This is a question that has been bugging me ever since I first connected to the world wide web.

The Content

At the heart of almost every website is what does it tell. So, in that sense, what should a personal website tell?

• Is it a CV, where you strengthen a personal brand and promote your work?
• Is it a meme gallery, where you post stuff you find funny?
• Is it just a playground, to test some stuff you have nowhere else to try?
• Is it a wiki, a repository of all of your interests and personalities scattered around the internet?
• Is it a public, digital notebook, a way to share your thoughts with the world?

The struggle is, I feel like the answer to every question from the above is “yes”. Sure, you could say “depends on what you’d like to achieve”, so if you’re just looking for a job, you might make it a portfolio. But that’s not the point. What if you’d like to achieve all of the above?

After all, there’s multiple versions of “me” for all of us. There’s me, a product designer. There’s me, a hobbyist music producer. There’s me, diggin into philosophy and minimalism. There’s me, a friend, a brother, a son, and a partner. There’s me, wanting to show you what I made. And there’s me, wanting to show you what I love about what others made. Of all of mes, whose website is this?

A Quiet Signal

In a culture of noise, a personal website is a quiet but clear signal. It tells: I care enough to carve out this space, to shape how I present myself, and to tell my story on my own terms.

It shows initiative, clarity, and often a sense of craft.

Whether you’re looking for clients, collaborators, or simply a place to express yourself, a personal site offers a focused, ad-free, and curated experience. You’re not just another avatar in a feed — you’re a person with ideas, interests, and intent. In a space shaped by you, and not the latest app update.

The Style

Imitation comes first, identity comes slow. You learn the rules, then forget them. Not to break them, but to make space for instinct. Style is what remains when effort disappears.

Jack Butcher

• Do you go default and satirical, like Orman?
• Do you put up a whole timeline since the day you were born, like Simon?
• Do you splat your personality all over like Jack or Mike?
• Do you create interactive experiences like Robby or Bruno?
• Do you create an app-like experience, where people can even sign in, like Brian?
• Are you proud of your roots, like Shawn?
• Do you go classic blog style, like Steve? Or invest in zettelkasten, like Andy?
• Do you show your work front and center, like Tobias? Or you go in-depth, like Simon? Or you go beyond traditional portfolio, like Yann?
• Do you tell a compelling one-page story, like Nenad?
• Do you go business card style, like Tim? Or you embrace bento grids, like Stefan?

I could go on and on, there’re countless examples. Should it be your main public-facing brand image, neat and clean? Or should it be your digital backyard sandbox, in the constant state of half-brokenness?

Once again, the answer is “yes” for all of the above.

Sometimes, a website will have a personality of its own, and your personality will begin to be reflected a bit in it. Then more, and more, and more. I guess it’s best not to worry about it. It’ll come through.

The Layout

One of the most important design decisions you can make is the one about the layout itself. Think about it. Instantly, when you look at a web page, you make assumptions. Look at the image below:

Now tell me, which one of these is:

• A dashboard
• A social network
• A magazine or newspaper website
• An agency or a product landing page

How do you know?

Now, look at the next image:

Which blog are you more likely to remember? Which is more likely to stick with you? Do you think that it’s because of the layout?

So, what’s a personal website’s layout? So far, you’re already guessing: I think that all of the answers could be correct.

Values & Goals

The web is a living, breathing entity — constantly shifting, growing, and reshaping itself. Maybe our personal websites should be no different. Instead of boxing them into rigid definitions or fixed purposes, we can embrace flexibility and let them evolve with the web, and with us.

Personal websites aren’t just some static snapshots of who we are today; they’re a dynamic reflection of who we are becoming. They provide a space that grows with our interests, ideas, and adapts to the changing rhythms of our lives.

With that in mind, instead of trying to make it look like something, here are some guiding values I will hold close when building and evolving my own site:

• Authenticity over perfection: It’s better to show real, imperfect moments than to chase a flawless facade. There are no wrong answers.
• Curiosity and experimentation: Let the site be a playground where new ideas, formats, and styles can be tried without fear. Making and breaking it is encouraged.
• Openness to change: Allow the website to evolve naturally, reflecting new passions, skills, and stories as they emerge. It should be easy to update and maintain, portable, and flexible.
• Intentional simplicity: Focus on clarity and purpose, avoiding unnecessary noise or clutter.
• Performance and accessibility: Fast loading and usable by everyone, regardless of device or ability.
• Embrace “Digital Gardening”: Nurture your content over time, pruning and growing as needed.
• Cost efficiency: Practicality matters; it should be sustainable without breaking the bank.
• Personal connection: Create a space that invites genuine interaction and shares a bit of who I am beyond the surface.
• Balance of all selves: Honor the many facets of identity — professional, creative, personal — without forcing them into neat categories.
• Handcrafted: A touch of personal care and craftsmanship that shines through the design and content can’t be ignored.

Ultimately, the goal isn’t to build the “perfect” website, but to craft a space that feels alive, meaningful, and true to the ongoing journey of self-expression.

As I’m writing this, still barebones, this is my personal website.