Welcome back to the final installment of my three-part series, How to Create a Killer Website.  Now it’s time to tie up loose ends and ensure your web presence is something you’re proud of…and gets your business seen by more customers.  #amen

In Part One, I explained the importance of breaking the website into sections, writing copy for each section, and understanding the importance of using the right words to communicate with prospective customers. (Oh, and the good news is that you don’t need to be the best at what you do!)

In Part Two, I explained the step-by-step process of sourcing the inspiration for your website, choosing the right colors, and selecting fonts.  But this process only begins after you assess your website goals and set your vision.

Now this is where the FUN begins and the magic happens.  It’s time to bring your vision to life!  Every website I’ve created was designed by a professional graphic designer.  But it doesn’t have to be custom built website.  I’ve used website templates from GoLiveHQ, but I’ve taken the time to customize them so they feel unique to my vision and brand.  Using the Showit website builder, I took a GoLive template and drag-and-dropped designs it until I was in love.

Regardless of the website platform you use (and there are plenty of options!), let’s get into the logistics of creating the website so you’re not overwhelmed.

1. Organize your Homepage photos in a folder and numerically label them in the order you want them to appear.
2. Organize the photos for each of the six sections on your website and numerically label them in the order you want them to appear in each section.
3. Create a document with logistical aspects of the website
   • Domain info (your website URL):
   • Where is your domain registered (like GoDaddy or Hostgator):
     • Login info for domain registrar (Name/Password)
   • Login for your hosting account (if different from above):
4. Organize your social media logins
   • Instagram (username and password)
   • Facebook (email and password)
   • Twitter (username and password)
   • Snapchat (username and password)
   • Pinterest (email and password)
5. Date of first draft completion:
6. Date revisions are to be submitted:
7. Date of final website review:
8. Date of website launch (yay!):

Now that you have everything organized, prepped, and your vision is dialed in, it’s time to GET THE PARTY STARTED!!

You’ve prepared yourself for success and you’re ready to hand over all your hard work to a graphic designer or complete the process with ease.

The BIGGEST mistakes I made when I first started creating websites was jumping head first into the process without a plan.  I’d end up frustrated, tired, and exhausted.  The key is to plan in advance, so when you’re ready to move forward with your design, it’s as effortless as it is FUN.

I also made a helpful step-by-step guide outlining my advice on how to design a website and you can download it HERE.