How to Create and Write a Great Website

Throughout the month of January, the team here at DesignGood took some time to address the question we get asked ALL the time: What should I put on my website? In our new blog series starting today, we’ll share the same process we follow here in the studio to organize, create and prioritize content to help you create effective, compelling copy that lets you connect with your audiences and experience the success you've been looking for!

‍Heads up: At the end of our series, we’ll have a sweet gift to share with everyone on our mailing list, so keep reading and following along! We hope this series proves meaningful to your business.

Web Content 101: Best Practices for Creating Captivating and Authentic Messaging

We get asked this question ALL the time. What should I put on my website? It's a question many people seem to be baffled by, and most websites don’t do a great job of communicating what they do, who they work with and the value they bring to their customers or clients. So let’s get 101 for a second. What really makes a website powerful and effective? A great website:

•     Communicates what you do
•     Connects you with your dream audience
•     Tells your story in your voice
•     Clarifies your unique value and communicates your expertise
•     Sets you apart by reflecting your uniqueness
•     Makes the selling process easier and gets you hired
•     Makes you money
•     Builds your following
•     Legitimizes your business
•     Builds your credibility and reputation
•     Lets you be discovered and do business 24/7
•     Establishes your brand and builds brand recognition

A Custom, Creative Website Sets You Up for Success

We get it. Creating a website is a big decision and investment into the future of your company or organization. But we’ll tell you what we’ve learned from our years of helping all types of businesses succeed: Investing in your website and your brand pays off. Going beyond the basics and creating a customized, thoughtful website is simply the most powerful way to speed up your success. You have to have an online presence that quickly communicates who you are and what you’re selling to anyone, anywhere, any time. Here’s why your website is so vital:

Because it makes you look legit.

When your website feels polished and professional, a potential customer can’t tell if you’ve been in business six months or six years. It makes you look established, and more importantly, thoughtful, because you took the time and care to create a site that really speaks to them. How you show up online is also how people perceive how you’ll show up in your business.

Because it's open 24/7.

There’s no such thing as business hours anymore, so your website should be working for you even while you sleep. Potential clients and customers are online 24/7, researching who they want to do business with. Your website needs to be clear and compelling whenever they happen to land there, so that they’re motivated to take action.

Because it's the main way many people will experience your business.

A great website gives clients the confidence to take the next step when it clearly and effortlessly conveys who you are, what your business can do for them, and the results or outcomes they can expect to experience through working with you. Your website should compel users to contact you, purchase from you or take some type of desired action because you’ve already provided a great experience for them online.

Because customers are picky – and busy.

Users want clarity and connection...quickly! They want to know what you can do for them and how you do it. They also need to have faith in your services, which is why a great looking website that’s clear and clearly organized can get you the business you want sooner, and the people you want to be working with filling up your inbox.

Because you can't rely on social media.

A vibrant social media presence might actually be a critical part of your marketing plan. But the keyword here is “part.” The rules of social media change fast. Audiences migrate, platforms merge and disappear, and apps change their algorithms. Most importantly, you don’t own your contacts and audience on social media. You do, however, own your website – and it’s your main tool for collecting email addresses and building your marketing list. Your site gives you a stable presence no matter what’s going on with social media.

Because you don't need all the clients – you just need the right ones.

Even if your dream clients first learned about you through social media, they’re destined to visit your website for more information. It’s the place they’ll visit and revisit to learn more about you, your company, and your products and services, and the most likely place they’ll send referrals. Your website also needs to support where you’re headed in business and in life. If someday you want to run workshops, get booked for speaking engagements, create online training programs, host events or write books, your website can show you’re an established and credible expert in your field and position you for future opportunities

Because it protects your efforts and other investments in your business.

We’re lucky to have a seemingly limitless number of platforms that make doing business easy and less expensive than it used to be. But everyone has access to the same tools, templates and third-party service platforms. So what can you do to set yourself apart? That’s where a great brand – and a great website – come in. They help you get noticed and communicate effectively about who you are and what you do, so that you see a return on all the effort and investment you’ve put into building your business.

Because design is important.

A well-designed site gets more visibility and traffic. It shows that you care enough about your business to put forward a professional and polished online presence that takes time and effort to create. Most importantly, it helps you stand out and sets you apart as an authentic reflection of your brand and business. To make an impression on customers, great design isn’t optional. Most of what visitors remember about your site will be related to its visual impact. At its core, it’s about value perception. Sites that are well-designed, well-thought-out and well-written are perceived as an extension of business owners who are competent, credible and established. In our next post, we’ll dive deeper to show you how to create website content that works, and walk you step-by-step through each section of a site and our process for creating compelling content. Of course, if you need more help, get in touch to find out how DesignGood can create a brand and website for you that gets noticed!