Years before I had a website of my own, I knew that eventually I wanted to own everything 100%. I put a lot of time into thinking about how to future-proof my business so I could keep earning money off my content long after I retire from shooting, and not be dependent on anyone else for my income. The seemingly small decision to use my own domain name was the first step in creating the kind of financial freedom I envisioned, and I started directing traffic to it from day one.
GETTING YOUR OWN DOMAIN
Ultimately, you’ll be able to control your traffic 100% without being at the mercy of anyone for sales.
Even if, for now, your site is only a landing page listing all of your social media and platform links, you should still always direct all your traffic to yourself. And rather than simply using a Linktree or AllMyLinks page, set up your own page so you can expand it in the future. As traffic flows to your official domain/page, search engines will prioritize it among the top results when people seek you out.
The idea of having your own website/page may seem overwhelming and intimidating, but it’s really easy and costs almost nothing. If you don’t already own your domain, all you need to do is go to GoDaddy. com and type your name into the search box.
OPTIMIZING YOUR URL AND BRAND FOR SEO
Make sure you get a .com extension and that your name is as short and as close to your brand or stage name as possible. It’s better for Google-driven traffic if you have a shorter domain name that’s accurate rather than one with extra words added. If your name is already taken, try searching for it with “xxx” or “official” before the .com.
An additional benefit of using your own domain is that it allows you to start building your link popularity. This is important because when fans search for you, you want them to see your website at the top of Google search results so they come directly to you instead of going first to tube sites, platforms and your social accounts, as can happen if your own domain is listed lower down or on page two.
Another thing I recommend is to include an email address on your links page. I suggest using a dedicated free email account to keep it separate from your other email addresses. Invite fans to send you an email so you can engage them on a personal level. This way, when you announce your expanded website or other special offers, they’ll be more likely to sign up and buy from you directly.
HOSTING AND DESIGNING YOUR SITE
Once you purchase your domain, you can choose to use GoDaddy’s web hosting or website package for as little as $7 per month to make your landing page. If you find that part too overwhelming or don’t have time, then for a small fee, an adult-friendly designer — ask your peers or an industry person you trust to recommend someone — can create a custom fan page that matches your own personal style.
In most cases, your fans are far more interested in your content and interacting with you than the look of your link list, so don’t worry too much about a fancy design. Sending everyone to your own domain first is the main goal; having it look nice is just a bonus.
THE BENEFITS OF DIRECTING TRAFFIC TO YOUR DOMAIN
Once you’re sending all your fan traffic and search traffic to your own page, you can list your URL/domain in all your watermarks, social media account bios and promotional posts. Ultimately, you’ll be able to control your traffic 100% without being at the mercy of anyone for sales.
Thanks to putting in some effort upfront, when I was eventually ready to build a website of my own, I already had a lot of traffic flowing to my landing page, which immediately jump-started my website and helped my income grow much faster. Keep the steps above in mind, and hopefully you can reap the same results.
Meana Wolf is an independent producer who has received multiple award nominations for performing, directing and cam modeling. Meana currently produces content full-time for her Elevated X software-powered website MeanaWolf.com.
