In this ever-evolving digital landscape, your website serves as your digital HQ — a dynamic place where dreams come alive, brands find their voice, and connections flourish. Building a website may seem like a colossal task, but this post has got the blueprint for any business getting online. Here’s your guide to launching your digital journey, no matter your background.
1. Define Your Digital Journey
Before you embark, set your course in the digital space:
What’s the story you wish to share?
Who’s your intended audience?
What’s the ultimate goal—sales, influence, fostering conversations?
Your purpose and objectives serve as your guiding stars through the digital wilderness.
2. Claim Your Digital Ground
The journey begins with a name — a domain name, to be exact. It’s your digital homestead, your unique spot on the web. Opt for a name that resonates and is easy to remember. Once you’ve claimed your digital address, find a hosting provider, your trusty innkeeper, who’ll safeguard your website’s files and make them accessible to the world.
You’ll be able to reserve a domain name through a hosting provider and link it to a design service below or reserve a domain with the design platform itself. Some of today’s easy-to-use and popular hosting providers are GoDaddy, Bluehost and Leadpages.
3. Select Your Digital Canvas
Your digital masterpiece needs a canvas. Choose a platform that suits your style, whether it’s:
WordPress: WordPress is the world’s most popular content management system, known for its adaptability and limitless possibilities. With a vast library of themes and plugins, you can craft a website that’s uniquely yours. Whether you’re a blogger, an e-commerce entrepreneur, or an artist, WordPress has the tools to make your vision a reality.
Wix: Wix is the go-to platform for those looking to dive into website creation with ease. Its drag-and-drop editor makes designing a breeze. From stunning templates to robust e-commerce features, Wix is a great choice for beginners and those looking to quickly get their site up and running.
Squarespace: Squarespace is all about aesthetics and creating visually captivating websites. If you’re in a visual industry, like photography, art, or design, Squarespace offers elegant templates and an intuitive platform to showcase your work. Its built-in features for blogging and e-commerce make it a one-stop-shop for creatives.
Shopify: The e-commerce alchemist. If your focus is on selling products online, Shopify is your ultimate companion. It’s designed to streamline the process of building and managing an online store. With customizable templates, secure payment options, and advanced inventory management, it’s the top choice for businesses aiming to maximize their e-commerce potential.
The platform you choose should mirror your vision and be able to support you as your business grows, offering the functionality you need to service customers.
4. Paint Your Digital Dreams
Design is where the magic happens. Considering how your brand already looks and feels will help with the next steps! Personalize your chosen template to reflect your brand:
Choose Your Aesthetic: Discover a template that speaks your language. You don’t need to be a master at coding your website with today’s tools. Libraries on platforms like WordPress, Wix and Squarespace literally have something for everyone.
Customize: Infuse your personality with your logo, color scheme, and striking visuals. Any photography you’ve collected over your years in business can be useful, and if you are needing content consider taking a look through stock photography options or picking up your cell phone to capture images that illustrate how you do what you do.
Navigation: Create a path that’s clear as day. Adding a Menu to switch between pages and posts helps site visitors to find and view content across your site.
Mobile Optimization: Ensure your site shines on every screen. Being completely honest, most people are looking at your website on their cell phone these days.
If you’re just getting started defining the look and feel of your brand, be sure to read Elements of a Brand in the Feed section of this website!
5. Craft Your Digital Narratives
Now, tell your tale with organized content in each section of your website that resonates with your ideal visitor:
Homepage: Paint a quick yet compelling picture of who you are.
About Page: Share your story and your mission. Personal details about your history, your industry and your growth over time can help you build a relationship with site visitors.
Products/Services: Detail your offerings like a master storyteller. Give the people what they want, and maybe a few things they didn’t know they wanted.
Contact Information: Make it as easy as a digital handshake. How can people get in touch with you?
6. SEO Enchantment
SEO stands for ‘Search Engine Optimization’ and its the magic trick that helps your site show up on Google, Bing, or other online search engines. Digital design platforms will offer tutorials, specific editing sections and plug-ins to help you attract visitors through SEO. Sprinkle a little stardust for search engines:
Keywords: Choose the magic words to summon your site. Keywords drive your performance and relevance in the ocean of content that is the world wide web.
Meta Descriptions: The concise descriptions that beckon visitors. These are the words that populate in a Google Search as a title and preview for each listing.
Image Optimization: Ensure images load swiftly and include ALT text.
Link Building: Forge quality connections in the digital realm. Include links to content on your site, and other sources around the web.
7. Test Your Website
Before the grand reveal, ensure it’s a seamless experience:
✅ Check for any broken links.
✅ Test forms for smooth interactions.
✅ Ensure your site loads quickly.
8. Your Digital Debut
With your heart and soul woven into it, it’s time to share your creation with the world. Hit publish, and let your online adventure begin.
Once you’ve published your website, be sure to add the link to all of your other business listings. You’ll want to use social media to drive visitors to your site and improve its traffic.
Not on social media yet? We’ve got a blog post on that topic right here.
9. Managing your Website – The Ongoing Odyssey
This is just the beginning. A website is a living entity in the digital realm. Nurture it, refine it, and let it evolve as your dreams do.
Step into the digital frontier with open arms, regardless of your background. The world is at your fingertips, and your website is your canvas. Paint your vision, share your story, and let the digital universe embrace your brilliance.
Not only does adding new content and updating your site keep it relevant, interesting and engaging for visitors, but it also improves your performance through SEO in search engines. Add new images, products, blog posts and informational pages whenever possible.
10. The Aura Branded Touch
Just as your website is an extension of your brand, we know that each journey is unique. Aura Branded delivers a specialized perspective to empower you in building your online presence.
If you’re not ready to take on building a website quite yet, your journey into the digital realm deserves a touch of expertise and vision that sets you on the path to success. Unleash your online presence with not just what you do, but how you do it – Brand Your Aura, with Aura Branded.
Building your business with Aura Branded can be as simple as booking a single session or collaborating to design a unique service package. Learn more under Offerings. A diverse project portfolio means perspective for every project – in arts, entertainment, recreation, wellness, and more.
Send an inquiry to [email protected] for a recommended service package and initial quote.
