Building a Website That Works for You

Your website is often the first impression people have of your business, organization, or personal brand. In today’s digital landscape, having a website that’s professional, user-friendly, and search engine optimized isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s essential.

Why Your Website Matters

• Credibility and Trust: A well-designed website lends your business an air of professionalism and builds trust with potential customers or supporters.
• 24/7 Availability: Your website is your tireless salesperson, always available to provide information and answer questions, even when you’re asleep.
• Reach: A website allows you to connect with a global audience far beyond your physical location.
• Control: Unlike social media platforms, your website gives you full control over your story, messaging, and how you present yourself.

Key Elements of a Successful Website

1. Professional Design:

   • Clean, modern layout that aligns with your brand.
   • High-quality images and graphics.
   • Font choices that are easy to read.
   • Clear visual hierarchy (guiding viewers’ eyes to what’s important).

2. Simple Navigation:

   • Intuitive menus that help people find what they need fast.
   • Avoid too many levels of navigation or confusing layouts.
   • Use clear and descriptive link titles.

3. Mobile Responsive:

   • Your site must adjust seamlessly to different screen sizes (laptops, tablets, phones).
   • Google prioritizes mobile-friendly sites in search results.
   • Poor mobile experience leads to frustration and lost visitors.

4. Search Engine Optimization (SEO):

   • Incorporate relevant keywords throughout your content (without keyword stuffing).
   • Utilize title tags, headers, and meta descriptions effectively.
   • Ensure your site loads quickly (page speed impacts ranking).

5. Compelling Content:

   • Focus on providing value to your audience.
   • Clear headlines and concise, focused text.
   • Include a call to action (tell visitors what to do next).

Building vs. Improving

• If you don’t have a website: Website builders like Squarespace, Wix, or WordPress offer user-friendly platforms even for non-technical folks.
• If your existing site needs a refresh: Conduct an audit. Is your design outdated? Hard to navigate? Look at your analytics for clues about what requires improvement.

Additional Considerations

• Accessibility: Design for users of all abilities, including screen readers and visual impairments.
• Security: Install an SSL certificate (for the “HTTPS” in your address). This shows your site is secure, and impacts SEO.
• Regular Updates: Keep content fresh, fix broken links, and update information as needed. Stale websites don’t do you any favors!

Tools & Resources

• Website Builders:
  • Squarespace (https://www.squarespace.com/)
  • Wix (https://www.wix.com/)
  • WordPress (https://wordpress.org/)
• Image Resources (Free and Paid):
  • Unsplash (https://unsplash.com/)
  • Pexels (https://www.pexels.com/)
  • Canva (https://www.canva.com/)
• SEO Tools:
  • Google Search Console (https://search.google.com/search-console/about)
  • Moz (https://moz.com/)

Remember: A website is never truly “finished.” Treat it as an ongoing project, constantly analyzing data and feedback to make it the best possible representation of your brand.