When you set out in business, there are a lot of things to sort out and you often have to do it in the fastest time possible. But in the interests of saving time, and sometimes money, later down the line, it might be wise to slow down and make sure you get the fundamental things right from the outset.
When it comes to setting up a website, it’s important to do your due diligence before you settle on your ‘website guy/gal’. Every man and their dog knows someone ‘who does websites’ but the degree to which they do them properly, will be anyones guess. So make sure you know what you’re looking for in a web designer so that you don’t end up with a lack lustre, under performing, uninspiring website that you’ll need to redo in a few years time.
The first thing you’re looking for when setting up a website is longevity
You should see your website as a long term investment in your businesses future. No, your website is never really “finished”. Yes, you’ll probably reinvent it numerous times over the life of your business. Whilst it’s not essential to get it absolutely perfect from day one, the set up should allow for your business to grow and your needs to evolve.
You might want to sell products or services on line.
You might want to add booking functions at a later date.
You’ll definitely want to move up the rankings in Google.
So whatever website ‘set up’ you choose needs to be versatile enough to handle this without excessive upheaval later down the line.
Picking the right solution
I’ve written another blog about the pros and cons of choosing a site builder like Wix versus a Content Management System like WordPress. You should check it out here.
But Wix and WordPress are two of the most common names thrown around at start ups looking at setting up a website, but there are lots of other options available to you depending on the size & type of business.
Some of the big hosting companies also have their own website building tool built into their offering & believe it or not, you can create a website in platforms like Canva & Mailchimp as well. So make sure you carry out extensive research, ask your network, ask for expert advice on social media.
The design of your website
It’s a common chicken and egg scenario, which comes first – the design of your website, or the words on the page? Well, the answer is – both. The first impression comes from what we see, then backed up by what we read. So they work very very closely together.
As a startup setting up a website you’ll want to hit the world with a bang, you only get that one chance to make the right first impression, so let’s go through what you need to make it a good one.
1. You need a brand strategy
I’m not just talking about your colours and fonts here, that’s your ‘branding’ – it’s very different. Your brand strategy is how you want to show up in the world. What do you want people to think and feel about you? Without understanding this, it’s very hard to convey that in your ‘branding’. So what’s it gonna be?
From your brand strategy you can then create your brand identity, which does include things like your colours and fonts and all the creative goodies that your website needs to have. Tying your website back to your brand strategy just makes sure that you’re representing yourself in the best light & speaking to the people who need to know you.
2. You need creative imagery
Your website can live or die by some of the visuals on the page. When you’re setting up a website It makes sense to invest in some decent photography, or even illustration if thats more suitable for you. Bring your brand to life with colour and imagery that helps to tell the story of who you are as a business.
Extra pointers for photoshoots, you need images that will work in landscape for header banners, so the content of the image is on the right hand third of the image, leaving the left for text overlays like the picture below.
You need images that work in portrait and square, so that you can use them in the page designs. If you only get one type, they can be tricky to work with.
Illustrations are also a really neat way to bring colour and visual prompts into your website design and tie in with your brand, like the example below. Especially if your business and its employees don’t like being on camera, or your industry is not photogenic.
The words on your website
Is it the chicken, or is it the egg, who knows – but your words on the page – your ‘sales copy‘ are the difference between someone skimming and browsing to actually buying from you.
1. You need a marketing strategy
Getting clear on your customers, who they are, what problems they have, and how you solve them will help you to create web copy that speaks their language.
Getting clear on your own offers, how they are packaged, how easy is it to buy from you, and how competitively priced they are? Will help you create offers that sell.
2. Page layout and structure
Think about your “above the fold” content – this is the content that people see before they scroll. What is the single most important thing you want people to know about you? If they scroll no further after that point, will you have made an impact?
Think about keywords – these are often also key phrases, they are what your audience is typing into search engines to find what you do. What could your customers be using? Can you incorporate those words into your copy. Find an SEO specialist to help you if this is not your strong point.
Think about your page structure – your website should take people on a journey from the top down. Opening with; what is the problem that you solve? What is your solution to the problem? What is the outcome for other customers of your solution? What do they need to do next?
Think about your ‘call to action’ options – Each page on your website can direct your audience to do something, so what’s it going to be? Do you want them to sign up to a mailing list? Contact you for more information? Call you? Hit the buy now button? Whatever it is, make sure you have enough of these littered through out your website.
Don’t forget about YOU! – A lot of businesses omit this vital part of their write up or, if they do have one, they fill it with more of the same stuff about their products and services. Your About Us page is a great opportunity to shine. To show off your unique assets, tell your story and make people connect with you.
The functions that your website needs to perform
Referring to your future needs, sometimes you can’t see the wood for the trees when you’re setting up a website, but you should have a think about the extra functionality that you might want your website to provide for you. Is it just a way for people to reach you, or would you like people to be able to book appointments for you? Some other kinds of functionality that websites can have are:
- A search function
- Catalogue or shop
- Chatbot or live chat
- Newsletter sign up
- Blog sign up
- Event calendar
- Galleries
- Downloadable files
- Embedded videos
- Podcast integration
- Social media feeds
- Google maps
- CRM integration
Ask your web designer for more help if this is something you’re interested in.
How you will track progress
Once your website is live, the work isn’t over – it’s only just getting started. You’ll want to keep an eye on how it’s performing so that you can make informed decisions and tweaks along the way. That means setting up tools like Google Analytics or Search Console so that you can see who’s visiting, how they’re finding you, and what they’re doing once they land on your site.
Are people clicking your buttons? Are they dropping off after a few seconds?
Tracking this kind of stuff helps you figure out what’s working and what’s not. If you’re not measuring it, how do you know if it’s doing its job?
Who’s going to handle the technical stuff
This is the stuff that often gets overlooked – but makes a huge difference. A slow, glitchy website will frustrate your visitors and quietly sabotage all the hard work you’ve put into your design, branding and content. So make sure your site is optimised to load quickly, images are compressed without losing quality, and you’re on a solid hosting platform that won’t let you down.
Once your site is live, you’ll also need a plan for keeping it up to date behind the scenes. Platforms like WordPress rely on plugins and themes that need regular updating to stay secure and functional. Who’s going to be responsible for that? Do you have someone you can call if something breaks? Are you backing things up regularly just in case? These technical details aren’t glamorous, but they’re the difference between a website that works and one that holds you back.
Wrapping things up
When you’re starting out in business, there’s a lot to juggle – I’ve been there. You want everything lined up and looking the part, but the budget doesn’t always stretch as far as you’d like. So when your mate’s, brother’s cousin offers to ‘knock you one up’ for free, it’s tempting – why wouldn’t you take them up on it? I get it, I really do. But unless they’re a proper web designer or marketer, the chances are they won’t give your website the thought it really needs. It might look fine on the surface, but a year down the line you could find yourself back at square one, realising just how much time (and opportunity) you’ve lost.
Setting up a website is a big investment – not just of money, but of your time, your energy, and your brand’s future. Done right, it becomes something you can build on, something that grows with your business. If you’re not sure where to start, or you’d just like a sounding board, I offer a free 30-minute consultation to help you figure out your next right step. [Get in touch here] and let’s have a no-pressure chat.
If you did go to your mates, brother’s cousin for your website, make sure they connect you to Google and leave you with all the admin access that you need for the future.
