Are you digitally homeless? The answer to this question my surprise you!
Digitally homeless. Does that describe you? If your answer is “No,” please qualify your response. Is it because you know how to surf the Internet? Is it because you are active on social media? To be sure, these skills are useful and fun, but they don’t qualify as digital homes. If you are an artist, writer, or business owner, and the bulk of your public work is on social media, you have a problem. You are digitally homeless. Let me explain.
What Is Digital Homelessness?
In the brick and mortar world, your home is where you eat, sleep, and relax. Your home should be a shelter from environmental and social dangers. It can be big or small, or a place that you own or rent. Ideally, your home is arranged for both your safety and convenience. Whether you’re modern or old school, neat or clutter-prone, chances are, your home is a reflection of you. The cyber world is no different.
Basically, if you have intellectual or other types of property that need protection and presentation, you should have a secure place online that you own (private domain), or rent (shared domain). A website or blog established under your private domain is Internet property that you own and control. You can add as much content as you want, when you want, as often as you want. Fabulous as Facebook is, they have the final say as to what you can post or how often. Actually, Facebook has authority to remove or limit the reach of every post you create. That is why a Facebook page is not a true digital home.
What’s a Digitally Homeless Homie to Do?
So, if the online presence for your intellectual property is mostly on Facebook or other websites (that you don’t own), you need to act. Here are a few steps that you can take to “come out of the storm” of digital homelessness.
1. Register your domain name. Most domain names cost less than $20 per year. You can register your own name, the name of your business, or a name you make up. Most for profit businesses prefer .com,, and nonprofits often select .org. For the most part, though, .com is king because it signifies registration in the US. If the .com version of your domain name is taken, you can register a .net, .info, .biz, .tv (or other), domain.
2. Your next step is to choose a web hosting company. A web hosting company owns the servers where the information for your site will be kept. For the most part, web hosting can be free, or have a modest fee of $10 to $20 per month. Hosting companies vary with respect to what they offer. Here are some basic services you should look for:
Unlimited emails
Unlimited bandwidth
Tech support 24/7
Blog installation capability (free)
At least 1 year free domain name.
Free site design templates
According to PC Magazine, the top 5 web hosting companies for 2016 are:
HostGator Web Hosting
1&1 Web Hosting
DreamHost Web Hosting
Bluehost Web Hosting
InMotion Web Hosting
To compare and contrast all 10 hosts on the list, click here.
The Dangers of Digital Homelessness
According to Entrepreneur.com: “if you’re a one-man show or a 10,000-employee corporate giant; if you don’t have a website, you’re losing business to other companies that do.” So loss of income is one of the biggest dangers of digital homelessness. This is because the Internet creates credibility and allows more people to see what you offer. Search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo index credible sites, so when people are looking for what you offer, your name or business name has a better chance of being included in search results.
Another way a website helps you gain income is through helping establish your brand. Your brand is what comes to mind when people think about your business. Of course, and excellent web design and interesting, helpful content help establish a favorable impression for your brand.
So, if you’re serious about making money from your business or services, your should follow the steps recommended here for ending digital homelessness. If you have questions about domain name registration and web hosting, please fill out the form below. Here’s to your success!
Verneda Lights
