Over the last month, I promoted my website to my social media followers, met with some new and old friends on communications projects, and have given a lot of head-space to what you’re reading right now. In honor of this baby’s 6-month birthday, I felt compelled to share my website to my small, very much digital corner of the world. I’ve “carried” this website long before I bought the URL, chose a layout, wrote (and re-wrote) copy, and published.
To some, my approach of sharing to the public first, instead of to friends (online or off) may seem backwards. Maybe I wanted to see what would come organically: did you find me because you searched, “creative coach”? Or maybe you found me because of my funky spelled name (that even baristas find challenging)?
It’s a little nerve-wracking to think about the readers who know me “IRL.” But I acknowledge that just because I’ve built this site, doesn’t mean they (you, dear reader) will come. If you’re here because of my Facebook, LinkedIn, or Instagram, hi! Thanks for being here. In all honestly, I am both terrified and excited by what you think.
Choosing your own medium is crucial to set your rules, yet it is scary because it is uncommon.
There’s a vulnerability with sharing a piece of yourself via pixels. On Facebook, it’s commonplace, but it’s under the conditions the platform has set: share a picture (once intimidating, with lighting and liking to consider), add some comments, or maybe write a post or two of your own. Maybe because I quit actively using social media for personal use over a year ago, but I don’t like to share quick bytes of my life via social media.
By comparison, this website is mine. I purchased the url. I’m the only one with my first and last names spelled in such a way. But WordPress gives me a lot more freedom of expression than Facebook. It’s funny, there are seemingly many options of expression there, but my website reflects who I want to be.
Even the template is an intentional decision, reflecting my work in progress minimalism: less images, more words. For many blog posts, I’ve worked to cut to the core of content, focusing on three main points. But I don’t need adornments, even though marketers (myself included) know images break the flow of a constant word stream.
So too does my website show a blend of professional and personal creativity. At my job, in my service work for a food pantry, and even in my service back to my alma mater, there are standard principles. But kaylielongley.com is one of the few places where I make the rules and set the tone.
Of course, as a marketer, I am considering goals like more traffic or monetizing in the future. I know how to up my SEO game. But by using the social networks I’ve cultivated, I have not used social or Google Ads. I’d rather focus on accessibility, like helping people shift their schedules to focus on creativity. I don’t need to scale.
I’m constantly asking myself questions. now that I have shared to a known audience, do I adjust what I write?
By not purchasing traffic, much of my audience is known and unknown. I can’t help but wonder, the more I share to a paid or organic audience, will this process affect how I write, what I write about, or the back-end? Do I make adjustments because of these self or socially-imposed perceptions? No, I don’t think I’ll change my style or my goals. It’s still my website: I make the rules.
And behold: that’s the power of the Internet. Anyone can become an author, and when you buy your own site, it is your virtual space. Yes, that comes with responsibility. I acknowledge who I am and what I can do, and that makes me vulnerable. I’m no doctor or savior, but I have a handful of tools that make my life better. Heck, the site itself makes my life better too. By consistently writing every week, my skills have grown. But so too has my confidence: I create regularly. I don’t let my musings remain in my head. I can be a voice for people who haven’t had the resources to share theirs.
My ultimate goal for this website is to show how I foster good habits. By sharing, I hope to inspire others to not be afraid to work on their own goals.
I want to use this website as a platform to discuss the nitty gritty of goals, not just what’s shiny or the newest craze. I hope to help others work on their own goals. So that’s what I’m doing. So what if some of my ideas seem contradictory? I embrace the process. My minimalism is mine, shrubs not required. My adventures are mine, whether that looks like a bier garten, working out at odd hours, or just being excited to drive 2 hours by myself for the first time.
I embrace the process because that’s when learning, progress, and yes even JOY come in. I am much more compassionate toward myself. I’ve set this goal of writing weekly. Even now, I am now publishing a couple days’ early because I know Wi-Fi will be limited over Labor Day Weekend. I set goals and achieve them with small steps. And I want to help you see that my website is not just self-promotion, it’s reflection and service.
So tell me, what are your goals and what tiny steps have you recently taken to reach them? How have you shared them with others? Share in the comments! It might inspire others.