What do you do if your business needs a website, but you're not sure what tools to use?

To navigate the process of building a website when unsure about the tools, start by assessing your website goals and requirements. Determine the purpose of the website, target audience, and desired features such as e-commerce functionality or blog integration. For example, if your goal is to create an e-commerce site with easy customization options, platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce might be suitable. Conversely, if you prioritize flexibility and design freedom, platforms like WordPress or Wix could be preferable. By understanding your specific needs, you can choose the most suitable tools for your website development.

The goal of your business and the results you seek decides the tool of the website. If you want to sell products/service you can use Shopify or a something as simple yet exclusive as Top Mate. If you want it to be an infomercial only which takes traffic to the social media pages or google forms you can simply use Wix, Canva or Word Press. If you want to go through a specific domain or market your business you can use godaddy or mailchimp. Also, in certain cases, your LinkedIn profile can act as a landing page and you might not even need any other webpages, as such conduct an in-depth analysis of your requirements.

"Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works." - Steve Jobs ??? Had an eye-opening convo about setting website goals with some web wizards. It’s all about the blueprint before the build. ?? Dreaming up a website that wows? ?? Let's dive into your vision and requirements. If you're sketching out your digital presence or looking for design inspo, drop me a line. Let’s craft a site that not just exists, but excels! ??

Assess Your Website Goals and Requirements: - Purpose and Functionality: Define the main objectives of your website and the features it needs to fulfill those objectives. - Target Audience: Consider the needs and preferences of your target audience. - Brand Identity: Decide how you want to present your brand on your website. - Design and Layout: Determine your desired level of control over the website's design. - Maintenance: Plan for the frequency and extent of website updates and maintenance.

I think it's crucial to establish a clear vision for your website encompassing its purpose, functionality, design. Consider the primary goals and objectives of your website, aligning them with your overall business objectives. Identify your target audience and delve into their needs, preferences, and behaviors to ensure your website effectively caters to their requirements. Determine how you want to communicate your value proposition and brand identity through the website's design, content, and messaging. Additionally, outline the essential features and functions your website must offer, such as e-commerce capabilities, contact forms, and more, to facilitate seamless user interactions and achieve your desired outcomes effectively.

Pros, Cons, and Innovation Potential: + Website builders are user-friendly and affordable, offering drag-and-drop interfaces and pre-built templates. However, they can be limiting in terms of design customization and scalability for complex websites. + Content Management Systems: CMS platforms like WordPress offer more flexibility and customization than website builders. They require some technical knowledge but provide a wider range of plugins and functionalities. + Hiring Professionals: Hiring a web development agency offers the most control and customization. Professionals can build a website tailored to your specific needs and vision. However, this is the most expensive option and requires clear communication of your requirements.

Compare the Pros and Cons of Different Tools: - Professional Web Developer: Weigh the cost against the benefits of expertise and time-saving. - Website Builder Platform: Evaluate the convenience and limitations of using a platform like Wix or Squarespace. - Learning to Code: Consider the long-term advantages and the steep learning curve of coding your own website.

Evaluating website creation options involves weighing costs, control, and customization. Hiring a developer offers expertise but at a higher cost and less personal control. Website builders are cost-effective and user-friendly but may restrict design flexibility. Learning to code provides complete customization and control, yet it's time-intensive and requires ongoing education. Consider your budget, the importance of customization, and the time you can invest. Each choice aligns with different priorities, from hands-off convenience and professional quality to hands-on learning and complete control.

I've written a whole blog on the ultimate guide to building your own website. But here's what you need to know in a nutshell. There are 3 ways to get your own website 1. Build it yourself with code 2. Use a website builder 3. Hire someone to build it for you There are Pros and Cons for each of these and what you decide will depend on your specific needs, experience and budget. Here are 3 quick tips to help you decide. - Hiring someone has the highest cost but is the easiest option to get exactly what you want. - Building yourself will take the most time but you will have the most flexibility - depending on your skill level - Using a website builder is the most cost-effective way but is less flexible and needs some skills

+ Prioritize Needs Over Trends: Don't chase the latest fads. Focus on what your website truly needs to function and achieve your business goals. + Embrace Flexibility: Think beyond the initial build. Choose a solution that allows for future growth, innovation, and adaptation to your evolving needs. + Transparency with Budget: Be realistic about your budget constraints. While some options offer a great return on investment (ROI), prioritize long-term value over short-term savings.

Choose the Option That Suits Your Needs and Budget: - Match Your Choice to Your Requirements: Select the option that aligns best with your project's complexity, timeline, and budget. - Consider Long-Term Implications: Think about how your choice will affect future scalability and flexibility.

After carefully assessing the pros and cons of each option, it's essential to choose the solution that aligns best with your needs and budget. Recognize that there's no universal solution, as each option comes with its own set of advantages and limitations, and every business has unique goals and requirements. Consider your priorities, resources, and expectations, and be prepared to make trade-offs accordingly. For instance, if you're tackling a large and intricate website project with tight deadlines and ample resources, hiring a professional web developer might be the most suitable choice. This ensures that your project is executed efficiently and meets high-quality standards, despite the associated costs.

So you've figured out the goals of your website, you've looked around at some web builders, watched a few videos and even reached out to a couple of freelancers & agencies for quotes. Which option you decide on will depend on budget, resources, time, complexity & urgency. - If you just need a simple portfolio website you can spin on up with a website builder in less than a day. - If you're looking to build the next Airbnb of dog walking. This might be more complex and would require potentially getting an agency in or hiring a developer. - Or if you love getting your hands dirty then why not try setting one up yourself with a bit of no-code tools or low-code website builders. It could be a great way to learn a new skill.

Working with graphic designers is a great way to improve the templates offered on website hosting platforms. Use freelancers from Fiverr or comparable companies to design images that showcase your branding without breaking the bank.

Analytics tools will be helpful for feedback. If you see something not working out, it is best to start researching based on the data you are retrieving from your analytics tools. There are many great articles, videos and other resources out there that address certain problems that not only you are running into. You also want to stay up to date on digital changes. Your website host could be making them or search engines such as Google also change their requirements and algorithms regularly.

Test and Optimize Your Website: - Functionality Testing: Ensure all features work correctly across different browsers and devices. - User Experience: Check for ease of use, navigation, and overall user satisfaction. - Performance Optimization: Improve loading speed, SEO, and accessibility for a better online presence.

Regardless of the option you select, testing and optimizing your website before its launch is imperative. It's essential to ensure that your website is not only functional but also user-friendly, responsive, and secure. Thoroughly check for any errors, bugs, or glitches that could potentially impact the performance or usability of your website. Test your website across various browsers, devices, and screen sizes to confirm that it adapts and displays correctly on all platforms. Additionally, optimize your website for speed, SEO, and accessibility to ensure it loads quickly, ranks well in search engines, and reaches a broad audience.

Before launching, rigorously test and optimize your website for functionality, responsiveness, and security across various browsers and devices. Address any errors or glitches to ensure peak performance and usability. Focus on speed optimization, SEO, and accessibility to enhance loading times, search engine visibility, and inclusivity. Utilize tools like Google Analytics and PageSpeed Insights to track and improve performance metrics. This preparation is crucial for creating a positive user experience, broadening your reach, and establishing a strong online presence.

+Social Media Savvy: Promote your website using social media platforms. Run targeted ad campaigns, engage with relevant communities, and share valuable content that attracts visitors +Content Marketing Powerhouse: Create high-quality, informative, and engaging content that establishes you as a thought leader in your industry and drives organic traffic to your website + SEO Optimization: Optimize your website content and structure for search engines (SEO) to improve your ranking in search results and increase organic visibility + Innovative Techniques: Explore innovative website promotion techniques like interactive content, virtual reality experiences, or augmented reality features to grab user attention and create a unique brand experience

Launch and Promote Your Website: - Domain and Hosting: Choose a memorable domain name and a reliable hosting service. - Promotion: Utilize social media, email marketing, and other channels to drive traffic to your new website. - Ongoing Maintenance: Regularly update content and features to keep your website fresh and engaging.

While today, there are excellent tools that you can use to help you generate websites with ease without any coding skills needed, I would advise that sufficient research be done on your existing website before starting. You need to first asses the ux-ui experiences, the consumer journey on the website, asses the content Seo optimisation, and compare results to what your business and marketing goals are. After conducting this step thoroughly, you can start to map out using tools like a lucid chart, for example, the exact flow of changes to your new website. You can hire a freelancer to build it or use one of the many tools and templates available

There are amazing website templates and building tools so now days it is much easier to build and optimize your own website and funnels… that being said, if you have a budget for marketing and website, I would hire a professional to help you make this optimized for your brand, product or service, and sales process. Copywriting (especially for sales) is an art and even with new AI tools to help, I see many people grossly miss the mark. A few tips I would give anyone are: make sure within 7 seconds of landing on your page clients know “what you do, who you do it for, and how they can buy your product or service”. Clarity and conciseness over fancy and beauty any day! Remember, your purpose is to show your product or service so people buy it

If you're uncertain about which tools to use for building your business website, start by defining your requirements and objectives. Research various website building platforms, content management systems, and web development tools available. Consider factors such as ease of use, customization options, customer feedback, and trial availability. Seek advice from professionals if needed and consider starting with a simpler solution before expanding. By thoroughly assessing your options and considering your specific needs, you can make an informed decision that aligns with your business goals.

Start simple, done is better than perfect and everything is reversible. Pick one tool and launch, you'll have the opportunity to improve it along the way or migrate to another solution in the future as your needs evolve.

Think about the tools that you are using or will use in the future to run your business and determine if they can be integrated with your website hosting platform. For example: If you are using Mailchimp for pop-ups to capture lead information and email campaigns, check the integrations to ensure they are compatible. Most website hosting platforms offer these tools, but their capabilities are limited. Make sure that your platform meets your current and future goals.