How to Create a Website that Connects
You’ve perhaps selected a template, or even started your website. You’ve perhaps have a home page and a contact page to start, yet you aren't sure what to do next.
You’re concerned about not connecting with your audience, and wasting your time (and money).
You’re worried about picking the right web designers, the right price, or DIY'ing it better.
You’re afraid of not effectively connecting with your community on your website.
Yet you are more afraid of not getting your story, your experience, and your brand out there, so you hang on through the process.
You are still reading because… because deep down inside you know there has to be a better way to create a website that truly connects (vibes, visuals, and value).
What if…
What if you created a website with clarity to truly connect, create and cultivate?
What if you were able to create the feeling you want people to feel?
What if you were clear on your visuals, vibes, and value?
What if you focused on value and relationship first?
What if you increased your know, like, and trust factor?
What if you were crystal clear on your flow from foundation to growth?
Imagine the return…Imagine the results…
It is possible to create it.
How do I know?
Because I took ALL the education and experience from industries and brands served, and we did just that. I believe in turning struggle into strength and service.
How did we do it? I figured it was time to share it to serve others.
Here, you will learn how to set up the
vibes, visuals, and value
for a website that connects.
I’m going to say, right up front, this article will involve you to take time to get clear on your story and and take action!
I will equip you how to do this step by step so you feel equipped and empowered.
This will save you a ton of time, heartache, and money!
Background
I completely get it! I've created over 20 websites since 2000 including building, revising, or advising in over 7 industries. This includes this one and the www.katrinajulia.com site as well.
When I first started creating websites in 2000, websites were different and much more difficult back then - you HAD to KNOW HTML or Flash. There was no Wix or Kajabi or easy templates or tools!
However, I hadn't been exposed to the art and science of visuals, vibes and value to create a website that connects until I went full-time as an entrepreneur in 2011.
When I started creating this site, the Katrina Julia site, along with the integration of social media plus our experiences, ambassadors, and fundraisers - This took me back to college, as well as the industries I had served in from education to retail to energy and several in between.
It all took me back to the fundamentals of vibes, visuals, and value.
To give you insight into our results directly related to
FIT Life Creation.
2015 = Year 1
Entire site done on Wix.
Four Pages: Home, Events, About, and Contact Page
Photos: 1st Fitness Show + Fundraising Event for Homelessness
Blog: Once a month to starting up.
Social: Little to no integration.
Traffic: <50 a Month
2016 = Year 2
Entire site done on Wix. V 3.0
Seven Pages: Home, Events, About, Contact, Retreats, Academies
New Site: Set up version 1.0 Katrina Julia Site.
Photos: Above + Professional Shoot + Costa Rica Retreat
Blog: Consistent by end of year.
Social: Increased to Facebook and Instagram.
Traffic: <100 a Month
2017 = Year 3
Base site done on Wix.
Full Kajabi Integration for Automation.
10+ Pages: Home, Events, About, Contact, Experiences, Challenges, Programs, Retreats, Academies, Ambassadors, Fundraisers, Freebies
Photos: Above + Cuba Retreats + Challenges + Programs
Blog: Consistent and increased content.
Social: Increased to Facebook and Instagram and YouTube
Traffic: <400 a Month
2018 = Year 4
Base site done on Wix.
Full Kajabi Integration for Automation.
10+ Pages: Home, Events, About, Contact, Experiences, Challenges, Programs, Retreats, Academies, Ambassadors, Fundraisers, Freebies
Photos: Above + Updates
Blog: 12 Themes with Health, Wealth, Business
Podcast Launched: >1000 Downloads (by May)
Social: Increased to Facebook, IG, YouTube, IG TV, Pinterest
(33,000+ Views!)
Traffic: >1000 a Month
I'm sharing the above so you see that it took time for myself and for us to get to where the site is today.
I think we can all agree — creating a life and business you love involves always learning new skills and tools. Websites is definitely one of them, and it continues to evolve.
When the site started:
Vibes were the colors:
Pink = Passion
Blue = Creation
Green = Abundance
or tying to our mission:
F ollow Love in All We Do
I mpact People
T ransform the MInd
Visuals were event + fitness:
This showed fundraising and fitness - one part of our all in one lifestyle brand. It didn't visually represent health, wealth, and business; community or retreats.
Value inspiration on social + nutrition:
There was no blog, podcast, or freebies to provide a consistency for people to connect, create and cultivate. The offerings was getting on a nutrition plan initially solely with Herbalife - there was no full integration into health, wealth, and business with the challenges, programs, retreats and academies.
Step by step, I and we got to figure it out. So will you. You will learn from this source, as well as others. The best education is intention + reflection + action.
I've put together
How to
Create a
Website
that Connects.
I will outline vibes, visuals, and value so hopefully it doesn't take you and/or your team four years to create a website that connects!
It is important to think about a website as a tool to show up as your best self (like you would in person!). If you were having an important business meeting with Oprah - how would you show up?
Treat your website and social media the same.
They are now the "face" of your business.
It is definitely an art and a science in How to Create a Website that Connects.
Like us, it constantly evolves.
You, my friend, want to create a website that connects. I can tell. That's probably why you are here reading - hello?! You know that a website that connects may be super powerful for your life and business, and there has got to be a smart way!
So, since you really want to create a website that connects, this post is for you.
If you consistently focus on any or all of these steps, you will increase our ability to create a website that connects.
VIBES
VISUALS
VALUE
In this blog post, I’m sharing on How to Create a Website that Connects.
This may help you whether you work for someone else in a web role, have a side hustle, are a long time blogger, lifestyle entrepreneur, or want to be one!
Plus, if you want to create a life and business you love -
connect with more people - don't you owe it to yourself and your community to to invest the time to learn?
According to Hubspot, the average person spends about 15 seconds on a website. This is the online equivalent of "you get one chance to make a great first impression".
This heightens the importance of vibes, visuals, and value to not only connect, but to create and cultivate a relationship.
STEP 1: VIBES
The higher your vibes, the easier it will be to create a website that connects.
This starts with thinking about:
1) Colors: what they mean to you + the brand.
2) Why: are you creating a website, a blog post, a podcast, challenge, course..
3) Feeling: how do you want people to feel with your site?
According to 99 Designs "branding colors matter to cultivate a strong emotional connection with people.
Our Example:
1) Colors: Pink, Blue, Green =
Passion + Creation + Abundance
Passion, Purpose, People Profits
2) Why: With every action, we now set intention for feeling + result.
With tis post = empower + educate + set targets in now, <7 days, <30 days, <100 days, <1 year, and lifetime. I started doing this in June of this year. It aligns being, feeling, and doing. It also creates a sense of urgency.
3) Feeling: We want people to feel passion, creation, abundance, purpose, people, and profit possibility.
It is so easy to get caught up in simply doing the site.
The clearer you get here, the easier your visuals and value creation will be.
The simpler and easier we make it, the faster you get results.
Here are some questions to help you:
1) How do you want people to feel?
2) Are you clear on your colors?
3) How is your site currently and/or
4) What type of site do you want?
5) Are you setting intentions with each page/post?
6) What is your goal with each page/post?
7) Are you being relatable and connecting?
8) How consistent are you on your website?
9) Where may people find you e.g. keywords, google, social?
10) How could this lead to visuals and value creation?
Photo Credit: Brock Photos Atlanta
STEP 2: VISUALS
The clearer you are on your vibes, the clearer you will be on visuals.
The visuals simply illustrate the experience or feeling you want to show.
This starts with thinking about:
1) Colors: how do you want them shown on each page?
2) Current: what current experiences, offerings, lifestyle do you show?
3) Future: what new visuals or videos do you want to show?
According to Neil Patel, articles with images get 94% more views.
He also shares more on insight from images to infographics.
Our Example:
1) Colors: Pink, Blue, Green on each page.
2) Current: Experiences (freebies to academies) via colors, images, videos, and infographics. Highlights of healthy active lifestyle, wealth, business, travel, testimonials.
3) Future: Increase community, testimonials, collaborations, social media lives and takeovers, and behind the scenes.
Keep in mind, like I shared earlier this takes time. We are always on a journey evolving.
Here are some questions to help you:
1) How do your current pages look like?
2) How are your offerings currently shown?
3) Do you have brand images of experiences?
4) Does social media tie to your website visually?
5) How does your blog or podcast tie in?
6) What else would you love to show?
7) How could you evolve in next 90 days?
8) Are you a DIYer, or outsourcer?
9) Where may people find you e.g. keywords, google, social?
10) How could this lead to value creation?
I believe that the more you create clarity and consistency,
the simpler and easier the outcome, and the faster you get results.
I and we ask ourselves the same questions all the time. With each page, blog, podcast, challenge, and program - "how may we evolve"?
Examples -
Freebies
Home
Programs
STEP 3: VALUE
The more you increase value in both free and paid offerings, the more you connect and increase know, like, and trust factor.
For example, value may be created through social media posts, lives, blogs, podcasts to start. You may then grow to freebies like guides, series, webinars to name a few.
I have experienced this over and over in >7 industries lining up foundations, stability and growth to. the tune of 7-9 figures consistently annually. I had to learn to shift to be able to direct foundation, stability and growth fully towards creating a life and business I loved and teaching others to do the same.
For years, even though I made others massive results I would hold myself back out of feat and worthiness and experienced chaos. I also had to learn how to set up a firm foundation and strong stability. I completely understand either not having the skill set and/or not having the practice of applying it to yourself or your business.
These also help you flow with websites with podcasts, guides, programs, retreats andacademies with time!
We also do hands on activities both in our online experiences and in live events!
Here are some questions to help you:
1) How would you love to create value next?
2) What ways would you create connection?
3) How could you increase value on social?
4) What freebies would you love to create?
5) What types of guides would you love to create?
6) How could you share knowledge in programs?
7) What live experiences could you share?
8) What ways could you serve your community?
In a Day
The more you simplify what you want to create, the more your confidence will grow in yourself, and the faster you will see results.
I used to massively complicate things years ago. I've learned to simplify simplify simplify.
To help you in this area, I've also included our Website Wonder Guide and our sneak peak into Our In a Day Series with Our Social Media in a Day! (the paid course includes Website In a Day!)
