In today’s digital age, where content is king and creators reign supreme, having a powerful website is no longer just a luxury; it’s a necessity. Whether you’re a blogger, vlogger, podcaster, or artist, a website serves as your digital home base, allowing you to connect with your audience, showcase your work, and build a sustainable career.
I admire you because I admire courageous people. The courage to put yourself in front of the camera and share your ideas, insights, or ability to make people laugh is a true form of courage. Most people can’t do this. It’s not easy.
What’s special about the website is that it remains the best place for a creator to deepen their relationship with their audience in a way that the platforms (Instagram, TikTok, Youtube, etc.) don’t allow. A website is still the best destination to:
- Engage users and bring them into a community
- Sign them up for a newsletter
- Sell them something you’ve been working tirelessly on to share with the world
- Visually communicate yourself without the constraints of a platform
After almost 5 years working elbow-to-elbow with some of the world’s largest creators through my work at Course Studio, here are a few things every creator should be mindful of.
Here’s why every digital creator needs a powerful website:
1. Owning Your Digital Presence:
- Independence: When you rely solely on social media platforms, you’re at the mercy of their ever-changing algorithms and terms of service. A website gives you complete control over your content and audience.
- Brand Identity: A website allows you to curate your brand image and messaging consistently. You can design it to reflect your unique style and values, creating a strong brand identity that resonates with your audience.
- Long-Term Sustainability: Social media platforms are great for quick engagement, but a website provides a long-term foundation for your career. It’s a place where your content lives on, even if social media trends change.
2. Building a Loyal Audience:
- Community Hub: Your website can become a hub for your community, where you can foster deeper connections with your followers. You can create exclusive content, run contests, and offer personalized experiences.
- Email List: A website allows you to collect email addresses, building a valuable email list. Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to reach your audience directly and keep them engaged.
- Direct Communication: You can provide a direct way for your audience to contact you, whether through a contact form or a dedicated email address. This fosters a sense of connection and trust.
3. Monetizing Your Content:
- Multiple Revenue Streams: A website offers various monetization opportunities, including advertising, affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and selling digital products like ebooks, courses, or prints.
- E-commerce: You can set up an online store to sell physical and digital products directly to your audience.
- Crowdfunding: A website can be a platform to launch crowdfunding campaigns to fund your projects and engage your community.
4. Professionalism and Credibility:
- First Impression: Your website is often the first impression potential clients, collaborators, and sponsors have of you. A professional website demonstrates your commitment to your craft and your brand.
- Portfolio Showcase: You can showcase your best work in a curated portfolio, highlighting your skills and talents.
- Credibility Boost: A well-designed website with high-quality content can significantly boost your credibility and attract more opportunities.
5. SEO and Search Engine Visibility:
- Organic Traffic: By optimizing your website for search engines, you can attract organic traffic from search engines like Google. This can lead to increased visibility and more potential followers.
- Keyword Optimization: You can use relevant keywords throughout your website to improve your search engine rankings.
- Backlinks: A website can help you build backlinks from other websites, which can further boost your SEO.
6. Data and Analytics:
- Track Performance: Website analytics tools allow you to track your website’s performance, including traffic, engagement, and conversions.
- Audience Insights: You can gain valuable insights into your audience’s behaviour, preferences, and demographics.
- Data-Driven Decisions: By analyzing data, you can make informed decisions about your content strategy and marketing efforts
Going further with a small team
The fundamental economic force that has made the creator economy so special and disruptive is that it’s made the cost of distributing content almost zero. You write one blog post, film one video, or record one podcast, and it can reach 50 people or 50,000 people. There’s no additional cost to you. This is your competitive advantage over traditional media, like NBC, Fox, the NYT, or Washington Post.
Similarly, when you are thinking about your website, you’ll want to build something where the cost of administration is as low as possible. This means having a set-up where you don’t need someone on payroll with a Computer Science degree or advanced coding skills to make minor tweaks to your site.
Create a hub for your universe.
Most creators are creating content across various channels: YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, etc. The job of these platforms is to help you and other creators acquire a new audience and drive awareness. They want someone to engage with your content and then swipe onto the next person’s post.
Where do you send folks who want to go deeper than just the content you create for these platforms?
A website with a hub for all of your content is a space where new audience members can learn about you, find all the places you make content, and serve as a navigable place for your entire universe. It’s where people can subscribe to a newsletter or find a podcast you’re on. Best of all, it’s something that you control, end-to-end, and is a powerful tool to deepen your audience’s relationship with you. I view it as a necessary, legitimizing step, for any creator looking to build a great business.
Turn a rented audience into an owned audience.
Most creators build their audience due to A) great content that they control, and B) algorithms completely out of their control. One of the most important motions that any creator can take is to build the muscle to convert a rented audience into an owned one. This means giving your audience valuable content off the platform. This almost always starts with a website.
How to Create a Powerful Website:
- Choose a User-Friendly Platform: Consider platforms like WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace, which offer easy-to-use website builders.
- Design for Mobile: Ensure your website is mobile-responsive to cater to users on smartphones and tablets.
- Prioritize User Experience: Create a clean, intuitive design with fast loading times.
- High-Quality Content: Produce engaging, valuable content that resonates with your audience.
- Optimize for SEO: Use relevant keywords, meta descriptions, and alt text for images.
- Secure Your Website: Protect your website from hackers with strong security measures.
- Regularly Update: Keep your website fresh with new content and updates.
By investing in a powerful website, you’re investing in your future as a digital creator. It’s a platform to build your brand, connect with your audience, and monetize your passion. So, what are you waiting for? Start building your digital empire today!
