When you walk into a store, the first thing you see should instantly tell you what they sell or do there. If you spot a medicine and someone in a lab coat, you don’t need to read the sign before you know it is a pharmacy. That is exactly how your personal website should work.
The moment someone lands on it, they should immediately be able to tell and understand who you are, and the services you offer without doing any detective work of scrolling and guessing.
It does not matter if you are a tech writer, product designer, software developer or a data analyst, having a website is very important for your career. It is where your story lives, where your skills shine, and where opportunities find you.
You need a website that can sell your skill, communicate your value and build trust before you open your mouth to say a word.
So, if you want to showcase your work in context, stand out in a crowded job market, decide how your story is told, and attract opportunities, you need to create a personal website.
There are great platforms to create a personal website and some of them are WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, Carrd, GitHub Pages, Notion, etc.
Now, how do you create a website that sells your skills?
- Add Must-Have Pages: Your website should have some essential pages in it and some of them are:
- Homepage: This page should include a quick intro to who you are, what you do, and what sets you apart. Make sure you keep it short, sharp and friendly.
- About Me: This should talk about your journey, background, and mission especially as a woman in the tech space.
- Portfolio or Projects: This is where you show off your best work. Use real examples, metrics or results. Add all you the best project you have ever worked on.
- Contact Page: Make it easy for people to reach you. Add a form or email address and links to your socials.
- Testimonials or Recommendations: These will help you build instant credibility. It could be a very short quote from a manager, client, or colleague at work.
All these pages are really important if you want to create a website that stands out
- Make it Personal But Professional: One thing you should know is that people don’t connect with brands, they connect with people. So to do this, you need to:
- Use a clear, friendly tone.
- Choose a clean and mobile-friendly design. If you are not a designer, you can just start with a template.
- Add a professional headshot and a simple logo or name header.
- Lastly, try to use consistent colors, fonts, and spacing.
Platforms like Carrd, Webflow, Wix and WordPress are great for people who don’t know how to code, however, if you do know how to code, GitHub Pages or Astro will give you full control to develop your website the way you want.
- Promote Your Website Like a Product: Once your site is live, promote it by sharing it on your LinkedIn, X(Twitter), or Instagram bio. You can also put it in your WhatsApp communities or groups, on your resume and in job applications.
Make sure people can easily find it when they look for it.
Another thing to keep in mind is that your website should always be updated from time to time. Also, track visits with tools like Google Analytics, and add SEO basics like your name, role, and keywords like “software developer in Lagos”
Creating your website can be overwhelming, but you need to start with what you have, and then you can add more as you grow. Your website is like your pitch deck, and it doesn’t have to be perfect for the first time. Start now and let your website do the talking for you.