Creating a website is a significant step for any coach, business mom, solopreneur, or small business owner. WordPress, with its flexibility and user-friendly interface, is an excellent platform to build your online presence.
However, before diving into the design and development process, it’s essential to ask yourself some critical questions to ensure your website meets your needs and goals.
In this post, we’ll explore the five key questions you should answer before starting your WordPress website. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to revamp your current site, these considerations will set you up for success.
1. Who Is My Target Audience?
Your website should be designed with your audience in mind. Understanding who will visit your site is crucial to creating content, choosing the right design, and optimizing user experience.
- Demographics: Consider the age, gender, location, and other demographic factors of your target audience.
- Needs and Preferences: What are your audience’s pain points? How can your website address these issues?
- User Experience: Think about the journey you want your visitors to take. What actions should they be prompted to take, and how can you guide them there?
By clearly defining your target audience, you can tailor your website to meet their specific needs, increasing engagement and conversions.
2. What Is the Main Goal of My Website?
Every website should have a clear purpose. Whether it’s to sell products, generate leads, build a community, or showcase your portfolio, your website’s goal will influence its design, structure, and content.
- E-commerce: If your goal is to sell products, focus on creating a seamless shopping experience. WordPress plugins like WooCommerce can help you set up an online store.
- Lead Generation: If generating leads is your priority, optimize your site for conversions with clear CTAs, lead magnets, and contact forms.
- Portfolio: For showcasing your work, consider a clean, visually appealing design that highlights your skills and achievements.
Understanding the primary goal of your website will help you make decisions that align with your business objectives.
3. What Content Will I Include?
Content is king, and having a solid content plan is essential before creating your website. Think about the types of content that will resonate with your audience and support your goals.
- Pages: Common pages include Home, About, Services, Blog, and Contact. Depending on your business, you may also need specific pages like Testimonials, Case Studies, or FAQs.
- Blog Posts: If you plan to include a blog, consider the topics you’ll cover and how often you’ll publish. Blogging can be a powerful tool for driving traffic and establishing authority.
- Multimedia: Will you include videos, podcasts, or galleries? WordPress offers a range of options for integrating multimedia content seamlessly.
Planning your content in advance ensures that your website is not only informative but also engaging and relevant to your audience.
4. How Will I Drive Traffic to My Site?
A beautifully designed website won’t do much for your business if no one visits it. Consider how you’ll drive traffic to your site and how WordPress can support your marketing efforts.
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Optimize your site for search engines using WordPress SEO plugins like Yoast SEO. Research keywords your audience is searching for and incorporate them into your content.
- Social Media Integration: Make it easy for visitors to share your content on social media. Use plugins to display social sharing buttons and embed social feeds.
- Email Marketing: Build an email list and use it to drive repeat traffic. WordPress integrates with popular email marketing services like Mailchimp, making it easy to collect and manage subscribers.
- Partnerships and Collaborations: Leverage relationships with other businesses or influencers to increase your reach.
By planning your traffic generation strategies, you’ll be better positioned to attract and retain visitors to your WordPress site.
5. What Budget and Resources Do I Have?
Building a website on WordPress is highly customizable, meaning you can create a site that fits your budget and resources. However, it’s important to consider both upfront and ongoing costs.
- Design and Development: Will you hire a professional designer or developer, or will you use a pre-built theme? Premium themes and custom development can be more expensive but offer greater flexibility.
- Hosting and Domain: You’ll need to budget for web hosting and a domain name. WordPress hosting ranges from affordable shared hosting to more expensive managed hosting options.
- Plugins and Maintenance: Some WordPress plugins are free, but others require a paid subscription. Additionally, you may need to budget for ongoing site maintenance and updates.
- Support: Consider whether you’ll need ongoing support for your site. Managed WordPress hosting often includes support, but you may also want to hire someone for regular updates and troubleshooting.
By understanding your budget and resources, you can make informed decisions about the tools and services you’ll use to build and maintain your site.
Ready to Build Your WordPress Website?
Creating a WordPress website is an exciting venture, but it requires careful planning and consideration. By answering these five questions, you’ll be well on your way to creating a site that not only looks great but also drives results for your business.
Want help planning your website? I’m offering a free website planner tool to help you get started.