Website Project // What’s Needed to Get Started

Website domain

Your domain is the URL of your website (i.e., www.wittandcompany.com). More often than not, it’s your business name. Generally, the domain has an annual renewal fee and costs around $10-$20, depending on where you purchase and the popularity of the domain.

If you need to purchase your domain, I recommend Siteground. I am an affiliate and receive special pricing, which you can access by clicking here.

Website hosting

Your website host is where the website itself will live. This is independent of the domain. Think of the domain as your house and the website host as the plot of land where the house will be built.

Again, I use and recommend Siteground. I am an affiliate and receive special pricing, which you can access by clicking here.

Images

Website images have the ability to take your website to the next level. They’re a great way to enhance the overall brand experience and really set your website apart from competitors.

In a perfect world, your website images would be custom brand photos of you, your work and your team. However, that might not be in your budget, in which case there are some great stock options – free and paid.

Copy

Writing your website copy can be challenging – so, the sooner you can start, the better. 

Similar to the brand photos, if it’s in your budget to work with a copywriter, I would highly recommend it. If not, there are a variety of support documents and resources in your Google Drive folder to help you write your website content. 

Note: I know how much of a catch 22 writing can be – it’s challenging to write something without seeing it live. However, the amount of copy can significantly alter the layout of the page. Because of this, the website copy must be done* before we can start the website portion of the project.

*On a scale of 0% to 100% comleted, the copy should be around 65% – 75% done. 

Keywords

Keywords are the words and phrases that people type into search engines and when used appropriately, can optimize and increase your website traffic. 

Your goal is to determine the appropriate keyword for each page on your website – keyword research is the process that helps to determine that keyword and it starts with thinking about how your ideal client might search for your business or website. What words, phrases and questions would they type into a search bar? These would then become to keyword you focus on for that specific page.

For a more detailed process on performing keyword research, click here.

Email Marketing Software

Not to be confused with your email service, the email marketing software is a tool used to send mass marketing emails.

Real life example: When you go to someone’s website and sign up to receive a free workbook, that process was copleted usng an email marketing software.

There are loads of software options for you to choose from so to cut the overwhelm, my recommendation is Mailerlite. It’s user friendly and what I use in my own business. I am an affiliate so if you sign up using this link, you’ll receive a $20 credit when you upgrade.

Subscriber opt-in

The opt-in (also referred to as a freebie or lead magnet) is the ‘thing’ that someone receives in exchange for their contact information (most often an email address). The delivery of the ‘thing’ is done via your email marketing software.

The lead magnet can be anything from a free workbook, ebook, minicourse, printable or webinar. Really, the possibilities are endless – it’s dependent on who your ideal client is and what you’re offering. The goal is to create something that seamlessly leads into a paid offer.

Domain Email

This is the email that you will use to send 1:1 communication. It’s different from your email marekting software because it’s purpose isn’t for mass marketing. It’s the email address that is associated with your domain – i.e., contact@wittandcompany.com

If you already have a domain email, great! If not, we’ll set one up for free if you are hosting with Siteground.

Tracking codes

Google Analytics is a tool that helps you analyze website visitors. It shows you who is coming to your website and how they’re interacting with it once they arrive. If you’re wanting to utilize this tool, you’ll need to set up a Google Analytics account and share your tracking id. Click here for a tutorial!

Facebook Pixel is another tracking code that is utilized for Facebook ads. The code can help you target people who have been on your website with Facebook and Instagram ads. Click here for the tutorial on finding your Facebook Pixel code. 

Website Terminology