Home
>
Web Development
>
Setting Up Your First Website

Setting Up Your First Website

Q. Hey, Cathy: I'm just setting up a website. What should I do?

A. First, don't call the web designer yet! Write out a detailed summary of your ideal client, if you haven't already done so. Get very clear on what benefits you will offer and how you will stand out from the crowd. Before you spend days and weeks refining your copy, test your ideas on real people -- as close to your ideal client as possible. Study your competition to see what works -- and to avoid creating a "me-too" site that gets lost in the crowd.

Most important, get some confirmation that a market exists for your product. Do people actually use this product or service? Do they pay or expect freebies? Do they have a low-price mindset? Do they mind on the web? If you can't answer yes to all these questions, identify resources who can help.

If you are starting a brand-new business with a website, start small. Very small. Don't put a lot of money into your first website. If you want create a professional image, hire a designer, but keep costs down by setting up only a few pages. Your needs will change as your business grows.

Your site needs three basic sections.

(a) What the site is about. I recommend writing two or three sentences for your home page, enough for visitors to decide if they want to hang around.

(b) Who you are. When you're the product, include an "about you" page. I recommend a narrative format to hold readers' interest.

"Griselda began life in a cave somewhere in deepest Africa. After being abducted at age seven, she was taken to the US and... "

Be sure to include links to pages that detail your achievements. This is no time for modesty! List degrees, publications and certificates.

You may turn off some potential clients: some will be put off by too many or too few credentials, or they may have been burned by someone with a similar background. Better to lose them up front, I say.

(c) What you offer for sale. You need a page that describes your products and services in mouth-watering detail. You may include prices and a link to your shopping cart.

Some experienced web business owners choose to omit prices. They send price sheets to people who express interest in their services.

That's a judgment call, too. They hope to hook clients who are so enthused by the website they'll pay more. On the downside, some folks won't even ask -- they expect the prices to be a lot higher.

And you may include options: articles and downloadable ebooks, to allow your web visitors to learn more about you. Write in lively, journalistic, self-help style. Focus on topics that attract your clients' interest. If you sell fitness products, include tips on exercise.

How will visitors find you? You'll need a comprehensive plan including metatags, content keywords, link swaps and articles.

When will you see results? If you have little or no revenue after three months, experiment with tactics, such as getting your website known, revising your site for better navigtion. After six months, it's time for an overhaul. Investigate options for a professional website review.

I offer one-to-one consultations on career and business strategy.

About The Author

Cathy Goodwin, Ph.D., is an author, speaker and career/business consultant, helping midlife professionals take their First step to a Second Career. http://www.cathygoodwin.com.

"Ten secrets of mastering a major life change" http://www.cathygoodwin.com

Contact: http://www.cathygoodwin.com 505-534-4294

luxury cleaning services Bannockburn ...

In The News:

ClearSpace UK's robotic spacecraft with giant claws will chase down dead satellites at 17,000 mph, with a 2029 launch from Scotland planned.

A fake Social Security statement phishing email uses the SSA logo and a convincing layout, but the sender's domain instantly exposes the scam.

A clean credit report doesn't mean your identity is safe. Six ways criminals can steal from you without triggering a credit monitoring alert.

Carolyn Marvin, a 78-year-old retired professor, was arrested after blocking an Uber Eats delivery robot on a Philadelphia sidewalk for months.

The Midnight Mimosa malware campaign hides inside cheap Android phone firmware, giving attackers powerful access before owners even turn devices on.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Meta's Muse AI was built to manage tasks, but users are developing romantic AI relationships and even calling the AI companion their girlfriend.

A Minnesota murder suspect's notebook listed 11 people search websites, raising urgent questions about data broker opt-out and online privacy risks.

Google Universal Cart tracks price drops, surfaces promo codes and uses Google Wallet to match your best credit card rewards before checkout.

Safari's Notify Me feature and Google's price-tracking tools can monitor products and send alerts when prices drop on your iPhone or Android.

George Weiner built PACspam.org to trace who sends nonstop political fundraising texts after blocking numbers repeatedly failed to stop the messages.

A dedicated VPN IP address may reduce frustrating CAPTCHAs and bank login security checks by giving websites a consistent connection to recognize.

Apple Wallet in iOS 27 lets you create digital passes from physical cards using a photo or screenshot, but not every card in your wallet qualifies.

Anthropic's Claude AI submitted a fabricated eyewitness tip about an unsolved murder to a Philadelphia police website during automated testing.

P7 DarkSword iPhone spyware can steal saved passwords, photos, Apple Notes and cryptocurrency wallet data by checking for commands every 15 seconds.

Cybersecurity experts told Fox News Digital that a cyberattack on French supermarket freezers should warn the U.S. about critical infrastructure gaps.

The Oracle Health breach exposed medical records, Social Security numbers and diagnoses of nearly 20 million patients across multiple states.

The new Tesla Roadster drove upside down and launched into the air at SpaceX's Texas facility, but a 2028 production target remains unconfirmed.

Apple's iOS 27 lets you add keywords to iPhone photos, while Samsung Gallery tags and Google Photos search offer similar organization tools.

A fake Claude AI download scam uses Google ads, and Bing redirects to trick Mac users into pasting a hidden malicious command in their Terminal.

Ahold Delhaize's cybersecurity incident knocked online ordering and digital coupons offline at Stop & Shop, Food Lion, Hannaford and Giant Food stores.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Amazon's About You feature includes personality details from your shopping history, and some shoppers are finding hilariously awkward results.

Identity theft recovery starts with securing bank accounts, freezing credit and enabling two-factor authentication within the first 24 hours.

Apple's $299 HomeView smart display uses facial recognition to personalize screens for up to six household members and show live security camera feeds.

Setting Up Your First Website

Web Development