- Melanie
How To: Prepare to build your website
It almost goes without saying that a website is one of the most important tools a business can invest in. Whether you're launching your first website, improving your existing site, or going for a total overhaul, there are a few things every site needs:
Logo
Artist bio/company information
Images
Contact information
Social media accounts to follow
Email signup
Keywords

Logo
Your logo is important as an identifier for your brand. It can be simple text or an elaborate design, but it needs to be legible and consistent across your website, social media, and emails.
Artist biography/company information
One of the most effective ways to connect with your audience is with your story. It's also important to remember that writing for the web is significantly different from traditional writing. Keep it concise: short sentences, simplified vocabulary, and keep paragraphs to 2-3 sentences.
Images
Regardless of what business you're in, having beautiful photography will make a huge impact on your website. While I'm always going to recommend professional photographs, the cameras on smartphones keep getting better. Make sure your images are in focus, well-composed, and bright. Dark or muddy photos don't show up well, especially on tablets and smartphones.
Contact Information
I'm embarrassed to say that my contact info on my website was buried for years. Make sure the easiest way to reach you is easy to find on every page of your site.

Social media accounts
There are so many different social media outlets, and it can be overwhelming to keep up with them all. Choose the three that will benefit your business the most. A few that have had staying power and exponential growth: Instagram, Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter. If you're a musician, YouTube and Soundcloud are also great to add.
Email signup
As important as your social media presence is, nothing beats email marketing. Unlike your audience on social media, you own your email list, so make sure visitors to your website have an easy way to sign up on every page.

Keywords
Keywords are specific words or phrases that describe the contents of a web page. This is how search engines find and rank your website. Come up with 5-6 keywords to add to your images and individual page information.
No matter what industry you're in, your website is your business's online home. By preparing the content beforehand, you can streamline the design process for yourself or your web designer.
If you need website advice, a website update, or a full build, contact me for a consultation: melanie@maw-studio.com