We're back with part 7 of the rebrand newsletter series, where I’m taking you step by step through the exact process I use to build brands for 1:1 clients - and that I am using to rebrand cedar june in real-time.
In week 1, we talked about how to achieve brand clarity.
In week 2, we went over how to create a blueprint for your brand.
In week 3, we dug into audience research.
In week 4, we talked wtf a Brand Strategy is.
In week 5 - you learned how to DIY your content pillars...
In week 6 - you finally figured out what a brand identity is
And now we are in week 7, ready to tackle your website.
Oh, the website - the bane of every DIY brand builder's existence and the #1 thing I find looms on most entrepreneurs' to-do lists for way longer than they thought it would.
Whether you are building your website for the first time, updating an existing site - or getting ready to outsource your site to someone like me 😉 - this week's newsletter and series should help you understand what goes into making the most of your website and help you make more informed decisions about where to invest and when to DIY.
Think about your website as your brand's digital storefront. If you were renting a physical storefront for your brand, you could look around and see what needs your attention, what needs improvement, and how many people are walking and turning right around instead of staying to browse—and get immediate feedback on how people are engaging with your brand.
But your website works behind the scenes. It isn’t tangible, and you have to be more strategic, systematic, and intentional for it to sell without you being present behind a metaphorical cash register.
Keep Reading For Newsletter Highlights
- Behind the Brand → The four most common website struggles for DIY brand builders +
- A Note From Catie → Finally get your website off your to-do list with these 3 brand designer tested tips.
- Let's talk about your brand → How I can help you with your website.
|
|
the four most common website struggles for DIY brand builders
How to remedy them + project plan for your website
|
Struggle #1: Not knowing what content to include on your website.
This can often look like - a pretty skimp website that checks “needing a website” off of your to-do list. The problem is that without content on your site, people are less likely to find it, and when they do click on it, there is nothing to engage them or keep them on the page. So maybe you checked the website off the list, but is it working for you? Some of the most common ways to remedy this struggle include:
Some of the most common ways to remedy this struggle include:
✓ Working with a pro to outline your website content for you
✓ Taking a course to help you create your website content
✓ Or buying a digital product or template that helps you create your website content.
Struggle #2: Not knowing what to write about on your website - or how to write it.
This one goes hand in hand with #1. First, you need to know what your website needs to say and then figure out how to say it. I haven’t even talked about design yet - because the content and copy should come first. Not knowing how to say what you need to say on your website can look like robotic writing that sounds like chat-gpt, huge blocks of copy that say “I” more than “you,” and a complete disregard for SEO.
Some of the most common ways to remedy this struggle (and yeah, this is totally repetitive) include:
✓ Working with a pro to write your website content for you
✓ Taking a course to help you create your website content
✓ Or buying a digital product or template that helps you create your website content.
Struggle #3: What platform to build your site on
Rather than go too far into detail here, I will link to one of my most recent blog posts where I compare and contrast my two favorite website builders (and what I work on with 1:1 clients): Square Space and Showit. I’ll detail why these platforms are among the best options for digital entrepreneurs and how to pick the right platform for your brand.
Struggle #4: Making your website look professional
This is where design comes into play. Some entrepreneurs feel confident enough with their design skills to customize a free or paid template for their websites, while others don’t feel like they have the tech and design skills to create a website on their own and opt to work with a pro.
Not all web design services are created equal—something I outline in my blog post, “The Truth About One Day Branding Services,” so be sure to research and find the right fit for you.
That’s just the top four things that stress people out about DIY-ing their website—we didn’t even get into SEO, Development and animation, automation, third-party integrations, Popups, and screamer banners—*cue the procrastinating.
There is a lot to consider when it comes to re-launching (or launching) your website for a rebrand or brand build - that's why we are taking a few weeks to dig deeper into your website and how it works to support your brand.
Want to know everything on my "to-do list" for cedar junes website redesign? Click the link below to plan with me as I break down everything I need to do to wrap up my rebrand and update my site.
|
|
a note from catie
I want to call out the elephant in the room - how long it takes to get your effin website done.
When I called your website the bane of most new entrepreneurs' existence, it was because of how many people I have seen "working" on their websites for the better part of a year or more—with nothing in place in the meantime.
I know firsthand how hard it is to find the time to get your website done when you are doing it on your own.
So, in this section, I thought I would rattle off a few quick tips for getting your website off your to-do list once and for all.
#1. If you haven't already watched the project plan video linked above, be sure to check that out. Project planning your site is a productivity tip in itself.
#2: Early morning power hours or 2-hour sprints (my fave) dedicated to your website project. Do this every day till you get it done.
#3: Dedicating a chunk of time (3-7 days) where you dedicate all of your time to the website project and take off from client and content. This could also be a workcation (which sounds lovely to me).
|
need help?
Let's talk about your website. Before you get started, I'll help you figure out what your website build or redesign project looks like and where your brand could use some TLC.
I am now booking July and beyond for 1:1 brand and website design projects. Inquire about working together at the link below.