Let’s talk about creating an honest, attractive online persona, shall we?
We’re all trying to get ourselves out there. This is why create an online persona. It starts with accessing social media and networking. But there are those (I’m looking at you) who want to rise above the crowd. They go off and open a blog – a place where they can stand on a soapbox and voice their opinions. Power to ya’. But then there’s a whole other league…
When a regular, Average Joe… someone like you or me buys a domain and launches their very own dot-com, just like the big kids. Now we’re talking serious. Now you’re ready for top-shelf internet presence. How are you going to get it?
With a personalized web page.
Not a programmer? No problem. There are lots of venues around the web that can build your website with templates. Reading a Wix review is a great way to start. And just to dodge your question: the answer is no. You won’t look like everybody else. That is, if you maximize the template options to really reflect your personal style. These are some out-of-the-box starter tips for creating a website that jives with your online persona.
It may sound strange, but you need to crystalize your values. Get in a bath with candles. Take a nature walk or do some yoga. When you start to feel your feelings and get creative, you’ll access your soul’s inner color scheme. If you sit down at the template generator hoping that a fully developed brand will come spilling out all by itself, you’re kidding yourself. So engage your muse and get the juices flowing before you start creating your page.
Your life is a story with a complete setting: location, characters, even theme songs that loop in your head. Google Images does bring the whole web to your fingertips, but you can only reflect yourself honestly by capturing your environment. So invest in a camera. A selfie (even with a stick) from your phone is no way to represent yourself to your potential fans/followers/consumers. Get something with power.
Coke dominated the market with red… so Pepsi chose blue. While it’s still up in the air as to which is better, at least the battle lines have been drawn. Do the same. Check out your competition. Is she marketing a healthy lifestyle with pink? Go with a bold yellow. Nobody likes a copycat.
Even peace lovers are making waves nowadays. Have you seen how aggressive PETA can be? People are only going to listen to you if you have something meaningful to say. Take a stance and hold your ground. Go ahead and say you’re the best and then prove it. Twist their ears. Formulate an against-the-grain opinion. Have a tantrum! Okay, don’t have a tantrum, but also don’t take up space on the web if you’re not going to make a splash.
While you need to be aggressive, you also need to give back. Make your followers proud to be on your team. Pamper them with a free e-book. Spread your knowledge generously. Look, many casual readers won’t give you a dime, but if you build up their loyalty then they will spread the word for you… expanding your scope of impact and thereby increasing your chances of making some cash.
Most people won’t remember what you told them, but they’ll remember how you made them feel. Develop a writing style that will fit your brand’s mood and have it spread far and wide, across all of your online content. This way, when your reader spends time with your content, they feel like they are getting to know you. Building that relationship is what will keep them coming back for more. Here are some beginner’s tools for finding your writing voice. This might be the most important tip: Describe yourself with three adjectives (piercing, poignant and electric). Then ask yourself, “Does my writing reflect these ideas?” If the answer is no, then either refine your writing or redefine yourself.
- Get to know your audience
Take the time to read up. Jump into the culture so that you can speak their language. If you want to incorporate exterior references then you’ll need to know the lingo. That can take research. But there is no better payoff than implementing a familiar turn-of-phrase that really hooks your reader.
There you have it. Print these out or jot them down as one-liners. Chew it over and you’ll see wonders.
