Why Build a Website?
- Marcus
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
Blog No. 31
By Marcus Coates, @homeinriyadh, 12th March 2026
Hashtags: #writersroom, #writerslife, #marcuscoates, #mcmindfulcontent, #creativewriting, #lifestylechoices, #writingcommunity, #nonfictionliterature #wix
It’s been a while …
I haven’t posted a blog for a while, not since 2024. First there was the learning curve and experimentation with vlogging, ditto clothing print and linocut design, then a relocation, a career change, a new apartment to feng shui for the sake of my qi, and finally a refresh of my website.
The relocation, new role, and apartment set up were all necessary in terms of blocking off time, but why the time investment for the website? Why not just post vlogs and blogs and updates on social media?
Ownership not rental
Well, with a website you own the domain and have full control over the design, the layout, the branding, and the content. I’ve been an owner since 2020. On social media you rent space and have to adhere to the platform terms or maybe get evicted over some obscure infringement.
Website content is evergreen and can be stored in one place, whilst social posts last an average of 24-72 hours before disappearing under the deluge of new content and the fickle mercies of the dreaded algorithm or just bumped by paid ads.
Image from UnSplash: Jakub Zerdzicki
My digital hangout
My website www.mc-mindful-content.com is my digital hangout. It’s a space I go to tinker and experiment. I can pop into my digital hangout at any time – move some furniture, scrap something, see what matches, add to my collection – or just read and reflect.
For instance, during the refresh, I noticed I have:
· 70 x blogs
· 7 x vlogs
· 4 x novels
· 2 x screenplays
· 1 x sitcom
· 12 x productivity templates (downloadable)
· 6 x categories of clothing print design
· Other projects in various states
I think that’s worth celebrating!
An environment to find my ikigai
If the projects represent my life’s creative output, then the act of reviewing those projects is my chance to assess my ikigai. Do I have coherence in my life? Are the pursuits an act of joy? Do they represent my purpose? These are values I can reflect on through owning a digital space.
Other benefits
Pulling myself away from the design of things and the reflection on design outputs, I can also say that the website build taught me skills: some experiential, others implicit, tacit or incidental.
For instance, I learnt logo design (tacit); colour and layout design (implicit), responsive design (experiential), alt text, SEO, and tagging (incidental), all while building the site… plus editorial through creating content.
And there’s much more I haven’t even started with in earnest: marketing funnels, call to action strategies, gamification, modality design, analytics marketing and Ai integration, to name a few on the radar.
Round up
For the cost of owning a website domain, I feel it’s money well spent. I won’t give up on social media posting, as it’s still great to network and to get a buzz from being in the noisy marketplace and shout out about your wares; but I won’t put all my eggs in the proverbial basket by sticking only to social media posting.
To wrap up: I haven’t blogged in a while, as I’ve been hanging out in my digital space - and by the way - I do have an open-door policy, so feel free to come in and make yourself at home. And if you get inspired to make your own digital hang out, then please, invite me over!
Quick note: on my website it states I offer 'services' ... these are more 'future (perceived) services' as my intention is to build a full set of digital nomad skills as part of my personal 5-year strategy. Those services will come into being when I reach my digital goals. It's all part of my ikigai.
Thanks for taking the time to read.
BTW: I've now orderd my blogs by category: have a look at the blog home tab and you'll find recipes, writing tips, vlogs, productivity templates and more... have a poke around.
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