The Value of Giving Yourself Options in an Online World

Nothing good comes from waiting. That's especially the case when it comes to creating a social media presence.

When I first started all this social media stuff six years ago, I invested a lot of time creating my professional online footprint. I knew I couldn't do everything, so I just focused on what I thought I could do well and what would yield the most relevant results. For me, that meant creating this blog and using Twitter and Facebook to promote it and my professional services.

Although the creation of Words Done Write was to market myself, I had another pet project that was simply for pleasure. Even though I started it back in 2009, I didn't mention it publicly because it was just something I wanted to do for myself.

A few weeks ago, I decided to take this project more seriously. I set up a Facebook page for it and it's slow going. I can't help but to think where I'd be if I had only created a Facebook presence for that project five years ago. But, my mindset was that it was for fun; not to grow. That was shortsighted.

No matter what you're doing online, whether it's personal or professional, set yourself up to have options.

• Buy the domain. If years pass and you don't use it, go ahead and let it expire. But by buying it, you'll have the ability to do something with it should you choose to. 

I had to make a slight modification to the desired URL for my pet project because, even though the domain I wanted was available when I looked several times over the years, when I actually chose to purchase it, it was gone. I thought it would be there when I finally decided to buy it, but I waited too long.  

• Claim the Facebook URL. I set up a Facebook page for Words Done Write back in 2009 and that's what I chose to focus on. But, how hard would it have been to at least set up a Facebook page for my pet project back then, too? Maybe I wouldn't have put the time into growing it, but if I had it perhaps I would have thought about growing it sooner. 

I've spent the last several years online focusing on the professional me and I made a conscious decision to not have my various worlds collide. But, all of us have more than one side. We all have professional interests and personal hobbies, causes, or passions. I'd venture to say some of you reading this probably even have more than one blog or Facebook page.

Perhaps you'll find you want to do more than one thing online, or maybe you'll find that you start with one project but let it fall by the wayside because you feel more passionate about another. No matter what you ultimately do, be sure you set yourself up for success by giving yourself options for the future: buy the domain name, claim the Facebook page, set up the Twitter account, and identify any other social media platform that may be relevant to your project.

Although that fun project you do just for yourself may not be something you want to grow now, wouldn't it be nice to have everything in place in case there comes a time you want to take it to the next level?