From career boosting to money making, a site of your own comes with the kind of benefits that make a big difference while you\u2019re studying or looking for a job.<\/p>\n
Not only do most recruiters use the web to screen job applicants, more than a third have even knocked back candidates\u00a0because of their social media activity<\/a>. According to Andy Sumner at Monster UK, \u201ca Google search will tell a recruiter more than a CV can\u201d \u2014 but as scary as that sounds, it\u2019s actually the perfect opportunity to manage your online reputation.<\/p>\n Whatever else you get up to online, a website gives you a professional digital presence to fall back on, as well as a chance of appearing in search results\u00a0ahead of<\/i>\u00a0distracting social stuff. There\u2019s no harm in spreading your personal brand across third-party sites such as LinkedIn too, but\u00a0starting a website<\/a>\u00a0gives you the chance to\u00a0tell your story in your own way<\/b>.<\/p>\n If video content, demos and photos do the best job of showing what you know, a website is what you need. Plus, it\u2019s a lot more discoverable than print or PDF resumes.<\/p>\n An online CV isn\u2019t only a calling card, though: it\u00a0actively demonstrates you have the skills you say you do<\/b>(remember the \u2018show, don\u2019t tell\u2019 advice about CV writing?). If you\u2019re aiming to get into web design, marketing, publishing\u2014 and loads of other professions\u2014a well planned site can sell your enthusiasm for and knowledge of the industry, as well as prove hands-on skills such as coding, picture editing, writing, retail, or flair for SEO.<\/p>\n If your social media already does that, but in lots of different places (Pinterest plus YouTube, or wherever), a website will allow you to keep the highlights in one place \u2014 and that means less clicks for employers.<\/p>\n How to make money from your website\u00a0is the golden question! Luckily, it\u2019s simple:<\/p>\n Affiliate marketing<\/b>: Link to partners\u2019 products or services on your site and get a cut of sales from your readers. It\u2019s a neat way to make passive (long-term, low effort) income.<\/p>\n Advertising<\/b>: Earn cash every time visitors click ads on your site.\u00a0Google Adsense<\/a>\u00a0can automate the process, but if you have the traffic \u2014 or the gift of gab \u2014 you could make more profit approaching companies directly.<\/p>\n Sponsorship<\/b>: Allowing retailers to post content on your site (for a fee), or being sent freebies in exchange for a product or service review.<\/p>\n Members\u2019 content<\/b>: Set up a paid subscribers\u2019 area, or sell downloads of premium content (ebooks, PDFs, insider tips, tutorials, and even audio guides).<\/p>\n Sell products or services<\/b>: You can sell things you\u2019ve made or can do, too.<\/p>\n There are plenty of other ways to monetize a website but if the ones above sound familiar, it\u2019s because they\u2019re the business backbone of tons of sites you visit everyday. From news and education portals to entertainment, dating, and gaming hubs. And\u2014like them\u2014if you enjoy making content as much as cash, it\u2019s perfectly possible to\u00a0turn your web work into a whole career<\/a>.<\/p>\n Got something to shout about? Whatever you care about, you can write, blog or brainstorm it any way you like, including:<\/p>\n Raising money or awareness for a cause.<\/p>\n How-to guides for something you\u2019re an expert in or enjoy doing.<\/p>\n An online journal and\/or advice to help others in similar situations.<\/p>\n The freedom to do your own thing is a pretty potent reward but once you\u2019ve got a bank of content, you can always go the monetization route (above). You can also sell your content outright as print or digital books or for use on other websites. It\u2019s great to have the option!<\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t matter if you\u2019re applying for jobs or running a business: your own domain name, an email address to match, and some good content looks much more professional. Whether you\u2019re selling products, services, or your career skills, a website demonstrates that you believe in what you\u2019re doing, and are prepared to put in the time and effort.<\/p>\n Whether you use a website to make money or get your CV seen, there\u2019s nothing like rolling up your sleeves and getting started to see how things work.<\/p>\n Getting and keeping content online is the perfect opportunity to practice problem solving and research skills. You can also perfect your persistence, idea generation, curiosity (how did they do\u00a0that<\/i>? And how can I do it?), and network with other influencers. It just so happens, these are all\u00a0valuable transferable skills<\/b>\u00a0as well.<\/p>\n Luckily, it\u2019s not\u00a0rocket science! You can start a website \u2014 from choosing your domain name and hosting to publishing your first post \u2014 in a lunch break or less. Building and buffing your content and brand does take time, of course, but the fewer the hurdles to get to that point, the better.<\/p>\n A website is a bit like a Swiss Army Knife: it\u2019s good for more than one thing. The beauty of it is, you don\u2019t need to be technically minded to be digital. Starting or maintaining a site doesn\u2019t have to take any more time than your average social media fix \u2014 and that means bite-size effort, but big-time rewards!<\/p>\n By\u00a02. It\u2019s the ultimate CV<\/b><\/h2>\n
3. You can make money<\/b><\/h2>\n
4. The freedom to do what you love<\/b><\/h2>\n
5. A sense of professionalism<\/b><\/h2>\n
6. Hands-on experience<\/b><\/h2>\n
7. It\u2019s ridiculously easy<\/b><\/h2>\n