By Shree:

In an age of social media, content creators and influencers have shifted their marketing strategies from traditional sources to building a social following on websites like YouTube, Tiktok, Twitch, Instagram, and Facebook. Many have even started podcasting by using platforms like Anchor or hosting it on their own via platforms like Buzzsprout.

But the one thing that many content creators, including the most popular influencers with the biggest following, seem to be missing is having their own website.

Having a website is an underrated but the most important step to being a content creator. It’s a place where one can host all types of content in one place, from articles to podcasts to videos to games, whatever they choose. It is an invaluable way to showcase who you are and what you have created without any limits or boundaries.

So why do so many creators not have a website yet?

The answer could be laziness, confusion on where and how to begin, or being unsure about how a website can serve a creator when social media sites are doing so much for free. Hosting a website can be affordable or expensive depending on the resources you need, and that initial roadblock of expenditure can stop people in their tracks.

I hope after reading this article you are convinced that a website is important for any content creator to stand out. 

Here are 5 reasons why you need a website as a content creator and influencer: 

1. SOCIAL MEDIA CAN CHANGE THEIR POLICIES.

Twitter is one of the biggest culprits of this recently. From having a free service like the “blue check mark”, given to public figures and people with a large enough following to get brand deals and sponsors, overnight the blue tick became a paid service for $8 a month, with no added services like having your own email list in return or any ability to post longer content. 

These types of changes can significantly hurt creators. Imagine if YouTube goes the Vimeo route one day and starts charging people to host videos? This is why having your own website is important, as you can redirect your followers to your content even if the social media landscape changes. 

2. THE GOVERNMENT CAN BLOCK SOCIAL MEDIA.

Many countries, like America, Australia etc. have been openly discussing banning the Chinese social media app Tiktok, and after a lengthy border dispute, India did exactly that. This meant that Indian Tiktok users immediately lost their followers with no way of contacting them again.

This is where things like email marketing offered by websites become an invaluable resource in holding onto your followers. Having an email list gives you a chance to connect with your followers and announce any changes and updates you might need to make to your content. Your followers become yours and you will not lose contact with them even if you lose your social media access.

3. LACK OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

The ability to speak freely on certain issues, especially by journalists and media reporters, gets limited by social media sites because users must abide by their terms and conditions. This could limit journalists from speaking the truth, because the most important income source for social media sites are their advertisers, and advertisers do not want to put their ads next to controversial or divisive content.

This is why you might notice journalists putting links to articles on their social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, with only the headline as the post title. This keeps them safe from posting on social media while driving traffic to their website.

4. YOUR FOLLOWERS BECOME YOURS.

This cannot be stressed hard enough. You think you have access to your subscribers and followers, until you are banned, blocked or hacked on social media. Immediately you lose access to hundreds or thousands of people with no way of contacting them all about what happened, leaving you in the dark.

The best way to combat this problem is by building an email list. When people are encouraged to subscribe to my newsletter, they do so out of love and because they want to hear what I have to say. 

While it is not wise to abuse their inboxes with spam, you can provide them with a weekly blog post about the things they like, or announce a new book or product that you have launched, or a new blog post you have written. Doing so helps your followers build an even deeper personal connection with you in the long run. 

5. WEBSITE BUILDS AUTHORITY: 

Brands, businesses and sponsored deals make a giant portion of a creator/influencer’s income, and having a website makes you seem more professional and in control of your brand image.

When a company wants to find the right creator/influencer to collaborate for a sponsorship, looking through various social media sites to find the right creator can be a hassle to navigate. But having a good website with a media kit that showcases your best work, your reach and information about your audience helps businesses get an idea of who you are as a creator and a person, and how you can promote their products and services.

There are many ways to make your website become the top ranking sites in your niche, and to read more articles on topics like SEO, influencer marketing, content creation and more, subscribe to my newsletter and leave in the comments below what you would like me to discuss next.