Creating a compelling personal website is an essential step that organizes your brand on to one cohesive platform. Your website will be the go-to destination where both potential fans and promoters, agents, journalists, talent bookers, etc. go to access more information about you. Unlike social media, which is limited in its template, a personal website offers creators more control and flexibility in how they choose to portray their brand. Although many creators have websites, they are often ineffective because they are poorly organized and mismanaged. To ensure you don’t miss out on this vital promotional opportunity, we’ve broken down essential elements you should include on your personal website.
Essential Elements to Include on Your Personal Website
When creating your personal website, make sure you have incorporated the following:
- Attention Grabbing Homepage– Your homepage is your online “first impression” that should provide a snapshot of who you are as a creator and the different kinds of content you produce. This initial landing page is responsible for drawing in a majority of your website’s traffic, so make sure it’s visually appealing and clearly defines your brand. Be sure to include professionally taken photos and high quality video content to give your page a polished look.
- Informative “About” Page– Your ‘About Page’ will also draw a lot of traffic, it’s the designated place on your website to tell your story. Having your full biography available in a centralized location is also beneficial because it makes it easier for potential journalists to pull information to write about you.Keep in mind that your bio should be informative, concise, and specific. Your professional biography should be written in the third person and lead with the most important/relevant credentials because it would build your credibility right away.
- Media/Press Page– As your work gains more press attention, you want to make sure you showcase it on your very own ‘Press Page’. Creating a page on your personal website dedicated to past press clippings, mentions, and releases will solidify your professionalism as an established and successful creator. Be sure to keep this page in chronological order and up-to-date with the most recent news.
- Links to Social Channels– Your following may not always check your website for new information so it’s extremely important to link back to your social media channels that you update more regularly. Linking back is a two-way street, don’t forget to provide the link to your personal website on all your social channels.
- Contact– Whether it’s a talent booker, a record label, a fan, or a journalist wanting to get in contact with you, having an organized and more importantly, updated ‘Contact’ page is crucial. You can provide visitors with an email and/or phone number or if you want to keep your information private, have a contact form where visitors generally type their email address with a message and have it sent directly to you.
Key Things to Consider When Building Your Personal Website
Now that you know the necessary pages to include on your personal website, there are a few more things to keep in mind that are integral to your website’s success:
- Proofread– Before your website goes live, make sure you read everything over to ensure there are no spelling or grammatical errors.
- Update regularly– Your website is a direct reflection of your work. As you pump out more content and grow as a creator, make sure your website grows with you. You will also want to make sure all of the information is accurate. Some creators miss out on a press opportunity because they have outdated contact information, making them impossible to reach.
- Keep it consistent– Make sure your website is portraying the same brand image and content as your social media. If you need help establishing your brand, check out our blog.
- Make sure your links work– If you are linking back to your social media pages or a piece of press, make sure the links work so visitors are taken to the right place.
- Mobile Friendly– Many users will be accessing your website via their mobile phones, so you will want to make sure that all of the images are responsive and that your text is legible from a mobile screen.
As a creator, we know you put a lot of hard work into your content, so don’t let a poorly organized website hinder you from expanding your fan base or attracting new press. Instead, let a great website speak for itself and be a tool for you to showcase your music and your brand. Check back with our weekly blogs for more tips on how to grow your brand.