5 Tips for Creating Your First Website

Whether you’re building a personal brand or helping a client with their marketing efforts, having a website can help you reach your set objectives in several ways. With a website, you can reach your target audience through a digital space. You can also define your brand to potential customers and develop brand awareness, which can generate leads. Creating a website sounds complicated, and in many ways, it is! There’s a lot of tricks and techniques that must go into place so that your website is successful. However, before you start thinking about these little details, it’s important to get started.

Here are a few tips that can guide you in creating your first website:

1. Define your website’s purpose.

As a marketer, you know that every marketing effort must have a set purpose behind it. A website is no different. Every website is created with a specific goal in mind so make sure you define it for your website. Do you want to help your client build a larger customer base or build their brand awareness? Do you want a website that introduces your personal brand to potential customers on a digital landscape? Regardless of your goal, you need to be able to define it so that you can provide relevant, straightforward information on your website, such as the company/brand and its offerings to customers.

2. Purchase a domain.

Make sure to purchase a domain before you get started on your website. According to wpbeginner, a domain is your website’s address that people will use to type into their browser. Purchasing a domain is relatively inexpensive, usually costing anywhere between $10-$15. Having a registered domain name is a must-have for all websites. It gives your website a professional advantage against competitors and allows users to remember your website’s name quickly.

3. Choose a great CMS platform.

Once you purchase a domain, you’re ready to build your website! To build your website, you need to choose a reliable content management system (CMS) platform so that you can manage your website’s content. The best CMS platform to start with is WordPress since it gives you many theme options, is easy to manage, and contains various plugins. Other popular CMS platforms include Wix, Joomla, and Shopify. The CMS platform you choose depends highly on your website’s purpose.

4. Decide on your pages.

Most websites contain different pages, such as a home and about page. Depending on your goals, you may decide to go with a small selection of pages like your home and contact page. If you’re developing a client’s online presence, you may create a number of website pages that detail their services or products. Make sure to consider what pages you want to develop before you start creating your website.

5. Plan out and write your own content.

Along with deciding your pages, CMS platform, and the other factors on this list, you also need to plan out what you want to say…and say it! You can write drafts on a paper or a Word Doc to begin writing the copy of your website. Your website’s copy should be direct, straightforward, and align with the brand’s personality. By developing your own website content, you’ll have a better idea of your brand’s message, especially if you decide to hire a content writer to handle and edit it later.

Once you publish your website, remember: the journey only starts from there. Your website will likely undergo various changes throughout the months and even years. Your client may end up asking you to revise certain pages or you may add new ones for your personal brand. You’ll also need to update your site’s SEO and design to keep up with industry trends. What’s important is always keeping your audience’s interests and needs when performing these changes.