In the digital age, having an online presence is no longer just an option; it’s a necessity. When hearing about you, your product or your service, the first thing that a prospect is going to is either Google, look on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube or one of the other channels, maybe all; and because you don’t know which channel you can’t afford to take the chance that you’re going to miss them. It would help if you were everywhere. But if I were to pick one, a channel that you ultimately can not be without it, a place you need to start, it would be a website. So this blog is here to help you understand more about planning a website for your current needs.
Planning a website
A well-planned website is your business’s digital storefront, accessible to customers worldwide, 24/7. I suppose just like a Facebook page, but a website allows you to create more than what a social media page can. With it, you can create a journey for the visitor to go down. You can add as many pages and as much information as you need. However, for those with little to no experience, the process of planning a website can feel daunting. This guide breaks down the basics to make the process more manageable.
Choosing Your Website Platform
When planning a website, the first decision you’ll need to make is the platform you’ll use. Several platforms offer user-friendly interfaces and customisable design options, ideal for beginners. Most people would have come across two such options: Wix and Squarespace. These platforms offer the simplicity of drag-and-drop functionality, making them an excellent choice for businesses that primarily rely on social media marketing. What I mean by this is that although they say they’re good with SEO, they’re not when you compare them to WordPress.
Because if your focus is Search Engine Optimization (SEO), then WordPress should be your platform of choice. While it may require a steeper learning curve, the SEO benefits and flexibility WordPress offers are well worth the effort. If you’re planning a website with an e-commerce focus, Shopify is another great option to consider.
Understanding SEO
I mentioned above SEO. I appreciate this is a buzzword you’ll come across when searching articles or web pages on ‘How to build a website’, but it might not be so clear on what it is.
SEO plays a crucial role in how your website is found online. Without it, you’re leaving it up to chance for customers to discover your site among the billions of web pages out there. When planning a website, having a basic understanding of SEO is invaluable.
You should be aware of two types of SEO: SEO and local SEO. The first SEO targets keywords relevant to your business on a countrywide or global scale. Local SEO, on the other hand, focuses on improving your website’s visibility in local search results. Mostly using your location as the linking data between Google My Business and other citation points.
Understanding these distinctions can help you formulate a more effective SEO strategy. So, say someone Googles ‘local restaurant’; you’re more likely to turn up in the map listings or ‘near me’ search when focusing on local SEO.
Utilising the Power of Blogging
When it comes to your national keyword listings, say someone Google’s ‘chicken recipe’, it’s ensuring you have the content on your website that Google deems as the most creditable and most likely to be read. You do this via blogging and connecting internal link-building and backlinks to that blog. For me, there’s no better website for blogging than one built in WordPress. WordPress excels in its blogging capabilities, offering plugins such as Rank Math and Yoast that help optimise your blog posts for SEO. By adding a blog to your website and regularly updating it with quality content, you can significantly boost your SEO, driving more traffic to your site over time. SEO will take time, but your marketing agency should know how to speed this up, but if you are doing this alone, we have plenty of other content on SEO.
The Importance of Consistent Blogging
As I mentioned, the key to successful blogging lies in consistency. If you’re planning a website for the long term, be prepared to commit to regular blog updates. The frequency of your blogging can significantly impact the speed of your SEO results. For instance, if you’re posting a blog a month, you could see results in 12 to 18 months. However, if you’re posting three or four blogs a month, you may see results in six to eight months.
Mastering Keyword Research
Keyword research is an integral part of planning a website. It’s about finding the right keywords – the ones your target audience uses when they’re looking for the products or services you offer. Keep in mind; it’s not just about finding any keywords. It’s about finding the right ones that are relevant to your business and have a decent search volume. You can use powerful tools like SEMRush or Ubersuggest.
Leveraging Social Media
When planning a website, take into account the power of social media. Having a strong social media presence can drive traffic to your site and improve your SEO. The beauty of social media marketing is that it can be quick to set up and start driving traffic, though you’ll need to keep posting regularly to maintain your results. I’m talking at least six posts per week across Linkedin, Facebook and Instagram. You should be doing more with Youtube shorts and Instagram Reels.
And I suppose that is the biggest issue, the amount of content you need to add to social media is never-ending. Where with blogging, you can take the occasional week or two off; in social media, that’s an eternity. But on the flip side, social media posts are quick and easy to make and schedule.
Balancing Social Media and SEO
While social media can provide quick results, SEO offers long-term sustainability. Once your SEO efforts have reached a certain level, they can maintain themselves for a period, even if you pause your activities. I’m not saying you stop; just take a break at the right time. The other great thing about SEO is that when a blog is done well and established on Google when people share, it empowers it and your website for the long term. Unlike social media, even viral posts are forgotten in a day or two.
Building an Email List
While planning a website, it’s also essential to think about email marketing, which is one of the strongest communication and lead-generation methods. Although you might not have an email list at the beginning, make sure your website includes a sign-up form to start collecting email addresses. You can then use these contacts for future marketing campaigns. Email is also yours and free. So should Facebook suddenly close down, you won’t lose all your contacts. Should you lose your website, you won’t lose all your contacts. Email addresses are pure data that you can use as you wish, in line with GDPR, of course.
CRM – Your Key to Managing Relationships
As your email list grows, it’s crucial to have a robust system in place for managing these contacts. This is where Customer Relationship Management (CRM) comes in. An effective CRM system can help you keep track of your contacts and streamline your marketing efforts.
We have one ‘Marketing Botics CRM’, an all-in-one marketing tool. So we also don’t have to spend time moving data from one piece of software to the next. But whatever you are using, you must have one. It’s vital to store all leads that come in from the website. A tool like ours also allows you to add a chatbot to your website for extra ease.
Planning a Website: Taking Baby Steps
When planning a website, remember that taking baby steps is okay. Trying to do everything at once might be tempting, but this can quickly become overwhelming. Instead, consider taking it one step at a time, gradually adding elements. Starting with a small Wix website and marketing it on social media can be a great first step. If Wix is still a bit too much, I have just discovered a website company called 10Web, which uses AI to generate your website design and content, aiming to do everything for you. It still has a bit to go to be suitable for all people, but it’s still at an excellent stage for anyone looking to get started.
From Planning a Website to Making It Live
Remember, the end goal of planning a website is to make it live and functional. Like a car that needs fuel, your WordPress website needs consistent SEO efforts to keep running. And, like driving a car, the journey may be long, but the destination is worth it.
In conclusion, planning a website involves many steps and decisions, but by breaking the process down and taking it step by step, even beginners can create a robust online presence.
Q: What’s the first step I should take when planning a website?
A: Start by defining your goals and understanding your target audience. This will help guide your design decisions and content creation. Then, you can move on to deciding between using platforms like Wix and Squarespace or opting for a more SEO-friendly platform like WordPress.
Q: How important is SEO when planning a website?
A: SEO is crucial if you’re aiming to improve your site’s visibility on search engines like Google. This can drive organic traffic to your website over time. If you’re focusing more on social media marketing, SEO might not be your primary concern initially. However, as your business grows, it’s likely that you’ll want to incorporate SEO into your strategy.
Q: Can I start with a simple Wix, Squarespace or 10Web website and then switch to WordPress?
A: Yes, you can start with a simple website on Wix, Squarespace or 10Web, especially if your initial focus is social media marketing. When you’re ready to invest more in SEO, you can transition to a WordPress website.
Q: Why should I consider using a CRM system when planning a website?
A: A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system helps manage your contacts and streamline your marketing efforts. As you start collecting email addresses and building your audience, a CRM becomes an invaluable tool for managing these relationships effectively.
Q: How often should I update my website’s content for SEO?
A: Regular content updates are essential for good SEO. Blogging is a great way to keep your website updated. How often you should blog varies, but a general guideline is to aim for at least once a month. Remember, the frequency can influence how quickly you see results. The more frequently you blog, the quicker you might see an impact on your SEO.
Conclusion
To conclude, planning a website as a beginner may seem daunting, but it’s absolutely achievable. Understanding your business goals, knowing your target audience, choosing the right platform, creating engaging content, and leveraging SEO are key elements for a successful website. Remember, every journey starts with a single step, and building your website is no different. Start small, learn as you go, and gradually scale your efforts.
However, if you feel overwhelmed with the process or want to ensure you’re making the best possible decisions for your business, don’t hesitate to seek professional advice.
Take the Next Step: Book a Free Marketing Consultancy Session
I invite you to book a free marketing consultancy session with me. During this session, we’ll take a deep dive into your specific business needs and tailor a comprehensive marketing strategy that suits your business perfectly. This includes website planning, SEO strategies, social media marketing, email marketing, and more.
Don’t wait for success to come to you. Take the first step, book your session today, and let’s start planning a website that will become a vital cornerstone of your marketing strategy and business growth. Your journey to a powerful online presence begins here. Click the link below to book your free session now.
