The Internet is the land of the possibilities and no matter where you are in your journey, there are some things, consider them like a checklist, you need to do on the Internet.
This starts your Internet journey and will help you in the job, relationships and the creative fulfillment.
1) Get a domain
A domain is an address for you at the Internet. For example, my domain is theinternetplaybook.com. You can use it for anything you like. But if you have a domain you can point at – it’s nice. You can add a blog, portfolio, contact information or anything you like.
You can use Namecheap, Gandi or any domain registrar.
Few tips:
- Try to get a .com domain. There are many extensions available. However, .com is still easy to share.
- Use your name in the domain. Some examples are your first name last name, your name and profession or some catchy name which defines you.
- The rule of thumb is that your domain name should be easy to read it out, so it can shared and remembered.
2) Get an Email
To communicate on the Internet, the best thing is an email. Gmail is quite popular but it ain’t the only one. You can buy one with your domain or use Gmail or something like proton mail.
It depends on your choice. You can have multiple for multiple uses or have one for all things. You do – but get an email because all the Internet communication lands up here.
Few tips:
- Use different email address for different purpose like one for job, one for personal friends and one for side business.
- Your bank account is often connected to your email account, so use a strong password.
- If you happen to be a power user, consider paying for the email service so you get privacy and premium features.
3) Build your Portfolio
A portfolio is something which you can point to your potential employer to show what projects you have done. Once you wander on the Internet, you will find different ideas to build your portfolio.
But for now, you can simply list the projects are you working on, what have you achieved and what challenges you have overcome.
It can a blog about how you are learning, applying and growing in your expertise. And whenever an opportunity arises, you can point to this blog/portfolio and boom the potential employer will be impressed. Also, it acts as a stimulant for you to keep updating and thus keep learning.
Portfolio word is often associated with actors who carry their photos and list of movies they had worked in. And they call this portfolio.
By seeing this, some producer decides whether or not they want to cast her in the movie. And by this interaction we learn that portfolio is important.
If you go for a coding job, they might ask you for a degree in computer science. And often degree is a proxy for them knowing that you know to code. And since this has been happening from long time ago, they keep asking for that degree.
But unlike some fields like medicine, where you have to learn from a certified hospital and get your degree, coding is something you can learn on your own.
Imagine instead of degree, you are asked to show a portfolio of your coding skills, then if you are passionate enough – you could get a job at 18 years of age. And that’s already happening on the Internet. And I suspect – more and more companies would follow. And eventually you will see this change in the offline world too.
So what should you do?
If your skill is something you can learn on your own, start a portfolio of your work in progress. And keep learning. Your portfolio is how you will get paid. No age bar, degree bar or any kind of affiliation required.
Few tips:
- Don't overcomplicate. Your portfolio can be text about what you have achieved
- It can be on your Facebook or Twitter too
- Goal is to keep updating your online portfolio with things you want other people to get attracted
4) One social media
There are perhaps hundreds of social media. And it’s easy to get lost in each one of them. Partly because it’s fun and partly because it has been designed this way.
You can use social media to your advantage. Find the social media where your peers hang out. For example, you will find that dancers are on Instagram and writers are on Twitter. And as such, if you put all your energy into one social media, you can build an audience, and connections and eventually get the clout to get earnings from it.
Too much social media and your energy will be scattered and might not generate the outcome you desire. Sure, have a presence on other social media but put all your energy into your main social media.
Few tips:
- Automate if you want your presence on multiple social media
- Follow people you admire or want to be connected
- Engage without being spammy and put out your content too, slowly it will connect
5) Feed reader
No matter what you do, reading a newsletter is perhaps the best way to be on top of your expertise. Or to broaden your perspectives. And you can subscribe to them by email.
But if you are subscribing to a lot of them, you can add them to a feed reader like Feedly. They will have all the newsletter articles and you can read them on their app or browser. This way you won’t have unread emails but you can read all your articles when you do have time or want to.
Few tips:
- Subscribe to tons of blogs and then subscribe which you don't find valuable or outgrow
- Reply and grow your connection with the blogger
- Don't just read, reflect and act
6) One fun hangout place
Find one hangout place where you will spend time and do timepass. It’s an important thing to do because all work and no play isn’t good.
Depending upon the kind of person you are, it might be YouTube, Reddit or Facebook or something entirely new. But put a reminder to have a stopping time. For example, only spend 1 to 2 hours per day. Or else, you will end up wasting all your time.
Few tips:
- These days, every platform has vertical doom scrolling, so have a time out, else you will be too much sucked
- Do this timepass without any judgement
- If nothing only interest you, go out and do something offline for your timepass
7) One community
Also, find where your community hangs out. Sure, dancers are on Instagram but they might have a discord group or a Facebook group. Find that out and then do your community job to get the invitation to join.
This is where you will find the behind the scenes of your niche. Learn, contribute and connect.
Few tips:
- Also do this offline because it deepens the connection
- You can change this. For example, for next 6 months, join pottery community and then for next dancers community
- Have fun
How else should you start your internet journey?