7 things you need to know about website projects!
Can you believe this was the first version of the Content Queen website?
What a flashback!
But guess what? Content Queen is getting a facelift!
There are so many lessons learnt about re-doing and creating a new website design! There are 7 things we think you need to know about a website project. So if you are thinking about creating a website or giving yours a facelift, this is for you!
Let’s explore the journey of the Content Queen website together!
The Content Queen website journey
Content Queen’s first-ever website was started on Wix!
I finally hit publish on my first ever website after weeks of procrastination, perfectionism, and second-guessing. The amazing feeling was something I will never forget.
I remember every night after work coming home and chipping away at it, little by little, and I was so proud of what I had created. At this point, I thought I would hit publish and customers would start flooding in from here, there, and everywhere, however, that wasn't the case! You have to give me credit for my positivity, LOL!
It took me a little bit to realise that I would need to build it up, nurture my audience, improve my marketing and have strategies in place before my website would start to take off. But hey, we got there eventually!
Then, once I had concluded that we needed another upgrade, in 2020 Content Queen moved to the website we have now! While this is a beautiful website, it just doesn't serve our purpose anymore.
This business is no longer an ‘I’, but more a ‘we’, and the website wasn't reflecting that. So, instead of having a space where only my skills and services were being shown, we now want a space where all of us can shine!
Coming into May, we have a new website on the horizon that we are so excited o share! It’s going to be an educational hub where our whole team is present - I can’t wait!
I want to use this as an opportunity to give an important reminder to everyone - you won't get exactly what you want straight away, clients and customers won't be throwing themselves at you as soon as you launch your business, and this takes time.
I have always utilised my website as a resource, a place to send people to learn more about me and my services and to build up trust! After all, your website is just another form of your social channels.
Now you can see how long our journey has taken, don’t be disheartened with how long your takes!
The 7 things you need to know about website projects!
Here are 7 tips from us to you about how you can go about handling your next website venture!
1. Project manage it
Break it down into smaller steps, you don’t have to tackle a big project head-on.
Make sure to set goals and a budget so you have a deadline to stick too
Map out the project plan, like what you will be working on, when you will be working on it and for how long.
Break down pages with deadlines and break down goals into steps as much as you like
With all of this in place, you will know week by week what you are working on and it will give you the space you may need if things don’t go as planned. You will also find, with this planning, that there are fewer tasks at the end to tie up any loose ends you may have missed and be accountable for anyone you are outsourcing to.
2. Know your website goals
What are the reasons you are creating a website? Do you want to get calls booked? Do you want people to buy products? Download your freebies? Join your email list? What is the reason you are making a website in the first place?
Once you figure this out, it will help you with your expectations. I remember when I first launched my initial website, I thought clients would be piling up (obviously this wasn't the case) because I never really had one main goal.
So make sure you know why you are starting a website. It may seem so basic but it will give you direction and more specific goals to reach!
3. Learn copywriting
If you are writing a copy of the website yourself, you’ll need to know the basics of copywriting. If you don’t know where to start, have a look here at our blog on copywriting!
Another important basic to know is keywords, this will help you stay in tune with how your website is being found on Google and what people are searching to find you. You can use these words in your writing to generate more traffic.
If you are not writing the copy yourself, keywords can also help your freelancer in creating the content. Knowing the basics will help everyone involved for a smoother creation process.
4. Get the photos
Don’t be afraid to fill your website with images and photos! Have a branding shoot or use stock photos (check copyright on these) and use them where suited.
Sift through images you have already and choose ones you want to be displayed. Sometimes as writers we forget the importance of images to our audience, they help paint the rest of the picture that words can’t and they break up slabs of text. So don’t be afraid to use images!
5. Make it match your social media and content channels
Start by creating a Pinterest branding board for inspiration on what you want your website to look like and seeing if it matches your current aesthetic. This will help make branding consistent and allow you to use graphics you create for your social media on your website and vice versa.
Remember that your website reflects your brand and who you are, so keep the consistency throughout all channels to not confuse your audience.
6. Keep the brand messaging consistent
Similar to the aesthetic of your branding being consistent, the words you use should be consistent as well. In creating the copywriting for your brand, you want to make sure it sounds like it is coming from you and your business.
This is important for your audience; it reflects to them who you want to serve and if they are the right people for you and are aligned with your business. Do this by getting all of your ideas on paper as if you are speaking and then go back and review from there.
7. Tell your story
Last but not least, tell your story! Be authentic to you and your journey and tell people how you got to where you are today.
Use the ‘About’ page on your website to do this and explain to people how and why you got into your business - share your passion with them!
This will help people connect with you and your business and will show a more personal side! If you need guidance on how to tell your story, make sure you check out our Content Queen storytelling freebie here!
Your story is uniquely yours, so make sure you tell it and set yourself apart from everyone else!
BONUS: Outsource
As business owners, creating a website from scratch can be a HUGE task, so, if you don’t want to do any of this, outsource! It is such a good investment because it lasts long term and helps you get things moving a lot faster!
For your website you can outsource a few aspects:
Copywriter: the writing content (can also be used for email sequences, social media captions)
Photographer (again can be used across blogs, social media, all types of places you need images)
Website designer (of course someone to put the design altogether, 10/10 recommend)
Final thoughts
Your website is an amazing place that can house so much of what you offer. It is a place you can send your audience or potential clients to learn more about you and what you do, so investing time and effort into it will never go astray.
Make sure you fully understand your goals and why you want to create your website, be clear on your intentions, and tell your story! These are the most important things to remember when you are looking to create or revamp your website.
If you need some more guidance on telling your story, make sure to click here and download our Storytelling Guide so you can make the most out of your journey.
Otherwise, have fun creating and we can’t wait to see your website shine!