Whether you're DIYing or having a professional (like me) take the reigns, prepping for a website launch can be one of the most thrilling yet exhausting phases of launching a business or blog. Thanks to the abundance of new-age, user-friendly platforms (like Squarespace), getting a site designed & maintained is a lot more manageable . Regardless, there are a few essentials that need to be taken care of before you even think about designing a single page for yourself.
do your research
Scope out what others in similar niches as you are doing—not to copy, but to gain a general idea of the basics your website should have. Get to know your target market, learn what styles, imagery, and copy will resonate with them and infuse that into every bit of your website. Start an inspiration board, make note of website designs & layouts you love, scope out Pinterest for visuals, pull bits and pieces of what you love into an inspiration to create your own.
Hi-res Photos
The photos you choose for your website often set the tone the first impression your audience will have. Thanks to photos, I can usually tell how invested someone is in their craft within the first 10 seconds of scrolling through their website. I highly recommend in investing in professional photos for your website. Not only will it make you look legit, hi-res photos are standard for website design. Of course, there are different levels of investments you can make in this area, ranging from free to $$$. If you're on a budget crunch, consider making a trade with a photographer friend or utilizing free stock photo resources like Unsplash or Pexels. For the lower range of photo investments, you can pay for styled stock photos. If you're ready to go all out, hire a trusted photographer to take care of your brand photography and headshots. I've done all of the above and have zero regrets about any investments I've made when it comes to professional photography. It really does make all the difference in your website.
create copy with intention
Content is king and you need to be the ruler of your own. Start the brainstorming process by listing out each page you'd like to have within your website. The ultimate takeaway that you want your website visitors to have after visiting your website is a true understanding of your website's purpose. Whether that's displayed through your tagline, mission statement, or throughout your website's copy, it needs to be at the forefront of your site.
