Not sure what you need (and don't need) to create a website for your small business? Here's my list of 5 Basic Things You Need to Create a Website.
1. A Domain
This one may seem like a no-brainer, but you'd be surprised at how many people skip this step and jump straight to the design!
You'll want to carefully select a domain for your website that represents your business name, while also keeping things as short and simple as possible. I always recommend securing a .com domain whenever possible, and making the URL something that is easy to remember *and* say out loud. The goal is to drop your URL as often as possible, whether it's online or by word of mouth- so don't make it too complicated!
I recommend purchasing your domain from google or godaddy.
2. A Plan
Going into the web design process with a solid plan will make things 100% easier and will really speed up the web deign process.
A website plan should include the following things:
► Your mission statement
► Website goals
► Client research
► Offerings or packages
► Pricing
► Lead magnet(s)
► List of 5-6 website pages needed
► Call to actions
3. Branding
Website branding is something that will bring your entire design together as well as position you as a professional and expert in your niche. Having too many fonts, colors and graphics will make your website feel unorganized and all over the place, so putting a lot of thought into your branding is a must. Tip: Using a signature color can increase brand recognition by 80 percent.
The purpose of branding is to help your small business stand out from your competition. Yes- branding is about the look and feel, but also about your values. This is what will help visitors feel connected to you and remember your brand. Your brand is your chance to tell your website visitors a story through visuals and words.
4. Content
This is the most time consuming part of the web design process, and it's something that you'll want to really take your time on. Content refers to the collection of text (copy) and images/videos on your website.
When planning your website content, it is best to take it one page at a time. When you think about writing text for an entire website all at once, it can be overwhelming and will probably make you want to hide under your desk! What should you say? How much do you share? How many images do you need? How do you know when you have enough content?
Since this is such a struggle for my clients, I'm going to teach my exact method for creating concise, compelling website content in my upcoming workshop. I'm even going to provide a website content planner to all attendees, so you do't want to miss it! Save your seat now>>
5. A Website Template
Now for my favorite part! You'll want to start your website design from a premade template or theme. Most website builders actually require that you start with a template of some sort, b/c there's not much reason to reinvent the wheel and code/develop an entire website from scratch. After choosing a website builder, you'll want to download or purchase a template.
While shopping around for a website template, pay close attention to layout and functionality. All of the colors, fonts, and graphics can be changed to match your brand, so choosing a template to represent your business and highlight its offerings in an organized way is what you should be mindful of.
Not quite ready to DIY?
That's ok! Don't waste any more time trying to do it yourself, and instead hire me to do it for you in just one day!
