5 Ways a Personal Website Can Help Build Your Personal Brand | With a staggering 93% of Americans now accessing the web at home or via a smart device, the Internet has become an integral part of the global retail framework.
Rapidly improving technology alongside COVID-19 stay-at-home directives has only hastened this process, with ecommerce accounting for up to 18% of worldwide retail purchases made in 2021. Business owners would be crazy not to tap into this ever-growing market.
Despite this, statistics show that around 28% of small businesses in the U.S. don’t have a website. A further 43% have a website but have noted that improvement is required.
If you fall into either of these categories, let’s look at the five main ways a personal website can help build your personal and professional brand.
- It Creates a Good First Impression
With the market as oversaturated as it is, making a great first impression is paramount to being noticed over your competitors.
Executive Christopher Roy Garland‘s site delivers the perfect example of a strong first impression by showcasing who he is and his unique selling points on his homepage. Your website should do the same, with a personal bio at the forefront.
Make sure the page isn’t too text-heavy as that may cause the reader to become overwhelmed and disengaged. A warm and inviting headshot or other appropriate brand imagery can help to break up the text and add to the aesthetics of your page. Choose colors that are easy on the eyes (no fluorescent yellows or reds) and complement your personal brand (such as purple, for a luxurious feel).
- It Improves Your SEO and Establish Credibility
A big reason to have a personal website is to improve your overall brand visibility. By including your name in your URL and homepage tag title, you can push your brand higher in search engines, like Google and Yahoo. If your name is the first result a potential customer sees when they Google your brand or field, it gives you a higher level of credibility and brings in more organic traffic.
A good website can also establish credibility. Your well-written, straightforward bio tells visitors who you are and whether you could be the right match for them. Your well-researched blog posts tell people you take your specialization seriously and know what you’re talking about. And your client or employer testimonials back all this up. Of course, the opposite is true — a disorganized and poorly written website will cause visitors to cross your name off their list.
- It Works Around the Clock
Think of your website as a spokesperson or sales assistant for you and your brand. But unlike a traditional sales assistant, you don’t have to pay them by the hour. Even while you’re sleeping, your personal website (if run effectively) will continue to promote your brand.
Keep this function in mind when designing the website – your page should be full of positive testimonials and selling points that advertise your brand just like a sales rep would. Your website can even act as a virtual answering machine when you’re unavailable, collecting email addresses and customer messages through an online inquiry form system for you to respond to later.
- It Consolidates All Information in One Place
Stakeholders want their interactions with you to be painless. If they have to go to Trustpilot to see brand reviews, Youtube for a video demonstration, and Shopify to actually buy your product, you’re going to lose them. Instead of sending your potential customers on a wild goose chase, your website can neatly consolidate all this information at their fingertips, from testimonials to a shopping cart (where applicable). Don’t forget to include all your contact information, including the other social media platforms you operate on.
- It Shows Initiative
Whether you’re trying to market yourself to prospective employers or thrust a product or service into the spotlight, stakeholders want to see initiative – a tangible demonstration that you are the best person for the job. In a sea of candidates, the best way you can do this is to illustrate that you eat, think, and breathe your brand.
By maintaining a professional and up-to-date website, you are demonstrating both dedication and the fact that you’ve got your finger on the pulse of the field. Frequently adding new content will further aid this impression, whether it’s a new product line or a hot take on what’s happening in your industry.
A website takes work to set up and commitment to maintain, but no serious entrepreneur should be without a personal website to support their brand.
