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All websites have at least one main goal to give it a direction. Pretty much everything you have on your website should support this goal or goals.
Do you know what the goal of your website is? Let’s take a look at a few to help you decide on yours and then determine the technology you’ll need to support it.
Get Subscribers / Establish Authority
In the beginning, most bloggers just want to get subscribers. The best way to do this is to stand out by establishing yourself as an authority on a particular field or topic. Being seen as an expert will help you to:
- get more traffic
- build an audience to sell a product to
- sell ads
- sell affiliate products
What You Need:
A blog. WordPress is a great option for this. (More on this in Step 4).
Make Sales
Do you plan to sell anything from your website? If so, then depending on what you decide to sell, you’ll need a way to sell it.
What You Need:
Selling Physical Products
If you are selling physical products of any kind, you’ll need an e-commerce solution. Shopify or WooCommerce are two great options.
Selling Digital Products
Selling digital products, like ebooks or music downloads? There are tons of options to sell digital products online depending on what it is you are selling exactly. Here are a few options to explore:
- WooCommerce – sell directly from your WordPress website via this free plugin
- Gumroad (I use this for my Blog Beautiful ebook)
- ConvertKit* (I already use this for my email provider and will switch soon from Gumroad)
- Easy Digital Downloads
- Amazon
Selling E-Courses
Or if you are selling e-courses, then you’ve got lots of options to choose from, such as…
- Teachable (I use this for my Crush CSS course)
- Thinkific
- Udemy
- Kajabi
…to name a few.
Selling Services
Selling services, like coaching, design, photography, etc? A CMS (client management system) is what you need. Here are a few options:
- Dubsado* (I use this for my web design services, try Dubsado free here)
- Acuity Scheduling
- Honeybook
Entertain, Create Awareness, Share Opinions
Some websites exist solely to entertain, share opinions or create awareness. These websites are usually supported by advertising. Options:
- Sell your own ad space on your website
- Add a service like Google Ads to your website
- Sell affiliate products – advertise other people’s products/services and receive a small commission
What You Need:
- A blog – WordPress will be your best option here
- A magazine-style theme
Create a Community
If you’re looking to build an online community, you’ve got a couple of options:
What You Need:
- A Facebook group
- A forum
- A membership platform
Select one Main Goal For Your Website
Now that we’ve gone over some of the possible goals your website may have, it’s time to decide which website goal you will concentrate on.
Exercise: In your planner, select the goal that best fits your website. If you wish, fill in some more information or details at the bottom of the page.
Next, Let’s Choose the Best Blogging Platform for Your Needs
Step 5: How to Choose a Blogging Platform
What is your website’s main goal? Share with us below.
