If are ready to build a new website or you currently have a website that is in need of an update, this information will be extremely valuable.
There are several steps to take when building your website, including outlining what you want to achieve with your website, finding a web designer, wireframing your website, testing, launching and then maintaining your website.
I will not be getting into these individual steps in this email. My goal today is for you to gain a better understanding of the terms your web designer may use in the process of building your website. I’m not saying you need to know all of these, but I do think it’s important for you to have a basic understanding of everything involved.
Here is an alphabetized list:
Autoresponder:
Software that automatically sends pre-written emails to a subscriber's email address in response to specific triggers. The trigger could be someone signing up for your email newsletter by entering their name and email address into a form on your website. Once their information is entered and they click the submit button, a welcome email would be sent or a series of emails could be triggered to automatically send at predetermined intervals.
Domain name:
Unique and easy-to-remember text address a website, such as yourbusinessname.com. When you type a domain name into a browser, the Domain Name System (DNS) translates the domain name into the corresponding IP address (192.168.1.1 for example) which allows your computer to connect to the correct web server. I use GoDaddy for domain name registrations.
Google Analytics:
Free tool that helps you track and analyze visitor behavior on your website. It provides detailed metrics on things like how users find your site, which pages they visit, how long they stay, and what actions they take. This information helps you understand your audience and improve your marketing and website performance.
Google Business Profile:
A free tool that lets you create and manage your online presence on Google Search and Maps. It helps you share important information like address, hours, phone number and customer reviews. A well-maintained profile makes it easier for local customers to find and contact your business. It’s especially valuable for improving local SEO and attracting nearby customers.
Google Search Console:
Free tool from Google that helps you monitor and improve your site’s presence in Google search results. You can submit your sitemap and also gain insights into how Google crawls and indexes your site, showing data like search queries, clicks, and rankings. Use it also to identify and fix issues like broken links or security errors. It’s essential for optimizing your website’s SEO and ensuring it performs well in search engines.
Lead Magnet:
Free resource or incentive offered to potential customers in exchange for their email address. Your lead magnet could be an ebook, a checklist, a free report or something else of value to your potential client or customer. It's used to attract and convert website visitors into leads to help build your email list or get them into your sales funnel.
Sales Funnel:
The purpose of a sales funnel is to nurture and guide potential buyers from initial awareness of your product or service all the way to a final purchase. A well-optimized sales funnel will help increase your conversions and grow your business. At the top of the funnel, many people become aware of your business, but only a small number move down to actually buying. You can use a lead magnet and a series of emails to guide prospects through each stage of your funnel. Sales funnels are a crucial marketing tool for your business.
Sitemap:
File that lists all the important pages on a website to help search engines like Google discover, crawl, and index all the content on your website more effectively. Your sitemap helps search engines understand your website's structure. Don't confuse a sitemap with the navigation menu on your website. They are not the same thing.
SSL Certificate:
Digital certificate that encrypts data exchanged between a user's browser and a website, ensuring a secure communication. It helps protect sensitive information like passwords, credit card numbers, and personal data from hackers. Websites with SSL have URLs that start with https:// and often display a padlock icon in the browser address bar.
Website Hosting:
Service that provides the storage space and technology needed for a website to be accessed on the internet. When you build a website, all its files (HTML, images, content and videos) need to be stored on a server that’s connected to the internet. A web hosting provider rents out this server space.
Without web hosting, your website would not be visible or accessible to users online. To make a website available, you need both a domain name (your website's address) and a web hosting account to store your website's content. I currently use SiteGround for web hosting.
Web Server:
Computer or software that stores, processes, and delivers web pages to users over the internet. When you type a website address into your browser, the web server sends back the appropriate content so your website can load into your browser.
Wireframe:
Basic visual guide that outlines the structure and layout of a web page without focusing on design details like colors or images. It shows where elements like headers, text blocks, buttons and images will be placed. Wireframing helps designers, developers and clients see the big picture for a website’s functionality and user flow before building it.
The wireframe can be drawn on paper, designed in Word, created digitally using wireframing tools or even sketched on a whiteboard. Wireframes are an essential first step in planning your website to make sure it's both user-friendly and effective.
WordPress:
Popular content management system (CMS) that allows your web designer to build and manage your website. WordPress powers almost half of all websites on the internet, from simple blogs to complex e-commerce stores. It offers thousands of themes and plugins to customize design and functionality.
WordPress plugin:
Piece of software that adds extra features or functionality to a WordPress website. It can do things like improve SEO, add contact forms, boost security or turn a site into an online store. There are thousands of free and paid plugins available for customizing your website.
WordPress Theme:
Collection of templates and styles that determine the overall look and design of a WordPress website. It controls things like layout, colors, fonts and how content is displayed. Themes can be customized to fit different types of websites, from blogs to online shops.
Final Thoughts:
It’s important for anyone considering building a new website or redesigning an existing website to have a general understanding of the terminology being used. A good web designer will make sure you understand every step of the process.
In addition to copywriting and email marketing, I build one-page websites. These are the best option for many businesses. I will also work with you to improve the content on an existing website.
Let me know how I can help you in your business. Click here to schedule a free 15-minute discovery call. You can also call or text 615-308-8078 or send an email to mike@mikecoleman.net.
Best,
Mike Coleman