Let’s Talk About Your Online Platform – Your Web Home
All this week here at Totally The Bomb and Co. we’re talking about your online platform. You guys should have fancy avatars that represent you all over the internet by now, but the question you’re probably asking is–
What sites are THE sites you should be a part of?
Okay, let me say something first. The thing about social networking and online presence is that it has to be genuine. If you aren’t enjoying it, people will know, and they won’t be interested in what you have to say.
So, never join a site just because everyone else is, and for crying out loud, don’t try to be someone you’re not.
You know, what? That could stand to be repeated.
Don’t try to be someone you’re not.
If you’re not chatty, then twitter probably isn’t the place for you. If you get really annoyed when people fill up your friend stream (hehe I said friend stream) with milking fake cows and making pretend pasta, then you might want to avoid facebook, and if you’re uncomfortable with everyone knowing you’re drinking espresso at the local coffee house, then you might want to skip out on 4square or GoWalla.
Now, that being said… if you’re trying to build an online platform worth anything at all, there is one site you have to have.
Your personal website.
You must have a personal website. If you’re not into the blogging thing, that’s fine. Don’t blog. Just make it a website about you. If you’re not into the ‘connecting’ thing then don’t add any of that crap to your site. I don’t care if it’s one page somewhere out there on the internet with a picture of a cute cat and an email address you can be contacted at. I just want you to have some sort of presence on the internet somewhere.
I have a feeling I’m preaching to the choir here though, so let’s talk about what a really great website looks like.
It’s okay to use a template to build your web presence. You don’t have to pay for a fancy designer to come in and make you a custom design. Um, you’re an unpublished author–just how much extra cash do you plan to spend on this? So, just do a quick google search for free website templates and see what pops up. Chances are, you’ll find something fairly unique and slap it up there.
Heck, give blogging a try–you’re a writer, it just might be something you really enjoy doing.
This paragraph will help the internet users for building up new web site
or even a blog from start to end.
I’ve been thinking about this a bit lately as I noticed I follow the blogs of quite a few YA authors, but I write romantic comedy…er, for grown-ups. Not a lot of audience crossover there, but they just tend to be the blogs I enjoy. Perhaps I should make more of an effort to follow more of my fellow rom-com authors.
Just updated my website the other day, so I’m good there.
Great blog post!
Tawna
.-= Tawna Fenske´s last blog ..Pythagoras and the Vixen toenails =-.
I think the problem with blogging is finding something that’s personal enough to be interesting, but not so personal that you feel like you’re naked on the internet. It’s also nice if the blog generally revolves around one subject. That way people who like pictures of food, or HTML coding tips, or stories about bird rehabilitation (or whatever) can find you.
.-= Kater´s last blog ..Five of Cups =-.
@Kater, I TOTALLY agree. I struggle with this SO much. I want to be interesting and fun, but I also don’t want to be a weirdo, ya know? It’s such a fine line…
What’re 4 square and Gowalla? LOL. Still learning here. I like twitter best since I’m a chatterbox. The extraneous games irritate and distract me on facebook.
.-= Annarkie´s last blog ..And The Winner Is… =-.
@Annarkie, ohhh they’re iPhone apps. And they’re pretty cool, too!
Nice post. Good advice. It’s also probably useful for people who aren’t writers, either. Love the shoes, but I am wondering if you actually wear them or if they’re just a picture of shoes you wish you could wear…
.-= Chantal Kirkland´s last blog ..Red Love and Some =-.
@Chantal Kirkland, Dude, I don’t wear shoes like that. I’m a mom!