Step 3: Achieve Total Weirdness – Get a Personal Website of Your Own

After grabbing the attention of your favorite SXSW speakers, cleaning up your social media accounts to put your best foot forward for all your new friends, there is just one thing missing to help your online brand reflect that cool person they’ve just met – a personal website.

A personal website showcases your personality and skills to the world in a way that no profile can.You can also do things at your personal site that you just can’t do on any social network. Aside from controlling how it looks, and how others can interact with you via your site, you also own content you create. Every photo you share and every word you write belongs only to you.

And what happens when you “Google” yourself – or more importantly – when someone “Googles” you? You own the first result of the searches for your name which is the best “free” advertising you can get”

You can also put as much or as little time and effort into your new home on the web and it will still look perfect. You can go with a one pager, full blown website, or anything in between – you are the boss. You can have the craziest site that showcases your delightful personality in the best possible way – the only restriction is your creativity, and we know that is NOT an issue. Because you’re different, you’ll undoubtedly make a uniquely different site. This “different” website could even land you your next job!

The Best Reference You Can Get

Increasingly, employers are eschewing traditional paper CVs in favor of an entirely digital presence. The thing is, recruiters are looking to assess personal qualities that aren’t perceptible from a traditional resume, so they turn to your digital presence and social media profiles.

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Through your own personal website, you can act proactively, take better care of the conversation about you, and showcase your weirdness in the best light. Even if they don’t hire you, you’ll definitely be remembered as “that girl with a website”, and they will definitely remember you when they need someone of your qualities.

But this is not only the case for employers but everyone you with to work with in the future as well. You can write the best introduction in the world, but the best way to let people know what you can do is to show them! While you can always use different “gig” websites, your potential clients and customers are looking for designers, developers, or other talent that – stands out. And what will stand out better than your personal website, filled with great examples of your work?

Build it Like a Pro

So you want to click-thru and create your website? Fair enough, but before you do, keep these tips in mind:

• Your About page should be focused on what your reader/customer/user wants to know and what information they need, not just what you want to tell them. In fact, always keep in mind the career you want to have, and present information that make you the best candidate for it. If you believe someone show have an insight into the full story of you, you can always make your resume accessible by download.
• Showcase your work. The most valuable thing you can put on your website is the actual work you did. Depending on your profession, you can write blog posts about projects you participated in, add picture galleries of graphics you created, add SlideShare presentations or YouTube video. In fact, you can do all of those if you want. Just show what you can do.
• If you’re showcasing your work and projects, and we already agreed that you will, be sure to include social proof in the form of quotes, comments and – best of all – results! Ask people you worked with to give you a recommendation and include it beside your project showcase.
• If you love to write, make a blog part of your website. Writing a blog is a great way to show your knowledge in the area you are writing about, and demonstrate your writing and communication skills.
• Now, the goal to your website is that people contact you because of it. So, make it easier for them to do so. Connect a contact form to an email you actually check. Or, if you seldom check your email, make sure to communicate it right away.
• Maybe most important: Your new personal website won’t be done when you put it online. It’s a work in progress so don’t sweat it if it isn’t “perfect” right away. It’s weird… unique… special – and you just started it!

No two personal websites are the same, and that’s one of the greatest advantages these sites have.

Your Website.Me

Every website needs an address, which brings us to another important issue: Your personal website is all about you – so why not go with .ME?

Just imagine it – MariaConnors.Me. It is memorable, eye-catching, sexy, and sleek.

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NameSurname combinations are always the best option for a personal website and adding .ME domain to the equation makes the site all about YOU. It makes it more personal and individual, and tells people that site is about you, and your accomplishments, life goals and weird quirks that people love. If that combination is unavailable try adding your middle name initial or go with a nickname you are known for.

The goal is to make your website the number one search result when people Google your name and adding keywords that define you will certainly help.

Now that you know what are the essentials of a successful personal website, the only thing left is to congratulate you!

You have graduated from our little school of Internet weirdness!

Step 1: Be Honest, Just How Weird Are You?

Step 2: Social Media, The Spice Of Your Personal Brand

Not only do you recognize the importance of having a personal brand, but you also know how to manage it like a pro by having a personal website. The only thing left is to remember to be you, live big, and embrace all the little things that make you extraordinary.

Also, start building your website today! Register your .ME domain with a discounted price on your first-year registration at StayWeirdWith.Me!