Event details

28. January 2019

Building an online community during your studies

Hi, I'm Gustav. Today I'm going to tell you about how I'm studying in Görlitz and building my own website at the same time. I'm going to tell you about my project, how I came up with it and the challenges I faced.

it all started in August 2017.

I hadn't had a clue what I wanted to do since leaving school. I had traveled around for a year and a half, did an internship and tried my hand at lots of different small jobs. That was fun for a while, but after two turbulent years, I didn't feel like jumping back and forth anymore. And that's why I decided to go to university. And when I came across communication psychology in my search for degree courses, my decision was made quickly. It was the perfect subject for me because, on the one hand, it deals with interpersonal communication, which has occupied me my whole life, and on the other, it also takes up aspects from the field of marketing, where I had previously worked. I then enrolled and waited for the course to start. But I already wanted more back then. I was looking for a way to do something on the side to gain practical experience while I was still studying,

and that's how I came up with the idea for my current website.

My why:

I decided to develop a website that focuses on interpersonal communication. Specifically, to give people who have difficulties with it the means and methods to get along better. The target audience is not the average person next door, but people who really struggle to connect with other people and build interpersonal connections. There were four key reasons for building the website:
  • I wanted to learn how to build a website. I simply wanted the technical aspect of the project. I had never tinkered with a website before and really only used the computer to play games and watch videos, but for some reason this idea appealed to me.
  • I want to pass on my knowledge and have a positive influence on people. The things I write about on my website have been on my mind for a long time. I know what it's like to feel socially incompetent and I want to show readers that they are not alone and that there is a way out.
  • I wanted to get to know my target group better. You can't help people if you don't know what their problem is. Through contact with my community, I have already learned so much about what makes them tick, what they are afraid of and what their biggest wishes are. You also hear stories from people who have already overcome their problems and what has helped them. I wanted to build up a reach that I can use after my studies.
  • I don't yet know what exactly I will do after my studies. But what I do know is that reaching out to people who are interested in the work you do is always valuable! No matter how good you are as a coach, trainer or speaker, if you don't have any clients, you can't help anyone. And because this is a problem for many people, I wanted to find access to my target group as quickly as possible. The implementation:I got started in November 2017. Found a host, registered a domain and installed WordPress. I had been reading and gathering information for two months beforehand and was motivated to the tips of my toes. But the initial motivation died down pretty quickly because I only made slow progress. Perseverance was more important for my project than short-term enthusiasm. I had to teach myself how to create and edit a website. I did everything on my own because I didn't have the money to pay someone to do it. It took quite a while, but I learned a lot. Even a bit of programming. Then I wrote my first articles. And it took me a lot of effort because it seemed so stupid. Writing articles that nobody reads anyway. Except maybe my mom and my grandma. Why am I doing this? But at some point, more and more people found their way to the site and that made it easier. Suddenly I was getting emails from readers who were enthusiastic about the articles. That gave me extra energy. And so I have continued to improve the website step by step and upload new content. 1500 new visitors now come to the website every month. That's not a lot by online standards, but I'm still pleased with the development and look forward to the future with great joy. Challenges:It wasn't always easy for me to prioritize. Sometimes I almost missed out on my studies. Even as a student, you don't have an infinite amount of time and occasionally I want to have a beer by the Neisse and not just work and study. I really like studying, but the website is currently my main project and it can happen that I miss a few lectures while I'm writing a new article in the library. On the other hand, there's the exam period. I study from morning to night and don't think about anything else. During this time, the website gets a bit neglected and the emails pile up. But even that can be straightened out after (mostly) passing the exams with a little time. In addition to the balancing act between my studies and the website, I also have the challenge of doing everything on my own. This means I have to teach myself everything and it takes longer. Only the pictures on my website are not mine, by the way. A friend draws them for me. My conclusion:If you also want to build up an online presence during your studies, I would like to warn you. Nothing works without commitment and work. But if you have the desire and keep at it, it can pay off. I've been hearing a lot of complaints lately about how the internet and social networks are harming us and especially our children. That may be true, but such complaints don't achieve much. Many areas of the job market and everyday life are now being shifted to the internet and this process cannot be stopped. You can either curse the internet or you can use it to bring people together and create added value. I believe that having an online presence will be invaluable in the future for those who want to reach other people, and if you've become curious while reading this article and want to take a look at my website. Here are my last three articles:
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