Get ready for Part 3 of the Branding Series. Hopefully, you’ve found the content from the past two weeks helpful, and this week we’re going to talk about web presence. The Internet is  such a powerful tool in branding your business. It helps solitic customers, connects you with your customers, but most importantly, it serves as a your introduction to your customer base. Subscribe on APPLE PODCASTS | STITCHER | ANDROID This week, I welcomed Jess Freeman who is a graphic and web designer, and also the creator and owner of JessCreatives. With her business, Jess helps business owners create and/or define their brands through aesthetically alluring graphical depictions or by establishing an easily functional website. Jess also helps her clients use various web and business tools to broadened their reach and diversify their web presence. In the episode Jess discusses how to create a website, if you opt to create one yourself, and things to look for if you choose to hire a designer. We also discuss the essentials for web content and the most optimal content management systems, and some that you should probably avoid. Please share your thoughts: Leave a note in the comment section below. Share this show on Twitter, Facebook, or Pinterest. Support the show: Please rate me 5 stars on iTunes. Your rating and reviews help other people discover me. Subscribe on iTunes, YouTube, or Stitcher. SHOWNOTES Know that your website and brand will continue to evolve as you grow To start off, you need a minimal viable product: website with 4 to 5 pages Top three content management systems (CMS) to use: Squarespace: Perfect for a business that does not need any customizable elements on the website; it’s easy to set-up WordPress: Great for membership sites, tripwire pages (opt-ins), webinars, podcast analytics, and any other specialized areas; steep learning curve technically, you can pay someone to create it; have to find a host, and searching for themes can be daunting because they’re endless Shopify: If products are the main driver of your business or if you have a store front, this is the best CMS; makes it easy to sell products on social media platforms CMS’s you should NOT use Wix and Weebly; they are not fully responsive and are not reputable systems used by major companies Responsive design: a website that reformats and works correctly when viewed on a mobile and desktop device Don’t get caught up in the bells and whistles of a platform; choose one that’s right for you and your budget Website pages to consider: Home page: Your welcome mat, the front door of your business; should lead people on a path About: Where people can learn about you and your business Service: Highlight the things you do; may need separate pages depending on services Contact: Doesn’t have to be a page; you could have one that’s a popup or that leads to a form like Typeform Blog: Every business owner should be blogging Testimonials: Show off all of your client love Portfolio: If you are a designer, artist, maker, or just have any type of work to show off Tips for organizing your content: Use Google Drive and Dropbox to organize text and images Think about what you want people do on each page What is the number-one or main goal of your website (to solicit clients, to encourage people to sign-up for your newsletter, or to request people to join a FaceBook group, etc.)? Do not get to caught up on choosing a theme for your website; choose a premium theme because they usually come with support and more flexibility If you’re looking to hire a designer: Make sure the person has the aesthetic you’re looking for (more than just using your favorite colors, you’re looking for style) If you’re looking for something specialized, like an e-commerce site, make sure they have experience with building what you’re looking for Make sure you have most of your content together Search Engine Optimization (SEO): know that it’s more about content versus the platform you c