Anchorage Web Design: 7 Steps to Prepare for a Website Build

Learn how to get ready for a successful Anchorage web design project.

Hey, Anchorage! As we move into spring season, I bet some of you are thinking about Anchorage web design and building a new website.

Now, did you know there are over one billion websites on the Internet?

If you’re a business owner, you already know that having an Anchorage web design is essential.

And with so many out there, it’s important that you stand out.

Websites serve as the digital home base of your Alaska business, giving you a centralized hub where clients and customers can learn more about your services or buy your products.

Although Instagram has gained popularity in recent years, the WEBSITE is still king, make that QUEEN, when it comes to being able to connect with your fan base, generate sales, and make an impact.

I’ve built several successful websites and know what elements can turn a website… into a website that gets results. That’s why I created this blog with seven steps to help you get ready.

So get comfy. Let’s talk about websites.

Step 1: Get Clear on Your Contact Info

Whether you’re planning on hiring an Alaska professional to design your website, or are fully invested in a DIY mission, the first thing you want to do is get organized.

As a business owner or organization, people need a way to contact you.

Make sure you have a clear plan for how potential clients can reach you after finding your website including:

• Your Phone Number: Do you want to have a separate business phone for your business? Or are you good with using your personal phone? Decide on what your official phone number will be.

  Pro-tip: If you have an LLC, you can deduct business expenses such as a new phone from your taxes.

• Your Address: Where are you? What is your official business address? If you work from home, you can get a virtual address for about $10 a month. Ensure your business address is the same across any social media channels you have going, too.

• Your Email Address: Are you still using a personal email address for your business? Leveling up to a more professional email address can have an impact on how your clients perceive you and your business, and make you look like the pro that you are.

Yep, these are the basics. But you’d be surprised how many businesses have conflicting information all over the Internet, making it difficult for potential clients to know and trust that there’s someone on the other end of all that contact information.

Now that that’s covered, let’s talk about domain names.

Step 2:  Choose a Domain Name

A domain is your website address. For example, the blog you are reading right now is connected to my website domain, www.karlafreivalds.com

The best websites have a clear, easy-to-remember domain name that’s easy for clients to type into their Google search bar, or tell their friends about.. so that you get referrals.

You also want to consider how the domain name both looks… and sounds.

One thing a lot of Alaskans do is add “ak” to the end of their websites. This can result in some strange SOUNDING domain names, for example:

DONUTAK

This isn’t an active domain name, or a real business, but it could be!

Now, while the business owner may think of it as “donut A-K,” someone else might read it as donutak, like kayak. Using “AK” can get even more complicated, like BERRYAK. Not exactly the type of imagery you want to give your berry brand!

So sound it out and make sure you’re happy with the result before you commit.

Pro-tip: Your domain name doesn’t have to match the name of your LLC You can run your accounting and legal matters through your LLC and have a completely different name for your website. However, you may need a new business license.

You can check to see what domains are available and how much they cost by visiting Squarespace domains, which also gives you a free year of domain hosting if you launch a Anchorage web design with them.

If you already have a domain name but aren’t happy with it, it’s always possible to change things up. Especially if you want to rebrand or are planning on building a new website with a new look and feel.

Step 3: Decide on a Website Builder

There are so many different websites builders where can you build your Alaska website these days.

Many of my clients feel overwhelmed by the choices, so I’ll make my recommendation crystal clear. Go with Squarespace.

Squarespace is a web builder that doesn’t require you to know any code. Plus, its all-in-one platform makes allows you to have a bunch of ways to operate your business all in one space — you can even hook up your online store to sell products directly on Instagram and Facebook, with just a click!

It’s easy to navigate, has an excellent customer support team, and a heap of online webinars and how-to tutorials for any trouble you run into.

WordPress is popular for its design customization, and Wix is very beginner-friendly. Squarespace has a sleeker visual profile than Wix, and is easier to use than Wordpress. Those are top three in the game right now, and I’m sure more are to come.

Here are the main reasons I love Squarespace:

• You can get a free trial to test the waters before committing, and a subscription comes with Google Workspace for a year, which allows you to create a custom email address that’s tied to your domain (mine is karla@karlafreivalds.com).

• Squarespace has a built-in scheduling system called Acuity so you can set up how clients book appointments online without needing a third-party integration. Acuity also allows you to create subscriptions, build packages, create appointment add-ons, and offer discounts to your clients.

• Squarespace has an easy built-in email marketing tool as well, so you can keep in touch with your clients in a way that has a consistent look and feel to your website. Note: A successful marketing strategy includes email marketing. It has a 3800% return on investment. A Squarespace website helps you get an email list up and running without needing a third-party tool like Mailchimp.

• If you also want to sell products online, a Squarespace website helps you set up a shop, fulfill orders, and track revenue.

Not only is the platform intuitive, but it has everything in one place which makes it easier to run your Alaska business and spend less time juggling multiple platforms — all of which translates into… more free time for you.

Squarespace is also a great website to use if you want to hire a designer (like me!) to launch your website, and then learn how to run it on your own.

Step 4: Figure Out Exactly What You Offer

Many of the businesses I work with have so many talents and specialties.

But you’ve got to narrow down your focus into a clear offering that people can ACTUALLY buy.

So, break it down. Get clear on who you are and what you specialize in or what you sell.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• What services or products do I offer? A great AK website design should have clear offerings. The client doesn’t need to know every detail about what you know. They just want to know how the product or service benefits them. How can you package your skills into offerings that make sense to someone who has never heard of you before?

• How much do those services or products cost? Decide how much you’re going to charge clients and customers for the types of services or products you offer. You want your rates to be clear when visitors come to your site.

• What sets me apart? You want to mention anything that helps you stand out because you never know what’s going to drive someone to click on the “Book” or “Buy” button. Do you have an inlet view? Mention it. Is your product gluten-free? Put it in. Make a list of all your attributes and work it into your descriptions.

Step 5: Start Gathering Testimonials

Every great website has social proof.

Social proof shows that your product or services are liked by other people, and is a powerful way to attract new business.

If you already have reviews on Google, you definitely want to incorporate the best ones into your Alaska website design. You can add your Google reviews directly to your website and have them update automatically!

If you don’t already have a Google business profile, getting one set up is another great way to prepare for your website build.

One effective way of gathering a lot of testimonials is to make a Google form with questions that you can send directly to your fan base, asking them for a review.

Consider asking people who have written you a testimonial for permission to use their photo on your website. Providing a photo increases the testimonial’s authenticity.

If you work with an Anchorage website designer, you can give them your testimonials in a simple word document for implementation on your website.

Step 6: Cover Your Assets

See what I did there?

When you work with an Anchorage website designer, they’re going to ask you for your assets. Assets are the items your web designer uses to build your website.

These include things like:

• Copy

• Photos

• Videos

• Logos and Branding

For your copywriting, you can simply hand over a text document to your web designer and they take it from there. But here’s a pro-tip: Websites with at least 800 words on each page rank higher on Google.

You may also want to consider using an SEO Copywriter (like me) to write your website copy. An SEO copywriter can help you craft a strong message and tie keywords into your website copy that help tell Google what your website is about.

If you don’t have any assets, then create some! I started my website with stock photography and a few iPhone photos taken by my partner. If you work with a website designer like me, they likely have assets you can use, like stock photography, and then you can upgrade as your business and budget grows.

And that leads us to #7…

Step 7: Go For It!

One of my favorite sayings is, “Don’t let perfect… get in the way of good.”

I’ve met some people around Anchorage who have been meaning to build an Anchorage website design for over a decade but can’t seem to move the needle because they are afraid of doing it wrong (note: that’s a good sign you need a designer’s help.)

Whether you want to work with an Alaska website designer or are going to build your site on your own, having the right mindset can be half the battle.

So just take a simple step toward your goal, like launching a Squarespace trial site, or writing down the advice from this blog.

Before you know it, you’ll have a website up and running.

Looking for Alaska Web Design Companies?

From gathering your assets to deciding on a domain, choosing a website builder, and clarifying your offers and products, building a new website is an exciting — and sometimes stressful — time! But you won’t regret the feeling of having it completed, functional, and start bringing you new business.

If you need some help, I offer custom Anchorage web designs built on Squarespace for businesses looking for a competitive edge.

Not only are my designs swoon-worthy, but each page is optimized for SEO so that your site comes up higher in Google search results and more people can find your business.

If you’re determined to go solo, I wish you all the best. If you ever get stuck or have a design question, feel free to book a free consult on my calendar, and I’ll try to help you out!

Brick-by-brick you can make your website standout, even in the digital sea of billions.