– e.g. theearlyhour.com/annieridout.com – and the social media handles. You can check domains by googling ‘domain checker’ and using one of the sites that pop up. Ideally, you also want your website name to be your handle. Or if your work is under your own name, try to secure social media accounts with your name (e.g. I’m @annieridout on Instagram and Twitter). There’s more on social media in Chapter 6, but for now, I’d recommend Instagram and Twitter for starting out. In terms of finding a business name that you’ll be able to own the domain for, you will need to think outside the box. If you choose ‘The Mummy Blogger’ as your brand name, the likelihood is that both the domain and social media accounts will already have been snapped up. So opt for something more original that you can use across platforms.
When you’re checking domains, you can put in the brand name you’re toying with, followed by .com and you’ll be told whether it’s available or already exists. Ideally, you want the .com, as it’s good for SEO (getting to the top of Google searches, see here) and it’s what people automatically type into Google. But if you’re totally set on a name and can only get .co.uk or .org or .co, it’s not the end of the world. As long as you build a strong brand, website and following, these things will supersede your top-level domain (TLD) – the last few letters of your URL.
Website hosting
Now you’ll need to decide where to host your website. I chose to buy my domain through Tsohost – they have great tech support, and were recommended for me. But I’ve also used GoDaddy, and while they’re more salesy, they’ve been helpful whenever I’ve had an issue. After buying your domain through one of these websites, you can build it from scratch or use a popular platform like WordPress or Squarespace, that allows you to choose a template and slot in all your information without having to know coding. Also, you’ll have full control of your content going forward, which might not be the case if you hire someone to build you a custom-designed website.
The Early Hour is built on WordPress. I had a website whizz friend, Mike Parks, design it, using one of the templates WordPress offer, and a graphic designer friend, Matt Bucknall, design the logo. The two of them worked together to create something I’d like: Matthew did the logo design and the general look of the website – the fonts, features, spacing – and Mike made it happen. They had ideas for little features to add in and make it more original, like the sun that rises as you scroll down when you’re looking at theearlyhour.com on desktop computers.
When choosing between WordPress or Squarespace, each has its advantages. I chose WordPress because it’s been around longer so there are more web developers who know it inside out, and also there are loads of plugins available. Plugins are used to add new features to your website, like social media icons so people can click straight through to your Instagram account, or sharing buttons. Also, pop-up boxes asking people to sign up to your mailing lists. But some people find Squarespace more user-friendly. Creatives often like Wix, as it’s simple to import images and move them around. But if you’re selling products, Shopify might be the one for you.
Email address
You should have at least one email address included when you buy your hosting package so that you can have a [yourname]@[yourwebsite].com. This is crucial in terms of looking professional and legitimate. Having [email protected] isn’t going to cut it. And to be honest, nor is [email protected]. Get an email address that fits with your website and makes it clear that you are a professional. I’d recommend having [yourname]@ rather than hello@[yourwebsite].com or info@[yourwebsite].com, as this means that when someone’s emailing you; a client you’ve been in touch with before, they can start typing your name and your email address will appear. They won’t automatically think to start trying ‘hello’ or ‘info’, so this will save them time and mean they don’t have to do the annoying job of finding your last email in their inbox and replying to it.
Tech support
If you’re looking for help with the tech side of things and don’t have a pal who can sort you out, PeoplePerHour (peopleperhour.com) is a great website – you add in your job (e.g. I need a WordPress website built/customised) and people will pitch to do the job. You choose who you’d like to work with and agree a fee, then you’re off. It’s particularly useful if you don’t want a long-term commitment but need a job done quickly and professionally. I’ve used it for adding features to my website, like comments boxes under the articles. And get Google Analytics installed, too. That way you can track all traffic to your website and see where people are being referred from. The bulk of your traffic might be coming from Facebook posts, or tweets, and this is helpful to know, so you can see what you’re doing right on that specific platform.
The logo matters
You’ll need an original logo, as the ones that come with WordPress templates won’t be good enough. If, like me, you’re not a designer, call in a favour or pay someone: the visual identity of your brand really matters. Freelance graphic designer Emily Brooks says: ‘A logo represents your business in any format – and people will recognise it as your stamp. It’s like a barcode, and it enables people to track you across all your platforms. The logo should capture the core; the essence of the brand.’ So even if your logo is just one letter, the font and colour and shape will eventually become your visual signature. ‘A logo should be versatile,’ says Emily, ‘it can change over time as your brand evolves.’
When briefing Matthew about the logo for The Early Hour, I said it was a parenting magazine so something playful or that nods to children/family would work well. That it should be unisex, positive and represent the early hours of the morning. He came back with a series of designs – some had a moon in the logo, some had a sun. Interestingly, he’d interpreted ‘the early hour’ as being both the end of the night and the beginning of the day. But I wanted to appeal to parents who are up early, so I opted for the sun. Also, this felt more positive. I love the logo he designed: it’s simple, clean and timeless – it really represents my brand.
On the subject of visual identity, try to avoid using obvious stock images across your website. Either take your own photographs, if you know how to take a good picture, or use a website like unsplash.com or designspiration.net where you can find better-quality (free) photographs. Just check whether you need the photographer’s permission, or to give a credit. Try canva.com (or the related app), which is great for simple picture editing if you don’t have Photoshop. It enables you to create one image containing a selection of photos, so I use it when I have two portrait pictures but need a landscape image for The Early Hour – I put the dimensions in and place the two images side by side. You can choose different backgrounds, or add fonts. This can be useful for creating social media posts (like quote boxes) too.
