Just recently, I've been giving my website a thorough going over as part of my conscious marketing experiment to tweak messaging, photographs and flow. As well as a review of my search engine optimisation and offerings.
A major refresh is something I do a couple of times a year, to ensure that my website is up to date and reflects what I'm about.
This time I also had a new services page to add into the mix - Human Design readings - a natural addition to my line up of branding services as I lean into helping my clients to create a brand from the inside-out.
I hadn't planned to add in this service quite so soon, but I felt the calling to do it and decided it was the right time to test the waters.
I LOVE that I am able to pivot and adjust my website offering on a day to day basis like this!
This is the benefit of having a website that you feel confident to change and update - and this is something that I'm keen for my clients to benefit from as well.
Your website is a constantly evolving beast
And here's the thing. Every time I do a major refresh of my website, I think to myself 'I've nailed it'...and then a few months later I can see things that I want to amend.
Not because I've missed things...but because our businesses change all the time (as we do).
And, because your website acts a mirror to your business, it makes sense that your website should flow and morph with these changes.
Our businesses are constantly evolving, and it's our job to ensure our website is an accurate reflection of who we are and what we do.
Do your website updates feel more stressful than they should?
If your business is constantly evolving, and your website has to keep up to speed...then these seemingly innocent website updates can become a potential source of stress if every time you think about making changes you get technically overwhelmed or you're worried about 'breaking something' behind the scenes.
So you might just stick to the confines of the template - refreshing the odd photograph here, tweaking a few sentences there or adding blog posts.
And if it feels completely overwhelming then you might stick you head in the sand altogether and not make any changes at all.
But more about that in a moment (because believe me when I say I've been there and done that)
How do you make your seasonal website updates stress free?
This got me thinking about how grateful I am that I've built my website on a platform that I can ACTUALLY use. And how frustrating and expensive it would be if I was tied to someone else for these changes.
I'm grateful to be in the driving seat of my business.
There is no big secret here and it's just really common sense, but the answer to taking the stress out of website updates lies in building your website in a platform that you can actually use
Why I don't use Wordpress (any more)
For years I had a Wordpress site.
I was so excited to launch!
I'd read that Wordpress was the 'best in class' and so surely it was the key to taking my business to new heights.
Now...
I'm pretty good with technology, but even I couldn't figure it out.
It was clunky. Plug-ins kept expiring on me so my contact form would suddenly stop working. The theme was stuck in a time warp. I couldn't update the thing and it just felt completely overwhelming.
My hands were tied when it came to steering my brand.
So slowly, slowly...my website which I had felt so excited about gathered cobwebs and my leads suffered as a result. It was a truly painful experience for both me and my business.
When I started Fresh Leaf Creative, I decided I needed a more empowered solution to my website.
I'd read about platform builders such as Wix and Squarespace, so I did my research, tested out the alternatives and made my selection based on what felt right for me.
I moved over to Wix, and I vowed to never again give away control of my website.
I felt like I was part of a revolution.
Your website is the most important part of your marketing ecosystem
Your website is the central cog around which ALL of your business activities spin.
Whether you're creating podcasts or courses, marketing on social media or promoting your business through magazines or at networking events, all roads lead back to Rome.
They lead back to your website. Your welcoming online hub.
Wix allows me the luxury of being in control of my website. And I say luxury, because it feels like that after my previous experience with Wordpress. I don't take this freedom for granted - I am grateful every day.
What is the 'best' website platform?
I am not suggesting that Wix is the right choice for everyone - because we are all different, and our businesses are all different and they require different functionality.
I also know plenty of people who are very happy with Wordpress, or they are happy to pay to outsource their website maintenance to a website designer.
I'm not really talking to those kind of people here.
I'm talking to those of you who WANT to have control of your website, but who DON'T WANT to be bogged down with the technical side of things. You will know if this is you.
The best website platform is not the fastest or the most technically advanced or the one with the most features.
These are the basics and they go without saying (and to be honest it's all much of a muchness now)
The best website platform is one that you are confident to use to spread your message with the world...Wordpress is super powerful but all the tech in the world is irrelevant if you can't keep your website up to date.
I happen to choose Wix because it lights me up, but Squarespace is another great option if you want another alternative to look at.
Creating a website that allows you to take aligned action
And for those of you who are also interested in personal development and Human Design, your website can play an important role in allowing you to lean into your Human Design type.
For those of you new to Human Design, it provides an energetic blueprint and a roadmap for how to live in alignment with our true selves and I am playing with this in my business this year in my conscious marketing experiment.
As a 4/6 Generator, I've learnt that I'm not here to initiate, and when I do initiate things tend to fall flat.
As Human Design Generator, my strategy in business (and life) is to RESPOND. This is how I create the most flow and ease.
Being in control of my website helps to create the environment of response that I require to be in flow.
It means I can pick up on external cues around me, and then respond directly through my website to the things that feel light and expansive when my authority and human network gives me the green light.
I hope you've found this interesting and that it's given you some food for thought.
If you're ready to re-imagine your website this year and take back control, please do feel free to find out more about my Wix website design services
If you're curious about your own Human Design and would like to understand what this means for you in life and business, you can find out more and book a Human Design reading with me.
About Lucy:
I help female business owners and career changers build their brand and online presence, so that they can create their positive ripple effect in the world.
I'm based in Dorset and offer website design, brand photography, brand design and Human Design readings.
Sign up to my email list to join my inner circle and for help on creating impact in your brand.