There is no better time to stake your claim online. The Internet, one thought to be a ‘passing fad‘, is still here and going stronger than ever. But it’s not enough to just put your voice out on every social media platform you come across. In order to truly succeed online, there are certain necessities you’ll want to make sure you have. Whether you are a YouTuber, a Twitch Streamer, a blogger, or just someone who wants their voice to be heard, here are the three things everyone needs to effectively create their content (and showcase it online!)
1. A Personalized Domain
If you want to be taken seriously as a content creator, it’s not enough to have your social media channels. You need somewhere that is YOURS that you can put your content and thoughts. Even if you are linking off to these various other platforms, having that centralized location that belongs to you is an essential part of the puzzle.
Head over to a place like NameCheap and snag a domain for less than $10/year. It’s a worthwhile investment.
2. Personalized Email Account
Sliding along with #1, having an email account that matches your domain makes even the newest content creators seem much more professional. Creating content is a business, and you want anyone you come into contact with to know that you are taking this seriously. Having a @gmail.com account, if you’re in a budget crunch, is OK for a while. Eventually, though, you’ll want something a bit more professional.
NameCheap also offers email hosting at around $12/year (source), but it’s only one address and one domain. If you want more robust offerings, a service like MXRoute can give you unlimited domains + email addresses for around $40/year. Both are excellent values for their price points, depending on your actual needs.
3. A Personalized Website
Let’s pump the brakes here a bit. I’m not asking you to create a super-customized, all encompassing website (although, if that’s what you need, by all means let me know and I can help you with that!) All you need is a cheap/free WordPress theme with a few pages that tell who you are, what you do, a link to your content, and a professional way to contact you (usually a contact form).
Yes, NameCheap again, but what can I say? I’m a big fan. They offer a $4/month WordPress hosting package that will do everything you need and then some. For the cost of a cup of coffee a day, you can have access to a website for a full month.
These three items together make the trifecta of ‘your space’ on the internet. Think of it like owning a house. You have the address (the domain), the mailbox (email), and the house itself (the hosting account). With these three things, anyone can ‘hang their shingle’ out in the Internet and make a name for themselves.
Bonus: Why Is It Not Enough to Just Be On Social Media?
OK, so you may be thinking, “I’m already instagram famous! I’m a Twitch streamer! Why does all of this other stuff matter?”
Eventually, one day, Instagram may fall to the wayside for some other hot new social platform. YouTube and Twitch may decide to change their algorithms, and you may be left in the dust. Having YOUR spot online means that if you want to swap to a different platform, you have a place to let people know. You have the opportunity to build your community on your terms, versus playing by the rules of other networks.
Agree? Disagree? Have a comment? Let me know on Twitter and let’s continue the conversation there!