(article also appears on reencoded.com)
We all want to make a mark on the world – some of us want to be famous, some just want our voices and ideas to be heard. Today we have access to several avenues that make it extremely easy to be seen and heard, especially on the web. Each one of us has an online identity these days, be it on a social networking site like twitter, facebook, myspace or linkedin or on our own little piece of the web – our personal website.
Social networking sites allow one to express their opinions, tastes, likes and dislikes, albeit within a structured framework. Having said that, these are very important outlets to formulate one’s online “personality” and establish one’s virtual social milieu. Sites like Second Life take this even further where one can assume an avatar, or online personality, which of course, can be vastly different from one’s identity in the real world…
The biggest advantage of expressing oneself through a unique web presence is the freedom to say anything (within reasonable limits of web etiquette of course) in any way imaginable. The ability to express one’s thoughts and opinions, present one’s capabilities, and engage with an online audience in new and refreshing ways is paramount to creating a strong and independent online identity. This identity can then be propagated, and the audience can be expanded through social networks and participation in online forums, etc. One thing to remember is that anything said online reflects on the character of the author, and therefore one must exercise a bit of caution while expressing one’s views.
There are many ways to achieve a unique personality on the web. The first step is to discover your passion, and then find a way to communicate that passion to the rest of the world. And do it in a way that will grab people’s attention and keep them coming back for more. The second step is to sustain that passion, and find newer and more interesting ways to present your ideas. Sites that constantly reinvent themselves in both design and content are the most intriguing – this means the person behind the site is also constantly evolving. Sometimes, what’s unique is your personality itself which finds its way to the web through ideas and content.
The web is a wonderful medium to experiment and play, it doesn’t cost you to change the design of your site ten times a day if you like (unless of course you’ve engaged an expensive designer!), and with the reduced costs of webhosting, there is really no limit to how much you can say these days. There is also the wonderful component of instant feedback in the form of comments – something invaluable in a world where people have limited time and even more limited attention spans.
Unique personalities are not reserved for individuals alone. These days companies and even large organizations have unique online identities, twitter accounts and quirky websites.
Below are a few examples of websites that vividly showcase the creator’s personalities, be it an individual or a company – some through the design and others through the content.
Dustin Curtis: His site is a quirky collection of interesting anecdotes, each designed in a unique manner that make them very easy to read.
Johnny Cupcakes: This t-shirt company is named after the guy who started selling t-shirts out of the trunk of his car, and has now evolved into a successful business. A huge factor towards this success: the name and personality of the founder.
Where the hell is Matt?: Matt has made it big by dancing badly. He now gets paid to travel around the world and dance badly, which he archives on his website.
Martin Venezky/Appetite Engineers: Martin’s site showcases his quirky design sensibility. The cat on the homepage was his pet tabby, and has made appearances in a lot of his work.
Hungry&Foolish: A design firm based in Bangalore, India. Their website is funny and intelligent and presents the members of the studio and their work in a candid and unique way.
Pranav Mistry: An engineer at MIT, his site showcases his educational achievements and also gives us a glimpse into his life’s journey in an unassuming and friendly manner.
Of course, if you are already a celebrity, then you probably have more followers on twitter and friends on facebook than you can handle! These words are for those who are yet to make their mark on the world, and the world wide web.
Please add the websites of people you think should be included in the comments so we can help them get famous.
