How to design a website
Now you know the reason you need a website, but how do you go about creating one? We will tell you the key things to consider and show you the best tools to use!
1. Have a plan
Before you figure out how to build the website, you first need to decide what information it will contain. Take the time to think about who your audience is and what kind of information they will be looking for.
Things to consider:
- how many pages you need and what information you need to share on them
- how people will navigate your site
- colors and photos you will use for visual appeal
- what functionality the site needs to have
2. Choose a platform
Unless you are an experienced web developer, you will likely want to use some sort of website template or builder to create your site.
There are literally thousands of options from Wix to Squarespace to WordPress and more! So how do you know which one is best?
It’s important to consider your goals. We encourage you to create a website that will help you meet your long term goals and give you the biggest chance for success.
Because of the flexibility offered as well as the ability to optimize for SEO, we encourage our students to create a self-hosted site on WordPress.
Creating a self-hosted site on WordPress will allow you to choose from hundreds of themes to build your website.
3. Choose a theme
As we mentioned above, we suggest using a pre-made theme designed for WordPress to create your website.
Things to consider when choosing a theme:
- support from the developer
- user experience
- built in functionality
- overall design
- SEO and speed optimization
There are hundreds if not thousands of themes available, but not all meet these criteria.
Based on our research, experience and consultations with a trusted web developer as well as an SEO consultant, we have chosen to recommend a Genesis base theme along with a Restored 316 child theme to our students in The Ultimate Blog Bootcamp when they create their sites!
Restored 316 WordPress Child Themes
4. Add Content and Design Aspects
One of the fun parts of creating a website is adding fonts, colors and photos.
Be sure to choose colors and fonts that are easy to read and have a lot of contrast. It’s important to ensure you site can be easily read by all, even those with visual impairments.
Use original images that you have created or hired out or or stock photography that you have the rights to use.
When designing your site, pay attention to the backgrounds and colors used for fonts to make sure they don’t clash with the photos. Simple is best and you don’t want to overwhelm your readers with too much visual input or information.
It’s best to keep website design and navigation simple and to the point. You will want your readers to be able to easily find what they are looking for and to stay on your site as long as possible to keep looking for more!
