Why every YouTubers and Content Creators need a website
Owning a website or writing a blog post isn’t something most content creators consider.
In this article, I want to inform you about why you need to consider owning your own website if you are a YouTuber or content creator.
Please stay with me as we explore some of the reasons why you need to consider owning a website together.
About me
I am a blogger and also a YouTuber. I own Abundance Aware YouTube Channel and I am Afrikan YouTube channel. Currently, my main focus on YouTube is I am Afrikan YouTube Channel.
The main point about this background information is to prove the point that I practice what I preach. In essence, I have a YouTube channel and a website.
Why do you need a website as a digital content creator
Website is your property
You might think you own a YouTube channel, Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter account. These are not your property. They belong to the shareholders of those organizations. This means you are just renting their space, you can be suspended anytime.
Obviously, the chance of you being suspended is very slim. As long as you follow their rules you will be fine. But your own website is your property which you cannot be suspended from.
Share your work
The big social media platforms do have rules and regulations that prevent you from sharing some kind of content. I am not suggesting you share inappropriate content. But there is some content that are appropriate to you which represents your values and beliefs.
You might be restricted to share them on general platforms like YouTube or Facebook. On your websites, you can share anything you want because it’s yours. You are the owner and decide what goes on there.
There might be some content you will like to create a video about but due to many reasons, you are unable to. It might be more convenient to write about it. Later on, when you have time you can create a video.
One of the most important books I read is Share your work. In fact, the book came at a very important time when I was considering shutting down this website.
Basically, your website is your real home on the internet. You can share whatever you are creating on your website. Your website gives you that feeling of the creator because over time you will be surprised how much valuable content you’ve created over a long period of time.
| I wrote about how a blog works and how to start a blog. You can read it if you want to create your website. |
Make money
Websites do take a while to rank and show up on Google search. But if you are patient and create valuable content. Your website will rank and you can advertise on your website and earn money through Google Adsense and sponsor posts.
Your website can provide you with an extra source of income.
Improve your writing skills.
Writing is one of the most valuable skills for many reasons. Your writing skills will improve over time when you write on your website. Your primary content creation platform will also benefit from your improved writing skills.
Most content creation and social media platforms work on Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). You will learn SEO through running a website and that will benefit you a lot as a content creator.
What type of content to create on your website?
Ideally, you should consider creating content in the same niche as your primary social medial platform. For example, if your niche is travel and lifestyle on YouTube, you can write about travel and lifestyle on your website.
By doing that it will make your content creation easier. A good strategy is to convert your video content to website content.
For example, if you visit South Africa and you create a video about ‘10 things to do in Cape Town’. You can write 10 things to do in Cape Town and post them on your website. You can embed your video on the page of the article.
This strategy can even drive traffics to your YouTube channel from Google search.
Sell physical or digital products and make money
A lot of creators are making money from their own digital and physical products.
If you have a product to sell. You can have the product on your website. When you mention your product on your YouTube channel, you can easily have a link to your website.
A lot of successful YouTubers and digital content creators own their websites either before or after they create their YouTube or Instagram accounts. They use their website to sell their products.
Some few examples are below
- Tayo Aina https://tayoaina.com/
- Ali Abdal https://aliabdaal.com/
- Wode Maya https://wodemaya.me/
- 2nachecki https://2nacheki.tv/
- The Humble Penny https://thehumblepenny.com/
Build true followers
You can use your website to collect your follower’s emails. You can ask your followers to sign up to your email list. Remember your audience on YouTube are not yours, they are borrowed from YouTube.
If you have their emails via your website that’s when you can really call them your real and true followers.
Build integrity and credibility
When you are reaching out to sponsors or when they are finding out about you. Your websites where you have your information and other content you create give you more credibility and authority.
When should you start your website?
The simple answer is, as soon as you can. This is because the age of the website is one of the contributing factors to how Google ranks it and shows it to people searching for the information you are offering.
If you don’t have the finances as a new creator who is just starting off, perhaps you can just buy the domain and know it’s secure. Later when you can afford both the time and money you can then start to connect with a content management system and then start uploading content.
If you don’t have money at the beginning, my recommendation will be to start as soon as you get monetized on YouTube or any other platform you are creating content on.
By this time you have money coming in that can be used for expenses that come with owning a website.
Owning a website comes with some expenses. There are free websites but seriously such websites always have limitations so I won’t recommend them.
Does your website domain name need to be your YouTube channel name?
It’s highly advisable to have the same name across all platforms. I will highly recommend anyone just starting out in the content creation journey to have the same name across all platforms.
But if you are already on the journey and you are unable to secure a domain name that you already use on your YouTube or other platforms. This doesn’t mean you still can’t have a website.
I am more active on I am Afrikan and I am also still active here so not having the same name on your social and YouTube shouldn’t stop you from starting a website.
Final Though and Caution
Having a website as a YouTuber is important but not mandatory. As already mention above there are a lot of benefits to owning a website.
I cannot conclude this article without a word of caution. When you are just starting out, you should put a lot of effort into your YouTube channel. Be careful of doing too many things at the same time.
When you get monetized on YouTube, you can hire an editor or a writer that will help you produce content or manage your website if you start producing content on your website.
