The Importance of Owning Your Platform: A Guide for Bloggers

Your blog is not just a website, it’s your operational center, your headquarters. It’s the place where you build your future and connect with your audience. While social media platforms and other forms of online presence are important tools, they should ultimately lead back to your own site.

When it comes to building your website, the technology you choose doesn’t matter as much as having complete ownership and control over your platform. Having a domain that you own and can change as desired is crucial. This allows you to have the freedom to reach out to your users whenever you need to and extract data from your platform. Additionally, if you ever want to switch to a different platform, you should be able to seamlessly move all your content.

Unfortunately, many online sellers have to rely on platforms managed by others. For example, selling digital books on Amazon Kindle or physical products on Amazon’s marketplace can be a huge market opportunity. And if you develop mobile apps, selling them on Apple’s App Store or Google Play is essential. In some cases, you have choices, but sometimes you have to work within the limitations of these platforms to successfully sell your products.

Using platforms managed by others does have its benefits. These platforms provide access to a large user base, making it easier for customers to make purchases. Additionally, not having to manage every aspect of your platform can save you time and effort.

However, there are disadvantages to relying solely on these platforms. You have to comply with their rules and regulations, and your relationship with your customers may be limited. You also have less control over your branding and pricing, and you’ll have to pay commissions for each sale made on the platform.

Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are great tools for finding and interacting with your audience, but they are still owned and controlled by someone else. For example, Facebook’s algorithm changes have significantly decreased the organic reach of posts. To reach more people, you now have to pay for sponsored posts. This highlights the importance of not being completely dependent on these platforms and having your own platform.

To build your own platform, start by using your own domain name. Your domain is like your virtual address, and having your own domain provides stability and ownership. It also helps improve your website’s value in the eyes of search engines. Using a domain that you own shows that you are invested in your brand and that you are building virtual real estate that can generate value for years to come.

While having a presence on social media and other platforms is important for reaching your audience, remember to focus on driving users back to your own site. Utilize these platforms to find people and bring them to your website. By doing this, you maintain control and have the freedom to communicate with your audience on your own terms.

In conclusion, owning your platform is crucial for long-term success as a blogger. By having your own domain and platform, you have the freedom to control your brand, reach your audience, and build a valuable online presence that can withstand the test of time.

tags: [“blogging”, “platform ownership”, “website development”, “online presence”, “social media marketing”]