How To Get A Website You Love!
Does your website give you anxiety? Do you feel embarrassed to show it off? Does it make you feel frustrated?
It doesn’t have to be this way… Just because you have a website, doesn’t mean you should feel stuck with it. Building a website used to be a massively time-consuming and expensive exercise. Today’s technology has come a long way, making almost anything possible for businesses big and small.
So, before you decide to settle with your existing website, ask yourself these questions:
Are you proud to share your website with potential customers or friends?
Do you feel comfortable managing your website?
Do customers enjoy using your website? Are they finding what they’re looking for?
Is your website doing its job?
If you answered YES to all of the above, congratulations! You likely have a website you love. If you answered mostly NO, it might be time to give your website a revamp.
6 Steps To A Website You Love
At the Emms, we see companies big and small dealing with the same website problems: the technology is frustrating or they can’t make their own updates, they don’t like the look and feel, the user experience is clunky, it doesn’t do what it’s supposed to or they just have no idea how the thing works and managing it is a nightmare.
If you’ve felt anxiety about your website, be assured, it’s very common. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be this way!
Over the years, we’ve created our six step process designed to get to the root of the problem and build websites for our clients that tick all the boxes. We often get asked how we do that. So today, we’re going to give you a peek behind the scenes.
Step 1: Discovery Workshop
Every project begins with an in-depth discovery workshop, where we get to know your company inside and out. This step is often overlooked in the web design process, but we believe it is essential to get the results you want. From here, we explore business challenges and goals to identify features that we can incorporate into the website to make a meaningful impact on the business.
Step 2: Platform selection
Once we understand your business and what your website needs to be able to do, we choose the right platform for your business. We’ll look at all your options and make recommendations, taking into account the pros and cons of each web development platform, as well as how your company is set up to manage your website.
The majority of our clients end up using Squarespace or Shopify - two user-friendly platforms packed with incredible features that we can fully customize. Others decide on WordPress, Wix and similar platforms. In some cases, we will recommend sticking with the platform you’re currently on, if it’s delivering on what you need from your website.
Step 3: Wireframe
Wireframing is a process we use to roughly sketch out what your website will look like section by section. We use this step to map the user journey (the steps visitors will take from the time they land on your site to the time they find what they’re looking for), whether that’s making a purchase, learning more about your company, contacting your business or something else.
In addition, we add in mock-ups of the features that will bring your website to the next level.
Step 4: Build
We use the wireframes to get your feedback and agree on the best approach for the build. Once approved, we start to create the site with your branding and content, adding all the bells and whistles, including customizations and integrations, to achieve the functionality you’re looking for. By the end of this step, you’ll have a fully functioning website with basic SEO!
Step 5: Test & Review
It’s time for the big reveal! We’ll walk you through your entire website and give you the opportunity to share your feedback to ensure you’re happy with the final product. At this stage, we test to make sure the user journey is flowing the way we intended, and work out any issues before we go live. We’ll also do a handover workshop, to show you how you can make updates, so you and your team have the choice to manage the site on your own
Step 6: Launch
Get ready to pop the bubbly! Your website is ready to share with the world. By now you’ll have a website you can feel proud of and actually understand how to use. Our goal is to leave you feeling empowered and confident about your website.
Final Thought
Building a new website might seem like a scary undertaking, but it can be so much easier than you might think. A good website is essential in our digital world, so make sure to put your best foot forward with a website you truly love. And don’t forget: A new website is an exciting milestone for any business. Celebrate it with your community. Make sure to create a communications plan for a successful website launch!
Feel it’s time for a new website? Learn more about our website design and development services!
Marielle Reussink
Founder of The Emms, Marketing Professional, Entrepreneur & Advisor to Start-ups