Ever since the economy went sour, my web design workload has doubled. I can’t say whether or not it’s the same for other web designers out there (is it?), but to me, it’s indicative of a mass movement online during this downturn in the economy.

Why? Again, I’m not working with any numbers here, but it isn’t hard to see that people are desperate to connect with employers, customers, clients, and industry — all of which have begun to make their own home-bases online. You wanna find a good job? Sell more products? Get more clients? The internet has super-charged the idea of networking.

Sure, register with Twitter, sign up on Facebook, make a profile on LinkedIn, individually these sites can be useful, but, combine them, organize them, customize them, unify them, and you have yourself a pretty awesome website!

Think of it this way: Someone hands you a business card. It has some generic, watercolor-esque mountains in the background. It’s flimsy. On the back it says, “Free business cards at VistaPrint.com.” What can you conclude from this person’s business card? Would you even keep it? If you did, could you tell it apart from the others?

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Myspace… They’re mostly just detailed business cards, but just because you have one doesn’t mean you can make an impression with it. An awesome website (easy to manage mind you) reminds businesses, clients, customers, and employers alike: You’ve got more to offer than everyone else. You’re your own brand. They need you because you understand how to package yourself.

Let’s face it, when you’re conducting business or heading out to an interview, you don’t want to wear what you rolled out of bed in. The internet is your public image. People often forget it (ie: pictures of a dude pounding back shots at a strip joint in Vegas on his Facebook account).

Years ago, when the economy was bad, you’d pick up and move to a new location. You’d physically travel, searching for a new place. The internet has changed things — but not entirely. We roam the internet now. Stake your claim and be prepared.