Covid visited our home this week, like many others this year. We are all ok. The isolation served me well. I roamed in the front of the house and rejuvenated my author's website.
People are now choosing a different path from those previous generations, known as "the great resignation". Many people have a side hustle that they will mature in preparation for their resignation, and a website will be a foundation for their new future. It is relatively easy to build a website with tools such as Wix, but engaging content is the challenge.
Here are some learnings that may help those thinking about doing something different;
The rationalisation of content is hard. My previous website had accumulated content over time, it was engaging in places, however, was not sharp. The white space became crowded, and messaging was lost. Less is more.
Go beyond marketing or profiling and talk specifically about your business or what you do. The services page must be plain language and transcend multiple audiences. Ask a non-industry colleague if they understand what you are offering.
People will want to know who you are. The pandemic has blurred the professional with the personal. Share some things about you. My Instagram feed features at the bottom of my home page; about 10% of my posts are personal pictures.
Video content doesn't have to be overly curated. My weekly vlogs are created in random locations. The value is in what you share rather than how it looks. Gary Vaynerchuk is one of the best examples; check out his Instagram.
Add regularly to your content, and become comfortable being in front of the camera. Regular dynamic content will drive engagement (I haven't nailed this, yet), but what I do know is my content creation has led to client engagements. Set aside a time every week to do this.
Client testimonials; accompany these with some action photos if possible. You will need to ask your clients for these. Be disciplined in actioning both after the completion of an engagement.
Value and credibility. Consider contributing to external media outlets and collate these on your website. See an example here. The information may not be specifically related to a prospect's service; however, it could trigger another adjacent request.
We love the simplicity of the new www.davidbanger.com … it will be iterated in the next month, including an updated speaker reel, and we would love to hear what you think.
One of the many insights in Making Life Happen.