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Congratulations! You finally decided to take the plunge and create your own website. Web E Store is by far the most intuitive, easy-to-use website builder in the market, which guarantees you’ll enjoy an empowering and fun design experience. Only problem with the Web E Store platform is that it sucks you right in. The outstanding templates, countless functionality and endless design options might spin your head for a moment and create a “kid in a candy shop” effect. That’s why it’s a good thing to stay focused on your mission and get everything you need for your website in advance. Here’s a checklist and a list of online resources to help you prepare for creating your website.

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Text

Text (or web copy) is the heart and backbone of your website. It can attract clients if presented the right way or scare them off when it lacks focus or has typos. So pay lots of attention to what and how you write. Think of an average reader – don’t aim too high and use clear and accessible language that everyone can understand. Make it simple for visitors to understand what you’re offering and why they should buy it from you. Most importantly, don’t overburden your visitors with long, ‘essay’ style texts. What people respond best to these days are strong images with short elegant descriptions (Think of Pinterest, for example). An average website consists of a home page, an ‘about’ or bio page, ‘portfolio’ or ‘products and services’ page, and a ‘contact’ page. Make sure you have the text for all pages and consider whether your business requires additional or alternative pages.

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Logo

Even a small business needs a logo. A logo conveys your brand values, tradition, your very business identity. If you’re not sure what your brand values are, think. Is your business all about fresh, modern, innovative products? Is it about offering the cheapest prices for services in your field? Maybe it’s all about tradition, privacy and confidentiality? Whatever your line of business is, make sure your logo represents you right.

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Domain Name

Before choosing a name for your company, think about what your URL will look like. You don’t want a website that reads “frnaksfunkyamazingtshirts.com”. Short, clear names are easier to understand and look great online. Make sure you choose a name that is easy to spell and pronounce and that doesn’t have an unfortunate double meaning. Create a list with a few possible names and run it through your friends/family.

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Photos

A business website requires different photos: photos of your products, a portrait photo for the ‘about’ or ‘bio’ section, an introductory photo for your home page, etc. Since we’re living in the age of images, you need to choose your images carefully and make sure they’re high-resolution and of top quality. Stock photo websites are a good source of good photos but you should use them as your last, and not first, resort. Strong, original photos have an appeal that no stock photo can compete with. Once you upload your photos, check for image-text synchronization and verify that your image and text echo and confirm each other.

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Research

Spend a few hours online and explore other websites. Pay attention to things like images, text, ease-of-use, navigation, branding. Make a list of things you like and a list of things you should absolutely avoid.

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