Are you thinking about building your own WordPress website?
Well, let me set your mind at ease and tell you this: “Yes, you can build your own WordPress Website.”
How do I know this? Because I did it and I’m not a web designer or developer. I am a small business owner just like you.
We started out with a web designer. She built our original website and maintained it. But truthfully, we didn’t like it. I don’t want to get into all the things I think she did wrong — just let it be that we decided to make a change. That change was building my own website using WordPress.
Can I really build my own WordPress website?
Yes, you can build your own website and maintain it. Question is: Do you have the desire and the time to do the work necessary to build your website?
When I say “do you have the desire to build your website” I mean do you really want to do it?
Will you stay with it until it reaches a level that you are happy with?
Are you willing to learn a new skill that takes time and thought?
Will you spend hours looking or creating the right background, typography, and /or images?
Another big issue is: Do you also have an extra 5–10 hours a week to learn to do it. If so, there are literally 1,000 websites to teach you for free or a small fee.
If I do decide to build my own WordPress website, where do I start?
Start with WordPress. Small business technology is centered around WordPress. Think about this, 35% of the internet is run by WordPress. If you are unfamiliar with WordPress, Google it and start reading. You can learn all about it from sites dedicated to teaching.
Learn to purchase a hosting site, a domain, installing WordPress and customizing your site. If you get stuck, remember YouTube is your friend. There are lots of people willing to help, (some who can!) and you can be the master of your website universe.
You will read and hear about how WordPress can do anything, but the truth is, it is made for small businesses. It has good security, themes, and plugins for anything, but while helpful, plugins should be kept to a minimum.
A WordPress site can be put together using a drag and drop builder in 20 hours tops if you are new to WordPress. It will probably take you a little longer to load optimized images and content. Altogether 40 hours.
There is so much content about how to set up a WordPress website online. Here are a few blogs that can help you right away:
So, with that, in mind, here are the 5 reasons you should build your own WordPress website.
- Timeliness
Like many small business owners, you get tired of begging your webmaster to post something that is time-sensitive, such as a closing time for the holidays, only to have it appear the day after the holiday.
So timing is the first, and probably biggest, driving force behind small business owners who want to create their own site. Think about it for a minute. You could change your own content at just the right moment — add or replace more relevant images or just communicate and engage customers so that they always feel in the loop for important information about your business.
Whatever the reason, you are the force behind when it should or should not appear.
2. Creative control
It gets done the way you want it done. You will continue to tweak it and make it better as time goes on as you learn more about user experience or how a customer navigates your site.
This may sound almost shallow but believe me, you will feel great after doing your own website.
It’s not such a chore to maintain a website if it’s your baby. Knowing what to do will make it easy and quick. I get updates every week and it’s not a problem to back up the site and run the updates.
3. Engaging your target audience
Helping them with their problems or issues builds a relationship.
After all, that is why they are there. People don’t hang around websites just to be killing time. They are trying to solve problems by doing research that could lead to a sale for you.
For whatever reason, it becomes a place people can go to solve their needs. That is very important in the online world.
4.Value proposition
It tells people what sets you apart from your competition, and who better to do that than you?
I think of a value proposition as benefits other than price that makes you the go-to place for your industry. You become an expert because of experience and knowledge. There is no better place to do that than on your website.
5.Blog
Finally, it helps when engaging prospects to point them to your blog to become familiar with your business. You can discuss their needs and offer solutions by writing about it on your blog. Because most people buy your product or service for the same reason to solve a common issue.
You can also write about tips when deciding who to hire – you or a competitor. This is done using your Value Proposition. A way to help you stand out without being too sales oriented.
In other words, they can get to know you. Sales are about relationships and blogs go a long way in building trust.
It’s time to decide who will build your website.
If you have the time and the desire do you have the knowledge? Knowledge means school or tutorials. I advise tutorials.
Once again I urge you to build your own site because it will pay huge dividends in the years to come in the form of quick knowledge maintaining your site and growing your business.
Remember 90% of any task is the guts to get started. Someone else will help you with that other 10% or at least that is what my dad told me.