in a matter of hours, due to the constant algorithm changes. While Social Media can be useful to gain a following and sharing quick updates, posts unfortunately disappear. Social Media aren’t search engines either, meaning people won’t be able to search for a specific post. Having your own website will solve that problem. Simply installing a search feature on your website will help your consumers navigate through all of your content.

Your website doesn’t have to deal with an ever-changing algorithm that is totally out of your hands, and your order of content doesn’t have to be time related either. 

• You own your own website so you can easily upgrade or edit literally everything.

I’ve touched on this topic already before, but I wanted to go a little bit more in depth. You can edit your website at any given time. I it said before; you are the boss of your website and therefor you also determine its visuality. Upgrading and changing the looks and themes of your website, has been made ridiculously easy by most website builders.  

But next to its visual image, you can also upgrade or edit older types of content. They’re also easier to find those than for example a Facebook posts from 4 years ago. With a website, you are able to easily navigate through your older types of content and upgrade them quicker and keep your website’s information fresh at all times. 

• A website has the possibility to be found in search engines like Google.

Social Media posts are valid within their own platforms but aren’t SEO friendly, meaning they won’t let you appear on Google.

Google is world’s number 1 search engine and it is important to not forget how many potential consumers there are out there looking for products, services, and answers on Google.

I know, this advantage applies mainly to freelancers who offer services or products. A dancer for example, might not really depend on selling their services online and ranking high on Google with their website. Most likely, they just want a place to showcase their portfolio. But as a dance school owner, you want to appear on Google as the first search result in your region. Parents of potential students might be looking for a dance school through Google. When your site ranks high on Google you are more likely to gain new students!

How to rank high on Google? I will be writing another article on that later!

• A passive stream of income.

Change your website from an investment into a passive stream of income! Owning your own website brings monetization possibilities. Earn money with placed ads through platforms as Google AdSense or get yourself into an affiliate program and recommend certain products to your consumers on your website. 

Of course, there’s always the possibility to start your own web-shop, but you’re going to need something to sell. Most freelancers don’t sell products but services. I wouldn’t count this as a passive income stream, as selling your services through your website would be part of your main income stream. 

• A website is an easy way to separate your business image from private image. On Social Media people easily mix those up. 

I’ve written a whole article on mixing your personal and business life on Instagram. In the article, I discuss the pros and cons of mixing these two on a social media platform like Instagram. If you don’t want to mix, having a website for your business can easily create that separation. 

I hope that after reading all of these advantages you are sold on why you should be creating your own website! If not, I don’t really know what else to say!

But for real, having your website truly makes you stand out from others. Making a website doesn’t need to be so hard and pricy! I’m sure in time you’ll hear me talk about how you can easily make your own website. If you need any help or want to have advice. Contact me through t[email protected] and I’ll happily be of service!

Make sure to listen to The Freelancer Talk on Spotify/Apple Podcasts! New episodes weekly!