These days, most business owners need a website…but the task can feel overwhelming! Where do you start? Should you DIY or hire a web designer? What platform should you use? To get some answers I sat down with web design queen Pualena Aule’aloha of Pualena Digital Design. Here’s some insider tips on how to create a business website that works best for your brand. 

M: What should someone consider when creating a business website?

PA: Good question! Basically there are three main things to get straight before you start. Clarity, branding, and ecosystem. 

First, about clarity. Without clarity you will be disappointed in anything that’s created for you. Years ago In my previous business, my partner and I paid a ton of money to a web developer to make us a website. When they showed it to us, we hated it! Six months later, we realized it was our fault. We’d gone into the project with no clarity. Having learned this lesson myself, I always make sure clients are clear before we start working together. This is the who, what, and why of your business.

Second, there’s the branding. The logo, fonts, and colors set the vibe of your site and inform the user experience. You want to be clear on the look you are going for and that it’s in alignment with your business. Humans are most comfortable when we can predict what’s going to happen. It makes us feel safe. Good, clear branding makes people feel safe when they visit your website.

Finally, there’s your Ecosystem, or suite of products and services. You want to be really clear on what it is you offer and how each of your offers connect to the next one. We often encourage our clients to provide three different offers, ranging from low to high ticket. This allows us to create a funnel system. What we do as web designers is build the experience around your ecosystem...almost like gardeners paving the path for your clients to buy.

M: Love the garden metaphor! As a writer, I’m a real sucker for metaphors as you probably know. I’m wondering, what are your pain points as a web designer? What mistakes do you see all the time on websites that drive you nuts?

PA: It’s the smallest detail ever, but I notice it every time: the favicon. I can’t stand it when people leave the default favicon, instead of taking the time to create one with their logo. It’s a small detail that makes you look more professional.

M: There are so many website platforms out there today...Squarespace, Wordpress, Shopify, Kajabi, etc...how do business owners determine which one is right for them? Do you have any that you recommend?

PA: I really love that you asked this question. I think it can be a source of shiny object syndrome for people. I believe that there’s a platform for everyone's business and it’s not one size fits all. If you’re in the e-learning space creating courses, Kajabi is fantastic. If you’re in e-commerce, Shopify is hands down the best. Wordpress is great for bloggers. For DIYers I recommend Squarespace. I think that’s the best drag and drop template platform.

M: Awesome! Love those recommendations. And I have to tell folks reading this that you are a Kajabi guru. You specialize in creating beautiful websites for course creators. Learn more about Pua and her company Pualena Digital Design at: https://www.pualena.com.