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Six great reasons to run your own website

Zen Aug 24 2022

“Websites are so 2010”. In a world dominated by WhatsApp and social media, it’s easy to think that traditional websites – at least if you’re not a major media outlet or selling something – have long passed their sell by date.

But you might be surprised at some of the things you can just do better when you’re not relying on somebody else’s platform to share the things that matter to you.

Here are five great reasons why you might consider running your own website.

1) Showcase your skills

Looking for a new job? Nothing quite says ‘well prepared’ like a bespoke website showcasing your best achievements.

That crusty old CV won’t stand a chance – especially if you’re showing off creative or coding skills.

But even if employment isn’t your motivation, you can use your own website to show the world your cross-stitch creations, painted masterpieces, inspirational photography, favourite home recipes, ball-juggling skills or anything and everything in between. Whatever you want the world to see, your website is where they’ll find it.

2) Share your thoughts

Lots of people love the idea of blogging. It’s their chance to put their thoughts down and join the debate on the topics that interest them the most.

When you own your own website, you can make it your platform to share your thoughts on the things that mean the most to you. Whether that’s religion, politics, football, or far less controversial topics like what you had for breakfast, who knows, your musings might even go viral!

3) A space for family and friends

Imagine a home for all your shared photos, updates, recipes – anything you like really. If your family or social group is spread around the country, or even the world, it’s a great way to keep them up to date on your life. If they have the right level of access to your site, they can even share back.

The great thing about using a website for this kind of sharing is that you can share and organise things exactly how you like. Set up a page for birthday photos for example, or your monthly update blog. Throw in a video or two and even set up a forum for family chats and file sharing.

4) Raise awareness

Do you want to tell the world about something that means the world to you?

From your favourite hobby or pastime to the charity you support, your website can be a way to raise awareness. And you could even add a donate button to help raise money for that worthy cause.

5) You choose the topic

Whatever your passion, whatever you want to use your personal website for, you set the agenda.

You can use your personal website to manage your fantasy football league, run an appreciation society for your favourite topic or make a space for the local history club. You’re only limited by your imagination.

6) Make it personal

One of the best things about running your own website is the level of personalisation. Not only in terms of look and feel, but you’ll also be able to choose a name that better fits you and your passions.

Think of running a site called ilovedogs.co.uk for example, or perhaps you’d prefer to use a .family, .church or .games suffix instead of the boring old .com or .uk extensions.

What’s more, you can also use your unique web address to assign custom email addresses to you and your friends. Want to be known as theboss@yoursite? No problem.

Once you’ve decided that a personal website is for you, you’ll want to choose a reputable provider for your hosting. And that’s where Zen comes in. As the 2021 PC Pro Best Web Host, we know a thing or two about providing people with the tools they need to get their new websites up and running.