{"id":6757,"date":"2021-05-04T16:24:10","date_gmt":"2021-05-04T16:24:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/icodehappy.com\/?p=6757"},"modified":"2021-05-04T22:57:53","modified_gmt":"2021-05-04T22:57:53","slug":"are-you-thinking-of-getting-a-website","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/icodehappy.com\/are-you-thinking-of-getting-a-website\/","title":{"rendered":"Are you thinking of getting a website?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Are you thinking of starting a website for your business? Congratulations! It’s one of the most rewarding things you can do for your business and for yourself, too.<\/p>\n

What a website can do for you<\/h2>\n

Your site becomes your online hub, your home on the web – and it can work hard for you and your business. While it takes some effort to keep current content and make it easy to use, your site can fill multiple “employee roles” for your business. It can be a 24\/7 marketing machine, a storefront, a customer service tool, a lead generator, a community builder, and even an admin assistant.<\/p>\n

At its best, your website takes your visitor by the hand and leads them along the customer journey you have created for them.<\/p>\n

One of my clients had a website she hated, complicated and full of features she didn’t use. Once we simplified her site and added a resource page, she could send that page to her clients when they ask her for the links, again for the 37th time. It saves her time and headaches because the website keeps up with the links for her. (Yes, we check the links to make sure they stay up to date).<\/p>\n

Websites make your business seem legitimate, help you get found on Google, and make a place for all your content to have a home. Your site can link to your guest posts, products, social media profiles, and all the other websites or resources you want your visitors to see. There’s so much your website can do – from creating a checkout\/rental tool to bookings to a simple list of services and business hours.<\/p>\n

Websites are not social media platforms<\/h2>\n

The point is, websites can do what social media cannot. They can give you a permanence and control over your content that you don’t get with your social media accounts. They allow you to help your site visitors go on a customer journey, one you’ve designed to help them get what they need from you.<\/p>\n

Social media is excellent for what it is – an introduction, a branding tool, and a way to stay top of mind – at least it can if you can get people to actually see your posts. But your business depends on getting people to take steps beyond social media.<\/p>\n

While social media platforms offer various types of content, different types of users, and a range of posting styles, we can tailor our websites to fit the business and the people they serve – both the business owner and the website visitors. In fact, this is pretty much my mantra and my purpose.<\/p>\n

Where do you start?<\/h2>\n

So now that you’ve made this decision to start a website, where do you start? There are so many website platforms, articles, classes, and videos out there! If you want help building your website, should you go with a marketing agency, a website agency, or a freelancer? How do you choose?<\/p>\n

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Start with what you need<\/h2>\n

Start with what you need first. Go through your business and processes and see where a website could help you. Do you want to sell products? Do you plan to offer an e-course? Do you want to put a portfolio of your work online? Do you want to automate an onboarding process for your clients?<\/p>\n

Then start thinking about the tech side. Are you pretty savvy or at elast willing to learn? Do you want to let someone else do it, or do you want to DIY? Do you want everything together in one platform, or are you ok with figuring out how to piece things together?<\/p>\n

Once you know more about what you want, you can start thinking about how to build it. If you’re going to build it yourself, start making a list of what you’ll need. If you’d prefer to hire someone, make a list of questions to ask about what you’ll need.<\/p>\n

Either way, here’s a list of website necessities to start:<\/p>\n