Why Technical Founders should have an Online Presence

Being a technical founder means you’re responsible for the technology behind your company. Maybe you’re the inventor of a new product or you’re the coder of the next big app. Whatever it is that you’re the founder of, you are the person building it and that’s huge. As a technical founder, you know the importance of building the tech, but the front-facing brand matters just as much to your customer base. It’s important that, as the person behind the technology of your company, you share your story. The good news? You’ll be able to whip up a website for yourself in no time! We’ve got some domain names that’ll suit your online presence, too. Show the world what it means to be a technical founder.

What a Technical Founder’s Website Should Say

Your website should introduce who you are and pique the interest of those who land. Why does the person landing care that they’re on your website and where should they go from there? You want to keep this person engaged with your website. Talk about what you’ve built and why these projects mattered to you. Discuss the thought process behind each project and the time and effort that went into each initiative. Finally, ensure the proper call-to-actions (read: buttons!) are in place so that people know which part of your website to navigate to next. Lead people through your website in a sensible way: such as through the homepage, on to the about page, landing on then portfolio page, and finally, to the contact page.

What a Technical Founder’s Website Should Show

Your website should show two things more than anything: you and your recent work. Most people have an image of themselves on their personal websites. This is great if the image you have is high quality and recent – if not, wait to post an image of yourself until you have that. Aside from you, your website should play host to your work. Show images of what you’ve built and created. If you built a product, a website, or an app, share the screencaps of the final product. If you’re able to, sharing the iterative process is also an exciting thing for people looking to enter your field and follow in your footsteps. Your website needs to be well organized so your audience can navigate your plethora of inventions and creations with ease.

Where a Technical Founder’s Website Should Live

Hover offers over 300 Top-Level Domains (TLDs, or domain name extensions), and many that are categorized under “technology” or “computers” or “business” are perfect for entrepreneurs and those involved in the technology side of their companies. Some of the domain name extensions that are great for technical founders are: .TECH, .DEV, and .APP. The .TECH domain name is a blanket domain that could refer to your physical or digital tech across many different industries – from medical, to travel, to startups. The .DEV domain name really highlights who you are as a developer and is great for the coder leading the company. The .APP domain name suits any technical founder launching their own app. We also love the more generic, yet tech-focused, domains like .WEBSITE and .ONLINE. These domains are fun alternatives to the expected TLDs yet remain generic for a multitude of uses. New TLDs are all the rage and are growing in popularity, so don’t be afraid to think outside the norm. A strong domain name always makes a brand statement – so go forward with the one that best represents you and what you’ve built.

Where a Technical Founder’s Website Should Connect to

Whether we like it or not, we live in a world dominated by social media. People want to connect with the entrepreneurs they admire and get a peek into their world. Share your inspiring journey into founding and building your company with the people who want to learn from you. Be sure to link out to the social channels you use regularly (and make sure these are channels you enjoy keeping up… don’t start social channels you won’t use!).

You should also link out to any relevant work. If you’re talking about how you built your latest company, be sure to link out to that company on your website. Use your website as an opportunity to link to every project you’ve had a hand in building so someone who lands can understand your journey.

Finally, if relevant, link out to all publications that mention you in a “News and Blog” section. If Forbes wrote a piece on your company, or Narcity listed you as an entrepreneur to follow on social, or there’s a YouTube video of your latest keynote – let it live on your website! Your website can help you organize the content about you. People looking to hire you or have you speak at their tech event will want to be able to access this content, and it’s always good to monitor it to submit edits when necessary. Keep this list updated regularly so you can keep track of publications that mention you and share those articles or content pieces with your network.