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Just Jess: It takes TWO to make BABY.

And in this case, your website is the baby. Unfortunately, while it’s a common understanding (regardless of how you get a baby), at some point, two individuals were involved. This is not common knowledge for most companies who want a website. Too often, a company hires a web designer and then ghosts them until the site is launched.

I’m not certain who is at blame for this confusion. I think places like Squarespace, Wix, and other quick and dirty website platforms perpetuate some of this. They spend a lot of advertising dollars telling people they can create a “great” website in under 15 minutes. In theory, this is true. However, these websites leave their owners feeling… well… unsatisfied. But why?

Well, it took more than 15 minutes to start your business. Consider your website as the virtual embodiment of your business. But in this case, each visitor is only guaranteed to stay for about 60 seconds unless you entice them to stay longer. This means you must be very clear about who you are and what you’re in the business of doing. Here are a few tips on how:

  1. Own Your Brand. Before you even think about paying for a website, you should clearly define who you are. Building your brand is like meeting that baby we started with as an adult. How do they talk, what do they look like, and what do they care about? Do you know these things about your business? If not, you should. (psst… and if you’re lost in the process, we can help.)

  2. Be a Travel Agent. Next, consider what your customer’s journey on your website should be. Pretend you’re a travel agent planning an epic trip for your visitor. What MUST they see, what should they experience, and what information do they need to know to have a great trip (to your virtual business)?

  3. Collect and Share. Now you’re ready to work with a web designer. You must share your thoughts on your brand and the journey you wish your visitors to take. Providing copy (the words on your site) and imagery is also essential. When a client says, “make it cool- I trust you,” I want to say…you shouldn’t. Because what I think is cool is probably very different from what you think is cool. Be prepared to offer images and words for your website. Even providing examples of images that you like the style and composition will help. 

  4. Build the Website You Want. It breaks my heart when I talk to a client who tells me someone had built a website for them, and they’ve hated it since day one. UGH! Who wants that? Not the designer and not the owner. It’s my goal to create a website that you LOVE and that loves you back (with more business success). This is why it takes two (or more) to birth a good website. The business owner brings the content and background, and the web designer adds the design and structure. When done correctly, a new website is born to succeed.

These tips and ideas have come from my experience building numerous websites and working with many clients. Let us know if you’d like to chat more about any of these areas!