In the digital age, creating a personal website serves as a cornerstone for anyone looking to distinguish themselves, explore their creativity, and enhance their online presence beyond the constraints of social media. This blog post delves into the why you should consider building your own website and why Ghost stands out as the optimal platform for doing so.

So, why do you need a website?

In a nutshell

  1. Differentiate from the rest
  2. Freedom
  3. Learning new skills
  4. Live beyond the comfort zone

Bonus: a 5-step action plan

Differentiate from the rest

In a sea of digital profiles, a personal website serves as a lighthouse, guiding viewers to your unique online presence. It's your space to showcase your portfolio, ideas, and whatever else sets you apart from the crowd. Unlike social media, where everyone follows the same layout, your website is a blank canvas for crafting your personal brand.

Freedom

A website offers unparalleled freedom in digital expression. You're not boxed in by the limitations of social media platforms; you can design, structure, and curate content exactly how you want it. As a matter of fact, you could also copy the style of X and publish in the same manner! This freedom allows for a more authentic representation of who you are and what you stand for.

Learning new skills

The process of creating a website is immensely educational. You'll gain skills in web design, SEO, content creation, and digital marketing—valuable assets in today's world where you can promote (or sell) everything on the internet. Those with experience have an enormous advantage. Plus, these skills empower you to take full control of your online presence, ensuring you're portrayed in the best light possible.

Live beyond the comfort zone

It's inevitable that you will have to step out of your comfort zone when creating your personal website. Expect that many people will find it strange. But that's because only a minority of people have a website! Putting yourself out there, taking responsibility and vouching for yourself is challenging, but ensures growth in the process. Embrace this challenge.

Action plan

Creating a personal website might seem overwhelming at first. And it can be, especially if you're a beginner. But here's a 5- step action plan that makes it easier and you can follow today:

  1. Choose a domain. Going for "your name" dot com is straight-forward and serves your personal brand. Use Cloudflare to register it.
  2. Choose a platform. Look no further than Ghost (see explanation below).
  3. Choose a design. There are lots of free themes out there that will do the job well. You can always change the design later, so don't worry too much!
  4. Outline what you want to write about. If you have no idea, just start writing whatever comes to mind, you can work on your exact idea later.
  5. Share online. Your social media can be utilized for sharing your work online and amassing an audience. But be sure to convert visitors into email subscribers!

Why Choose Ghost?

In a nutshell

  1. Open-source
  2. Great user experience
  3. Integrated email sending
  4. Optimized for SEO
  5. Constantly improving

Open-source

It might be the first time you're hearing this phrase. Open-source means that the code of the software is public and freely available to use and copy. This is one of the founding principles of Ghost! Platforms like Facebook, X or Medium are closed-source and subject to changes at any time. You also can't customize any part of it. On the other hand, using open-source software such as Ghost (or WordPress for that matter) ensures full control over your data, content and subscribers. This is more important than it seems.

Great user experience

Ghost's intuitive design and user experience make it a joy to use for both creators and visitors. Its clean, clutter-free interface allows you to focus on what's important: creating and sharing your content, without getting bogged down by complicated tools or settings. This is one of the main differences when comparing it to WordPress, which is slow, out-dated and requires a myriad of plugins to work properly.

Integrated Email Sending

With Ghost, you can easily communicate with your audience through integrated email newsletters. This feature enables you to build a direct relationship with your readers, share updates, and grow your community without relying on external email services. Focus on collecting your visitors' emails from the start as direct relationships and access to your audience are another key differentiator to social media platforms. And email isn't getting away any time soon!

Optimized for SEO

Ghost is built with SEO in mind, ensuring your website is discoverable and ranks well on search engines. From fast loading times to clean code and mobile responsiveness, Ghost takes care of the technical details, letting you focus on creating great content.

Constantly Improving

Ghost is not static; it's continuously evolving with new features and improvements. This commitment to growth ensures your website stays ahead of the curve, offering the latest in web technologies and trends. You can view their changelog here and see for yourself.

Having a personal website is more than just a trend—it's a strategic move in today's digital world. Whether it's to stand out, learn new skills, or control your digital narrative, a website offers unparalleled benefits. And with Ghost, you get a platform that supports your growth, values your data ownership, and provides all the tools needed for success.

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Inspired to start your journey with a personal website but unsure where to begin? We're here to help! Contact us and message us your wishes. We offer theme customizations as well as building custom themes. We can also assist you with hosting and other technical details.