Creating a website you love starts well before you actually begin designing your website. Surprisingly, the first step of website development is not about choosing a hosting provider or a Squarespace template you love. While those are very important things to do, there are seven things you need to know before you start building your site. These foundational elements are essential to know before you even step foot in the backend of a website. So, strap yourself in because I’ma about to walk you through each step, and it’s gonna be one hell of a journey!

#1 Get a Website that Captures Your Essence

“Essence” is one of the most important foundational elements of a website. Whether you’re thinking about starting your own business or you’ve been in the entrepreneurial game for a while now, having a website and brand that you don’t absolutely love will 100% hold you back from earning more money and landing your dream clients.

When your website captures and articulates your essence–what makes you uniquely you–you show up in the world differently. You pitch yourself for more significant work opportunities, more money comes in, and dream clients land on your virtual doorstep. Your potential is unlimited when you have a branded website that showcases your expertise and truly represents who you are.

Whether creating brands for budding entrepreneurs or upleveling websites for multiple 6-figure powerhouses, I always consider how to reflect each individual’s essence through their branding. 

The first thing you need to do before building your site is ask yourself this fundamental question: “How do I make my website, branding, and photos connect with my dream clients and reflect my essence?”

#2 First Impressions Count

When I reached a point in my entrepreneurial journey when I decided it was time to hire a business coach, I did what many of us do and turned to Google. I spent hours searching for a local coach to no avail. Sure, there were plenty of people, but… I. Did. Not. Connect. With. A. Single. One!

I thought to myself, “If I’m going to spend money to hire someone, you can bet damn straight I want to feel something when I land on their website.” And chances are, your potential clients are thinking the same thing when looking for you. They want to feel something when they land on your website.

You have 7 seconds to make a good impression. So, the second thing you need to do before building your site is ask yourself this essential question: “How do I want my dream clients to feel when they land on my website?” 

Happy? Peaceful? Calm and Relaxed? Reassured? Inspired? Understood? 

Once you know this, you can design a website that evokes those feelings by the colours you choose, images you incorporate, and copy you write.

#3 Not About Your Clients, but YOU

An essential foundational element of a website many people disregard is the person behind the brand. When it comes to designing a brand and website you love, it requires you to be sprinkled throughout. If you create a brand purely around what you think others want, it’s never going to work. People are attracted to you, not an amalgamation of others’ wants. People buy people. So, before you build your brand, you have to get real clear on YOU.

What makes you unique as a business owner and as a person? What aspects of your personality enhance your business? What makes you different? What makes you, YOU? To help inspire you, I’ll go first. Here’s what makes me, ME:

• My intuition and energy “woo woo” work.

• My humour. I love me a dad joke and making my copy and imagery fun.

• My passion for running. I always used to hate running, and now I’m running half marathons!

Ok, now it’s your turn!

#4 Stand Out from the Crowd

Once you know your superpower, you can showcase it to the world through your brand and website design. Whether you realize it yet or not, you have so many things that make you different. Perhaps it’s a love of pole dancing, connecting with spirit, meditating, or being an EFT enthusiast. I want you to see those things as sparkles within you that light you up. 

Because I can guarantee you, they’ll be the things that light up your clients too. Those are the things I want you to bring to your branding. It’s time to find what makes you shine and make it shine through your web design.

My superpower is my intuition. And when I discovered it, it was my “lift” moment (quite like the “lift” in Dirty Dancing). The click. When I knew what I really do for my clients. I can chat with someone and immediately know how their branding should look. It sets me apart from other web designers and makes me able to help you find your inner sparkle and let it shine bright through your business. You have a superpower, and it is one of the foundational elements of a website you will love. 

#5 Get Visual: How to Capture Your Essence

So, you know your essence is an essential element of your website, but how do you capture it? Well, it’s all in the visuals. When it comes to your brand and website, less is more. You don’t need to throw everything and the kitchen sink into your design. 

It’s best to pick one or two themes that work well together… the colours that sing to your heart, the patterns that you love. I have a few resources to help you do this!

• For additional tips on choosing your brand colours, check out this blog post!

• To learn how to create a Pinterest vision board for your brand and website, check out this blog post!

• To discover how to quickly develop your brand and have fun while doing it, take my free branding workshop, “How to Create a Brand You Love.”

If you’re struggling to narrow your brand, you’re not alone. Take it step by step. For me, I started my rebrand knowing I wanted a more sophisticated font, handwritten elements, updated images, and a new colour palette (ditch the hot pink!). If you’re still unsure how to create the perfect brand for your website, let’s hop on a call and talk about it!

#6 Why Good Images are Important

I might be calling you out right now, but if your “About” page only has a poorly lit, grainy selfie of you, your bad photos are most definitely losing you business. Photos like that scream “unprofessional,” “careless,” “outdated!” Don’t give potential clients a wrong first impression by having shoddy photos that don’t truly reflect you and your business. Allow them to see the expert you truly are, feel connected with you, and trust you to help them in your area of expertise.

Your photos help site visitors emotionally connect with you as soon as they land on your site. You are your product!

I understand not everyone has a huge budget, but there are many ways you can get a beautiful headshot without breaking the bank. Google “local personal branding” or “portrait photographers” and find one that works within your budget. A professional shot (even just one!) is well worth the money for the impression you will make to potential clients. 

Professional photos are one of the elements of a website you definitely should not skimp on. Lucky for you, I can help you build a brand photography guide to share with a local photographer to nail your branding shoot. Or you can check out my blog on 7 Steps to Prepare For Your Personal Branding Photoshoot. 

#7 You Want to Feel Proud and Confident About Your Website

I know I’ve said this about pretty much each element, but that’s because they are all so important. And this one is no different. Feeling proud and confident is one of the key elements of a website that will make yours shine.

I know this because I know what it’s like not to love your website. It leads to… 

...not pitching yourself for bigger jobs because of website shame.

...not charging what you’re worth because your photos look amateur.

...not going for that more well-known podcast interview because your branding doesn’t make you look like an expert in your field (though you most certainly are!).

...not working with your dream clients because you haven’t positioned yourself to reach and attract them.

I want you to feel so fu**ing proud of your website, branding, and photos that you’re absolutely unstoppable!

How to Bring These Elements of a Website to Life

Ok, now you know exactly what you need to do before you build your website. Once you’ve got these seven foundational elements of a website down, you will truly be unstoppable. 

Are you ready for the next step? 

Please tell me you shouted, “Hell yeah!” just then! M’kay, good!

You know that my superpower is my intuition. That means I translate the energy of who you are into a truly authentic visual website and brand… one that attracts instantly, tells your story vividly, and brings your essence to life. If you’re ready, I’m ready. Let’s do this!

Book a call with me to see how I can help you take you to the next level in the process that is, designing and building your dream website.

If you want to go to the next level but aren’t ready to hire someone just yet, you can watch my How To Create a Brand You Love Workshop here…