The websites I like the most are the ones that tell you everything about themselves to the point where you feel like you sort of know the people behind it. Personal sites (especially of web designers) are a lot of fun because the owner can do whatever they want with the site and make it truly there own. They can have fun with it and just be themselves without having to worry about being professional or looking goofy. They’re allowed to be goofy.
But my favorite websites are the ones that mix professionalism with honesty and openness. These are usually small companies and they’re great! I stick around longer on those sites and I’m sure there customers do too. A blog is a great tool for the customers to get to know you and for the business owner to get to know their customers. There’s no reason to hide who you really are because that’s what people want to know. If you use your website to pretend to be something you’re not then you’re just cheating your clients and lowering your chances for success.
The same holds true for running a blog. Be yourself and if people don’t like it, it shouldn’t matter to you. Because you’re being truthful and real. And you’ll do a lot better because of it.
So you must love mine, right?
Posted by Glen C. on Aug 8, 2006.
It represents you, and I like that.
Posted by Mattbob on Aug 8, 2006.
[...] The frank and honest answer is one can’t, and there really isn’t a point. When I read Matt Bob Jone’s post about not hiding today, it instantly struck a cord within me. Indeed, what’s the point of hiding in the real world? [...]
Posted by Witheld words | chasenlehara.com on Aug 8, 2006.
[...] I mentioned before that we should just be ourselves and not hide who we really are, but I think everyone acts a little bit differently online then we do in person. No matter how hard we try to just be ourselves we act a little different and we’re perceived differently too. [...]
Posted by Mattbob — Blog Archive » We’re Different Online on Sep 9, 2006.