Social media companies have taken a beating this past year. Facebook was accused of allowing Russia to influence the election, Twitter has been attacked for moderating free speech, and both platforms have testified before congress to address breaches in user privacy.
All of this bad press doesn’t mean that today’s most popular social media platforms are going away anytime soon. No doubt they will continue to play a large role in our online lives for many years to come. But it’s hard not to feel like change is in the air.
The influx of social media companies in the news, along with the recent advent of my personal blog, has parked a question in my mind over the weekend that I felt was worth exploring:
Are personal websites poised to replace social media?
I think that three obvious trends support the argument that there will be a significant rise in the number of people who choose to spend their time building a personal portfolio on their own domain, rather than add posts to their social media account.
1. User Friendly Web Hosting Platforms
The appeal of sharing on social media is in part due to the ease of which you can set up a profile and start posting. The learning curve is so shallow that anyone – including your grandmother – can create a Facebook profile.
Building your own website used to be a lot more difficult than it is today. Ease of use continues to be a point of focus for many website building platforms.
Companies like SquareSpace and Wix are specifically marketed as drag and drop web page builders. WordPress is following suit with the launch of their new Gutenberg editor.
You don’t need to know HTML or CSS to build a beautiful website. You can find a domain, purchasing space on a server, and publish your first article, all in a matter of 15 minutes.
2. Our Online Identity Has Real Value
The very existence of a social media platform like LinkedIn points to the fact that our online identities have taken on real world value. As the economy continues to move online, our web presence becomes less of a hobby and more of a necessity.
Our image online has quickly become an integral part of the job hunting process. In 2017, US News reported 95% of recruiters use LinkedIn as a major tool for recruiting top talent. In addition, a survey conducted by CareerBuilder.com reported that 57% of recruiters are less likely to interview a candidate they can’t find online, and 70% check out their potential candidate’s social media profile.
Your online image and portfolio is already more important than a paper resume. As we continue to progress towards a knowledge economy and technology continues to enable a remote workforce, it’s not unrealistic to assume that your online brand may supersede your physical reputation.
LinkedIn is a great starting point. But when everybody’s profile starts to look the same, you lose your ability to stand out. A personal website offers the creative flexibility and control you need to build a personal brand that resonates with company recruiters or future clients.
3. Increased Concerns About Privacy
As our online brand and identity continue to mature and be a source of real value there will be increased concern and awareness for privacy and cyber security.
Social media platforms have come under attack in recent months for concerns about how they share our personal data. I think a shift in internet culture is coming soon where people cease to trust companies who profit from sharing their personal information.
The advantage of a personal website is that it gives you total control over what information you have to share or make available.
The New Social Media
I don’t believe that personal websites will obsolete today’s social media platforms as much as I believe that their rise in popularity may redefine how we utilize shared media platforms.
I think we are already seeing this transformation take place as companies and individual bloggers are increasingly using social media as a medium for posting their content that originated on their personal websites. The advantage of social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter is in their universal adoption. It’s a single place where many users can come and interact.
I think that social media will still serve their distribution and community building purposes. But I think individuals will move away from utilizing these platforms as their primary means of building their online brand and identity.
Leave a Comment