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Creating my personal website was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It ultimately led to my YouTube channel and making 7-figures online.
So, if you want to set up a personal website here’s a step-by-step guide (with little or no coding).
So, if you want to set up a personal website here’s a step-by-step guide (with little or no coding).
There are 6 main reasons why I think everyone should create their own personal website:
It helps you develop your own ideas. If you want to become a better writer, thinker, or communicator, creating your own personal website is likely the best way to achieve that.
It helps you develop your own ideas. If you want to become a better writer, thinker, or communicator, creating your own personal website is likely the best way to achieve that.
It can help you with your professional life. A personal website is a 21st-century version of a CV. Your potential employers will google your name and you can ‘control’ that search result by having your own website.
It creates connections. I’ve made friends from all over the world thanks to the content I published on my website. Once people find things that resonate with them they can reach out to you which leads to the next benefit
You expose yourself (in a non-weird way lol) to loads of interesting opportunities. From getting invited to speak at conferences to getting featured in various publications. A personal website is a serendipity vehicle (shoutout to @david_perell) that works on your behalf.
You can have far more impact on the internet. Once your articles get shared online you can reach hundreds if not thousands of people. That just wouldn’t be possible if you were doing the same thing offline.“Let your work network for you.” - @shl
Lastly, you can monetise it. It’s the least important reason since it can take years to earn from publishing online. But, I know creators who are making 6 and 7 figures from their websites so that’s certainly doable.
Let’s move onto the How.
You basically need two things to create a website:
#1 Platform
#2 Domain
First, let’s talk about which platform to choose. Depending on how advanced you are with computers, choose one of these three solutions.
You basically need two things to create a website:
#1 Platform
#2 Domain
First, let’s talk about which platform to choose. Depending on how advanced you are with computers, choose one of these three solutions.
Option No.1 would be @SubstackInc. Great if you don’t want to pay for a website or you just want to see how it feels to write online. It’s not really a personal website but will do for a complete beginner.
Option No.2 would be @squarespace. It’s the best choice if you’re ready to pay for your website but know nothing about coding. With a few clicks, you’ll have a sleek-looking website to showcase your writing and work. For a live example take a look at @saradietschy’s website.
Option No.3 is what I’d personally recommend if you know a little bit about computers and that is Ghost. I’ve been using @Ghost to run my personal website since 2016 and I absolutely love it.Here’s a cheeky affiliate link if you want to try it out
http://ghost.org/ali
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Now it’s time to pick a domain.
A domain is basically a name for your website, e.g. http://aliabdaal.com . Unless you pay around $10/year for a custom domain you’ll be left with something like http://aliabdaal.ghost.com which doesn’t look professional.
Now it’s time to pick a domain.
A domain is basically a name for your website, e.g. http://aliabdaal.com . Unless you pay around $10/year for a custom domain you’ll be left with something like http://aliabdaal.ghost.com which doesn’t look professional.
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To purchase a domain go to @Namecheap or http://domains.google (my choice these days) and look for a domain name that suits you best. The most common combination for a personal website is http://NameSurname.com .
To purchase a domain go to @Namecheap or http://domains.google (my choice these days) and look for a domain name that suits you best. The most common combination for a personal website is http://NameSurname.com .
You have your website ready. Now what?
Let’s address the most common questions people have once they get their website up and running.
Let’s address the most common questions people have once they get their website up and running.
Question #1 - How do I structure my website?Don’t overthink it. Your website only needs three pages:
*About page
*Blog page
*Contact page
Your Home page can be just your latest blog post or an about page. In the beginning, you don’t need more than that.
Question #2 - What should I do once my website is ready?The goal should be to publish at least one blog post per week. If you do it long enough, you’ll see all the benefits mentioned in the first section.
Question #3 - What should I write about?Follow @garyvee’s advice “Document, don’t create.” Don’t overblow the idea of writing online and how creative you have to be. Write about books you’ve read, things you’ve experienced, and challenges you went through.
Question #4 - How will people discover my work?Just share it on social media, wherever you’re present. It can be Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn. If people find your content interesting they’ll share it even further.
Question #5 - What about SEO?Don’t think about it for the first few years. Focus on writing content you’re proud of and share it among your social network. You’ll have a much greater chance of someone sharing your content than if people were to find it through Google.
Question #6 - How should I design my website?Again, don’t overthink it. If you choose the right platform - @Ghost or @squarespace - you can use one of their pre-built themes which all look great. Remember that people care much more about the content than the design.
Question #7 - What if I’m scared to put myself out there?Writing online and using your real name can feel intimidating. Back in 2016, I was just as scared as you’re now. Luckily I got over that fear and I explain how I did that in a video below.
If you want to create your own personal website (and see how I’d do that in 2021) take a look at this video I published a few weeks ago
