Your website is the online hub for your business, with technology and online marketing soaring, it’s essential for the modern-day business owner to have a website. Having a well structured, well designed and informative website ensures you can display your point of difference within your industry and be a leading company within it. It’s important for your clients to have a true sense of who is behind your business, your services and what your business stands for. From a consumer perspective, when a business looks professional in the online space, this can be the defining factor of choice when choosing to work with you and your business, so it’s a no-brainer to put the investment of time and finances into providing a sophisticated website for your audience.

That’s the why, but here’s the how! I know how overwhelming anything online marketing, website or branding can be when it’s unfamiliar to you. But to make it as easy as possible for you, here are five easy steps to getting started with a website for your own business.

Five Steps to Getting Started with a Website

Step 1: Branding

To create a well-designed website, you will require more than a logo. A brand guide is essential before beginning a website build to ensure your brand’s online home simultaneously flows. Your branding requires colours, typography, photography look and feel and guidelines which flows through to the remainder of your brand design which extends further than your website to printed collateral, social media, packaging, etc. I’d recommend reaching out to a designer for a high-quality outcome.

Step 2: Copy-write

If you’re unfamiliar with what copy-write means, it refers to the writing on your website. Copy-write provides the language, expression and direction to your audience that translates what you need to communicate. In my opinion, this is the most important step of your website preparation process and deserves a lot of thought into what you’d like to convey to your customer. Brainstorm, look at competitors within your industry and find your point of difference to make clear on your website. If you can, hire a copywriter experienced working with individuals in your industry, or if you have the literacy skills, write it yourself!

Step 3: Imagery

Photography upon your website is what gives your audience visual context of who your brand is and supports your copy-write and branding. Ensuring you have high quality and well-edited photos to fit in with your website, is essential. Depending on your budget and industry, imagery could look different for everyone and also have a different cost. You could choose to use stock imagery or hire a photographer, but nonetheless, pixelated images from your mobile may not make the cut for this one!

Step 4: Research

It’s important to know what your competitors are currently doing in the online space. Have a look at what they’re excelling at, what they could be doing better and where you can provide a point of difference for your clientele. It’s important to know what sets you apart in your industry, find your niche and know what web pages you require and be across your services, pricing and/or products.

Step 5: Vision

Have an idea of what you envision for your business visually. You don’t need to know the ins and outs, that’s what designers are for, but have your mood board at the ready with everything you love. Themes, colours, typography, photography – put it all in! Know what elements you like and dislike of your favourite websites regardless of the industry. Know what you do and don’t need for your business and the rest will fall into place.

I hope this provides you with some clarity on getting started with a website. Need help? Get in touch with Creative Desk, whether you are looking for a WordPress solution or a simple canva website, we can assist you to bring your business online.