You may have noticed that my website now looks a little different? I’ve slowly been working on it with Sokada, a Heathfield based website development company, whom I’ve known for several years now. I’m really proud of it. Not just in the way it looks, but also the functionality of it and how it reflects my services and values. But most of all, it now works for me.
My First Website
My first website started like many small businesses – you get a basic one set up with a bit about what you do, contact details and maybe a blog.
Also like a lot of start up business owners, I spent a lot of time prioritising my clients and worked IN my business, rather than ON it. This meant that my website lacked personality and function.
In my defence, at the time, I got all my marketing clients by word of mouth and wasn’t looking to increase my client base. In my head, I thought that granted me leave of absence when it came to maintaining my website.
Business & Personal Alignment
Over time, I realised I wanted (needed) more pages on my website. Rather than a list of the services I offered, for SEO purposes I ascertained each service should have it’s own page. I also wanted to update my branding and adjust my business name. At the time, I was Harriet Brown PR. Although PR stands for Public Relations, there was a lot of misconception regarding Press Releases, and prospective clients thought I was a PR agency who could get them coverage in in-print publications. That was not my bag.
My bag was Public Relations, face to face, online and in print relationships forged and maintained for my clients and their brands. Getting coverage is only a small part of that. Anyway, I digress, so the re-branded website had a new URL featuring the word “Communications” which I thought better encompassed my offering.
Again, then, my business wasn’t really growing. I was about to get married and wasn’t 100% sure if I wanted to keep my maiden name or not, so it wasn’t very a fully committal new website. I then went through a bit of a period of self discovery and development, replaced some clients and increased my personal and professional development.
Clarity
During this time I realised where I wanted my business to go. It was all very well having a website with little call to action, no freebies, no exciting or educating information, because I didn’t require it then. But what about future planning? What about if I lost some clients? What about where I see myself in 2 years or 5?
I listened to a great Tara Best podcast where she interviewed Danielle from Black Nova Designs (who makes Tara’s websites). One thing which really resonated with me was that Danielle urged that with social media, we are governed by algorithms and paid for ads and posts are quickly lost within the ether. With a website you have more power to tell your story, to suit you, not according to the latest trending audio.
I’m also very aware that my ideal client might not be on social media in the first place. One of the main reason’s I’m hired is to manage a business’s online presence because they are not. That means they are likely to find me through other avenues. That’s when a website has to stand out amongst the online fog.
A Website With Meaning
As I move into my 5th year as a self employed marketing manager, I’m finally proud of my website. The name, branding, wording and offering is consistent with where I am now and where I want to be in the future. The words, services and tools are my own, created through my business experience.
It’s not a new year’s resolution because I tend not to make them, but it is an objective of mine to set realistic time aside to keep adding to my website. Keeping a website up to date, refreshed and relevant is important not just for SEO but also to make sure that your existing and prospective clients are getting an accurate representation of you and your products and services.
I hope you like my new website, it is very much a working document which will continue to develop as I do.
Is there a marketing topic you would like me to discuss? Contact me and I will share my thoughts on the subject.