5 Ideas Of What To Include On Your Personal Brand Website
/Many feel that a personal website is only for creatives to present a portfolio—a personal website can be for anyone! A few reasons why creating a personal brand website can benefit you (I also did a mini-workshop recently on this topic that you can watch here):
Allows you control to tell your own story
You are able to provide a cohesive story of your personal and professional self
Sets you apart
So, now that you are excited to get going, here are 5 ideas of what you should be including on your personal brand website — which includes resources, template ideas, and more.
PICTURES
The most obvious element is pictures of YOU! But this can also make many people very uncomfortable and that is okay. However, I highly encourage you to take the leap and get in front of the camera — whether you hire a photographer or have your friend take them for you. To get 2-3 images of you that help communicate who you are is so powerful for your website. I wrote a previous post on How To Prepare For Your Personal Brand Photoshoot here — which includes all the tips.
BIO
The about section that includes your biography is going to be the key element in communicating your story. The goal is to make sure to include both your personal and work-related experience. It is easy to fall into making it a very professional (and possibly stiff), but have fun with it and add elements of yourself. If you do not feel comfortable writing your own bio, ask around if there is a friend that could help or Fiverr is a great option as well with affordable freelancers that can help you right now. Or here are some great tips from Katie Toon on how to write your own bio.
RESUME & WORK PORTFOLIO
A great way to incorporate your resume is to embed it on your website in a separate section from the About page. You should also include a link for people to download a PDF of your resume as well. In this section, it would be a perfect place for your to include links or screenshots to specific work examples. Here are some tips from Indeed on How To Build Your Work Portfolio.
LINKS TO SOCIALS
The first thing many HR or hiring managers do when considering a candidate is to review their social accounts. Your social channels are a reflection of your personal brand — and your personal brand IS who you are everyday. Or if you are using your website to focus on personal hobbies, it is important to showcase your social channels where you share more about that hobby. Don’t feel pressure to include ALL your social accounts. For example, my personal Instagram and Facebook is private. Therefore, I share links to my Twitter, LinkedIn, and Pinterest account when sharing my personal socials. Be mindful of which social channels connect the story of your personal brand you are sharing on your website.
BLOG
A blog can be a great way to share your insight into your industry or hobbies that you are focusing on with your personal brand. You can create a cadence that works for you (once a quarter) to share a blog on specific topics that allow you to further telling your story. I would suggest not launching your website with a blog, but consider adding this at a later point when you feel more comfortable with adding content.
BONUS: PERSONAL BRAND WEBSITE TEMPLATES & DESIGN IDEAS
There are so many great website platform options to choose from that make it very easy for anyone to create and launch a website. The platforms I would recommend are:
Wix - I have limited experience with Wix, but it is definitely one of the platforms that has great reviews and feedback. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make a website on Wix.
Squarespace - My website is build on Squarespace and a great platform to use if you have some experience or comfortable with various digital tech platforms. Here is a great post from Squarespace on how to build a website to showcase your personal brand with ideas as well.
Google Sites - If you are a frequent Google user, this is probably the easiest tool to use within a suite of tools that you are comfortable with using. Here is a great template to use.
I recently did a mini-workshop on Be Digable’s Instagram on why you should create a personal website. You can view it here:
If you have any questions, feel free to DM me on Instagram and I am happy to answer your questions! In the meantime, find out if building a personal website is what your personal brand is missing by taking our quiz; What Is Your Personal Brand Missing? Then share your results on Instagram and tag us!
