Why I Built My Own Website Instead of Using Medium or LinkedIn

In today's digital age, there are countless platforms where you can share your thoughts, experiences, and insights. Medium, LinkedIn, Substack, and many others offer easy-to-use interfaces and built-in audiences. So why did I choose to build my own website from scratch using Next.js instead of leveraging these established platforms?

1. Complete Ownership and Control

The most compelling reason for me was the desire for complete ownership and control over my content and digital presence. When you publish on third-party platforms, you're essentially renting space on someone else's property. Your content is subject to their terms of service, algorithm changes, and platform policies.

With my own website, I own every piece of content, every design decision, and every interaction with my audience. I'm not at the mercy of platform changes or the risk of losing my content if a platform decides to shut down or change its policies.

2. Learning and Skill Development

Building my own website was an excellent opportunity to enhance my technical skills. As someone passionate about technology and business development, I wanted to understand the full stack of web development. Next.js provided the perfect framework for this learning journey.

The process of building this website taught me:

• Modern React development with Next.js
• CSS modules and responsive design
• SEO optimization and performance
• Deployment and hosting strategies
• User experience and accessibility

3. Customization and Branding

While platforms like Medium offer beautiful templates, they all look somewhat similar. I wanted a unique digital space that truly represents who I am and what I stand for. My website reflects my personality, my professional journey, and my vision for the future.

From the color scheme to the typography, from the layout to the user experience, every element is carefully chosen to create a cohesive brand experience that's uniquely mine.

4. SEO and Discoverability

Having my own domain and website gives me complete control over SEO. I can optimize every page, every meta tag, and every piece of content for search engines. This is particularly important for someone in business development, where online presence and discoverability are crucial.

While platforms like LinkedIn and Medium do offer some SEO benefits, they're limited by the platform's structure and algorithms. With my own website, I can implement advanced SEO strategies and track performance more effectively.

5. Data and Analytics

Understanding how people interact with my content is valuable for improving my communication and reaching my audience more effectively. With my own website, I have access to detailed analytics about visitor behavior, content performance, and audience demographics.

This data helps me understand what resonates with my audience and how I can better serve them with future content and initiatives.

6. Professional Credibility

In the business world, having your own professional website adds a layer of credibility that's hard to achieve with just social media profiles. It shows that you're serious about your professional presence and willing to invest in your personal brand.

For someone working in business development and technology, this level of professionalism can make a significant difference in how potential partners, clients, and employers perceive you.

7. Integration and Automation

My website serves as a central hub that can integrate with various tools and services. I can connect it with my email marketing, CRM systems, analytics platforms, and other business tools. This level of integration is simply not possible with third-party platforms.

8. Long-term Investment

Building a website is an investment in my future. As I grow professionally and my audience expands, my website will grow with me. I can add new features, new sections, and new functionality as needed, without being constrained by platform limitations.

Why Next.js?

I chose Next.js for several reasons:

• Performance: Next.js provides excellent performance out of the box with automatic code splitting and optimization
• SEO-friendly: Server-side rendering ensures my content is easily discoverable by search engines
• Developer Experience: The development experience is smooth with hot reloading and excellent tooling
• Scalability: As my website grows, Next.js can handle the increased traffic and complexity
• Modern Stack: Built on React, it uses modern web technologies that are in high demand

The Trade-offs

Of course, building your own website isn't without challenges:

• Time Investment: It takes time to build, maintain, and optimize
• Technical Knowledge: Requires understanding of web development
• Ongoing Maintenance: Regular updates and security patches are necessary
• Initial Audience: You start from zero, unlike platforms with built-in audiences

Conclusion

While platforms like Medium and LinkedIn are excellent for reaching broad audiences quickly, building my own website was the right choice for my long-term goals. It's an investment in my professional development, my personal brand, and my technical skills.

For anyone considering this path, I'd recommend weighing your goals, technical comfort level, and time availability. If you're passionate about technology, want complete control over your digital presence, and are willing to invest the time, building your own website can be incredibly rewarding.

As I continue to develop this website and share my journey, I'm excited to see how this digital space evolves and grows with me. It's not just a website—it's a reflection of my professional journey and a platform for future growth.