Mistakes to avoid with your personal website

I’ve been browsing a massive list of blogs and personal websites, and I have noticed a pattern in the websites I just gave up on. This is my nerdy exploration of what the owners did wrong (and what some did right). To avoid shaming and general meanness, I took no screenshots and am naming no names. WTF is this? – The front page that fails its one vital job Whatever page a first-time visitor to your website lands on, it needs to do one thing for them. None more so than the front page of your website. The thing is this: It must answer the 5 questions a visitor might have: WTF is this site? Where’s the content? Why should I give a damn? Where’s the solution to my problem or need? Who are you and why should I listen to you? You don’t even need to answer them all. One or two clearly answered questions can be enough. The answer does not need to be a full sentence. It does not even need to be words at all. Your design might be able to answer some questions. Photos might too. There’s a good…