Websites for Intuitive Businesses

{psst...the above video was taken while I was sitting in the car. It's not the best quality but hey...just embodying our motto of "let it be messy" 😉}

So many of my clients get stumped on stepping forward and making moves because they think they need a beautiful, fancy website in order to get started. And websites are complicated! They're expensive! They take time! 

"So I have to wait until it's ready to launch my business...right?"

Maaaybe not!

Keep reading to learn about: 

• Why websites are important 
• Different website platforms you can use (some of them easily DIY) 
•  Whether or not you need a website
•  Things you’ll want to consider for your website  

Why Websites are Important

Your website acts as the hub of your business. It's a hard truth, but social media platforms aren't guaranteed we don’t own them. Mr. Z could come on tomorrow and say “hey from now on you have to be part of my creepy Metaverse and you have to pay me $10 a day to be in it”.

Is it likely that will happen? Probably not. But as we've witnessed time and time again, these platforms aren't fail-proof. Servers go down, and if that's your only way of connecting with your community, then you have no way of staying in touch for the day. 

Websites aren’t 100% safe either; again, servers can go down, you can break your website (which I've done a few times 🙃) but they are less risky than relying only on social media. 

The downfall of websites is that there's major potential to get stuck trying to make it perfect before you share yourself and your offerings with the world. I'm in my 9th year of business and I only became happy with my website in December of 2020. Your website will always be a work in progress and it's likely there will always be something you don't love. So let's just ditch the stress about that, shall we?!

Different Website Platforms to Use

This is by no means an exhaustive list because there are so many options these days. But here are some of the common ones: 

• Wordpress
  • An incredibly robust platform that requires some technical know-how to build. It gives you a lot more freedom to create your own platforms, but unless you understand coding, you'll likely need a developer to help you.
• Squarespace
  • Super user-friendly with beautiful templates. It's a popular platform you've likely interacted with many times. It has a simple-to-use drag and drop builder with pre-made templates. You can also buy templates from other companies if you want something a little more unique. 
• Wix 
  • Wix is similar to Squarespace in that it's a drag-and-drop builder that's super newbie-friendly. They've dramatically improved their user experience over the years, however they can get expensive with different add-ons you might want.
• GoDaddy
• Kajabi, Thinkific, Teachable
  • Great for those wanting to offer online courses. You're on a Kajabi site right now!
• Canva
  • Yup, Canva! You can make beautiful, simple websites in Canva now. You can even link them to a custom domain with some simple redirects. 

But Do You NEED a Website?

The short answer is...no. You don't! Realistically, all you need to start your business is something that helps people and a way to get paid, like a Paypal link. All of the other things can be layered in later. 

I mentioned above that relying solely on social media is a risky move, however there are many folks who do it. You can list your services in your Highlights, you can deliver high-quality content on the feed, and your DMs become your Contact Page. Easy peasy, right?

You can also create a simple PDF that outlines your different services. When folks reach out to learn more about working with you, simply send them that document. 

Think about you, your business, and the magic you want to create. What's the best option for you right now?

Website Considerations

If you've decided you're ready to get a website, there are a few things you'll need to think about: 

• What platform you’ll use, obviously
• Hosting 
  • Hosting is included for most platforms like Squarespace or Kajabi, but if you opt for Wordpress, you'll need to sign up and pay for your own hosting platform
• Buy your domain 
• SSL certificate 
  • An SSL certificate shows visitors your site is secure. If you don't have one, Google will warn visitors they're about to visit an unsecure site. 
  • Oftentimes, your SSL certificate will be included either with your hosting provider, or directly within your platform (Squarespace, Kajabi, etc). 

So there you have it, my friend: simple things to consider when it comes to websites for intuitive businesses. It might feel like a big deal, but I can assure you, it's not 😉 Start simple, start messy, and get out there and help the people you're here to help.