Last night while teaching my Social Media for Small Business Course, we started to dive into websites; Developing one, key points for design, layout and content. Developing a website seems to be the hottest topic for these small business owners with the reoccurring questions: How do people find me on Google?
In my class I've introduced Wix as a great platform to start developing a website on. It's free and although Flash sites are said to be on their way out, it's still a great way to initiate your business on the web.
One gentlemen said to me, "I wish it was easier. I want it to have a step by step 'click here' and next 'click here'." I thought this interesting as personally, I thought Wix was already easy...can it get any easier?
People need to remember to be patient with themselves, especially when learning something new. No matter what we're learning, it takes time and patience and after putting in the time, it BECOMES easy. There is no 'click here for next step' button in other applications, it just comes with practice.
Below I've listed 5 personal pointers for anyone looking to develop their own site and get online:
1. Be patient - Rome wasn't build in a day and your site won't be either. Start by developing your content and being sure to include the correct information. From there you can decide if you want to add pages, change your layout, colour scheme etc. Content is key; step two is visual appeal.
2. Be happy - You're teaching yourself a new skill, a technical new skill, even! How long did it take you to understand Math or read the Ulysses? be proud of yourself for taking a giant leap forward in your personal development.
3. Ask for help - This was always my biggest issue in school, I hated asking for help but it's something I've had to get over to better myself There are thousands of articles, videos and people out there who are more knowledge able then you when it comes to social media and online techniques...ASK THEM! It's what they have what you need and often, they're offering it for free. Who knows, maybe you have something they need too!?
4. Dive right in - The best way to learn french is to go to France; become a cook is to experiment with different recipes. Submerse yourself in it and get involved! Join discussions on Linkedin and Facebook. Start up a Twitter account just to see what happens and how it works. The more you use these online tools, the more understanding you'll have about how they work and the quicker that knowledge will come.
5. Optimize you SEO - Your SEO or Search Engine Optimization, is the most important tool to get yourself found my internet search engines. With Wix you can change this under the Settings tab. Be clear in the words and phrases you choose and consider how people searching for your business might do so. Also, keep in mind that this does usually take about a month for Google to properly index your site.
Hope this helps! Enjoy! :)
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